The Nikon D5600 is a DX camera (that’s Nikon’s term for its APS-C crop-sensor cameras), and requires DX lenses for best functionality, although some shorter-focal-length FX (full-frame) lenses also make great partners for the D5600.
While lenses are general-purpose to an extent, there are certain lenses that lend themselves better to certain disciplines. For example, telephoto lenses have a longer focal length and appear to compress perspectives, which can be flattering for facial features in portraiture, while wide-angle lenses offer a greater field of view perfect for landscapes or astro. Macro lenses specialize in terms of being able to focus closely, and therefore gather more detail from a small subject and record it on the image sensor.
When you’re looking for the right DX lens for your D5600, it’s important to consider whether the lens is a zoom or a prime, as zooms allow for recomposition without moving the camera, but primes often give faster maximum apertures for better low-light performance.
If you’re shooting handheld or at slower shutter speeds, Vibration Reduction can steady the frame optically, ready for you to capture a sharp shot despite the movement. Other elements also come into play, such as size and weight which can impact a lens’ portability, so bear that in mind if you’ll be doing a lot of traveling or hiking long-distance.
Jase Parnell-Brookes
Jase Parnell-Brookes is an award-winning photographer, educator and writer based in the UK. They won the Gold Prize award in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19 and was named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. After completing their Masters, Jase has spent a good chunk of two decades studying and working in photography and optics. Now the Channel Editor for Cameras and Skywatching at Space.com, their speciality is in low-light optics and camera systems.
On the D5600, this prime gives you the optimum focal length for taking portraits, plus a wide aperture that delivers soft backgrounds. Read more below…
This prime offers an affordable way to get into extreme close-up photography, with lifesize magnification of tiny subjects. Read more below…
Best lenses for the Nikon D5600 in 2024
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This is the most expansive standard zoom lens you can buy for the Nikon D5600 – 24-70mm is a more usual range. When capturing wide shots the fast f/2.8 aperture drinks in the light, and while it does stop down to f/4 once zoomed in, it’s still one of the best performing variable aperture ranges you can get in nearly any zoom lens.
If the maximum f/4 aperture does bog you down at any point, simply turn on Vibration Reduction for up to four stops of stabilization compensation, which will steady the frame and maintain sharp results when shooting handheld with slower shutter speeds.
Small and lightweight, the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR AF-P DX is the perfect ultra-wide lens for travel photography, or for those heading out on long hikes for stunning landscape scenes. At just 230g it can tuck away unnoticed into a camera bag or pocket, and is at home on the lightweight D5600 body.
The aperture range of f/4.5-5.6 isn’t the brightest ever, but it is complemented by 3.5 stops of Vibration Reduction to assist in the taking of steady, sharp shots even when in challenging conditions where shutter speeds must remain slow.
Any D5600 owner wanting an inexpensive lens to start off on, or to add to their existing lens collection, should look no further than the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G. Less than 200g in weight and fast to autofocus this nifty fifty packs a wallop when it comes to image quality.
Thanks to the mid-range focal length and wide f/1.8 aperture, portraits are a dream to shoot with this lens, providing smooth bokeh when shot wide open. The 50mm f/1.8G is the best DX prime to go for if you’re on a budget and need a general lens that can shoot everything well, or you could look at the Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8 as a wider alternative.
With an equivalent focal length range of 105-450mm on the D5600, this telephoto zoom lens is best used for simple wildlife, sports, and action shots, though it’s equally adept for portraiture and long-zoom landscapes.
Integrated Vibration Reduction keeps the frame steady, crucial when shooting at the longer end of this lens due to camera shake blur as the maximum aperture stops down to a slightly dimmer f/6.3 which restricts light. Extra low dispersion glass elements in the lens help to keep a nice, sharp image for quality results. Internal focusing means filters stay put and water/dirt ingress is kept to a minimum.
This is a hyper telephoto zoom lens that’s probably best suited to practiced photographers that have had their D5600 for a while or who are particularly interested in capturing wildlife shots without disturbing the subject. With an effective focal length of 225-900mm on the D5600's crop sensor body, it gives astonishing range for capturing distant subjects and fully filling the frame.
Though a little large and heavy, it’s still suitable for handheld shooting of distant birds, mammals, and other wildlife, or even sports, action, and even some deep field astrophotography. Four stops of stabilization paired with a steady hand (or monopod) makes this a telephoto not to be trifled with.
Having one lens that can cover every photographic eventuality may seem like a dream, but superzooms give you just that - providing you with wide-angle and telephoto extremes, and everything in between. This is a terrific lens for trips where you have to pack light - and it feels well-balanced on the D5600, where its reach is equivalent to 450mm.
There are some compromises you have to accept for such convenience. he autofocus system isn’t the fastest, the manual focus ring rotates by itself during autofocus adjustments. However, the optic path uses top-grade FLD (Fluorite Low Dispersion) elements, so it performs well for a lens of this type, with plenty of sharpness.
The Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Micro lens is a brilliant lens to add to your D5600 if you’re looking to dabble in macro photography without committing to an expensive lens. It focuses to infinity so can double as a general purpose lens as well, but it has a minimum focusing distance of 16.3cm which is close enough to get in tight on smaller subjects.
Wildlife macro photography (such as bug photography) may be a little tricky given the lens’ slightly wide-angle focal length – you can end up very close – but it does suit flower photography, jewelry, and any other macro subjects that aren’t flighty. It gives a true 1:1 reproduction ratio for genuine macro shots.
The D5600 uses the Nikon F mount and is compatible with all lenses designed for that mount. Nikon’s own F-mount lenses typically have AF-P or AF-S at the start of their model names, which refer to the type of autofocus system they use.
Some F-mount lenses are designed for use with APS-C format DSLR cameras such as the D5600, rather than full-frame DSLRs. Nikon lenses that fall into this category have DX as part of their model names. These lenses are typically smaller, lighter and cheaper than the equivalents designed for full-frame cameras.
If you buy a DX lens and later upgrade to a full-frame Nikon DSLR, the image you get through the DX lens will be cropped compared with a full-frame lens.
In common with other Nikon DSLRs, the D5600 is not compatible with Z-mount lenses made for Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras. But if you later upgrade to a Z-series camera, you can buy an adaptor to use your collection of F-mount lenses on your new camera.
How do I know which lens to get for my D5600?
The reason there are so many types of lens in the first place is that different scenes demand different lens designs, particularly when it comes to focal length and aperture rating.
Usually, you will decide what you want to photograph, then get a lens with the focal length that suits the situation. For example, to shoot landscapes you will need a wide-angle lens, while for sports and wildlife you will need a telephoto.
The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.
There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as is possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).
We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.
Jase Parnell-Brookes is an award-winning photographer, educator and writer based in the UK. They won the Gold Prize award in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19 and was named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. After completing their Masters Jase has spent a good chunk of two decades studying and working in photography and optics shooting and writing all over the world for big-name brands and media outlets. Now the Channel Editor for Cameras and Skywatching at Space.com their speciality is in low light optics and camera systems.
