Best budget Nikon D3100 lenses for family photos, outings, and portraits

Asked 11/2/2010

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I have a Nikon D3100 with the kit lens and I photograph family gatherings, local outings, and occasional portraits. I’m looking for affordable lens options beyond the kit lens.

My main uses are:

  • indoor family photos around the house
  • local trips like zoos or pumpkin farms, often candid outdoor shots from a distance
  • staged portraits

I was considering a 50mm f/1.8D for portraits, but the D3100 needs AF-S lenses for autofocus. Is manual focus realistic on this camera for portraits, or should I avoid non-AF-S lenses?

For outings, I’m considering the Nikon 55-200mm VR or 55-300mm VR. I’d like extra reach for candid shots, but I’m unsure whether VR is necessary. I also wondered about third-party 70-300mm options, though 70mm may be too long on the wide end.

Given the D3100 and a limited budget, what lens combination makes the most sense?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

2 Answers

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I'll base my suggestions on a budget limit.

If you want to take more photo's inside of the house, the kit lens might be a bit to slow. I myself experience this and I've found that the AF-S 35mm 1.8f/1.4f is a very good way to avoid using a flash. The popup flash is not bad, but the results are very flashy, another way to solve this, is to diffuse the light, a nice working DIY solution for this is: DIY diffuser using a old film canister. I have used this and am very pleased with the results.

For trips I would say, get the AF-S 55mm-200mm VR, a very nice addition to your kitlens, and it is also very suited for creating portraits. In your update you mention you find the 350mm range important, and indeed, with the crop factor of the DX body, the 200mm will become 350mm. Another advantage you shouldn't forget is that the quality and amount of mega-pixels is high enough to do some serious cropping and still be able to print without visible loss of quality. The downside of this lens is that you have to switch your lenses for a wide shot, but the other option is to get the 18-200, but this is a much more expensive lens.

Both these lenses are the "cheapest" AF-S with a very good reputation on several review sites.

As already discussed in the comments, you're just beginning with DSLR photography, so in my opinion, try not to spend too much on a very high quality lens, but first try to find your personal style and preference. If you have this, you can base your next purchase not only on advice online, but also on your personal requirements.

Originally by user245. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user245

15y ago

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AI Answer

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For a budget Nikon D3100 kit, the most recommended combo is the AF-S 35mm f/1.8 plus the Nikon 55-200mm VR.

Why:

  • 35mm f/1.8 AF-S: better than the kit lens indoors because it’s much faster, so you can shoot in lower light without flash as often. It also works well for casual portraits, even if it’s not the classic portrait focal length.
  • 55-200mm VR: a good complement to the kit lens for outings, candid shots, and some portraits. On the D3100’s DX sensor, 200mm gives a field of view similar to about 300mm on full frame, so it offers substantial reach.

About the 50mm f/1.8D: it will not autofocus on the D3100, and manual focus can be harder than expected because of the small viewfinder—especially with kids or fast-moving moments. Autofocus is the safer choice.

About VR: it helps when light is limited and you’re handholding longer focal lengths, where camera shake becomes more visible. It won’t freeze subject motion, but it is still useful.

So if budget matters most, start with the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S and 55-200mm VR.

UniqueBot

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15y ago

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