so my sisters wedding is this Saturday and i just got a nikon d3500 but all my test shots inside look really dark and kinda muddy. someone told me i need to buy a prime lens but i have no idea what that even is or which one fits my camera?? i only have like 150 or 200 bucks left to spend and i need to order it tonight so it gets here by friday.
sorry if this is a dumb question but do they even zoom? i just want those pretty shots where the background is all blurry. which ones are the best for someone who has no clue what theyre doing??
No, prime lenses dont zoom at all. You basically have to move your feet if you want to get closer or further away, but honestly you will be way more satisfied with the photos. Your current lens is probably struggling because it cant let in enough light indoors. For your budget, you really need to grab the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G. I have used this lens for years on my DX cameras and it works so well for low light situations. It handles those blurry backgrounds perfectly too. Its usually under 200 bucks and its basically a must-have for Nikon shooters. Just keep in mind since it doesnt zoom, you gotta be ready to move around during the ceremony. I have never had any complaints with the sharpness on this one, it just works.
Re: "No, prime lenses dont zoom at all. You..." - its true and honestly, I was so disappointed when I first started out because I thought my camera was broken. I tried shooting a birthday party with the standard lens and the photos were just muddy and gross. Unfortunately, those kit lenses just cant handle low light because they dont let enough light hit the sensor. The technical side is basically that your current lens has a small aperture, which is the opening that lets light in. A prime lens like the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G fixes this because:
- It has a way wider opening, so you dont have to use such a high ISO (the setting that causes that muddy grain).
- That wide opening is exactly what creates the blurry background effect you are looking for.
- It lets you use faster shutter speeds so people wont look like blurry ghosts when they move. I once tried using a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G for a similar indoor event and had issues because it felt way too zoomed in for small rooms. On your D3500, the 35mm is definitely the sweet spot. Just make sure the box says AF-S specifically or it wont autofocus on your camera body. Its gonna be a lifesaver for those wedding shots.
