Nikon D3200 is one of the most popular cameras from the Nikon brand that was first released in 2012. Despite many generations of cameras being released afterward, the Nikon D3200 remains the best budget photography camera for beginners and even professionals.
Some of the factors that have contributed to the Nikon D3200’s success are the fact that it is cheap and the interchangeable lens capability. The 24.2MP CMOS sensor DSLR camera has Nikon’s F lens mount which is open to over 300 lenses.
Given that this is a large number, many photographers who want to advance their Nikon D3200 lenses often have a hard time deciding on which lenses to buy. It is for this reason that we have tested and compiled a list of the best Nikon D3200 lenses.
What to consider when buying Nikon D3200 lenses
To help you filter some of the available lenses for the Nikon D3200, these are the factors you should consider;
Compatibility: Before buying lenses for your camera, you should ensure that it fits into the camera mount. In this case, we will use Nikon F-mount lenses.
Focal Length: The focal length of the lens you will settle with will depend on what you intend to use the lens for. Shorter focal length creates wide pictures while longer focal lengths can be used to zoom subjects that are far away.
Maximum Aperture: This is the widest a lens can open to allow light into the camera. The aperture also brings a blurred effect on an image.
Vibration Reduction (VR) Feature: VR is an image stabilization technology by Nikon to help produce sharp images by reducing camera shake.
Price: Camera lenses are generally expensive. You should therefore know the limits on how much you will spend on Nikon D3200 lenses.
Best Nikon D3200 Lenses
We followed the above criteria to filter Nikon D3200 lenses which left us with 27 lenses. We then tried and tested the lenses to come up with a list of the best lenses for the Nikon D3200. Here is an overview of what made it to the best Nikon D3200 lenses;
Best Wide Angle Lenses For Nikon D3200
Wide-angle lenses have a short focal length thus covering more space in front of the camera. These are the top Nikon D3200 lenses;
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM is the best budget ultra-wide angle lens for Nikon D3200. At 20mm, the lens covers what most kit lenses would cover at their widest angle. The lens then zooms out to ultra wide angle at 10mm covering a larger ground into the frame.
The lens performs to the standards of a beginner photographer who wants to try out ultra-wide-angle shots. The photos are not that sharp as there isn’t image stabilization and at the widest aperture of f/4, the lens does not perform well in low light.
Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5
Nikon 10-24mm is a wide-angle lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at the widest angle and f/4.5 at the tightest angle. The lens has an autofocus feature that has a silent wave motor. This makes the lens ideal for video shooting.
The Nikon D3200 lens produces sharp photos thanks to its duo ED glass elements and 3 aspherical lenses that reduce aberration. However, just like in most wide-angle lenses, there are distortions when the lens is pushed to its limit.
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
Tokina 11-16mm is among the best Nikon D3200 lenses due to its sharp photos. The lens also has a consistent aperture throughout its focal length making it ideal for videography.
At hand, the wide-angle lens feels solid and is quite heavy. The autofocus is pretty quick and accurate although the motors make a sound when adjusting. Unlike most wide-angle lenses, the Tokina 11-16mm does not have to vignette giving you a clear picture of the edges.
Best Walk-Around Lenses For Nikon D3200
Walk-around lenses are lenses that you can take with you anywhere for everyday use. They are standard lenses with extended zoom ranges making them usable at various angles.
These are our picks for the best Nikon D3200 walk-around lenses;
Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6
Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 is the best upgrade from Nikon D3200’s kit lens. The lens has 17 different glass elements with a complex optical formula. Its autofocus is quiet but you will hear the waves when recording videos. The lens also features vibration reduction. With minimal vignetting and distortions, the lens picture quality is quite recommendable.
One of the downsides we found is that the lens has a high maximum aperture. At f/5.6 when zoomed, the lens has a difficult time giving you a bokeh effect unless you move closer.
Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8
If you are looking for a Nikon D3200 lens with a constant wide aperture, then the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 is the best choice for you. With this lens, you can set the exposure setting at a certain focal length and not worry about it at different focal lengths. The wide maximum also means you will easily get blurred backgrounds. The lens also wins in autofocus which is fast and precise. You will also not hear any sound during autofocus since this is an AF-S lens.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G
This is one of Nikon’s best-selling portrait photography lenses due to the quality it delivers. The Nikon 50mm f/1.8G is a small plastic made lens whose major win is the depth of field. The autofocus is pretty fast although the camera may record some sounds when in video mode. Something else that will piss videographers is a significant focus on breathing. Overall, the picture quality is great and it is a lens I will recommend.
Best Telephoto Lenses for Nikon D3200
Telephoto lenses are lenses with long focal lengths making them ideal for focusing images from a long range.
These are our picks for the best Nikon D3200 telephoto lenses;
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 is our first recommendation for the best Nikon D3200 telephoto lens.
This lens is compact for a telephoto lens yet delivers sharp photos making it a perfect alternative for Nikon D3200 kit lenses. Due to its small size and lightweight, Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 is perfect for travel photography
The Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 uses an AF-S autofocus system which does a good job. With VR mode switched on, the lens delivers crisp quality photos.
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6
If you are looking for a Nikon D3200 macro lens, then Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is the lens you should go for. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is a low-budget macro lens that delivers high-quality images throughout its focal range.
In autofocus mode, the lens struggles to find focus which is not an issue for macro lenses. It will also make some noise when the focus motors are moving. Another downside of the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is that it lacks optical stabilization.
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 is a purely telephoto lens perfect for wildlife and landscape photographers or astrophotographers. The lens can also be used for portraits with blurred backgrounds.
The lens is quite long and heavy. It weighs 2.8 kg thanks to its rear metal parts. There is also a metal tripod mount to save you the trouble of carrying a heavy lens all the time.
The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 has image stabilization for sharper images even when the camera shakes. You can also set the focus to manual, MF, or fully autofocus.
The main downside of the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 is its poor low-light performance.
FAQs
What is Nikon D3200 Best For?
Nikon D3200 is a good camera for beginners who want to upgrade from a point-and-shoot camera. The advantage of having this camera is that you can upgrade your lenses are your photography skills grow.
What Lenses Work With Nikon D3200?
Nikon D3200 is compatible with F-mount lenses. F-mount lenses are used for Nikon DSLRs with a crop sensor.
What is the difference between Nikon and Nikkor lenses?
Nikon is the camera brand as we know it. It has a subsidiary that focuses on manufacturing lenses. This subsidiary uses the name Nikkor.
Conclusion On the Best Lenses For Nikon D3200
I hope this guide will help you easily decide on which lens is best for your Nikon D3200. The lenses we have listed cut across all needs of Nikon D3200 users.
However, if you have not yet found a lens that suits you, I request you check this video by Camera gurus;