There’s never been a better time to buy a Nikon Z lens: the catalog of glass for Nikon’s mirrorless camera family is bigger than ever. Whether you want a nifty fifty, a portrait prime or a travel zoom, there’s now a Nikon Z lens for pretty much every shooting scenario.
Of course, no single Nikon Z lens can cover every situation. It matters what you plan to shoot, as well as how much you’re willing to spend. That’s why our guide covers a full spectrum of Nikon Z lenses. We’ve spent hours reviewing each one and distilled our feedback here to help you choose.
We’ve been thoroughly impressed, not only with Nikon’s up-market S-line lenses for Z-series cameras, but also by the image quality and all-round performance of its more budget-friendly glass. Whether you have a full-frame or crop-sensor Nikon mirrorless camera, you’ll find examples of both below.
Top 3 picks
The summary below will give you an instant overview of the best Nikon Z lenses you can buy in 2024. When you find one that fits your needs and budget, use the links beneath each entry to read our in-depth review.
The best standard zoom
With premium handling and amazing all-round performance, this is the most versatile standard zoom for full-frame Z series cameras.
The best superzoom
A superzoom with a range that can cover just about anything, this is a fantastic all-rounder for Nikon enthusiasts.
The best everyday prime
Wider than a nifty fifty, this prime lens is small, affordable and fast, making it a great choice for everyday shooting with a Z-mount camera.
Best by use-case
The best wide-angle zoom
Thanks to a constant f/2.8 aperture across its wide-angle zoom range, this is a fast lens that handles well and performs spectacularly.
The best nifty fifty
It’s not the smallest, but this Z-mount on the nifty fifty is weather-sealed, well-built and capable of impressively sharp images.
The best mid-range zoom
A light, compact telephoto zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture at a reasonable cost, this versatile lens is great value.
The best telephoto zoom
Pairing 400mm reach with 4x zoom, this action-focused lens delivers pin-sharp stills, while a quiet motor makes it a video star.
The best for bokeh
Capable of sublime bokeh and industry-leading sharpness, this pro-grade lens doesn’t come cheap, but sets the bar for portraiture.
The best prime (DX)
The first prime lens for crop-sensor Z series cameras is small, lightweight and very sharp for the price, and it’s useful for video too.
Load the next 3 products...
The best super-telephoto prime
A long-range lens that’s relatively light for its reach, this 600mm prime is well-equipped to produce sharp, blur-free images at f/6.3.
The best standard zoom (DX)
With a clever retractable design that keeps it low-profile, this simple standard zoom is a sharp-shooter for crop-sensor Nikons.
The best super-telephoto zoom
It’s not perfect, but this super-telephoto offers solid range, quality and performance at a price that’s within reach for enthusiasts.
Tim is TechRadar's Cameras Editor. He has more than 15 years’ experience as a freelance photographer and technology journalist. Tim has shot with equipment from a number of camera manufacturers, including Nikon. He’s tested lenses of all shapes and sizes, and has a deep technical understanding of what makes a good Nikon Z lens. Tim notes, “The larger-diameter flange on Z-mount cameras and its closer proximity to the image sensor means there’s more freedom in lens design. One resulting improvement is superior sharpness across the whole image frame, compared with anything we’ve seen from Nikon’s F-mount lenses.”
The best Nikon Z lenses for 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best Nikon Z lenses in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best standard zoom Nikon Z lens
✅ You want a versatile zoom: Whether you're shooting stills or video, this lens shoots sharp and focuses fast over a useful focal range.
✅ You value how a lens handles: A third control ring, OLED display and function button make this a great lens to shoot with.
❌ You want the lightest possible lens: It's hardly a heavyweight, but at 805g there are lighter zoom lenses out there.
❌ You need image stabilization: There's no Vibration Reduction, which could be an issue if you're camera doesn't have IBIS.
Competition is fierce among Nikon's standard zoom lenses. The Z 24-70mm F/4 S is a superb lens that delivers excellent image quality from a compact, lightweight, retractable construction. The newer Z 24-50mm F/4-6.3 is even smaller but is relatively lacking in zoom range and has a narrower aperture at the long end. For the ultimate in image quality and handling, though, there’s no beating this f/2.8 zoom.
Like the Nikon Z 14-24mm F/2.8 S, it boasts the same fast and constant aperture rating, and the same layout of multi-function OLED display, tertiary customizable control ring and customizable Lens Function button. Pro-grade build quality and handling characteristics are therefore identical, making you feel right at home when swapping between the two. From our tests, autofocus is super-fast, manual focus works with smooth precision, and the third control ring is brilliant for stepless aperture control when shooting movies. Image quality is absolutely fabulous, too. There’s no denying it’s pricey, but it’s also a real gem.
Read more: Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S review
The best superzoom Nikon Z lens
✅ You want a do-it-all lens: With a range of 28-400mm, you can cover a wide variety of scenes without switching glass.
✅ You want a lightweight zoom: Despite its impressive range, this zoom hits the scales at a travel-friendly 725g.
❌ You like to shoot specific subjects: If you don't need so much versatility, you'll get sharper results from prime lens.
❌ You shoot a lot in low light: With a maximum aperture of f/4, this lens is better suited to daylight conditions.
A multi-purpose zoom lens with a versatile 14.2x optical zoom range, the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is as useful for shooting faraway subjects as it is for pin-sharp portraits with attractive bokeh. Thanks to a minimum focus distance of 0.2m at its widest setting, it can also capture reasonable close-ups. In our review, we noted that it’s a relatively lightweight lens which is nice to handle, complemented by a control ring that can be customized.
As is almost always the case, you’ll get sharper stills from a dedicated prime lens, but our tests found that image quality isn’t lacking. Paired with the full-frame Nikon Zf, the 28-400mm f/4-8 VR captured huge amounts of detail, with edge-to-edge sharpness. It also benefits from effective Vibration Reduction. A maximum aperture of f/4 isn’t perfect for low light, but this is otherwise as close as you can get to the ultimate all-rounder.
Read more: Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR review
The best everyday Nikon Z lens
✅ You want an affordable first prime: Cheap, lightweight and fast, this is a great entry-point into Nikon's Z-mount system.
✅ You want a versatile prime lens: An alternative to the nifty fifty, the 40mm focal length is fantastic for everyday shooting.
❌ You need edge-to-edge sharpness: Even at its sweet-spot of f/8, there's a hint of softness in the corners.
❌ You want to shoot up close: Its minimum focusing distance is relatively close, but it's not the sharpest for macro photography.
A wider take on the standard nifty fifty, this 40mm f/2 lens is a fantastic value first prime lens for full-frame Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras. Although it has a plastic mount and thread, we found in our review that it’s still a well-built and robust barrel, complete with splash-resistance. It’s also extremely light, which makes for a featherweight combo when paired with something like the Nikon Z6 – a camera it complements well with its minimalist, switch-free design.
We noted in our review the “classic” character of the Z 40mm f/2, exhibiting rich colors in the right circumstances. It’s definitely sharpest at its center, with the sweet spot lying between f/5 and f/8. There is some softness at the extreme corners and when focusing close, as well as coma that’s noticeable during night photography. In reality, though, these are minor issues, and the 40mm is a quick, versatile lens that represents excellent value for the price.
Read more: Nikon Z 40mm f/2 review
The best wide-angle zoom Nikon Z lens
✅ You want best-in-class performance: With a constant f/2.8 aperture across its entire focal range, this lens shoots fast and sharp.
✅ You want top-tier handling: Features such as an OLED display and function button mean this is a lovely lens to shoot with.
❌ You want a budget wide-angle zoom: The f/2.8 S doesn't come cheap, making the f/4 alternative better value.
❌ You want smooth portrait bokeh: One if the very few drawbacks is that bokeh in out-of-focus backgrounds could be smoother.
For most people, the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S is the perfect wide-angle zoom: it's compact, lightweight and delivers superb image quality. So why would anyone spend roughly twice the price on this 14-24mm alternative? Because it makes f/2.8 available throughout the zoom range. Besides that extra f/stop of aperture, it also has extras shared with Nikon's other 'trinity' zooms. Those include a handy customizable Lens Function button, as well as an OLED display that can show aperture, focus distance, depth of field and the exact focal length.
Based on our tests, image quality and all-round performance are spectacular. Unusually for such a ‘fast’ ultra-wide-angle lens, it comes with two hoods, the larger of which enables the fitment of oversized 112mm filters without the need for a specialist filter holder. Ultimately, it’s the best wide-angle zoom for Z-series cameras, even if you can’t beat the Z 14-30mm for value.
The best standard prime Nikon Z lens
✅ You want a sharp prime lens: Impressively sharp and distortion-free, this lens produces fantastic quality images.
✅ You appreciate weather sealing: Weather seals mean this is a lens you can rely on even in tricky conditions.
❌ You want the smallest nifty fifty: It's not too weighty at 415g, but this lens is on the large size for a 50mm f/1.8 prime.
❌ You need image stabilization: It's relatively fast, but the lack of Vibration Reduction could matter if your camera lacks IBIS.
The look and feel of Nikon’s f/1.8 prime lenses is consistent across the entire range: they're all well-built and feature weather seals, so handling feels natural when you swap from one to another. That's just as true with this nifty fifty, which gives a natural viewing perspective on any of Nikon’s full-frame Z-series bodies, while also working well as a portrait prime on DX format Nikon Z50. The only drawback with the latter is that the lens doesn’t feature optical stabilization and the Z50 has no sensor-shift stabilization, so camera-shake can be a problem.
The optical design features two aspherical elements and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. In our tests, we found that these team up to deliver superbly sharp images with negligible distortion or colour fringing. Nano Crystal Coat and Super Integrated Coating combine to keep ghosting and flare to a minimum. Some might miss the faster f/1.4 aperture rating of many 50mm primes for DSLRs, but this f/1.8 lens still delivers beautiful bokeh and only costs about a quarter of the price of Nikon’s top-notch Z 50mm f/1.2 S lens, which is also about 2.5 times heavier.
The best mid-range zoom Nikon Z lens
✅ You want a good value telephoto: Offering constant f/2.8 aperture at a reasonable cost, this lens represents great value.
✅ You want a tidy telephoto zoom: Impressively compact and lightweight for an f/2.8 telephoto, this is great choice to travel with.
❌ You need Vibration Reduction: This lens is designed for use with full-frame Nikon mirrorless cameras that have IBIS.
❌ You need greater reach: 70-180mm is useful, but other Nikon Z lenses can get you closer if you need a telephoto range.
Shorter than Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, this 70-180mm zoom offers almost as much versatility for a much more accessible price, without sacrificing that all-important constant f/2.8 aperture. As a result, we think it’s a great choice for enthusiasts who want a relatively compact mid-range zoom that can cover a range of subjects. In our review, we noted that it doesn’t have the same premium feel as its professional cousin, but the smaller size and lower weight make it a comfortable pairing with a camera like the Nikon Z7 II.
Absent are features such as Vibration Reduction or much in the way of direct access controls. The lens also loses edge sharpness when the aperture is wide open, and suffers some vignetting. On the other hand, results are sharp and clear if you stop down to f/5.6, and optical distortion is minimal. Overall, we think the 70-180mm f/2.8 is a cost-effective zoom that performs well in a variety of shooting scenarios.
Read more: Nikon Z 70-180mm f/2.8
The best telephoto zoom Nikon Z lens
✅ You value versatility: Covering an optical range of 4x, this lens lets you easily shift from portraits to action.
✅ You shoot at maximum aperture: At its maximum aperture setting, this lens exhibits excellent sharpness and control.
❌ You shoot a lot in low light: The variable f/4.5-5.6 maximum aperture is decent, but low lighting will be a challenge.
❌ You're on a limited budget: It offers a lot, but there's no escaping that this lens represents a significant investment.
Built primarily for action, this telephoto zoom combines the benefit of a 400mm maximum reach with the versatility of a 4x zoom. What’s more, it does so with precious few compromises. Yes, its variable maximum aperture isn’t the fastest for low-light work, while its price tag might give you pause for thought. But in almost every other respect, this is a remarkably useful and reliable lens.
In our tests, we found images tack-sharp from edge to edge, even when the aperture was thrown out wide. Vignetting control is impressive, too. Autofocus proved fast and almost silent, making the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 a competent choice for recording video. It also benefits from excellent build quality – including full weather-sealing – and nifty handling, with three smooth control rings and a handy digital display. Add Vibration Reduction to the mix and there’s no doubting how versatile this lens is.
Read more: Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S review
The best Nikon Z lens for bokeh
✅ You're a portrait specialist: The optical quality of the Plena lens is particularly evident in portrait details.
✅ You want Nikon's best lens: Dreamy bokeh and incredible sharpness make this close to the perfect lens.
❌ You only need shallow depth of field: Its bokeh is stunning, but you can get soft backgrounds for less elsewhere.
❌ You want a lens that can shoot macro: A minimum focus distance of 0.82m mean this isn't a great lens for close-ups.
Not everyone needs perfect bokeh. But if smooth soft-focused backgrounds define your portrait photography, you can’t do better than Nikon’s second signature Z-mount lens. Build quality is as impeccable as you’d expect from a Pro series lens, with a rugged metal chassis that feels minimalist, yet also benefits from a large focus ring, customizable button and rear control ring.
Optically, image quality from the Plane is unrivalled. As well as large, buttery bokeh that’s free of fringing, you get the pinnacle of pin-sharp detail – especially when paired with high-resolution models like the Nikon Z8. If you only need a shallow depth of field, you’ll find better value by opting for a standard portrait lens like the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S. And if you’re only in it for the focal length, Sigma’s 135mm f/1.8 Art lens is cheaper. A minimum focus distance of 0.82m also limits the Plena’s macro capabilities. But if you’re a portrait specialist, you won’t anything more appealing in Nikon’s Z-mount line.
Read more: Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena review
