Honestly I'm so sick of my kit 18-55 lens it just doesnt get wide enough for the landscapes im trying to shoot out here in Oregon and everything looks soft anyway. I tried one of those cheap wide angle screw on converters but it was total garbage and made my photos look like they were taken through a glass bottle so im done with cheap hacks. I need a real wide angle but I'm on a tight budget.
- Must be under 250 used or new
- Fits a D5600 DX mount
- Light enough for long hikes
- Sharpness is the main goal
Is there any lens that actually fits this or am I just dreaming at this price point...
You arent dreaming at all, the solution is pretty straightforward for your D5600. Look at the Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR. It usually sells for under 250 used and its practically designed for what you're doing. Optically, it uses three aspherical elements which really helps with the edge softness you're seeing on that kit lens. Since your body supports AF-P, the focus is instant and it weighs roughly 230g. That is barely anything when you are out hiking in Oregon all day. If you need something for low light too, the Tokina AT-X 11-16mm f/2.8 Pro DX II is very sharp in the center but its a brick to carry. It weighs more than double the Nikon and the coating isnt as good for handling ghosting when the sun is in the frame. For pure landscape work where you're stopping down to f/8 anyway, the Nikon 10-20mm is the better technical choice. It has vibration reduction too, which helps if you're shooting handheld in darker forest sections. Just stay away from those screw-on filters, they are basically paperweights.
