12 Best Nikon F Lenses in 2024 (Full Frame & APS-C)

With the best Nikon F lenses, you can achieve anything with your Nikon DSLR camera. Nikon’s catalog of F-mount lenses is one of the biggest of any camera manufacturer, with lenses for any type of photography imaginable. Whether you’re interested in landscape, portrait, or wildlife photography, there’s a high-quality Nikon F lens that fits the brief. 

Our guide dives into the 12 best Nikon F Lenses, highlighting their unique features and how they can enhance your photography skills.

Our top pick is the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G, which we chose for its versatility, exceptional low-light performance, and ability to create beautiful background blur. This lens is a must-have for any Nikon DSLR user, offering top-notch quality at an affordable price. But if that’s not what you’re after, keep reading to see eleven more excellent Nikon F lenses. 

What Is the Best Nikon F Lens?

When selecting the best Nikon F-mount lens for your DSLR, you need to consider key factors like focal length, aperture, and special features such as image stabilization and weather sealing. This will help you identify the Nikon F lens that best matches your style and needs. 

Our list prioritizes lenses in particular niches, with special attention paid to sharp images, low-light performance, and versatility. From prime lenses ideal for portraits to versatile zooms for landscapes, each lens is chosen for its ability to improve photography skills and enhance your photography results.

Our Favorite Nikon F Lenses

Let’s take a closer look at the best Nikon F lenses. From wide-angle zooms to telephoto primes, there’s a lens here for every scenario. Explore these options to find the perfect addition to your photography bag.

We start the list with exceptional prime lenses for Nikon’s full frame DSLR cameras. We also look at DSLR zoom lenses before the list ends with some lenses for Nikon’s APS-C DSLR cameras.

The Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G is one of the most popular Nikon F lenses of all time. It’s a compact prime lens with a versatile focal length and fast aperture. It’s also affordable, making it a must-have for any Nikon user’s camera backpack. 

As a “nifty-fifty” lens, it’s one of the most popular in photography. The 50mm focal length gives you a natural field of view, allowing you to shoot a wide range of photography styles, such as landscape, portrait, or street photography. 

The lens includes one aspherical element that reduces aberrations and improves image sharpness. Even at its widest aperture, the lens delivers sharp images, with quality improving as you stop down. 

Its fast f/1.8 maximum aperture is key for low-light photography and achieving a shallow depth of field. It’s especially good for portraits where you want to blur the background and make the subject stand out.

The lens is also lightweight, making it easy to carry around for everyday shooting.

The autofocus system is quick and accurate, which is beneficial for capturing fleeting moments. That’s a positive for street photographers. However, the lens lacks image stabilization, meaning photographers must use faster shutter speeds in low light to avoid blur from camera shake.

The Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G is a timeless classic and an essential lens for any Nikon user’s toolkit. 

We have more of the best 50mm Nikon lenses in this article. 

The Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G stands out for its wide f/1.4 aperture, making it excellent for low light and creating shallow depth of field effects. This lens is a good choice for photographers who work in varying lighting conditions.

Its 35mm focal length offers a natural view, which is similar to the human eye. It’s perfect for street, travel,  and environmental portrait photography.

Built to last, the lens combines metal and high-grade plastic, ensuring it can handle professional use. It’s also weather-sealed, offering extra protection in rough weather. Weighing around 600 g, it’s relatively easy to carry around for daily shooting.

The lens stands out with its sharpness and ability to control aberrations and distortion, thanks to its aspherical element. The bokeh produced by its nine rounded aperture blades is smooth, enhancing the visual appeal of portraits and close-up shots.

Combining pristine optics and a fast max aperture, the Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G is one of the best prime lenses from their extensive F-mount collection. 

The Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G shines with its f/1.8 aperture, making it a go-to for portrait photographers. This lens allows for stunning separation between the subject and the background, creating a soft, dreamy effect that enhances portraits. It’s also great in low light, capturing clear images without needing high ISOs. 

Optically, the lens delivers sharp images with minimal aberrations. Your images are distortion-free from center to edge. The bokeh is smooth, adding to its appeal for portrait work.

It’s light and easy to handle, making it a comfortable choice for long shooting sessions. The build is sturdy, with a mix of high-quality plastics and a metal mount that includes a rubber gasket for some weather resistance.

The Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G is useful for capturing detailed portraits and work in low light. It’s an affordable option for portrait photographers with a Nikon DSLR camera. 

The Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.8G ED is a top-quality wide-angle prime lens, making it a fabulous choice for photographers shooting landscapes, cityscapes, and architecture.

With Extra-low Dispersion (ED) and aspherical elements, the optical quality is fantastically sharp. It controls chromatic aberration and distortion superbly, so you get sharp wide-angle images. 

The fast f/1.8 aperture allows for creative depth-of-field control, allowing you create a smooth bokeh background. A aperture like this also gives you excellent low-light performance, increasing the lens’s versatility. 

Weighing only 355 g, it’s light and easy to carry, perfect for photographers on the move. Its construction is robust and features weather sealing that adds confidence when shooting outdoors.

If you’re need a wide angle of view for landscapes or architectural photography, the Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.8G ED is the best choice. 

The Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR is a versatile zoom lens that covers a wide range of photography styles, making it a one-lens solution for many photographers. This makes it a popular choice for professionals who need flexibility without sacrificing image quality.

Its constant f/2.8 aperture is good for low-light photography and creates a shallow depth of field for blurred backgrounds. It’s also a constant aperture, so you don’t lose any stops zooming in or out. 

Its optical design, including ED glass and aspherical elements minimize aberrations, delivering sharp, clear images.

The Vibration Reduction (VR) adds up to four stops of stabilization, a big improvement for handheld shooting in dim settings.

Its optical design includes ED and aspherical elements that minimizes aberrations, delivering sharp, clear images at any focal length. 

This lens is weather-sealed for safe outdoor use and built to endure the rigors of professional use. .

Quick and accurate autofocus, combined with effective image stabilization, makes the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR a good option for event, wedding, and travel photography. The blend of versatility and quality explains the popularity of this Nikon F lens. 

We have more of the best standard zoom lenses for Nikon in this article. 

The Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED is the best Nikon F lens for portrait photography. The 105mm telephoto focal length is perfect for intimate, tightly framed portraits. Although it doesn’t have a true macro magnification ratio, you can still use it for macro-style photography. 

Stunning optical quality ensures your portraits are of a professional standard, with three ED elements reducing aberrations and distortion. The outer glass also has a Nano Crystal coating that combats lens flare and ghosting. 

The super-fast f/1.4 aperture is a big benefit for portrait photographers. Not only does it give you fantastic low-light performance, it also gives you a shallow depth of field. The beautiful bokeh effect will take your portraits to a new level. 

Weighing only 985 g, it’s on the heavier side compared to other prime lenses. But its build quality and image fidelity make it very useful for those prioritizing image quality over portability.

The Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED has to be at the top of your to-buy list if you’re a portrait photographer. 

See more lenses like this one in our full article on the best Nikon lenses for portrait photography. 

The Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR is a versatile zoom lens celebrated for its adaptability across various photography genres. Its focal range makes it perfect for capturing everything from intimate portraits to fast-paced sports action.

The f/2.8 aperture ensures excellent performance in low light and provides a beautiful bokeh. It being a constant max aperture is a huge benefit, giving you consistent exposure control even at 200mm.

Its Vibration Reduction (VR) system is a big improvement, allowing photographers to shoot at slower shutter speeds without compromising image sharpness.

Built to endure the demands of professional use, it combines robust construction with advanced optical elements to minimize aberrations and ensure sharp, clear images.

Whether capturing the dynamic action of sports or the nuanced expressions of portrait photography, the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR delivers consistently excellent results.

If you are looking for a sports lens, our article on the best Nikon lenses for sports photography is essential viewing. 

The Nikon AF-S Fisheye 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED offers a unique perspective, allowing photographers to switch between circular and full-frame fisheye effects. This versatility is a big improvement for those looking to explore creative angles and distortions in their photography.

Its variable aperture is not the widest but performs well in various lighting conditions, providing enough flexibility for most daytime shooting. 

Its optical performance is impressive, delivering sharp images with minimal chromatic aberration. Of course, there is distortion due to the fisheye effect, but the general image quality is clear and sharp. 

Constructed to meet the demands of professional use, this lens is both durable and lightweight, making it a useful companion for adventurous shoots. The weather sealing adds confidence when facing the elements, ensuring the lens remains a reliable tool in any photographer’s bag. 

Quick and accurate autofocus, combined with the ability to get close to subjects, makes it ideal for dynamic and immersive photography.

The Nikon AF-S Fisheye 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED is a good option for photographers looking for a new creative perspective. This lens won’t be for everyone, but you’ll definitely have fun with this one. 

We have more lenses like this one in the best fisheye lenses article. 

The Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G is the best prime lens for Nikon APS-C DSLR cameras. This lens is particularly popular among street and portrait photographers who appreciate its natural perspective on DX-format cameras, which closely mimicks the human eye’s field of view.

Its optical performance is impressive, delivering sharp images with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. The autofocus is quick and accurate, ensuring crisp images even in fast-paced environments.

A fast max aperture like this f/1.8 is always useful, whether that’s for low-light shooting or creating a smooth bokeh background. 

Its compact size and light weight make it an ideal choice for photographers on the move, offering superior image quality without the bulk of a zoom lens. It’s an easy fit even for smaller day bags like the Wandrd Duo Daypack. 

Constructed with high-quality materials, this lens is designed to withstand regular use, making it a reliable option for everyday photography.

Its optical performance is impressive, delivering sharp images with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. The autofocus is quick and accurate, ensuring crisp images even in fast-paced environments.

The Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G is the perfect Nikon F prime lens for beginners. It’s a bargain that still delivers high-quality images. 

The Nikon AF-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II is a versatile “all-in-one” lens for DX-format DSLR cameras. Its focal range covers portraiture, sports, and wildlife photography, offering the flexibility to frame shots precisely without needing to frequently change lenses.

Its optical performance is commendable for a zoom lens in this price bracket. The ED glass element minimizes chromatic aberrations and enhances image clarity, improving image quality across the zoom range.

A variable aperture is never ideal, especially when you’re limited to f/5.6 at 200mm. But the Vibration Reduction (VR) is a significant advantage. It helps to keep images sharp at slower shutter speeds, which is useful in dynamic shooting scenarios or in low-light conditions.

Lightweight and compact, this lens is a convenient choice for travel and day-to-day photography, fitting easily into a camera bag without adding much weight.

The Nikon AF-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II is a good option for casual photographers seeking a budget-friendly telephoto lens with reliable performance.

The Nikon AF-P DX 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR is a standout choice for photographers seeking a wide-angle lens that combines versatility with affordability.

Its ultra-wide focal range is perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, architectural marvels, and spacious interiors, offering creative freedom to explore different perspectives.

Thanks to its aspherical elements, the lens delivers commendable sharpness and effectively manages chromatic aberration. That means you get sharp images when shooting anywhere between 10mm or 20mm. 

The f/4.5-5.6 variable aperture doesn’t give you the best low-light performance, although it’s sufficient for most daytime shoots. But it’s also equipped with Nikon’s VR system, which provides several stops of exposure compensation in low-light situations.

Despite its plastic build, it feels sturdy and  is reliable for everyday use. It’s also compact and lightweight enough for camera backpacks like the Lowepro Fastpack Pro. 

The Nikon AF-P DX 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR is great choice for beginners interested in landscape and architectural photography. You can also use it for street and travel photography, making it an affordable and flexible Nikon F-mount lens. 

The Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is another versatile zoom lens for Nikon DX DSLRs. The zoom covers a wide-to-telephoto range, giving you plenty of flexibility. You have freedom with composition, and you can shoot any style from street to portrait photography. 

Its variable aperture is not the widest, particularly at the 85mm end. But the Vibration Reduction (VR) enhances its performance in lower light conditions, providing flexibility across various shooting scenarios.

The optical performance is commendable, with sharpness and clarity maintained across the zoom range. Imperfections like chromatic aberrations are kept to a minimum thanks to the specialist ED glass elements.

Durable and lightweight, this lens is an ideal travel companion. It ensures photographers can capture high-quality images without being weighed down.

The Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a great option for photographers looking for a reliable, versatile lens that delivers consistent results across a wide range of styles.

Conclusion: The Best Nikon F Lenses

The article provides a detailed overview of the 12 best Nikon F Lenses, highlighting their key features, strengths, and areas of use. It covers a wide range of lenses suitable for various photography genres, ensuring photographers can find the right lens for their specific requirements.

Our top choice is the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G, chosen for its excellent low-light performance and portability. It stands out as a versatile, high-quality option among the 12 lenses reviewed, offering sharp images and a beautiful bokeh effect.

But as we’ve seen, there’s an excellent Nikon F lens to meet any photographer’s needs.