I bought a used Nikon D3500 last month for a trip to Yellowstone in three weeks and I am already so frustrated trying to figure out what lens I need. The camera came with a basic lens but I cant zoom in on anything far away at all. I tried looking online but all these terms like DX, FX, focal length, aperture... it is seriously making my head spin and I feel so stupid. I just want to take decent photos of wildlife and landscape stuff without spending a fortune. My total budget is like $200 max, maybe $250 if it is really worth it because I already spent way more than I wanted to on the camera itself. I keep seeing all these different lenses online but I have no idea if they will even fit my camera or if they are garbage.
What is the best cheap zoom lens that will actually work on my D3500? Is there a specific one I should look for on eBay or something?
Hey, dont stress about the jargon. Everyone starts there. Basically for your D3500, you need lenses with AF-S or AF-P motors because your camera body lacks an internal focus motor. For wildlife in Yellowstone, 200mm might feel a bit short, so 300mm is usually better for reach. Check these out used on eBay:
- Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR
- This is the sweet spot. The AF-P focus is fast and quiet, plus the VR is clutch for handheld shots at longer focal lengths.
- Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II
- If the 70-300 is too pricey, this one is super compact and usually dirt cheap on the used market. Just make sure it says VR on the lens barrel, you really want that stabilization for longer zoom shots. Happy shooting!
