Are you looking to buy the best Nikon D500 lenses? Do you want to find out which Nikon D500 lenses will work best for you in 2023?
Then you will agree when I say:
I am buying the right lenses for Nikon D500 can more than often be an exhausting task.
You want the best choice possible for your budget, which means selecting one from various options in today’s market.
You need to consider many factors before deciding on the best possible option, and most importantly, for what kind of photography you will use the lens the most.
Luckily for you:
In this buying guide, we shall mentor you through choosing the best lenses for the Nikon D500.
By the end of this tutorial, you will have complete knowledge of everything you need to know about selecting the best possible lens, what to look for, and what you need to avoid, and we will give you some tips when shopping for the mentioned items.
You will learn what is (in our opinion) the best lens for each main photography category and from which ones you need to steer clear.
First, we will say a few words about the Nikon D500 camera itself. Feel free to skip this part if you already have this camera.
Without any more hesitation, let’s get started!
Nikon D500 is a tremendous DX-format camera with imposing performance, but you will need a quality pair of lenses to extract most of it.
It was released around two years ago but still provides blazing performance and features.
Being Nikon’s flagship DSLR means it’s an excellent all-around camera with a unique attraction for action, telephoto, and wildlife photography.
With a 21 Megapixel sensor, you should be able to catch each detail to get clear shots with stunning backgrounds.
It comes packed with a bunch of new features from Nikon company such as 4K video shooting, ten fps Shooting, and Built-In Wi-Fi.
The Touchscreen LCD size is 3.2 inches with a tilting ability providing you with more than 2500 dots that allow you more unobstructed visibility right at the spot.
It’s compact, easy to hold in hand, and performs excellently in low-light conditions, which makes it perfect for night photography.
Verdict:
If you bought the D500, you made the right choice.
On the other hand, if you are considering getting it, then go for it. You won’t be disappointed.
But as previously stated, even the best cameras won’t work properly without a decent pair of lenses, so let’s check which Nikon D500 lenses are best for you.
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Best all-around lens for everyday photography
This is one of the most popular Nikon lenses made from durable plastic, it includes a Super Integrated Coating and shots sharp images.
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G is ideal for an enthusiastic photographer who only needs one lens to cover all shooting situations.
It is a well-matched lens with a compact DX camera, such as the Nikon D500, which makes it ideal for many photographic situations, such as portraits, landscapes, wildlife, buildings, and more.
This is an FX lens, so the 18-200mm range is equal to 27-300mm in 35mm format; however, it is optimized for edge-to-edge sharpness in both FX and DX-format.
There is no need to worry since this lens will fit perfectly on your D500 camera.
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G is an all-in-one lens with lots of features, superior sharpness, and excellent build quality.
The minimum focus distance is 18 inches to shoot macro photography. However, it does not mean it is ideal if something is possible.
To put it quickly:
If there were one lens that we recommended to take on a holiday or if you are traveling, it would be Nikon 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G. It’s the best all-around lens for Nikon D500.
Pros
- Focus is fast and accurate
- Zoom range covers everything
- Image quality is excellent
- Compact for its range
Cons
- Weight can be an issue
- Creates shadow while using flash
Best Prime Lens for Portraits
This is a compact and lightweight AF-S lens that is optimized for DX-format cameras. This prime lens from Nikon will deliver stunning images with high sharpness.
Nikon 35mm F/1.8G is a prime lens for photographers on a budget who need a high-performance lens for portraits.
This fast and compact lens with precise autofocus allows for a neat user experience. Of course, it is not the best price, but we couldn’t miss out on including it here.
It has the best value of every portrait lens we have tested.
Shoot beautiful portraits with this Nikon D500 prime lens with fast focus and sturdy build quality.
We also loved the bokeh. That is beautiful and will make every portrait look stunning.
Here’s the thing:
This is a prime budget lens for a Nikon D500 camera and has decent performance. Don’t expect the highest quality from this lens, but we highly recommend it if you consider the value/price ratio.
Check out the alternatives below if you want something better than a 35mm F/1.8G lens.
Pros
- It comes packaged with a carrying case
- Captures crisp images
- Great in low-light situations
- It can fit more in the frame
Cons
- There is some barrel distortion
- The bokeh is sluggish
Best Macro Lens for Macro Photography
This is a budget-friendly macro lens from Nikon company that offers great value and it produces very sharp images with vibrant colors.
If you are looking for the best macro lens, look no further! You found it.
We were blown away by the sharpness of this little thing and its focus accuracy.
Its lightweight, compact, and pure macro lens (1:1 ratio) produces sharp images from infinity to life-size.
The minimum focusing distance is only 0.53 feet.
Nikon 40mm F/2.8G is a sharp macro lens with beautiful bokeh and vibrant colors that provides great value.
This is a case similar to one before, it is not the best macro lens in the world, but it does offer great value, and we think it will do an excellent job for anybody.
Listen:
Regarding macro photography, our top choice is this 40mm macro lens from Nikon.
We can confidently say that this is one of the best macro lenses for the Nikon D500 camera.
If you are still looking to spend more to improve in some way, check out 85mm f/3.5G or 105mm f/2.8G below.
Pros
- Great manual focus feel
- The macro feature works like a charm
- Lens is lightweight
- f/2.8 is great for general photography
Cons
- Auto-focus performance in low-light
- You must get close to the subject for 1:1
Best Wide-Angle Lens for Landscapes
This lens for Tokina has good autofocus and an excellent f/2.8 aperture while delivering excellent photos for landscape photography.
We don’t always mention third-party products, but when we do, it’s for a reason. Such is the case with the Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 lens.
Build quality is excellent, which may be because the elements used for making these lenses are on the next level quality-wise.
You may experience some distortion at 10mm, but this can be fixed in post-processing, so it’s not an issue.
Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 is a wide-angle lens from Tokina company that is best suited for landscape photography.
Some people also complain of a short focal range, but this lens design and quality ensure you don’t think about it often.
If you don’t have anything against buying Tokina lenses for Nikon D500, you will love the Tokina 11-16MM F/2.8 lens!
Here’s the thing:
If you still prefer Nikon because of the brand image, check out this Nikon lens for landscapes.
We suggest checking out the Sigma lens below if you don’t mind buying lenses from a third-party company.
Pros
- Sharp from 12mm to 16mm
- Effective manual/auto slip ring
- It feels very well built
- Excellent value
Cons
- Slight vignetting at 11mm
- Short focal range compared to others
Best Telephoto Lens for Wildlife Photography
This is a telephoto lens from Nikon with incredible properties, good build quality and it is a great solution for people who need budget friendly telephoto lens.
Nikon 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6G is the best telephoto lens for action and wildlife photography.
It has a powerful zoom with precise autofocus that may sometimes drag you down in speed.
This zoom lens for Nikon D500 has a sturdy build that offers photos with vibrant colors.
Nikon 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6G is intended for wildlife and action photography, and it will provide you with excellent zooming experience.
One of the drawbacks is a loss in sharpness at the telephoto end, so we advise using a tripod if you want to get maximum from this Nikon lens.
The focal length range is good, but some people may need more, so feel free to check out our alternatives if you need a focal length of 500mm and more.
Listen:
This telephoto lens will do a fantastic job for photographers who are into wildlife photography.
Still, for most photographers, this will be the top choice as it will provide you with plenty of performance and powerful zooming abilities.
Pros
- Useable Focal Length
- Long zoom and good colors
- Metal mount gives a sturdy feel
- Performs well with proper lighting
Cons
- Mediocre low-light performance
- Loss in Sharpness at 250-300mm
BEST Nikon D500 lens kit
This is a zoom lens from Nikon that is perfect solution for street and general photography as the sharpness is on the point.
Nikon 16-80mm F/2.8-4 lens was produced by Nikon company for a D500 model of the camera.
It’s a lightweight lens with a dominant five times zoom, making it perfect for traveling and blogging since you won’t feel the weight of this lens when you hold it in your hands.
It consists of 4 Vibration Reduction stops that also performs great in low light thanks to this feature.
A right kit lens that combined with a D500 camera offers great value.
As for this landscape lens, its versatility makes it ideal for various situations, but it is most useful for landscapes and portraits.
The downside is plastic build, which can present problems in rough use, but this can be neglected if you consider how light this lens is.
The minimum focus distance is about 1.15 feet, while the maximum aperture is an f/2.8-4.
Here’s the thing:
This is the best lens kit for you if you are looking for versatile, lightweight lenses and want a Nikon D500 camera.
Pros
- Sharp at all apertures
- Excellent contrast
- Fantastic colors
- Great overall handling
Cons
- This lens is pricey
- Barrel distortion at 16mm
Tips for smart Nikon D500 lenses shopping
So have you learned which Nikon D500 lenses are best for a different style of photography when we talk about the Nikon D500 DX-format cameras?
If you still can’t decide on the right lens, you should get this high-quality one.
Now you surely know what the best lenses for Nikon D500 are.
Still, there are a few things you need to make sure of before deciding to purchase your next favorite lens.
Visit your local shop.
If you have a shop near your area, check out the lens you were planning to buy since everybody has different perspectives and styles of shooting, and you may not like what others do.
This is usually not the case, but it does happen from time to time, so getting your hands on it before deciding to spend all the budget on one lens is a great idea.
Read more reviews
Make sure to read a few more reviews about the lens that caught your attention to learn what experience other photographers, like you, had with it.
The best way to do this is to click “Learn More” and read Amazon reviews for a particular lens since they are brutally honest.
You can also read other guides on our blogs, such as Best lenses for Nikon D5600 and Nikon D7100 lenses.
Please send us a message.
And, finally but not least important, you can post a comment or send us a message with your inquiries or doubts, and we will do our best to assist you.
Choose the best Nikon D500 lens.
We provided you with a buying guide of recommended lenses for the Nikon D500, and now it’s time to choose which lens best suits your needs.
We hope we helped you choose the best lens for this D500 camera from Nikon, and if you want to show appreciation, feel free to buy it through our link since it is our only way of monetization.
Best of luck in finding the perfect lens for your needs!
Disclaimer: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”
I have the older lenses: Nikkor 300mm f4 (IF); ED and a Nikkor 80 – 200mm f4 ED.
Will they fit a Nikon D500?
Also, are these compatible with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II ? (or 111)?
I get lost in the compatibility charts,
Kind regards.
Hi Pete,
I agree that it is very difficult to find your way in the compatibility charts, it is very easy to get lost.
Both lenses are compatible with the Nikon D500.
I really appreciated this guide.
I did a specific search looking for arrivals featuring the Nikon 28-300mm paired with the D500.
I purchased the 28-300mm three years ago to use with my D750.
I became fascinated with owning the D500 – made the investment last year.
I was looking for a great all in one Lens but was in doubt about losing the wide end of the Lens on the D500 due to the crop factor.
I have come to appreciate that technique is everything. The 28-300mm on the D500 is a STUNNING match. If I need to shoot Land or Cityscape, guess what? I will shoot a Portrait Panorama and Stitch in Lightroom.
This Lens on the D500 is a whopping 42-450mm here is the amazing thing. At 42mm, I consider it a Wide-ish 50mm.
It is beautiful perfect for Street with a little context scenery. Your article made me realise I had everything I needed. Thank you sir
No problem Michael, sometimes the best purchase decision is not buying new stuff, especially when you realize your old equipment is still amazing. Im glad this article was able to help you. Good luck!
Anti-sigma by any chance?
Kindly check our other articles, we often include Sigma lenses in our guides. We also recommended Sigma as an alternative in this guide as well.
40mm is just too short for the subjects most people shoot for macro.
Nikon 40mm is a great macro lens with a good value. It produces some of the sharpest images in that price range. However, I do agree that it is a little bit special, and short for some subject. Maybe you can look into Nikon 105mm f/2.8G? It is much better lens but it also cost a lot more.
Just curious as to why the 17-55 2.8 didn’t make this list. It’s amazing with the D500.
At the moment of testing lenses with Nikon D500 we didn’t have Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 at our local shop store, and even tho I personally used that lens few times before and quality was great, I have a rule to not include lens I currently don’t have in the shop. The lens itself is great, and I do recommend it, but I didn’t have it at the moment. However, I do have notes on almost every guide on this site, and I am planning to update almost every article on the site to improve quality of the guides.