If my Nikon DSLR camera came with a non-VR lens, do I need to buy a new camera to use VR lenses?

Question

I am very new to photography. I recently bought a Nikon D5200 NVR camera. Is it possible to replace its camera lens with a VR one or do I need to buy a new DSLR with VR lens on it?

Answer 1

If my Nikon DSLR camera came with a non-VR lens, do I need to buy a new camera to use VR lenses?

No.

Is it possible to replace its camera lens with a VR one

Yes.

do I need to buy a new DSLR with VR lens on it?

No.

Answer 2

Your camera is an interchangeable lens camera. You can buy other lenses with the Nikon mount and use any of them. That includes lenses with VR — vibration reduction — even if the lens which came with the camera does not have that feature.

Note that entry-level Nikon cameras like yours do not have focus motors built into the body, so assuming you want auto-focus to work, you do need to be aware of that. See What type of lens will auto-focus on Nikon bodies without a focus motor? for more. This does not affect VR, however. And, as far as I am aware, all lenses for Nikon which feature VR also have a focus motor — so while you should know this in general, it won't affect your current concern.

Also note that some companies — Pentax, Olympus, sometimes Sony — make interchangeable lens cameras where the image stabilization (another term for vibration reduction) is built into the camera body. Since you have a Nikon camera, this doesn't affect you, but it's worthwhile to be aware of this in general — if you bought a camera in one of those systems without VR, you would need a new camera. See What is the difference between in-lens image stabilizing and sensor-based image stabilizing? for more if you're interested.

Answer 3

The only things you really have to care about to buy lens for your camera are:

• Obviously: Is it the right brand (Nikon, or another brand with a Nikon mount)?

• Is it full-frame or APS-C? Your camera is an APS-C format, you can use full-frame lens on it, but they will essentially be more expensive for no benefit over APS-C lens.

• Does it have built-in focus motor? Your camera does not have screw drive autofocus so you need built-in focus motor (AF-S in Nikon's jargon). Almost any recent lens has this.

As mattdm already said, VR does not come into the picture. It's internal to the lens and works with any camera.