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Nikon Z-mount Lens Forum
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15/04/2026 4:05 am
Topic starter
Sorry if this is a dumb question but I just got a Nikon D3500 for my sisters wedding next month and I'm so lost. I want those blurry backgrounds but only have like 200 bucks left. I saw some lenses are $1000 which is crazy... so what's a good cheap one for a total beginner?
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15/04/2026 5:10 am
Shot my first wedding with these. Fantastic bargains!
- Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G for groups.
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G for amazing background blur!
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15/04/2026 4:20 am
Adding my two cents here. I was in your shoes a few years back when I first started out. I was actually quite satisfied with how my DX kit performed once I moved away from the basic kit zoom lens. For a wedding, you really need a wider aperture to handle the indoor lighting and get that bokeh effect. These two options worked well for me and usually stay within your 200 dollar budget if you look at the used market:
- Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G. This is a 52.5mm equivalent on your sensor. The f/1.8 aperture allows for a very shallow depth of field.
- Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. This provides a 75mm equivalent view. I found it produced even smoother backgrounds for tighter headshots. Honestly, I have no complaints about the sharpness on these. They are lightweight and the technical specs for the price are hard to beat. Check out refurbished units to save even more cash.
