camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Your photographic needs and your budget will dictate the lens you actually need. If you do not do action and wildlife photography often it is better to rent than to buy.

Nikon manufactures excellent tele lenses, primes and zooms but they are costly. I cannot make any comments about Sigma because I only use Nikon lenses with my cameras.
Perhaps a 70-300 AF-S, VR lens is all you need.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

A lot of folks like the Tamron 18-400 which is the equivalent, I believe, to a 27-600. Plenty of reach, good image quality, won’t break the bank, and not excessively heavy.

Canisdirus

If you plan on upgrading your camera body ... then go ahead and buy the best you can afford.
If not ... then don't buy the best you can afford .... the lens will give details ... your sensor won't be able to render as well as a newer camera.

wetreed

I have had the Tamron 18-400 for a year and can highly recommend it.

agillot

Tamron 18 / 400 ?? seem good .

ELNikkor

Inexpensive and lightweight, the VR DX AF-P 70-300 may be all you need, since you've got the wide end already covered.

KLambar Loc: New Jersey

Sigma makes a 100-400mm lens

fetzler Loc: North West PA

lenses for consideration are Nikon 70-300mm, Nikon 200-500, sigma or Tamron 100-400mm, sigma or Tamron 150-600mm and Nikon 200-500mm. The choice depends on what you want to shoot and how strong your back is.

Avoid wide wide range zooms too many compromises.

Bill_de Loc: US

I very recently bought the Nikkor 300mm F/4.0E pf. I have depended on a tripod for years but wanted to find a tele light for hand holding. Thursday was my first try using it with a 1.4x on a DX camera. I.m happy with it.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-611243-1.html

--

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Unfortunately, as convenient as those lenses are, the IQ of superzooms is not in the same league as good, dedicated, telephoto lenses.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Nikkor AF-P 70-300mm DX VR would probably be the least expensive, at around $250 new ($150 refurbished). Confirm your camera is compatible with AF-P lenses, though. It's somewhat plasticky, but that helps it be relatively light weight.

Nikkor AF-S 18-300mm DX VR is a wider ranging zoom alternative, better built with better autofocus, for about $630 new.

Tamron 18-400mm is even longer, but not as sharp as some of the alternatives here, but better than one might expect from such an extreme range lens. It also has a lot of distortions... barrel at one extreme and pincushion at the other. It's the widest range zoom anyone makes right now and sells for about $650 new.

More expensive, but a lot more "reach" are the Sigma or Tamron 100-400mm. They both sell for about $700 new right now. Personally I'd choose the Tamron because it can optionally be fitted with a tripod mounting ring, which is an accessory I'd definitely want with a lens reaching 400mm (tripod ring sold separately for $129). The Sigma 100-400 doesn't offer a tripod ring option at all.

If these lenses seem "pricey", compare to the Canon 100-400mm or Nikkor 80-400mm lenses... or the Nikkor 300mm f/4 PF. Sure, these are all better than the above lenses in a number of ways, but they each also cost $2000 or more!

There is absolutely no problem with Sigma and Tamron lenses auto focusing on your D5300.

There is one Tokina lens I'm aware of that can't autofocus on a D5000 series or D3000 series cameras: the AT-X 100mm Macro).

There are some Nikkors too, that don't have in-lens focusing motors and would be manual focus only on D5300: "AF" lenses.... As opposed to Nikkor AF-S and (probably) AF-P, which can focus on your camera.

Bill_de Loc: US

This is available 3rd party. It is fixed position but is a perfect fit. $45

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DTJV1B9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

---

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Personally, I have the Sigma 18-300 which is $399 new and have had excellent results with it, even at 300mm. Note the watch on the attached photos taken at 300mm. I didn't set the focus on the watch.

(Download)

optic Loc: Southwestern United States

Based on a few thousand shots and the uses you mention, the AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm is a superb lens. I think you'll find it ideal.

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

Depends upon budget. I have a Nikon 55-300 DX for my D5300 which has performed well. Now I haven't done large prints, but cropping shows little negative effect. With a greater budget, I recommend getting an FX lens, e.g, 70-200 f4 which will give a smaller FOV on your D5300 or a 300mm f4 FX lens. Used or refurb. from a good source shouldn't break the bank