Do you want to know what is the best lens for Nikon D5500 Camera in 2023?
You must be crazy if you don’t agree when I say:
Choosing the best Nikon D5500 lenses is not an easy task.
There are a significant number of choices to choose from and not enough valuable pieces of information about lenses themselves.
Here’s the thing:
If you want to know which Nikon D5500 lenses you should buy and which ones you should avoid, you are in the right place.
In this article, we will answer all these questions for you and some more, so keep reading to find the perfect Nikon D5500 Lens.
However:
Before we answer your questions, we need to say a few words about the D5500 camera itself.
What makes Nikon D5500 unique?
At this very moment, Nikon D5500 stands as one of the best, if not the best, SLRs on the market, all thanks to a string of fresh features that exceed the technical standards of most models we’ve seen so far.
Also, read our other buying guides if you have a specific camera, such as Best Lenses for Nikon D7200 or 6 Best Lenses for Nikon D3300.
It is widely known within camera enthusiasts’ circles that no matter how good a set of properties a stock camera has, it simply cannot unveil its full potential unless you equip them with a powerful lens.
To discuss this further and hopefully help you decide on your own set, we’ve assembled a list of lenses that would fit and work optimally for the Nikon D5500.
Before we delve into top Nikon D5500 lenses, however, a couple of words on the various types of lenses and how they get produced.
Dig in!
Best All-in-one Lenses for Travelling and Everyday photography
An all-in-one lens is best when you can choose only one lens.
While it won’t have the sharpness of the primes lens or cool looking curves of Primes, it will do an excellent task in any photography.
They have the most extended working margin and are a substitute for every lens, from macro to telephoto. Photographers who travel a lot but can only carry one or two lenses are the best nominees for the all-in-one type.
Besides risking getting dust in your camera, switching lenses is an exhausting task that takes your precious time.
This is where the all-in-one lens can come in handy, and we got just the right lens for your favorite Nikon D5500 Camera.
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Best All-in-one
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Best Wide-Angle
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Best Prime
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This all-in-one lens from Nikon is known for its versatility, good autofocus and providing you with excellent results in almost any photographic situtation.
By far, the best property of this lens is its incredible versatility, allowing you to cover a vast range of different focal lengths without ever changing your optics.
18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G delivers good performance even in low light situations.
Compared to the older versions of this model, this one offers all the excellent characteristics of its predecessors while being much lighter and cheaper.
For example:
It retains a maximum magnification of x32, a minimum focus distance of 1.6 ft, and an angle of view from 76 to 520 degrees.
The only downside can be the casual softness or the autofocus acting up then and again.
Pros
- Minimal and light-weight
- It is very convenient
- Fast autofocus
- Macro focusing even at 200mm
Cons
- Poor vignetting at close to 18mm
- It needs to be locked
This is one of the most popular Nikon lenses made from durable plastic, it includes a Super Integrated Coating and shots sharp images.
This bulky all-in-one lens is equipped with specialized vibration reduction technology, enabling you to create high-quality, sharp images no matter the focal length you shoot.
Additionally, its sturdy build and increased weight (compared with some other Nikon lenses) ensure that you always take blur-free sharp photos.
In our humble opinion, this lens ranks among the sharpest lens for Nikon D5500.
18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G has top-notch quality and great zoom.
Its limited zoom range, however, wouldn’t necessarily prove the best solution if you plan to take some wildlife or distant scenery photos.
If you need a clear lens for this purpose, we propose you consider the 300 mm version described above or read about the lenses below.
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
This is an all-inclusive lens from Sigma that manages to find its audience by providing with good quality and high image sharpness.
If you’re a bit tight on your budget and require an all-inclusive versatile lens, this 18-250 mm solution from Sigma may be a perfect choice.
It does come with certain technical shortcomings, but it is safe to say that you won’t regret getting yourself one of these Sigma lenses.
Versatile solution for photographers who are on budget.
In comparison to the Nikon’s lenses, these tend to have problems with the pronounced softness in the corners, and with the less durable barrel. (the lower quality materials used in its build are to blame)
Nevertheless:
Thanks to its decreased weight this lens still manages to find its audience among the optics connoisseurs.
Pros
- Solid feel, including the zoom-lock
- Quick AF, HSM is great
- Minimal distortion
- Colors are great
Cons
- Zoom feels weird
- Flare is less than ideal
Best Prime Lenses for Portraits and Modeling
Portrait photography is one of the most popular types since it’s everywhere worldwide.
Prom nights, family gatherings, and weddings are only a few examples where portraits are represented.
The prime lens is what you need on these occasions.
Distinction from zoom or all-in-one lenses is the ability to zoom in or out. Since there are fewer parts, Prime lenses are compact and cheaper.
Sharpness is an important characteristic, and the quality of photos taken with this lens is on the next level. Momentous photographers need at least one Prime in their collection.
This is amazing lens from Nikon that is sharp and it includes vibration reduction but it also offers a great set of properties.
This lens boasts some high zoom properties and a fair focal length. It can be a perfect option for your travels as it is versatile enough to cover all your photographic needs, from elaborate wide-angle shots to sophisticated portraits.
Thanks to this versatility and the advanced technology it was built in, it also performs brilliantly in the sharpness department, offering relatively quick and reactive autofocus.
Portrait lens from Nikon with powerful zoom and good focal length.
Also, among its strengths are the significantly reduced distortion and the vibration reduction technology, which can dramatically enhance hand-held photos.
These impressive characteristics, however, seem to put this model at a disadvantage in its price, which is a little bit high even for a Nikon lens.
Overall:
This item easily ranks among the finest portrait lenses for Nikon D5500.
Pros
- Useful zoom range
- Excellent sharpness
- Well-balanced and well built
- Good contrast and color rendition
Cons
- The lens is heavy
- Slight vignette effect at the 16mm
This prime lens from Nikon offers superb quality and edge to edge sharpness, it produces great portraits while being budget friendly.
This petite Nikon prime lens packs a hefty punch despite its small size, as it possesses some great prime lens features typically seen in some of the bigger models.
It’s relatively sharp and performs well in low-light settings, offering a deep foundation for making high-quality portrait shots.
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G is sharp prime lens good for traveling.
Also, the autofocus with this model is a real treat, as its speed and sharpness make the preparation process for taking a photo a piece of cake.
Its small size contributes to a great extent to its feather-light properties in the weight department, as it weighs only 6.6 ounces.
Pros
- Excellent wide-open performance
- Beautiful bokeh for lovely portraits
- Fast focusing speed
- Great sharpness even at the low end
Cons
- Focusing isn’t silent as advertised
- A small amount of barrel distortion
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.
A slightly less expensive solution possessing almost all of the essential characteristics of the Nikon’s 50 mm model comes in the shape of this 35 mm lens, which will not let you down during your traveling photo exploits.
Another great example of inexpensive Prime lens with high sharpness.
One of the cheapest options on our list Nikon 35mm model is a very sharp lens with great features.
Autofocus is fast and quiet, and the lens itself works great in low light conditions.
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
This lens from Sigma offers excellent focal length and imprevise range properties that still works amazing even at low light conditions.
Another great alternative to a typical Nikon lens comes with this 17-70 mm model from Sigma, offering an ideal focal length that will easily cover long distances.
Alternative solution from Sigma for photographers who are shooting portraits.
Even better, these unique range properties do not come at the cost of low light performance, as this lens will perform brilliantly with every light setting within reach of its focal length.
This model’s only negative aspect is the softness in the corners, particularly noticeable in wide-open environments with little room for elegant settings.
However:
This turns out to be a minor issue if we consider that this 70 mm lens has good performance.
Pros
- Zoom action is smooth
- Images are sharp
- Fast aperture at all focal lengths
- No visible chromatic aberration
Cons
- Heavy
- Barrel distortion at 17mm
Best Telephoto Lenses for Wildlife and Action Photography
When taking a photo or a video from an object that is far away, such as in wildlife photography or sports, your best bet is a telephoto lens.
They are strictly designed with this in mind, so zooming without losing quality is their strong point.
Because of their zoom ability, their bodies are more massive when compared to other lens types.
They are usually bulky and often more expensive than primes.
Please keep reading to learn what lens we consider the best telephoto lens in 2023 for Nikon D5500.
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G is a budget-friendly lens that offers excellent value and decent performance for beginners and amateur photographers.
This 200 mm model is no longer produced by the Nikon company, having been discarded recently in favor of a newer alternative with roughly the exact specifications.
Telephoto lens that produces stunning looking images.
The reason for such a decision on Nikon’s part is mainly due to its low-quality plastic build, meaning that what you get from the newer 200 mm VR II version pretty much amounts to improved housing.
The price follows suit with the newer model, being almost twice as expensive as this lens, and in all fairness. At the same time, the enhanced build quality does present a significant improvement; we would still advise you to get the older model, as it offers a good 200 mm experience.
Pros
- Compact design
- Fast autofocus speed
- Excellent value
- Good build quality
Cons
- It doesn’t come with a lens hood
- Generic rear lens cap
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.
This Nikon’s heavy-duty lens offers an incredible 300 mm of zoom and is among the best options for telephoto DX-form cameras.
55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G has powerful zoom with great build quality.
It’s packed with great corrective features crucial for any long-range zoom lens.
For example, this model’s advanced vibration reduction will enable you to take steady shots without worrying about shaky hands.
Also, it focuses reasonably quickly, ensuring you won’t miss a crucial photo-worthy moment somewhere in the distance. To make this model even more attractive, it features excellent sharpness regardless of the given range.
Among its disadvantages, we would count perhaps only the slight underperformance with reduced light, which can present a good challenge for your resources.
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 Macro Lens for Flowers and Macro Photography
You must own at least one Macro lens when it comes to Macro or close-up photography.
They have better minimum distance focus, meaning you can capture all the details from highly close.
One of the features is sharpness, which is inviolable with macro lenses.
Don’t forget:
Actual macro lenses have a 1:1 ratio, which allows them to take shots from near distances.
We did a few tests, compared photos taken from different options, and decided on the best macro lens for D5500 Camera in 2023.
This is a budget-friendly macro lens from Nikon company that offers great value and it produces very sharp images with vibrant colors.
This Nikon’s 40 mm solution would probably be one of the best currently available when it comes to precise photography and recording of still life.
Great option for macro photography allowing you to capture every detail.
It delivers precisely where it needs to, with its enhanced sharpness properties enabling you to make detailed and precise photos at a close distance.
The minimum focusing distance is 6.4 inches, leaving plenty of room to catch even the most minor details of your subject.
It is, therefore, the optimal weapon of choice if you plan to take shots of food or various products at a close distance, for advertisement purposes, for example.
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 Lenses for Landscapes and Urban areas
If you are interested in any photos above, the wide-angle lens will come in handy.
The large field of view allows you to contain more of what you see in the picture. Photos taken with a wide-angle lens have a unique feel because of the curves toward the corners.
Since D5500 is a DX-format camera, every photo taken will act 1.5 times longer.
Nikon and other third-party companies, such as sigma, have this in mind when designing their glass, so you don’t have to worry too much.
We did test more than a couple of Nikon lenses and decided that two lenses deserve to be on this list.
Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G is a wide angle lens that ofers superior sharpness and it produces beautiful photos with stunning effects.
Another great alternative to a typical Nikon lens comes with this 17-70 mm model from Sigma, offering an ideal focal length that will easily cover long distances.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED offers beautiful blur effects.
Of course, being ranked among the best wide-angle lenses for Nikon D5500, there will be certain distortions at the complete ends, and the low light performance may not be y top-notch. Still, when it comes to zoom, it shows some relatively advanced properties considering its class.
This lens can be an excellent choice if you plan to take photos of architecture and landscapes, where you will get the very best of its performance.
On the flip side:
It doesn’t come equipped with a vibration reduction feature, which may present some problems for beginners.
Pros
- Easy to carry all-day
- Great image quality
- Excellent wide angle
- More than adequately sharp
Cons
- There is some chromatic aberration
- A little bit bulky
This lens for Tokina has good autofocus and an excellent f/2.8 aperture while delivering excellent photos for landscape photography.
Great alternative from company called Tokina, cheaper lens with fair sharpness.
While it can be said to underperform in comparison to Nikon’s lens, this Tokina’s solution still offers some impressive properties, especially regarding its surprisingly delicate sharpness and decent low-light performance.
This lens would perhaps be best suitable for outdoor events with many people and a diminished light setting, like weddings and various other similar events.
This wouldn’t work as well with landscape photography because of the slightly pronounced distortion at the ends, making it unfit for environments where you need to take your shots at a greater distance.
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 kit lens for Nikon D5500
Just in case of wondering, here is our choice for what we consider to be the best kit lens on the market in 2023:
This wide-angle lens from Nikon is great for close-up shots and low-light situations and it comes equipped with vibration reduction and silent-wave motor.
Brilliant for beginners and casual photography enthusiasts, this Nikon’s 55 mm lens is one of the best options for unofficial stock photos.
Good option for beginners and people who are just starting in photography.
Should you attempt to take some long-distance photos, you may experience some heavy distortion, of course, but this can be corrected up to a point using the built-in option in the camera itself.
Other than that, using it in low-light settings is not advisable.
All in all:
This model is a great beginner’s kit lens, introducing you to photography.
If you are a more advanced photographer, check out some of the other models on this list, and you will find just what you need!
Pros
- Brilliant for beginners
- Good sharpness
- Decent build quality
- Great value
Cons
- Some distortion possible
- Low-Light performance
What is perfect lens for Nikon D5500?
And this wraps up our list of best lenses for the Nikon D5500! We hope you enjoyed the ride; now it’s only a matter of jotting down your needs and singling out your Nikon D5500 lenses.
If you are on a budget, you may consider buying a used lens since you get better quality for the same price.
Read our buying guide section for guides such as Nikon D5300 lenses and Nikon D5200 lenses to get some valuable insights if you decide to go that route.
Happy shopping!
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I’m a home blogger and take interior photos. I have a Nikon D5500 with the AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 lens as well as an AF-S Nikkor 35 mm 1:1.8 lens. I’m wanting to get another lens that has a wider range so I can capture whole rooms (but I don’t want it to look super wide like realtor shots!). Obviously distortion is a concern. Any great lenses you’d recommend? TIA.
Hi Cindy,
I have a few options for you, but can you tell me more specific information like your budget?
I’ve been looking for an all-in-one lens with better image quality. Along with these options, I have been thinking of Tamron 18-400 mm lens. Any thoughts on that lens?
I usually don’t like a lens with such an extreme focal length range as there are many corners companies have to cut to get there. I mean it’s not a bad lens for beginners, but I personally didn’t like it. Maybe check it out in your local lens shop if you can? I would personally go for a Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G
Thanks for the tutorial it helped me a lot
Thank you!
I made my choice and will go for a Tokina 11-16mm lens, I am not fan of anything that is not Nikon but hopefully i will have pleasant experience
Max K, how did you get on with the Tokina? I am asking because I’ve heard that it doesn’t auto focus on the D5500.
This model (Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16 f/2.8 DX II) is compatible with Nikon D5500. The older model (Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16 f/2.8 DX) is not compatible with autofocus and requires an external focus motor.
Hope that helps!
Hey Edward, I am just starting in photography, so I wanted to get something I can use for many occasions, I guess I need to go with an allinone lens which one you recommend?
18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G or 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G?
They are both similary priced in a shop near me
I would recommend that you go with a Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G simply because focal length range is larger, which will allow you more versatility, but both are great lenses.
Good luck!
Nice article 🙂 keep up the good work
Hey Edward, I want to contact you as I have a business question I want to ask you personally. Can you give me your private email or email me first on “Lavernephotography@gmail.com”? I would really appreciate it
I sent you an email, please check your inbox. 🙂
I ordered Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 from Amazon few minutes ago, it should come in a few days. Wish me luck! lol
That is excellent choice Jeffery! Good luck 🙂
I got it yesterday! It is truly amazing lens!!
this is what I have been looking for! A guide with useful informations and tested lenses
Thanks Edward, this guide really helped me! 🙂
One of most compressive guides for nikon d5500 lenses. I was thinking about upgrading and this guide made me feel safe with my purchase of Nikon 18-200mm all in one lens.I bought it from amazon 3-4 days ago and It arrived this morning, I went out to shoot some pictures and its just amazing. Definitely Worth the price. Thanks for your recommendation.
HI Mary, thanks for feedback, its always good to know we are helping others to make best choice.
Also, Are you talking about Nikon 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 VR II? If so, that is our top choice for Nikon D5500, it really is one of best lens you can get for the money. We are glad that you are happy with your choice.
first of all great guide but which PRIME lens would you recommend me?? I am on budget just starting photography which is best choice for me
thanks
Hi Robert, our recommendation for you would probably be Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens. Its under 200$ right now on amazon. If you have any additional questions dont hesitate to contact us.
It really depends from what you guys need, I have been photographer for 4 years now, I dont have to much experience but I can give my advice. If are looking for all in one zoom lens I could recommend Nikon 55-300mm with f/4.5-5.6G, which is awesome choice, there is also Nikon 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 VR II if you are not on budget. Also there is one better option from tamron, SP 70-200mm f/2.8, but this one cost well over 1000 dollars, but its worth it in my opinion.
As for other type of lens, I wouldnt be able to say a lot, because I usually use zoom and telephoto lenses, but from my experience the list is good, this is one of better tutorials I found on net, really nice work.
P.S Please check your inbox I just sent you email
Hi Alfred, thanks for the feedback. We completely agree with your opinion, there are many lenses, but we tried to choose ones that are worth the price, and best in their category. We know there are better lenses, such as one you just mention, but price point is not for most people. Of course you can just spend 5 thousands dollars and buy lens that is almost perfect, but when you get to that point,when you can afford such expensive lenses, you will already know which to buy, and you wont need this guide. LensesPro is for beginners and photographers who are maybe looking to upgrade, but I am glad to see that professional photographer like yourself liked our choices!
Please Share our site with other photographers, it would mean a lot to us.
Also check your inbox, we replied…
Thanks you!
I love your content but I have one question, you only recommended one macro lens. I am into Macro photography, could you maybe suggest me few more?
Hi Paul! First of all, we didnt have a lot of macro lenses to test, but from few good ones we tested, Nikon 40mm f/2.8 DX Micro lens had best price/value ratio. There are of course other choices, can you tell us what your budget is so we can help you further?
hi edward, thanks for helping me, my budget is 400$-500$
Well, one that we recommended cost less then 300$, so I can see why would you want few more choices. There is one better lens we tested, Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR Micro lens, but this option is double your budget. I was checking and could not find lens that is better then Nikon 40mm f/2.8 DX. The problem is, we can only recommend lenses that we personally tested. In 3-4 days we will get more micro lenses from our local shop provider, and when we are done reviewing them, we will email you with an update.
Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G or Nikon 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 VR II? which would you recommend which one is better for moeny etc
Nikon 18-200mm cost more then double its your choice but is it worth the price difference when comparing these 2 lenses?
Hi there! To be honest, its obvious that Nikon 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 VR II is indeed better lens, but its more expensive. You would have to go to your local lens shop and test both of those lens on your Nikon D5500 camera. Maybe our lens buying guide could help you.
To be honest I would like if you start adding some more Tokina & Tamron choices. I found that for the same money I get more with them…
Hi Jeannette,we really try our best to mention lenses from third party manufacturers such as Tokina, Tamron or Sigma if they are good enough.
Their prices are a little bit lower when comparing to Premium Brands, such as Nikon & Canon, which is advantage. But the fact is that Nikon & Canon Lenses usually have higher build quality. I would also like to add that its better to buy used third party lenses, because their prices drops very quickly after you buy it new, so if you are on budget try to find some used Tokina or Sigma Lens which are in good condition.
I swear this is best guide for nikon d5500 lenses
Keep up the good work and thank you! 😀
Thank you! It is always great to know that our content actually help others.
You need to exclude Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 DX II from this list. Seriously! I had it, body is not made from HQ parts I was taking pictures and strap broke lens dropped and Tokina charged me almost 200$ to fix it. They are all scammers from now I will only buy Canon or Nikon at least their strap will not broke as easily LOOOL
We are sorry to hear you had bad experience with Tokina company. They are usually on point when it comes to lenses repair.
best guide ever!
Thanks a lot Thom! We appreciate it.
very detailed guide edward
thanks to you I decided to buy myself nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5g ed zoom lens with auto focus for christmas
it were much big improve over my last telephoto lens
went for used one, costed me 500$
Hi nikky, we are glad to help. Also, 500$ for used zoom lens Nikon 10-24mm is good deal, we hope you are happy with it!
please check your email you have few questions there
Sorry for late reply, we were out for couple of days.
Check your inbox, we answered on all your questions.