The body has a built-in Speedlight with D-TTL flash and provides high-speed image processing, with a top shutter speed of 1/4,000. The Flash sync achieves a speed of up to 1/180 seconds.

All these values can be upgraded if you arm your D100 with powerful Nikon D100 lenses. And what are the best lenses for this particular Nikon I shared in the article?

Best Prime Lens for Portraits

It is no coincidence that Sigma 50mm f/1.4 came in to be my first choice as a prime lens for D100. A large f/1.4 aperture was a professional performer shooting everything, including portraits and studio photography.

With a focal length of 50 mm, paired with a hypersonic motor that ensures quiet and precise autofocus, it is an excellent lens for modern DSLRs.

During the testing:

I found out that the minimum focus distance is about 40 cm, which I consider excellent for a prime. It also showed no signs of vignetting noticeable to bare eyes. What my human eye did notice, however, is a crazy sharp, bokeh effect.

I also tried out Sigma’s manual for tuning in each range of the lens, and I was pleased with the results. In terms of building, it is a high-quality lens with a super multi-layer coating and lots of glass used as a material.

The lens photographers use as an all-around lens is of utter importance since they are a piece of optical beauty they spend most of their time with. My heart goes to Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G as my number one all-around choice. It packs VR II image stabilization and offers sharp and excellent color rendition.

Using a focal length of 120 mm allowed me to experiment with shooting, and I was pretty satisfied. Pictures were sharp and color realistic, with no noticeable focus issues. The lens is heavy, but it pays off.

The f/4 is a bit of a compromise for the everyday lens, but it compensates with added flexibility in terms of focal length. This lens is an excellent choice for event photography and even portraits.

VR option is significant because, at the maximum aperture of f/4, the lens will struggle for light, especially at the telephoto end. But the VR option enabled me to keep the ISO setting down for maximum picture quality, which I find astounding.

The extra zoom of 120 mm is excellent for the money, with unique and accurate autofocus and exceptional sharpness.

The Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 is a sharp lens and a lens with the ability to focus quickly in low-light environments. I must praise the design and the lens material because it looks and feels professionally made.

It comes with a footplate-tripod ring which is very stable yet easily removable. Since the lens is heavy, I often use a monopod while shooting, especially for prolonged periods (e.g., astronomy and sports events).

However:

I didn’t have more significant issues using the lens with a camera in my hands. The autofocus is excellent and goes well with the lens’s sharpness of images. It has an ideal resolution, and the colors it renders are magnificent, and I genuinely adore the integration of a compatible tripod mounting plate.

During the shooting, I went out into the forest and took photos of some hummingbirds. I was pretty surprised yet delighted with the number of details I could capture—all of that with fast autofocus and no more prominent traces of chromatic aberrations or barrel distortions.

At the end of the testing, as my macro winner, I present you with Sigma 105mm f/2.8. It is a lens designed to use with full-frame DSLRs. It can focus to a 1:1 magnification ratio at the closest distance of 12.3 inches.

It is a lens that stands out for indoor conditions at f/2.8. Autofocus is extremely fast; as long you’re not focusing from the front to the back of its range, the autofocus will give impressive results. It is also silent, and I see it as a win-win situation.

The lens doesn’t extend, and in my opinion, an extending lens often distracts models and unbalances the camera body, so this is a plus. When shooting macro, I usually don’t carry a tripod around, so it is essential to have a lens that will not cause issues when handheld.

This Sigma proved to be great for handheld shooting in low-light environments. Also, this focal length is excellent for me because I love to shoot small objects (flowers, caterpillars, etc.).

I could easily frame my subjects with this lens and completely blur out the background. In the end, I must add that colors are rendered quite realistically and are exceptionally rich.

Essential Tips for Nikon D100 Users

When using the Nikon D100, it’s crucial to understand how to choose and use lenses to enhance your photography experience. Here are some specific, practical tips for D100 users:

• Understand the Crop Factor: The Nikon D100 has a DX sensor, which means it has a crop factor of about 1.5x. This affects the effective focal length of lenses. For instance, a 50mm lens will behave like a 75mm lens would on a full-frame camera. Keep this in mind when framing your shots.

• Embrace Manual Focus: With older DSLRs like the D100, sometimes autofocus with newer lenses may not be as fast or accurate as with newer camera bodies. Don’t hesitate to switch to manual focus for precision, especially in challenging lighting conditions or for macro photography.

• Calibrate Your Lens: If you find your autofocus isn’t quite hitting the mark, consider calibrating your lens. This can be done through professional services or by using calibration tools to ensure your lens and camera are working together as accurately as possible.

• Maximize Your Lens’s Sweet Spot: Most lenses have an aperture ‘sweet spot’, usually 1-2 stops down from the widest aperture, where the lens performs best in terms of sharpness. For many lenses, this is around f/8. Experiment with this setting to enhance image quality.

• Balance ISO and Noise: The D100 is an older model, so its high ISO performance isn’t up to modern standards. Be mindful of increasing ISO and try to use natural light or a tripod to keep ISO as low as possible and minimize noise.

• Take Advantage of Lens Compatibility: The D100 can use a wide range of Nikon lenses, including older AF and AF-D lenses, which can often be found for lower prices than newer models. These lenses can provide excellent image quality at a fraction of the cost.

• Keep Firmware Updated: While the D100 is an older camera, ensuring you have the latest firmware can improve performance and compatibility with lenses. Check Nikon’s website for updates.

By following these tips, Nikon D100 users can significantly improve their photography and get the most out of their camera and lenses.

Best lenses for Nikon D100 – Wrapping Up

I’m glad Nikon proposed a compromise between expensive high-end gear and more affordable cameras.

Nikon D100 is an excellent choice for those who want the best of both worlds. The Nikon D100 lenses I picked out the most reasonable options to pair with this particular Nikon.

If these best lenses for the Nikon D100 guide helped you make the right decision, please share them with your friends.

Also, read other articles on our blog, such as the Nikon D80 lens guide, and choose the best D60 lenses. We also have plenty of easy-to-use photographic tips to help you shoot better photos. Happy shooting!

More Nikon Dxx Series guides:

• Nikon D40 lenses
• Nikon D40x lenses
• Nikon D50 lenses
• Nikon D60 lenses
• Nikon D70 lenses
• Nikon D80 lenses
• Nikon D90 lenses
• Nikon D100 lenses
• Nikon D200 lenses
• Nikon D300 lenses