Best Nikon Lens
Top 10 Rated Nikon Lenses 2025
By Brian Jones
Digital SLR cameras are becoming much more of a consumer camera than they use to be. People are getting in touch with the photographer inside and want to step up their game. Cell phone cameras and smaller point and shoot cameras just aren’t going to do it anymore. A DSLR comes with many pros, the best being the choice of lens. Nikon has a vast array of lenses to choose from at many price points so the amateur and the professional will remain happy in any situation. We looked at and rated the best nikon lenses according to the following criteria:
1. Versatility in usage
2. Low light performance
3. Features like VR and silent focus
4. Compatibility with different sensor formats
5. Weight and size
6. Minimum focus distances
7. Price
Made for DX format and FX Crop Mode |
This is a very interesting Nikon lens. It is a much more specialized play on the 18-55mm standard kit lens. The 16mm focal length is going to be a wide angle, but not quite fish eye…read more
Made for DX format and FX in Crop Mode |
This lens is a must have for Nikon owners with DX format cameras. The 35mm prime focal length translates to about at 50mm equivalent in 35mm film shooting. Not bad at all for close ups and medium range shots depending on the subject…read more
Made for FX and film cameras |
This Nikon lens is going to be the ultimate low light performer. Used with an FX or film camera the 50mm focal length makes this lens perfect for indoor, portrait, and any low light situation…read more
Made for DX format |
The micro in the name really means this lens is geared for macro photography. The closest you can get to a subject and maintain a clear focus is 0.53 feet. That’s pretty darn close. With a focal length of 40mm you…read more
Made for DX format and FX Crop Mode |
This Nikon zoom lens will be a great performer for wildlife photography and sports photography. You’ll be able to achieve excellent close up shots of your kids from the bleachers or a fishing heron…read more
Compatible on all Nikon Cameras |
This 50mm prime lens is probably going to be one of the favorites for any Nikon owner. It is specifically made for FX format cameras, but it is compatible on DX format and film cameras…read more
Made for DX format and FX Crop Mode |
We all have see how cool a fish eye photograph can look. This Nikon lens will let you experiment with a 180 degree viewing angle as much as you want. The possibilities are endless…read more
Made for FX and 35mm film formats |
This is a very unique prime Nikon lens. Why it’s unique: It’s made for macro photography, a maximum aperture of f/2.8 for low light, and a focal length of 105mm for some real up close…read more
Compatible with all Nikon cameras |
This lens is going to be the sports and action shot lovers dream. The 70mm-300mm zoom lens is capable of getting up close shots that are sharp from far away. The excellent image stabilization feature…read more
Made for DX format and FX Crop Mode |
This is one of the most common Nikon lenses and probably one of the most useful. It is included with most of the camera bodies because it is one of the most practical lenses out there that applies to just about every situation…read more
Nikon Lens Buying Guide
Lenses are the most important piece of equipment behind the actual body of the camera. Some might even say the lens is more important. Either way, the lens really changes the how you are going to tackle a certain subject or idea. So what are you supposed to look for in a lens. This buying guide will go over some of the key points to look at in a lens depending on what type of shooting you plan on doing.
Focal Length
Focal length is very important in any type of photography. A lot of people think the more zoom you have the better, but that is not always the case. The more zoom you have means you have more weight to carry around and that zoom lens definitely cost an extra arm and leg. If you are going to be shooting at a wedding reception or a school event, a zoom lens in the 18-100mm area is going to be perfect. If you are shooting a sporting event you might want to bump that up to 200mm or 300mm so you can get the greatest shot. There really is no reason to go higher than 300mm if you aren’t doing professional shooting. Look at all the options available and make the right choice.
Aperture
Aperture is listed on the barrel of the lens. It is important to know what the numbers mean and what they will do for you. The lower the number the wider the aperture can get and the more light that enters the camera. The lower the number also means the depth of field will be more shallow. That means the field of focus perpendicular to the camera will be shallow. That’s how photographers make the background and foreground nice an blurry. So, if you plan on doing a lot of low light shooting or want to add a lot of artistic blur a lens with a f/1.8 will do the trick for you.
Filter Thread Size
Buying lots of filters can be expensive. There is nothing worse than finding out that your collection of filters won’t fit on your new lens. 52mm is a pretty standard size, so you should feel pretty comfortable getting filters for that size. A lot of special lenses like the fish-eye and macro will have different. Be aware and know what you are getting into.
Extra Features
Things like Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor and VR image stabilization make good lenses great lenses. Silent focusing can be a plus if you shoot around people and don’t want to disturb them or if you are shooting an event where you really need to be quiet. VR image stabilization is very good for low light shooting because you will be using slower shutter speeds most of the time. Nikon also uses a lot of different lens coatings that help with light transmission and reflections. Look for things like that on your next lens purchase.
You will surely find a lens that works with your camera set up flawlessly if you look out for all of these things on your next lens purchase. It is worth the time and effort of research since buying a new lens is a pretty big investment.
Brian Jones has had a passion for photography and anything related for the majority of his life. One photography class in high school was all it took to get hooked on everything to do with the subject. He became more focused on learning about camera… See more about Brian |
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