Brand:
Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8
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Although the quality of the camera can affect the resulting photo, the lens makes all the difference when taking photos in low-light. The best lens for Nikon D3300 allows you to take wide-angle exterior photos and interior photos under a wide range of lighting conditions.
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The top lens for Nikon D3300 allows you to shoot with wide-angle perspectives, allowing you to feature the entire property in a single photo. The following lenses have bright apertures that allow you to take interior photos even without a Speedlight.
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Brand:
Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8
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Brand:
Nikon AF-S 40mm f/2.8
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Brand:
Nikon AF-P 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6
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Lens Type:
Telephoto
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Lens Type:
Normal
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Lens Type:
Wide Angle
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Compatible Mountings:
Nikon F (FX)
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Compatible Mountings:
Nikon F (DX)
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Compatible Mountings:
F mount
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4.8
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4.7
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4.6
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The Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8 is a high-quality lens that features a bright aperture of f/1.8, allowing you to take sharp and bright pictures of real estate interiors even in poorly lit conditions.
It comes equipped with a silent wave motor which ensures a fast and silent autofocusing performance, making it suitable for capturing videos without ruining the audio quality.
Although the 0.77 pounds weight makes this lens rank position two on my list for portability, the lack of a vibration reduction system limits its usability for handheld shooting.
Considering that capturing photos in dusty surroundings can damage the lens elements, this lens comes with weather resistance sealing, offering extra protection when using it in harsh weather.
The bright f/1.8 aperture enables you to blur the background when capturing portraits, relieving you of the hassle of hiding the background elements during photo retouching.
However, unlike the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, the fixed focal length is a downside if you are shooting a subject in motion, as you will have to move around to maintain a good composition.
The Nikon AF-S 40mm f/2.8 is a versatile prime lens with a life-size magnification ratio of 1:1 and a 6.4 inches minimum focus distance, making it suitable for capturing sharp and high-quality close-ups of small objects such as door handles.
Unlike the Nikon AF S 85mm f/1.8, this lens features a close-range correction system, which helps maintain image sharpness and clarity throughout the focusing range, even when capturing at close distances.
With a super integrated coating, it suppresses glare and surface reflections, allowing you to capture more clear color accurate photos when photographing in harsh lights.
The lens features a switch for changing between the focusing modes, allowing you to quickly switch from manual to autofocus operation when shooting fast-moving subjects and vice versa when the autofocus is hunting.
However, like the Nikon 85mm f/1.8, it lacks image stabilization, and slight shakes can result in blurry images.
The Nikon AF-P 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 is a wide-angle zoom lens that provides you with a versatile focal range of 15-30mm when paired with a Nikon D3300, thanks to the crop effect of 1.5x.
This makes the lens great for capturing an entire exterior of the property in a single photo or interior photos in cramped spaces.
Considering that unsteady videos and blurry images are common in zoom lenses, this lens comes equipped with a vibration reduction mechanism that helps compensate for the unwanted camera shake effect when shooting at slower shutter speeds.
Compared to the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, the maximum aperture of f/4.5-5.6 is not the best for use in difficult lighting conditions. With three aspherical elements in its design, the lens can take photos with minimal aberrations and better color accuracy compared to the Rokinon 8mm f/3.5.
However, the distortions of the wide-angle perspective and the abnormalities resulting from the zoom might cause distortions when rendering the pointed interior lighting.
The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is a versatile wide-angle zoom that can take photos in cramped rooms such as bathrooms.
The variable angle of view gives you flexibility as you can set the camera on a tripod and then zoom in and out the subjects instead of the hassle of carrying the entire setup around.
Unlike the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6, this zoom lens features a bright wide aperture of f/2.8, allowing you to take photos with outstanding bokeh quality, almost like that of the prime lenses.
Although this a third-party lens that many photographers might underrate, the optical design is superb, thanks to the super-low dispersion and aspherical lens elements that limit distortions.
However, this incredible design and construction quality comes with a downside of weight. Unlike the other lenses on my list, this lens weighs 1.21 pounds. When paired with the D3300, there are chances of muscle fatigue if shooting with a monopod or handheld.
If you are taking photos in badly lit interiors and you don't want to ruin your images by increasing the ISO, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is the unit to go for. It features a wide f/1.4 aperture, allowing enough light to reach the image sensor.
If you are taking pictures of moving subjects, this results in a clearer and sharper image than those brightened by lowering the shutter speed.
The nine-blade aperture diaphragm produces a more appealing bokeh quality than that of Rokinon 8mm f/3.5, giving your portraits an appealing background blur.
Furthermore, the minimum focus distance of 11.8 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:7 benefit macro photos of tiny subjects like insects.
However, unlike the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 without a variable focal length, you might need to move around to get the right composition when shooting a subject in motion.
If you want to take ultra wide-angle images of your real estate exterior, then the Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 might be your ideal option. With a minimum focus distance of 12 inches, this fisheye lens is great for capturing photos around corners and cramped rooms such as washrooms.
When shooting in strong lighting, stray light can create a lens flare, affecting the contrast of the photos. Fortunately, this lens comes with a lens hood, improving the overall contrast and colors of your images.
However, compared to the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, the maximum bright aperture of f/3.5 might not allow sufficient light to get into your camera, making it unsuitable for use in poorly lit conditions.
Unlike the Nikon AF S 85mm f/1.8, this lens doesn't come with weather sealing to protect the fragile elements against the weather elements, limiting its usability in harsh weather conditions.
Generally, cameras are versatile, and their overall usability and performance depend on the lenses. For instance, if you want to use your Nikon D3300 in real estate
The features below elaborate on how the different lens' specifications can affect its performance in real estate
| Lenses | Aperture diaphragm blades | Weather sealing | Weight (pounds) |
| Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8 | 7 | Yes | 0.77 |
| Nikon AF-S 40mm f/2.8 | 7 | No | 0.52 |
| Nikon AF-P 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 | 7 | No | 0.51 |
| Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 | 9 | No | 1.21 |
| Sigma 30mm f/1.4 | 9 | No | 0.96 |
| Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 | 6 | No | 0.98 |
The angle of view simply refers to the maximum angle at which the camera lens can allow light to enter. That means the angle of view determines the field of view or how much the camera can view at a certain subject distance.
The angle of view is an important aspect to consider as it determines whether the camera can capture the entire property from a given distance or the entire room from a cramped space. Usually, the angle of view is indicated as the focal length in millimeters.
Note that the camera sensor comes in two versions, the full-frame, and the crop factor. The crop factor version, like the one in the Nikon D3300, results in a 1.5x crop ratio. That means the field of view, such as the 28.6 degrees in the Nikon 85mm f/1.8, will reduce to around 18.8 degrees.
If you are shooting closeups and portraits, there are chances you want your photos to have a beautiful background blur. Although you can add this blur when retouching the photos in a photo editing program like Photoshop, you can achieve more natural results right from the lens.
Usually, this blur results from three things: the focal length, the aperture, and the distance of the subject from the background. When taking real estate photos, such as kitchen appliances, you might not be able to adjust the subject to background distance.
However, you can achieve blur by getting a lens with a wide maximum aperture, such as the Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Although the short focal length doesn’t outrightly favor the bokeh quality, it will increase to an equivalent of 45mm when paired with a Nikon D3300.
Usually, real estate properties do not have studio-quality lighting, and it can be unproductive to set up good-quality photography lighting just for two or three shots in a room. Although the Nikon D3300 allows you to tweak some settings, such as ISO and shutter speed, to brighten the photos, they come with downsides.
For instance, if you crank up the ISO, it introduces image noise and makes the photo lower quality. If you reduce the shutter speed, it increases the chances of image blurring if you don’t have a tripod. As a result, the brightness of your photos depends on how much light the lens can collect.
Like the bokeh quality, the amount of light depends on the maximum wide aperture of the lens. Since the aperture is indicated in f-stops or a fraction of the focal length, you want a lens with the smallest denominator. For instance, a lens such as the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 has the widest aperture.
One of the mistakes you can make when getting yourself a new lens is ignoring the weight. Although most photographers go for the most compact and lightweight lens, weight is a double-edged sword, and you should get your math right.
For instance, if you have a tripod or you have attached a base to your good quality monopod, you should consider going for a heavier lens such as the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. Usually, the heavyweight helps stabilize your setup even if you don’t attach an additional weight.
On the contrary, if you want to enjoy the flexibility of shooting handheld, you don’t want to fatigue your muscles with a bulky lens. Consider getting a lightweight and compact lens that won’t hurt your wrists, such as the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6.
If you are choosing a lightweight lens to enjoy the flexibility of shooting handheld, you might face a more serious problem: the unexpected camera movements and shakes, resulting in image blurring. Although this is a problem you can solve by increasing the shutter speed, you are limited when taking photos indoors in bad lighting.
The issue even tends to magnify if you are using a zoom lens like Nikon. As the zoom lens magnifies the subject, the shakes also magnify, the photos become blurry, and the videos turn unsteady like those shot using a low-end smartphone.
The best solution is to go for a lens that features a vibration reduction system, such as the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6. Generally, this system detects those small movements and vibrations and smoothens them, allowing you to capture steady videos and sharp photos.
Even as you look at the specifications that make a lens promising to shoot outstanding images, you don’t want a unit that will break the following day. Apart from the design of the optics, you need to consider the overall construction quality of the lens.
Generally, lenses are constructed using different materials such as hardened plastic like polycarbonate or lightweight metal like magnesium alloy. In most cases, the construction material doesn’t matter unless you are subjecting the lens to physical impacts such as falls.
One of the things that can ruin your lens performance is moisture or dust when they make their way into the camera sensor or the lens itself through the lens mount. If you are working in dusty environments, consider getting a lens with a rubber gasket, such as the Nikon 85mm f/1.8.
If you are a professional photographer with a tripod and Speedlights attached, it can be exhausting to move the setup for every change in subject distance. Things can even be more tiring if you are shooting a moving subject.
For instance, walking around the property to take a well-composed video of a dog playing in the backyard can be exhausting. Fortunately, you can solve the hassle by getting a zoom lens such as the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6.
Usually, zoom lenses have a variable focal length you can adjust to zoom in and magnify a distant subject or zoom out to get a broader perspective. Although this range might seem limited, it increases to 15-30mm when paired with a crop factor camera like the Nikon D3300.
Although some lenses, such as the Rokinon 8mm f/3.5, only come with the manual focus ring, technology is advancing, and most lenses come with motors that do the focusing hassles for you. However, the autofocus system relies on some form of artificial intelligence to detect the subject you want to capture.
Advanced autofocus systems can even track a moving subject, and all you need to do is to pan the camera without touching the focus ring. However, the quality of the motors that help move the lens elements and the accuracy of these systems vary across lenses.
Since the motors have mechanical parts that move, they tend to produce sound. This sound can be an issue when shooting videos as it tends to interfere with the audio quality. If you want a lens to use in real estate videography, go for one that features a silent wave motor like the Nikon 40mm f/2.8.
Like most cameras, you can shoot the sharpest photo with a Nikon D3300 using a shutter speed of 1/ focal length. For instance, if you are shooting using an angle of view of 85mm, you can shoot using a shutter speed of 1/85 of a second or faster. Due to the crop effect of the D3300, this will be 1/127.5 of a second.
You can improve the performance of the Nikon D3300 by pairing it with the right lens, depending on the shooting conditions and the main subject you are capturing. For instance, you can get higher-quality photos by using lenses with a bright aperture instead of reducing the shutter speed or increasing the ISO.
The best lens for Nikon D3300 allows you to exploit the full capability of this camera to take pictures in tight spaces and in poor lighting. Get a prime lens with a bright aperture if you want to shoot close-ups or a zoom lens if you want more versatility.
