15 Best Lens for Nikon D7000 in 2023 List of Lenses We Recommend

The launch of the Nikon D7000 in September 2010 took the world by surprise especially owing to its close resemblance to the ever popular Nikon D90. And today, close to one decade down the line, this lens still stands out with its enhanced capacity and FHD video capturing power.

Not much has changed about its kit lens over time, though. And, therefore, if you’re looking to a bit of an oomph to your photo and video recording sessions, it would be wise to invest in another lens.

There are quite a few reasons why you need to invest in a lens other than the one the camera comes with.

• This can help you get the most out of your DSLR
• Provides you with the capacity to experience a higher resolution
• Can completely change the look of your shots

With those three factors in mind, we found it wise to compile the following guide. Hopefully, this exposes you to the best lens choices some of which are quite popular among D7000 users.

Lens for Nikon D7000 – Comparison

No matter what your preferences are, you can rest assured that the table below will provide you with the idea on what to settle for. The idea behind this shortened table is to help you save the time you’d otherwise need to read the in-depth Nikon D7000 lenses reviews further below.

1. Nikon AF-S 50mm Lens Nikkor f/1.8G

Nikon AF-S 50mm Lens Nikkor works well in a Nikon d7000 camera. It is a standard prime lens that meets everyday photography needs. The lens has a 50mm focal length which is a medium angle. The lens’ f/1.8 maximum aperture is quite accommodating, it is fast, more so, it can be used for night photography as well.

The lens gives the perfect of shallow depth of focus, allowing you to separate a subject from the background artistically. What’s more, the lens has a beautiful bokeh in its wider aperture size.

However, because of the fixed focal length, the lens is restricted from shooting very specialized images requiring wider angles or narrower like exclusive portraits and landscapes.

The lens is constructed with Nikon’s SIC (Super Integrated Coating) which reduces flare, improves light conveyance, for the best color rendition. Further, the lens is built with an Aspherical lens element which further enhances the image quality by reducing aberrations.

Just as importantly, the lens uses the Silent Wave Motor in its autofocus system for high speeds, quiet action, and accuracy.

Pros

• It is a nice night-time photography piece
• It is a budget lens
• It gives the best shallow depth of focus and also beautiful bokeh
• It has a fast aperture
• The autofocus system is reliable

Cons

• It is not a zoomable lens and therefore a bit limited in variety

2. Nikon AF-S 105mm Lens f/2.8G VR Micro-Nikkor IF-ED

Nikon AF-S 105mm Lens is a short telephoto prime lens. The lens has a focal length of 105mm, which is quite a narrow-angle.

Having said that, this lens is suitable for professional photographers looking for a specialized lens for doing portraits. It is the best lens for capturing distance objects, and best for action sports and wildlife shots.

More importantly, its aperture range is between f/2.8  to f/32 to meet different photography needs. Its maximum aperture provides fast shutter speed and also makes the lens a good piece for night adventures. The lens is designed with a minimum focus distance of 1 ft (0.314m) and makes one of the best macro photography units out there, besides, you can also use the lens to get close-up portraits.

The lens is constructed with 14 elements in 12 groups with a Nano-crystal coat and ED glass elements for sharp images.

The lens is designed with Nikon’s internal autofocusing system called Silent Wave Motor, which is accurate, fast and quiet. More so, it has a manual focusing option if you use the lens’ focus ring.

Although it is moderately priced and therefore not so pocket-friendly, however, it comes with a long term warranty from the manufacturer.

Pros

• The product is backed by the manufacturer’s warranty
• It produces sharp images
• Good for portraits and more so, close-up portraits
• It is a macro photography lens, thanks to the short minimum focusing distance of 1 ft
• It has a fast, silent and precise autofocus system

Cons

• The lens has a fixed focal length and is therefore non-zoomable and fitting for portraiture only
• It is not a budget lens

3. Tamron SP Lens 70-200MM F/2.8 Telephoto Zoom DI VC USD for Nikon (FX) Cameras

Tamron SP Lens 70-200MM is a telephoto zoom lens. It comes with a 70-200mm focal length which is an angle that is medium to narrow but quite a wide zoomable range for versatility. The focal length angle permits specialized portraiture work, standard videos, and stills but is limited in doing landscapes.

Worth noting is that this lens is quite expensive.

Not to mention, the lens, has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 for fast shutter speeds and also for day and night shooting. The lens uses the Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) as a focusing system which is fast and quiet.

Besides, it weighs 3.24 lbs, which is quite heavy and can be a bit inconveniencing to carry around with the camera unit. Also, the lens features a moisture-resistant built to protect it from moisture. Moreover, the barrel is constructed from high-grade plastic.

Pros

• It is a lens designed for doing standards and specialized portraits
• It has a fast and quiet autofocus
• It is ideal for night photography
• The aperture is fast

Cons

• It is a bit heavy
• It is quite pricey
• It is not suitable for landscape photography which requires a focal length with a wide angle

Also read: 7 Best Lens for Nikon F3 Compared & Reviewed – Find Out Which One Wins

4. Sigma 85mm Lens f/1.4 HSM EX DG Prime Medium Telephoto Large Aperture for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Sigma 85mm Lens is a prime telephoto lens and among the fastest in the market. The lens’ 85mm focal length means it has a narrow-angle, and is, therefore, a quite a professional camera exclusive for portraiture.

The lens comes at a medium price point.

Further, it boasts a maximum aperture size of f/1.4, which is quite large and sets it apart from others in the market.

Apart from the fast aperture, it is designed with other features to be able to take images in all kinds of lighting conditions. First, it has a rear focusing system which works to reduce fluctuations from aberration.

Then, the lens has a Super Multi-Layer Coating to lower ghosting and flare. Its hood further blocks out foreign lights and more so, it has a glass coating to deal with backlights.

The lens features a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for fast accurate and quiet autofocusing. Additionally, it has a 9 blade diaphragm for the best bokeh images.

Pros

• The lens has a very fast aperture
• It is excellent for night photography
• It is special for portraits
• It has a reliable autofocus system
• The lens is well constructed to provide sharp images in challenging lighting conditions

Cons

• It is not a budget lens because the price is on the higher side
• The focal length is fixed and therefore not a zoomable piece

5. Nikon AF-S 35mm Lens f/1.8G DX Nikkor with AF for Nikon DSLR

Nikon AF-S 35mm Lens is a budget prime lens that performs excellently in Nikon d7000. The lens has a 35mm focal length, which is a wide angle and therefore you won’t go wrong with this unit if you want a lens for doing landscape photography. In addition, it is excellent for achieving a shallow depth of focus.

The lens comes at a bargain price.

The maximum aperture of f/1.8 guarantees a fast aperture that also operates well in low light situations and best for night escapades. Further, the lens has a close focusing distance of 1 ft, and best for macro photography.

It features a rounded seven-blade diaphragm. At a weight of only 7 ounces, its amazingly light and very portability.

Pros

• It is a very pocket-friendly unit
• The lens has many positive customer reviews
• The lens is quite light in weight and therefore very portable
• It is good for low light conditions
• It is a good lens for doing landscapes

Cons

• It is a non-zoomable
• It is a bit restricted when it comes to portraits

6. Tamron AF 90mm Lens f/2.8 AF/MF Macro Di SP 1:1 for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Tamron AF 90mm Lens is another good match for your Nikon d7000. Its focal length of 90mm makes it a short telephoto prime lens. Consequently, you can use the lens for action sports and wildlife photography.

Further, its maximum aperture of f/2.8 avails other photographing capabilities including night photograph. Please note that to achieve corner to corner sharpness requires the use of an aperture of f/2.8- f/4. What’s more, the lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.29m, to make it a masterpiece at macro photography, and close-up portraits.

The lens is designed with the Ultrasonic Drive Technology autofocus motor for fast autofocusing, besides the lens has also image stabilization. Moreover, it is constructed with 9 rounded blades for achieving a beautiful bokeh.

Besides that, the lens is reasonably priced.

Pros

• It is competitively priced piece
• It is excellent for portraits
• It is good for day and night activities
• It is a specialty when it comes to macro photography
• It has an autofocus system
• It has image stabilization

Cons

• It is a non-zoomable lens
• It is not for landscapes or general use

7. Nikon AF-S 55-300mm Lens DX Nikkor f/4.5-5.6G Zoom

Nikon AF-S 55-300mm Lens is a multipurpose lens indeed. The lens comes with a focal length of 55-300mm, which is a very substantial zoomable range from standard to telephoto angle, and therefore caters for a broad category of photography demands.

You can capture anything from standard photos to special portraits with this.

The lens has a maximum aperture of f/4. It means that the aperture is slow, more so, it is restricted where lighting is limited.

The lens is constructed with various traits to create high-quality images. It has two Extra-low Dispersion glass elements and HRI (High Refractive Index) lens element. Moreso, the lens boasts of Nikon’s Vibration Reduction Image Stabilization system. In addition, it features the Silent Wave Motor (SWV) which is quiet, accurate and fast.

Further, the lens is coated with Super Integrated Coating (SIC) to optimize its performance in poorly lit conditions, and to reduce flare and ghosting. What’s more, it has a Tripod Detection Mode, which basically reduces vibrations when the lens is set on a tripod.

Pros

• It has a sizeable zoomable range
• It is competitively priced
• It has an efficient autofocus system
• It produces sharp images

Cons

• The lens is limited in low light conditions

8. Sigma 30mm Lens F1.4 Art DC HSM for Nikon

Sigma 30mm Lens is a prime lens with a remarkably fast aperture and an absolute match to your Nikon d7000. The 30mm focal length means it has a wide angle. Therefore, t is the perfect lens for special landscapes, standards and for the best shallow depth of field. Unfortunately, it will not suffice with portraits.

The fact is, the f/1.4 aperture size, makes this lens a pretty fast unit that designed to work where there is little to no light. More importantly, it has a minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches, which is pretty short and ideal for macros and close-ups.

Besides that, the construction of the lens utilizes the latest lens technology. It packs a Super Multi-Layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting. Besides that, it features the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) for fast, accurate and quiet autofocusing.

Moreso, it has the TSC (Thermally Stable Composite Material) which prevents the internal lens barrel from fluctuations.

Just as importantly, it is fitted with a 9 blade rounded diaphragm which creates incredibly pretty bokeh.

 The lens is competitively priced and good for anyone on a budget.

Pros

• It has a very fast aperture
• It has a wide angle and ideal for special landscapes
• It provides the best shallow depth of focus and also beautiful bokeh
• It has a reliable autofocus system

Cons

• It is a non-zoomable lens
• It is inadequate if you want a unit to do portraits

9. Sigma 150-600mm Lens 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM for Nikon

Sigma 150-600mm Lens is a specialized zoom lens. It features a 150-600mm focal length for the ultimate hyper telephoto lens. It is a highly specialized portraiture lens because of the narrow-angle and faces up to long-reach shooting challenges like wildlife, motor photography and birding.

More so, it has quite a significant zoomable range to meet different photography needs.

It has a maximum aperture of f/5, which is quite medium and somehow limiting providing low speeds and lacking in capacity to do night photography. In addition, it has a minimum aperture of f/22 designed to meet different photography needs.

The lens features the latest in lens technology to optimize image quality. The lens has 20 elements in 14 groups, it has 9 blades of diaphragm. It also has an Optical Stabilizer (OS) that has an accelerometer and Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) that is quiet and fast.

It weighs 4.25 lbs, which is heavy but practical considering its sturdy build, maximum reach, and full-frame sensor coverage.

Pros

• It is a hyper telephoto lens
• It provides sharp images
• It has a quick autofocus
• It features Sigma’s latest lens technology
• It has a wide zoomable range

Cons

• It is a bit expensive
• It is not designed for doing landscapes and standards
• It is heavy

10. Nikon AF S 85mm Lens Nikkor f/1.8G Fixed

Nikon AF S 85mm Lens Nikkor is a medium telephoto prime lens fitting your Nikon d7000. With a focal length of 85mm, the medium angle provides the best in portraits but not landscapes.

Further, the lens’ f/1.8 maximum aperture is fast and also permitting to work in situations without lighting.

It is an inexpensive lens that features Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating (SIC), Silent Wave Motor (SWM), and 7 rounded blades diaphragm, for efficient speeds and sharp quality images.

Further, the lens comes with a depth of field scale. You can achieve a shallow depth of focus when shooting at f/1.8, to blur the background and focus on one object for an artistic effect but lens with a wider angle provide better effects.

Unfortunately, the lens lacks an optical stabilization system.

Just as importantly, its minimum focusing distance of 0.80 m makes fairly good close-up portraits but limiting in macro photography.

Pros

• The lens has great optical performance
• It is suitable for night photography
• It has a fast aperture
• It is excellent for portraits
• It is competitively priced

Cons

• It has no optical stabilization system
• It is not zoomable

11. Sigma 17-70mm Lens F2.8-4 Contemporary DC Macro OS HSM for Nikon

Sigma 17-70mm Lens is a zoomable lens designed for everyday photography. The lens has a focal length of 17-70mm, which ranges from an ultra-wide angle to wide, and also standard.

In this regard, it meets various photography needs and can do perfect landscapes, standards and a little bit of portraiture.

In addition, it has an aperture of f/2.8 which is well fitting in all lighting situations and affirms the lens’ use for everyday day and night photography. The aperture is also fast. It has a minimum aperture size of f/22 for variety in your shooting adventures.

The wide aperture provides a shallow depth of focus. More so, the lens has a minimum focusing distance of just 22cms which is quite outstanding for capturing the best macros and close-ups.

More importantly, the lens is constructed using various state of the art lens technology. It uses the Hypersonic Motor which makes autofocusing quiet. It also designed with Image Stabilization to minimize camera shake.

What’s more, it is reasonably priced.

Pros

• It is competitively priced
• It works with or without lighting
• It has a wide zoomable focal length for versatility
• It has image stabilization
• It has a dependable autofocus system

Cons

• The aperture size though is moderately large, but other brands have a larger aperture

12. Nikon AF FX 50mm Lens Nikkor f/1.8D for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Nikon AF FX 50mm Lens Nikkor is an incredibly fast prime lens. The lens’ 50mm focal length allows the unit to be an all-round standard lens but nothing extreme as far as landscapes or portraits are concerned. It has a large aperture of f/1.8 which is great for low light photography and also fast.

The lens has a minimum focus distance of 1.5 ft and good for close-up portraits. In addition, combining the maximum aperture and focal length of the lens captures images with a shallow depth of focus and also beautiful bokeh.

The lens comprises 7 elements in 6 groups, it has one aspherical element and Super Integrated Coating to reduce chromatic aberrations flare and ghosting for quality images. Further, it incorporates the Silent Wave Motor autofocus which is silent and efficient.

The lens comes at an incredible bargain price.

Pros

• It produces sharp images
• It is quite inexpensive
• The autofocus system is reliable and silent
• It produces images with bokeh and a shallow depth of focus
• It is ideal in night photography

Cons

• The lens is a bit limiting in diversity because of being non-zoomable

13. Tokina 11-16mm Lens f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom

Tokina 11-16mm lens is a zoomable lens to supplement your Nikon d7000 camera kit.

The lens’ focal length is 11-16, which is an ultra wide-angle and great for specialized landscapes but restricted from doing standards and portraits. The aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/22.

Its maximum aperture is wide providing fast shutter speeds in addition to being useful in low lit conditions. More so, you will achieve dramatic shallow depth of focus with this piece. Furthermore, the lens has a minimum focusing distance of only 30cm and makes a great macro photography unit too.

The lens is constructed for ultra performance. It has a multi-layer coating, two super-low dispersion lens elements, and two aspheric lens elements. In addition, it is designed with quick and quiet autofocus.

It is competitively priced and backed by the manufacturer’s three-year warranty.

Pros

• The lens is competitively priced
• It comes with a three-year warranty limited to the USA market
• Its wide aperture delivers exceptional landscapes
• It performs well in low lit conditions
• It has a fairly fast aperture

Cons

• The zoom range is quite narrow and limited to landscapes only
• The autofocus is quiet but it is not silent

14. Sigma 105mm Lens F2.8 258306  Macro EX DG OS HSM for Nikon DSLR-Camera

Sigma 105mm Lens is your go-to-telephoto lens unit. It is a prime lens. The lens’ 105mm focal length is quite narrow and will offer the best portraits but will disappoint if you use it for landscapes or general photography.

Also, the maximum aperture of f/2.8 brings flexibility in your photography with a fast aperture and ability to use the lens at night. Please note that the narrow-angle provides a deep depth of focus but using the sizeable maximum aperture, you can capture images with some shallow depth of focus.

Indeed, with a minimum focusing distance of 12.3 inches, the lens makes a perfect macro photography unit. Besides that, the lens comes with a distance scale for your convenience.

Moreover, the lens has a Hyper Sonic Motor system for an efficient autofocusing system. In addition, it has image stabilization to correct camera shake.

The lens has a moderate price.

Pros

• It is a specialized telephoto lens for professional portraits
• It has a smooth and silent autofocus system
• It is a good lens for macro photography
• It has image stabilization

Cons

• It is non-zoomable and restricted to jobs requiring a narrow-angle
• It is limited when it comes to outstanding shallow depths of focus

15. Sigma 18-35mm Lens F1.8 Art DC HSM for Nikon

Sigma 18-35mm Lens is a zoomable fast lens that has a medium price point.

With a focal length of 18-35, this lens boasts various functionalities due to the wide zoomable range from ultra-wide, to a wide-angle to standard. It is, therefore, meets varying photography needs from landscapes to standards but not specialized portraits.

You can use the lens for all types of photography including night photography and a little bit of portraits. More so, the f/1.8 maximum aperture is something to write home about. It is remarkably large to suit day and night photography.

Further, the combination of an ultra-wide focal length and wide aperture size gives overdramatic shallow depth of field to set your photography apart.

The lens is designed with Sigma’s latest lens innovations with aspherical elements and special low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations.

Besides that, the lens has Thermally Composite Material which is light in weight and a sturdy material. Additionally, it has a Hyper Sonic Motor for smooth, accurate and fast autofocusing.

Pros

• It is a specialized lens for landscape
• It is also good at other types of photography including general and portraits
• It has an effective autofocus system
• It performs well in low lit conditions
• It produces sharp images and unique shallow depth of focus images with a blur effect

Cons

• It is not a budget lens
• It is not recommended for highly specialized portraits

Different Types of Lenses

In order for you to understand what exactly you need in your quest to capture better shots, it’s important to first understand the different lenses that exist. There are different types of lenses to choose from, each one of them with their unique merits and demerits.

Wide-angle

This type of lens usually falls within the 8 to 35mm focal range. It’s commonly used for capturing wide shots, especially where you want to include a lot of stuff in your shot. They are, therefore, ideal for photographing buildings, indoors/parties, group shots, nature, landscape, and even sky photography.

Standard

As their name suggests, these are the common type of lenses. They normally fall within the 28mm to 85mm focal range. Because of their design, they are the best bets for street photography, traveling, food, and even weddings.

Quite a number of the wonderful lens found within this focal range are prime lenses. They also tend to have larger apertures meaning that they make it easy for you to blur the background.

Telephoto Lenses

These are not your everyday kind of lenses. They fall within a pretty wide focal range which is usually within 85mm and 600mm.

Their job is to let you get as close as possible for the subject even when you’re far away. As such, they are generally preferred for wildlife photography as well as some kinds of sports.

Macro Lenses

These are a rare breed of lenses which are predominantly used for shooting extremely small objects making them appear as big as they might be in real life. As such micro-lenses are used to shoot bugs, insects among other tiny organisms.

Lens for Nikon D7000 – Buying Guide

With so many different kinds of lenses existing out there in the world, it can be difficult for you to zero-in on the winning one. In that regard, we decided to break down the key factors worth considering, for you to always keep in mind.

Zoom vs Prime Lenses

It’s very easy to tell the difference between a prime and zoom lens if you don’t know this already. Zoom lenses tend to provide you with a range e.g. 28-55mm but prime lenses provide you with a fixed figure e.g. 35mm.

The good thing with zoom lenses is that they give you the freedom to experiment with different focal length. They also provide you with more dynamism.

Prime lenses, on the other hand, make up for the lack of zooming power by providing you with wider apertures and faster shutters.

Your Budget

The good thing with lenses is that just like London buses, there is always another one coming your way. And, therefore, it always makes sense to cut the coat according to your size.

If you are really on a tight budget, you don’t always have to go for the Nikon branded lenses. There are third-party lenses that offer similar if not better features at cheaper prices. Some popular third-party brands include:

• Sigma
• Tokina
• Tamron
• Lighting Conditions

Perhaps the most important set of questions you need to ask yourself when making your purchase have everything to do with the lighting conditions. Are you plan to mainly engage in early morning or late night photography?

Are you going to be visited dimly lit museums where they don’t allow the use of flash? Are you in a position to set up the proper lighting for different situations?

If you think lighting might be an issue, we’d suggest settling for a lens with a wide aperture. And it’s easy to confirm is a lens has a wide aperture or not. Just look at the figure immediately appearing after the f in the specs list.

For instance, a camera with an f/1.8 lens has a larger aperture than one with f/5.6. And normally, the larger the aperture, the more the light that penetrates and the better the low-light performance is likely to be.

Which One Is The Best?

If you’re looking for a compact lens that has a wide aperture and is superbly suited as a travel lens, the Nikon AF-S f/1.8G 50mm Nikkor would in our view be a great choice. Tiny as it may seem, it packs lots of power and can surprise you with its consistent quality.

Looking for a budget-friendly zoom lens for Nikon D7000? We’d suggest going for the Tamron SP with a 70-200mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture.

Final Thoughts

As we always like to say, there is nothing like a one-size-fits-all lens. Sometimes, you’re likely to find that you need more than one lens for the job. So, we’d recommend that you approach this decision with an open mind while also keeping your unique needs and preferences in mind.