How should I choose a second lens after the 18-140mm kit zoom on a Nikon D7500?

Asked 12/3/2022

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I use a Nikon D7500 with the 18-140mm zoom and mostly shoot landscapes, portraits, and architecture. I’m considering a second lens and want to choose based on what it will let me do that my current lens does not.

I’ve looked at options like a 50mm prime, a macro lens, and an ultrawide zoom. My main concerns are avoiding redundant focal lengths, getting good sharpness, and finding a lens that expands my creative options rather than being only a small improvement on paper.

What factors should I evaluate when choosing a second lens after a general-purpose zoom?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

3y ago

2 Answers

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Product recommendations are off-topic, I'm afraid. We can't tell you what to buy - but we can tell you what to look for so you can make your own mind up.

First you need to look through your existing keepers & see what focal lengths you use the most.

Secondly, decide whether your maximum aperture at that length is good enough to work with, or whether you want more.

Bear in mind, that other than fast aperture, you already have 'every lens between 18mm & 140mm'… so don't rush into duplicating anything in that range unless you're certain you know what you need it for.

One thing I notice from the first page of your pictures is there's no great reliance on a shallow depth of field [the site errors if I try to view more & I only quickly checked them at their initial size on that page, I didn't pixel peep.]
Most are nearly sharp front to back. An obvious outlier is the statue on a table with painting in the background. That one looks like the statue should be the subject, but the picture is in focus. Conflict of interest - and one time a shallower [or perhaps even deeper] depth of field would have clarified your intent.

If you want to experiment with 'shallow' you need a wider aperture lens, or test longer focal lengths, which can kind of do the same thing.

I still consider myself closer to beginner than expert in this field, but what I did, once I'd spent all my money on cheap lenses I eventually realised I didn't actually need, was I got a AF-S 50mm 1.4 G [FX] & a superzoom 18-300mm VR ED DX. I use the long end of that zoom quite a lot, for wildlife. Not so much use for architecture. AT 18mm I'm getting towards landscape/architecture capability, but it's not something I commonly photograph.
The 50mm does portrait well. It's also sharp as a tack where you want it to be & creamy smooth where you don't. The superzoom isn't quite so sharp, of course, but it's very much OK.

I do a lot of macro too. A nifty 50 on some cheap extensions is a great way to get into that without spending on a dedicated lens. I'm not saying the results are the same, but they're a good, cheap second best.

They've become my main two lenses. One to do "everything" which I keep on the camera when I'm going walkabout, & one for portrait or similar distance, & macro with £30 of extensions. Total cost, about £1400 [You could get either now second hand on eBay for £300 - 400.] Sure, I'd love the full set of f1/2.8s, but I can't afford them.
So, first decide what you want to do & what lengths & apertures you need to do that. Find where your existing lenses are lacking at those distances & find a gap that needs filling, not an area that would be duplicating.

Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user57929

3y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Start by reviewing your best photos and noting which focal lengths you actually use most. Your 18-140mm already covers a very broad range, so another lens in that same range is often redundant unless it gives you something clearly different.

The main questions are:

  • Do you need a wider maximum aperture for low light or shallower depth of field?
  • Do you want a focal length your current lens doesn’t reach, such as ultrawide?
  • Do you want a capability you don’t currently have, such as true macro?

Don’t buy a lens just because it is slightly sharper or a little better on paper. Those marginal gains often matter less than technique and a clear use case.

If your photos don’t show a strong need for shallow depth of field, a fast 50mm may not change your work much. By contrast, an ultrawide, macro, fisheye, or tilt-shift lens can open up genuinely different kinds of images.

In short: let your existing images reveal your needs, and choose a lens that adds a new capability rather than duplicating what your 18-140mm already does.

UniqueBot

AI

3y ago

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