One of the questions I’m asked the most is “which lenses should I buy?” This question inevitably opens up a veritable can of worms because not everyone has the same needs or the same budget. So what I’ve decided to do is break it down into different levels. Professional: For those that have the means there’s no reason to skimp on your glass. Lenses inevitably outlast the camera bodies especially in this day and age with a new and better DSLR being released every couple of months. For the top of the line I recommend using Nikkor glass. The build quality is the best in the business and the optical quality is excellent as well. Of course these pro-level lenses are heavy, but that’s what comes with top-quality glass.

1. AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED – Although Nikon makes wider lenses specifically for DX cameras this lens is unparalleled when it comes to sharpness.

2. AF-S NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED – This is your standard zoom lens and will probably spend the most time on your camera. This lens is super-sharp and focuses lightning fast with the AF-S motor.

3. AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II – This is Nikon’s newest telephoto lens it has been redesigned from the earlier version with more ED lens elements and Nano-Crystal coat to help cut lens flare. The new VR II compensates for both side-to-side and up-and-down motion.

Third party: Third party lenses usually cost about half of what their Nikkor counterparts go far, but they still offer high quality optics and fast apertures. The build quality usually isn’t as robust, but with a little care these lenses can last many years.

1. Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM – This is a great

new fast ultra-wide lens from Sigma. Being relatively inexpensive you’re going to have a few problems with Chromatic Aberrations (CA) and softness wide open, but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome by post-

processing and/or stopping down. Sigma’s HSM is as fast and quiet as Nikon’s AF-S.

2. Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II VC LD Aspherical (IF) – This is a new update to Tamron’s popular standard zoom lens. This is the first fast aperture lens that I know of to add Vibration Compensation. The lens is very sharp stopped and very good wide open. Unfortunately one downside to this lens is that it is slow to focus and the focus motor is quite loud. For about $200 less you can get the Non-VC version.

3. Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 II EX DG MACRO HSM – This is a nice fast telephoto lens great for sports, portraits or nature shots. This lens is fast focusing and sharp across the board. It doesn’t off VR, but you can always use a monopod if necessary.

Prime lenses: I’m also often asked about which prime lenses I recommend. This is the list of primes that I’d carry with me if I were only going to use primes for my DX kit:

1. AF DX Fisheye- NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED – I love my fisheye lenses. They can make the most mundane subject interesting. You can also use Capture NX to quickly de-fish your shots for a rectilinear ultra-wide look.

2. AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G – This is one of my favorite lenses for DX format. It’s super fast and sharp and best of all inexpensive. It’s a great lens for almost any subject from portraits to landscapes.

3. AF-S VR Micro- NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED – Another one of my favorite lenses. I’ve found this lens to be very versatile. Of course it excels at macro photography being one of the sharpest lenses that Nikon makes, but I also find it is an excellent portrait lens and great for close-ups when shooting concerts.