Which Nikon Lens should you choose?

I have heard many people asked “Which Nikon Lens should I get…”

 

Perhaps these are all you ever need?

 

• Nikon 24mm f/1.4G,
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G,
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4G,
• Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8,
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and
• Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII

Some would argue that what about the 35mm f/1.4, 105mm DC, 135mm DC, 105mm f/2.8 macro or 45mm Tilt-Shift? Well, it all comes down to your shooting style and preferences.  You will need to ask yourself some important questions.

What is your budget?
This really dictates what’s available for you to choose from.

What is the purpose of this lens? What are you going to use it for?
Do you need it for travel? Portrait?

Do you need a fast lens? Do you shoot mostly under daylight or mostly indoor?
This will give you some indication on what aperture range you need.

Does it have to be a pro lens? In Canon’s term, an L lens? Does it need to be weather proof? Are you a pixel peeper who always concern with edge to edge sharpness?
If you don’t, perhaps you can get away with a kit lens which is less expensive.

I can’t say the above setup is all you ever need, but certainly they should cover 80% of your needs. I am not encouraging you to get them all, but certainly they do make a very nice setup.

Here is what I would choose for myself for the different purposes. Of cause there are other alternatives, but these are what I would choose for myself. If you are on a budget, you can replace the 50mm f/1.4 to 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.4 to 85mm f/1.8.

Weddings	Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII Nikon 24mm f/1.4 Nikon 50mm f/1.4 Nikon 85mm f/1.4 Nikon 105mm f/2.8 macro Nikon 45mm T/S	You probably want to bring everything you’ve got if you are the official photographer. If you are just a guest, bring only one lens, e.g. Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Studio	Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII Nikon 85mm f/1.4 Nikon 300mm f/2.8	Use the sharpest lens you’ve got for studio work. For portrait work, shoot from a focal length of 70mm+ if you are shooting for a single model. Choose a smaller focal length if you are shooting for a group.
Portrait	Nikon 24mm f/1.4 Nikon 85mm f/1.4 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII	Similar to studio work, use the sharpest lens you’ve got and shoot from a focal length of 70mm+ if you are shooting for a single model. You can also add a fast wide angle lens such as the 24mm f/1.4 to mix it up.
Low Light/Concert	Nikon 24mm f/1.4 Nikon 35mm f/1.4 or Nikon 50mm f/1.4 Nikon 85mm f/1.4 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII	Use the fastest lens you’ve got. Pick something with an aperture f/2.8 or lower. Depending on what you are shooting, you can choose between the 24mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4. For longer range, choose the 70-200mm f/2.8 which will give you a 4 stops VR. Make sure your shutter speed is fast enough for the action on stage.
Landscape	Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8	Pick the sharpest lens you have got. The sharpest wide angle available is the 14-24mm f/2.8. You can choose the 17-35mm f/2.8 or 20mm f/2.8 instead if you need a lens that can fit a filter easily
Macro	Nikon 60mm f/2.8 Nikon 105mm f/2.8	These are the two common macro lenses. Choose either one depending on your working distance. You could also choose the older 200mm f/4 macro
Travel	Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 or Nikon 24-120mm f/4 Nikon 50mm f/1.4	You probably shouldn’t be carrying more than two lenses unless it is a photographic trip. You can probably add the Nikon 14-24mm or 17-35mm to the selection if you need a wide angle.
Light Travel	Nikon 20mmf/2.8 or Nikon 24mm f/2.8 Nikon 50mm f/1.4	These are the smallest and lightest lenses for travel. You can narrow them down to one if you don’t want to change lenses.

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