Nikon D3000 is a digital single-lens reflex camera that has been explicitly designed for amateur photographers. It features a 10.2-megapixel DX-format CCD sensor, 3 inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels, and 11 AF points.
The camera can shoot at speeds of up to 3 frames per second and has ISO settings of 100-3200 (expandable to 12800). It also can record 720p HD videos with sharp graphics and perfect handheld stability.
The best thing about Nikon D3000 is that it has a very short shutter lag. D3000 is compatible with the majority of Nikon D3000 camera lenses.
The Nikon D3000 is a camera aimed at amateur photographers; therefore, it does not have many features, but it can produce quality shots. Thanks to the stellar automatic scene sensor, it has an excellent battery life and is very easy to use.
Compared to other cameras in its class, the only drawback is its limited ISO settings. But overall, it’s an excellent purchase for beginner photographers on a budget.
An affordable camera offers the lax in buying a more advanced second lens. If you have saved a couple of hundred bucks on a D3000 purchase, let’s invest in the best Nikon D3000 lenses.
Best Compatible Lenses for Nikon D3000 Digital SLR
- Best Wide-Angle Lens: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
“Capture tack-sharp pictures with 114-degree near-fisheye perspective. The fast f/2.8 aperture delivers a shallow depth of field in the daytime and at night.“
- Affordable Wide-Angle Lens: Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM Lens for Nikon
“For detailed galactic photography, this is the best lens. Sigma 18-35mm offers a near-round f/1.8 aperture, capturing distant stars with excellence.“
Top All-In-One Lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm
“NIKKOR 18-300mm includes wide-angle landscape shooting at 18mm to the super-telephoto range at 300mm. Also, the 4-stop VR offers image and video stabilization at all focal lengths.”
Best Portrait Lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens
“Nikon 35mm is the most suitable portrait lens for Nikon D3000 and beyond. The aperture, lens elements, and SWM make sure you get fantastic portraiture out of this prime lens.”
Macro Lens for Nikon D3000: Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm
“Nikon 85mm might be the best macro lens if you adore close-ups. The best tool is its 9-bladed round f/2.5G ED aperture, systematically isolating foregrounds from the blurry backgrounds with sublimity.”
Telephoto Lens: Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens
“Designed for professional telephotography, Sigma 150-600mm offers an extensive focal length with high-resolution results to 600mm. The HSM autofocusing, optical stabilization and a 9-blade aperture together produce excellent results at all zoomed focal lengths.”
1. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm is one of the best lenses you can buy for your Nikon D3000. It offers a wide-angle of view, perfect for landscape and architecture photography.
The lens is also high-speed and has a low distortion rate, thanks to many lens elements embedded perfectly inside the barrel for stunning results.
Features
- NIKKOR 10-24mm isn't an excellent pick for portraitures. However, the lens' wide-angle ergonomics specializes in capturing scenic landscapes and wide-angle shots with all the ingredients required.
- The 10mm focal length (wide-angle) is equivalent to that of a 21mm lens on a 35mm camera. With its f/2.8 fast aperture, you can bring out the best in your shots without having to worry about post-processing them afterward. It also comprises wide reduce your workflow time.
- The focal length gives a wider angle of view, up to 114 degrees at 10mm. A significant perspective offers photographers a broad canvas to play around with without letting them go too far away from the captured subject. Wide-angle lenses, however, make close-range shooting an uphill task.
- The impediment is corrected with the close-range correction that focuses pictures up to 0.9ft from the subject.
- For sharp focus and other enhancements, NIKKOR 10-24mm features 14 elements in 11 groups for aberration controls, coma correction, sharpness, and deep contrasts. The aspherical elements, ED glass, and nano-crystal remove everything unwanted from your shots in a split second.
- SWM delivers quick, quiet, and super-sensitive focusing with M/A manual override to get the best out of your moments in all lighting modes and distances for wide-range focusing.
Pros
- Wide-angle of view
- Low distortion rate
- Fast aperture
Cons
- Not suitable for portraits
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2. Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon
Sigma 18-35mm is a wide-angle lens that provides a focal wide focal range with a 76.5-degree viewing angle at 18mm and a max aperture of f/1.8.
This lens is designed for use with a range of Nikon cameras and provides a versatile range of focal lengths perfect for landscape, portrait, and event photography.
Features
- The lens features a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for fast and accurate autofocus, as well as an Optical Stabilizer (OS) to help reduce the effects of camera shake.
- This lens has a rounded 9-blade diaphragm that creates an attractive blur to the image’s out-of-focus areas.
- At 35mm, the lens offers a perfect viewing angle equivalent to a human eye. The optimal color correction technology and swift focus deliver beautiful bokeh effects with isolated foregrounds and blurry backgrounds when shooting solos.
- The lens elements that compensate for noise and refractions include aspherical and Special Low Dispersion glass. These elements eliminate color distortions, coma, lens aberrations, and more in processing modes.
- The HSM delivers super-quick focus adjustments at all focal lengths with absolute precision and clarity for lag-free autofocusing.
Pros
- Rounded 9-blade diaphragm
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Wide focal range
- Optical Stabilizer
Cons
- Noisy lens elements
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3. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G All-in-One Zoom Lens
Nikon’s AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm telephoto lens is perfect for anyone looking for an all-in-one lens.
The lens offers a focal length range of 18 to 300mm and a maximum magnification of 0.32x, making it the perfect choice for capturing beautiful still shots and videos from a wide variety of angles.
Features
- Nikon AF-S 18-300mm offers a highly versatile range of focal lengths, making it suitable for portraits, landscapes, close-ups, sports events, and more. The angle of view ranges from 76 degrees at its widest 18mm to 5 degrees 20' at 300mm super-telephoto mode.
- The lens construction consists of 16 elements in 12 groups, including aspherical and ED glass elements. All the aspects refine subjects with Nikon's exclusive aberration control technology, eliminating coma, distortions, flares, and ghosting effects in real-time.
- The Vibration Reduction technology featured in this lens helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake for sharper images. The 4-stop VR image stabilization works at all focal lengths without sacrificing image quality and sharpness.
- Photographers looking for quality optics will love this lens, mainly due to its compatibility with Nikon's full line of NIKKOR lenses. The Nikkor 18-300mm is also equipped with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM), enabling quick and accurate autofocusing.
- In addition, NIKKOR 18-300mm all-in-one lens weighs only 16 ounces (455 grams) and measures 3 inches in diameter and 4 inches long (75 x 102 millimeters).
- The compact design and ergonomic build make Nikon 18-300mm an excellent utility for all-in-one photography purposes. Also, it is super-lightweight and sturdy for travel and outdoor photography.
Pros
- Suitable for quality portraits, landscapes, close-ups, sports, wildlife, macros, and event photography.
- 4-stop Vibration Reduction technology helps to minimize camera shakes in handheld modes.
- It offers a spacious focal length range of 18 to 300mm
Cons
- Not as sharp as prime lenses
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4. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Fixed Prime Lens
The AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G is a fast, normal-range prime lens with a fixed focal length ideal for shooting quality pictures and HD videos in tight quarters.
Its f/1.8 aperture is effective in low light, and it also provides greater control over the depth of field for isolating subjects and working with selective focus techniques.
Features
- The compact design makes it an excellent choice for travel photography when you're likely to be carrying your camera all day long.
- The Nikon 35mm pairs well with both full-frame and DX-format Nikon DSLRs. If you have an FX lens mount, it will work in DX-crop mode.
- For portraits, f/1.8 fast aperture delivers high-quality performance with its shallow depth of field and stunningly sharp subject isolation from blurry backgrounds.
- The aspherical lens elements are designed to control light dispersion and color correction in real-time. The rounded 7-blade diaphragm opening ensures smooth, natural out-of-focus backgrounds.
- In addition, the lens is fitted with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) that pairs well with high-resolution DSLRs to provide fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus performance.
- The AF system works with compatible cameras for precise subject tracking at close distances while capturing videos and stills.
Pros
- It pairs well with FX and DX-format Nikon DSLRs
- Compact design; fits in a pocket
- An excellent lens for portraits
- Fast aperture
Cons
- Prime lenses do not offer zoom.
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5. Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G Close-Up Lens
Nikon Micro NIKKOR 85mm is a compact, lightweight macro lens ideal for close-up, nature, and portrait photography.
Its fast maximum aperture of f/3.5 makes it great for available light and low-light situations where you want to separate your subject from the background.
Features
- The extra-low dispersion (ED) element and Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC), along with the rounded 9-blade diaphragm, help to produce extra-sharp and beautifully blurred backgrounds to lighten up your macro photography skills.
- Nikon's 4-stop VR image stabilization system provides the equivalent of shooting at a shutter speed approximately four stops faster, allowing you to photograph in shallow light without worrying about camera shake.
- Nikon 85mm includes ED glass elements and Super-Integrated coating for color correction and aberration control in all lighting situations.
- The lens barrel offers an actual DC motor that provides fast, near-silent autofocusing and full-time manual focus override when needed. In addition, Nikon 85mm lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.9ft and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:7.5 at the full telephoto position.
- Its internal focus system maintains the overall focal length of the lens during focusing and provides more versatility when shooting in tight spaces.
- Overall, NIKKOR 85mm prime lens is the best choice for Nikon D3000 users if you want to take high-quality portraits or close-ups with the macro lens mode.
Pros
- Super Integrated Coating (SIC) and extra-low dispersion (ED) element for sharpness and blur control
- DC motor for fast, near-silent autofocusing
- A perfect lens for macro photography
- 4-stop VR image stabilization system
- Fast maximum aperture of f/3.5
- Internal focus system
Cons
- Not as versatile as zoom lenses
- Fixed focal length
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6. Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom Lens
Sigma 150-600mm lens is specially designed for telephoto zoom photography. An update to the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens is compatible with high-resolution DSLR cameras and optimized for cropped sensors.
A new optical stabilizer (OS) includes an accelerometer for smooth panning, excellently capturing fast-moving subjects, wildlife, and sports photography.
Features
- Sigma 150-600mm telephoto lens consists of a newly designed Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) and a zoom lock lever, which helps to prevent zooming discrepancies during transportation.
- A new high-quality design of molded glass aspherical lenses controls distortion and spherical aberrations and provides sharp, high contrast images even at the maximum of 600mm.
- The 150-600mm Contemporary pro-level lens is sealed against dust and moisture and features a drop-in 52mm filter.
- A 9 blade rounded diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the image’s out-of-focus areas.
- The Sigma 150-600mm has a minimum focus distance of 1.9m throughout the entire zoom range and has a maximum magnification ratio of 1:5, which is excellent for wildlife photography.
Pros
- Ideal for photography of fast-moving subjects, wildlife, and sports.
- Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary is sealed against dust and moisture.
- The lens includes a 9-blade rounded aperture diaphragm.
Cons
- The lens is not fully compatible with full-frame cameras.
- The minimum focusing distance is 1.9m.
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Conclusion
Nikon D3000 is a beginner-friendly camera with robust and high-quality EXPEED image processing for vibrant portraits to noise-free night shots. The Nikon D3000 is a cropped sensor camera, meaning that it uses lenses explicitly designed for DX cameras. However, FX lenses can also be mounted on the D3000 but in DX-crop mode.
The Nikon D3000 is an excellent camera for wildlife photography, as it has several features that are ideal for this type of photography. The 18-55mm kit lens comprises wide-angle 3x zoom with VR stabilization to capture wildlife from afar.
Nikon D3000 features active D-lighting for low-light and night-time photography. Also, its wide ISO range makes the Nikon D3000 a perfect fit for night photography.
Nikon D3000 is suitable for sports photography because of its continuous shooting, fast shutter response, and 11-point accurate focusing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Nikon D3000 is a cropped sensor camera, meaning that it uses lenses explicitly designed for DX cameras. However, FX lenses can also be mounted on D3000 but in DX-crop mode.
The Nikon D3000 is an excellent camera for wildlife photography, as it has several features that are ideal for this type of photography. The 18-55mm kit lens comprises 3x zoom with VR stabilization to capture wildlife from afar.
Nikon D3000 features active D-lighting for low-light and night-time photography. Also, its wide ISO range makes D3000 a perfect fit for night photography.
Nikon D3000 has several automatic exposure modes. A 3fps continuous shooting and wide ISO range with a compatible Astro lens will do the trick.
Nikon D3000 is an excellent camera for sports photography because of its continuous shooting, fast shutter response, and 11-point accurate focusing.