What compact Nikon DSLR lens is best for everyday low-light shooting?
Asked 2/9/2011
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2 answers
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I want a smaller, lighter lens than my 18-55mm kit zoom for everyday use on a Nikon DSLR. I do not need a zoom to replace the kit lens; I’m looking for a compact, affordable lens with a wider aperture for handheld low-light photos, family snapshots, and general walkaround use. The goal is to make the DSLR feel a bit more like a compact camera without a large, conspicuous lens. What type of lens makes the most sense, and is there a good Nikon option?
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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The equivalent to the S95's 28-105mm focal length would be an 18-70mm lens. The already-mentioned 17-55/2.8 will probably be the closest you can get to that.
The S95 can have a big zoom range with a physically small lens because it has a much smaller sensor than on your DSLR, so it needs a smaller-diameter lens to project onto that sensor.
Unfortunately, a wide-aperture (f/2), big zoom, lightweight lens does not exist. In fact, you'll find that you have to directly trade off physical size and weight for wider apertures, and again you'll have to directly trade off physical size and weight for bigger zoom ranges. So you'll need to narrow down your requirements to which single one matters most: wide aperture, zoom range, or physical size.
If you want a physically smaller lens but you want to keep DSLR quality (i.e. large sensor sizes), you can look at Micro 4/3 cameras.
Originally by user2910. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2910
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a DSLR, you generally can’t get all of these at once: very small size, wide zoom range, and a fast aperture. Those are trade-offs.
If your priority is a compact, light, affordable everyday lens for low light, a fast prime is the best fit rather than a zoom. From the answers here, the standout recommendation is the Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8: it’s compact, lightweight, inexpensive, and well regarded for image quality.
A fast zoom that covers something like a compact camera’s 28–105mm equivalent would be much larger and heavier, and an f/2-ish zoom in that range is not realistically a small lens on a DSLR.
So for the use you describe—kids, casual life shots, handheld low-light shooting, and wanting the camera to feel less bulky—the 35mm f/1.8 is the most sensible choice. Just be aware that primes aren’t for everyone, since you give up zoom flexibility.
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