How To Pick The Right Lens For You…
If you have just purchased your very own Nikon D7000 camera then it is very likely that you want the Best Lens for Nikon D7000. But how do you know what lens is perfect for your needs?
There are two main factors we need to look at:
- Focal Length
- Maximum Aperture / F-stop ratio
What Focal Length Is Best…
If you purchase a Nikon 18-200mm lens then you have what is known as a zoom lens. A prime lens has a single focal length while a zoom lens has a multi-range focal length, in this case 18mm to 200mm.
Let’s keep things simple to avoid confusion. Generally, the smaller the focal length the wider field of vision a lens can capture and the longer the focal length the more narrow the field of vision but also the larger the magnification or zoom of the lens.
One important thing to note is that the lens of a standard 35mm SLR camera (unless specified) is not the same as that of a digital SLR camera. Generally there is a factor of approximately 1.4-1.5 difference. What does this mean? If you multiply 35mm by 1.4-1.5 this will give you your standard equivalent 50mm for most digital SLR cameras.
In most cases lenses less than 50mm (wide angle) are used for taking pictures with a requirement for a wide field of vision such as vast landscapes and lenses greater than 50mm (telephoto) are for shooting distant objects where there is more of a need for magnification and less of a need for wide angle shooting. Please note that the actual definition for telephoto refers to lenses that have a physical length shorter than the actual focal length. This is managed by specific parts in the lens itself.
The other important aspect to note is that lenses with a shorter focal length produce shots with more depth in the image and lenses with longer focal lengths produce shots with less depth (flatter images). If you place two objects about three feet in front of your face, the depth (distance from one to another) of these objects is quite apparent and clear. However if you moved those objects 50 feet away the depth between the two objects becomes less apparent or flatter.
Here are two websites that we have found which will help you make a decision before you decide to purchase the lens below:
http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm (Sample images at different focal lengths)
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-lenses.htm (In-depth explanation of focal lengths and a calculator to help you find the right lens).
So there you have it, everything you need to know about focal lengths… in short shorter focal lengths (below 50mm) for wide angle shots and longer focal lengths (above 50mm) for shots with zoom and magnification.
What Does Maximum Aperture Mean…
The maximum aperture can be explained by the f-stop. This is the ratio of the focal length to the actual diameter of the lens itself. It controls the amount of light that passes through the lens.
If we take a look at the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G Nikkor Lens the part that denotes the maximum aperture or f-stop is “f/2.8G”. Generally the lower the f-stop the more light that passes through the lenses and the better the quality of the image, but also the dearer the price of the lens. Single f-stop ratios are also much better than f-stops with a range such as 4.5-5.6.
F-stops have steps in the standard (1.4 , 2.0 , 2.8 , 4 , 5.6 , 8 , 11 , 16 , 22) with each step going higher leading to half as much light passing through. The difference between a lens with a f/1.4 and f/2.0 is that the f/2.0 will have half as much light passing through it than in comparison to the f/1.4.
If we have a prime lens of 50mm and a f-stop of 1.4 we can calculate the size of the aperture by dividing 50mm by 1.4 which is approximately a 35mm aperture. So obviously the larger the f-stop the smaller the size of the aperture and the less light your lens can capture.
So what’s the bottom line? The smaller the f-stop (especially without a range) the larger the aperture of your lens, the brighter the images you can capture and the better the quality of pictures especially in low lighting situations.
For more details on the f-stop ratio please visit below:
http://www.uscoles.com/fstop.htm
Putting together the F-Stop and the Focal Length…
So let’s put the two together to help you decide what lenses are right for you. In essence the larger the focal range of your lens and the smaller the f-stop the more dearer the lens will be. If you are on a low budget you might decide to get a prime lens with a single focal length and an f-stop of 4-5.6 or higher.
Remember that the standard focal lengths are around 50-55mm (roughly equivalent to a 35mm non-digital SLR camera) and anything smaller will be used generally for wider angle and close up shots while anything larger will be used more for distance photography where zoom is required.
If you have a larger budget then it pays to find a versatile lens for your needs. Carrying one lens with multiple focal lengths gives you more flexibility in your shots and saves you from carrying a variety of different prime (single focal length) lenses. You will also notice that lenses that have a single f-stop instead of a range are generally better quality and dearer as they are provide better quality shots with less guesswork on the focal range.
Many semi-professional photographers can typically choose to spend around $800-$1000 for a quality lens that provides bright pictures and a versatile range of zoom.
If you are still having trouble deciding why not go with one of the more popular best seller models the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II model. This lens has a large focal range allowing wide angle pictures in the 18mm range (perfect for floral and closeup wildlife photography), standard pictures in the 50mm range and superior telescopic images in the 200mm range (great for capturing distant wildlife such as lions on a safari in Africa).
With a decent f-stop of 3.5-5.6 allowing for bright pictures, autofocus and vibration reduction features, at around $829.00 USD it is a perfect choice for those wanting a superior lens with quality and flexibility.
Please enjoy the variety of models available and we hope that you have much success in choosing the Best Lens for Nikon D7000 for you.
1. Nikon 70-300mm
Product: Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
Price: $484.64
Description: Great lens for telescopic photography. Super large 300mm focal length with autofocus and vibration reduction features.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 70-300mm Lens
2. Nikon 28-300mm
Product: Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens
Price: $921.60
Description: Quality and versatile lens for both wide angle and telescopic shots. Impressive low f-stop of 3.5-5.6 and has vibration reduction and autofocus.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 28-300mm Lens
3. Nikon 80-200mm
Product: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens
Price: $1,224.00
Description: Great lens for telescopic shots. Low and single 2.8 f-stop provides excellent quality bright images and with autofocus and wide aperture.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 80-200mm Lens
4. Nikon 70-200mm
Product: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens
Price: $2,199.99
Description: The king of professional lenses! Huge 70-200mm focal range provides wide angle and telescopic shots with autofocus and vibration reduction.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 70-200mm Lens
5. Nikon 55-200mm
Product: Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens
Price: $194.88
Description: Great budget lens with good features. Good variety of focal ranges for standard and telescopic shots. With autofocus and vibration reduction.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 55-200mm Lens
6. Nikon 18-200mm
Product: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens
Price: $829.00
Description: Very popular model! Low f-stop for bright images and HUGE focal range for wide-angle and telescopic shots. Autofocus and vibration reduction.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 18-200mm Lens
7. Nikon 24-120mm
Product: Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR Lens
Price: $1,169.00
Description: Great for wide-angle shots and telescopic images. Good quality f-stop at 4 and autofocus and vibration reduction capabilities.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 24-120mm Lens
8. Nikon 18-105mm
Product: Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens
Price: $363.99
Description: Great budget lens for wide angle and telescopic shots. Autofocus and vibration reduction features.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 18-105mm Lens
9. Nikon 16-85mm
Product: Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX ED VR Nikkor Wide-Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens
Price: $699.00
Description: Quality lens with great wide-angle and zoom lens in one. Vibration reduction and autofocus features.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 16-85mm Lens
10. Nikon 18-55mm
Product: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
Price: $109.25
Description: Great budget lens especially for wide-angle and standard shots. Also with autofocus features.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 18-55mm Lens
11. Nikon 17-55mm
Product: Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
Price: $1,539.00
Description: Superior lens for extreme wide angle and standard shots. The very low single f-stop provides for extremely bright photos and autofocus bonus!
Click Here To Buy Nikon 17-55mm Lens
12. Nikon 16-35mm
Product: Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Price: $1,149.00
Description: A great lens especially for wide-angle shots. Single f-stop of 4 for great quality shots and autofocus and vibration reduction make this great!
Click Here To Buy Nikon 16-35mm Lens
13. Nikon 14-24mm
Product: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Price: $1,945.00
Description: Superior wide-angle lens perfect for in-depth photography. The single f-stop of a low 2.8 is impressive for brighter shots. Autofocus included.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 14-24mm Lens
14. Nikon 10-24mm
Product: Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Price: $1,049.00
Description: Another great wide-angle lens. Decent f-stop at 3.5-4.5. Great with autofocus and perfect for closeup wildlife and garden shots.
Click Here To Buy Nikon 10-24mm Lens
We hope you have enjoyed our Best Lens for Nikon D7000 article and hope that
