Ugh, I am literally so frustrated right now. I bought this used Nikon D3500 off my cousin a few months ago because I wanted to take some nice pictures of my golden retriever at the park, but honestly, the kit lens that came with it is just terrible. I dont know if its me or the gear, but everything looks blurry unless I am standing super close, and even then the background looks boring. People keep talking about focal lengths and f-stops and I feel like my head is gonna explode trying to learn all this stuff online. I just want one lens that does basically everything so I dont have to keep swapping them out because I am terrified of dropping my camera in the dirt while changing lenses outdoors. I only have about 300 bucks saved up for this, maybe a bit more if I wait until my birthday next month. Does anyone know a lens that actually works well for a beginner who just wants to take nice portraits of their dog and maybe some landscapes while hiking? Im so confused by all the numbers and models, seriously, is there just one lens I should buy so I can stop worrying about this?
> I just want one lens that does basically everything Totally get that frustration. Honestly, you should just grab the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G. It changed everything for me when I started. It handles portraits of your dog way better than the kit lens because of the wider aperture. Makes that background nice and blurry too. It is super cheap and fits your budget perfectly, honestly no complaints at all.
Adding my two cents here, I totally feel your pain. I had the same struggle when I started out with my own Nikon body. Honestly, that kit lens is just not great for low light or getting that blurred background look you want for your pup. It's super frustrating when the gear feels like it is holding you back from what you see in your head. Since you are worried about swapping glass in the dirt, you might want to look at the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. It is basically a jack-of-all-trades lens. You wont have to switch it out ever, and it covers wide stuff for your hikes plus enough zoom to get closer to your dog without being right in his face. It is way more versatile than what you have.
Can confirm this works. Did the same thing on mine and its been solid ever since.
