Top 10 best Nikon Lenses – best Nikon lenses for professional to amateur photographers

What is that one single thing that plays the biggest role in determining the quality of a photograph? Well, it is the lens of the camera. Nikon and Canon are the undisputed market leaders in camera lens. The battle between both these players has always been intense and close. In this article, I am focusing on the top 10 Nikon lenses and will do a review of each one of them.

With a good camera lens from Nikon, you can do all those things that you really wanted to, like photographing birds, or zooming in on a far off subject. The lens you use with your camera will literally give you extra abilities as a photographer.

You will already have an idea in mind about what you want to achieve with your camera and new lens. Have a good look at these top rated options and when your budget, needs and the lens match, go ahead and order it.

With each camera review we have also included a comparison chart of other cameras in that particular range, so that you can easily compare and choose the Nikon lens that works best for you.

Best Nikon lenses to buy​

1. Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF review comparison

Though it may be one of the lowest priced Nikon lenses, it is also one of the best when it comes to image sharpness. It's overall image quality can actually be termed as fabulous. The lens has the capability to focus instantly on things which is a direct result of it being light and compact. Moreover, being a lens that comes with a cheaper price tag, Nikon 50mm f/1.8D can be used on a full frame (FX) and as well as a cropped sensor (DX) Nikon DSLR and has a maximum aperture of f/1.8. Great lens to experiment with.

This is one of the most value-for-money lenses from Nikon. The best thing about this lens is that it can be adapt itself to any situation to bring out the best photograph that can prove to be a delight for any professional photographer. With a filter size of 58mm and minimum focus distance of 0.82 ft., this Nikon lens has 7 diaphragm blades and Dimension of 2.83 in. (72 mm) x 2.81 in. (71.5 mm). So, for any passionate photographer who is more passionate about images with great quality along with a focal length that can be adapted according to situations that include a wedding event as well as a family outing, this lens from Nikon should be his or her top choice.

Considered as one of the best wide angle lenses from Nikon, this lens proves to be a boon for those photographers who like to travel hill-stations and capture mesmerizing photos since it is lightweight and small. The image quality and sharpness that this lens from Nikon provides is something that can be said as truly incredible. With a minimum focus distance of 0.75 ft. and filter size of 72mm, this lens of Nikon has 7 diaphragm blades and has a dimension of 3.1 in. (77.5 mm) x 3.3 in. (83.0 mm). For any situation or kind of photography that requires a wide angle lens, Nikon 24mm f/1.8G is perfectly suited.

With great built quality and the ability to focus fast and accurate, this lens of Nikon is beneficial for those photographers who possess a cheap DSLR camera but wish to click high-quality photos. Being light weight, small and AF-S auto focusing abilities, this lens adds the greatest value to cheap cameras. With a minimum Focus Distance of 0.98 ft. ( 0.29 m) and Filter Size of 72mm, Nikon 35mm f/1.8G DX has 7 Diaphragm Blades and dimension measuring 2.8 in. (70 mm) x 2.1 in. (52.5 mm).

Considered as one of the best Nikon FX lenses ever made, this lens, although being a bit costly, can adapt itself to any situation to bring the best photos one can ever imagine. The best thing about this lens from Nikon is that it helps you to take a holistic shot of a place or an event without even making any of the living or non-living object in the image to lose its sheen or become blurry. Such is the power of this lens. With 9 Diaphragm Blades and a Minimum Focus Distance of 1.2 ft. ( 0.38 m), Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED has a Filter Size 77mm.

Considered as one of the top lenses for zoom shooter, Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 ED VR is a value-for-money lens. With a filter size of 67mm and minimum focus distance of 1.6 ft., this lens from Nikon has the power and precision to cover wide focal length to a limit that is even impossible for a human mind to think.

'Bokeh' effect is a Japanese word which in layman's term can be defined as “the effect of a soft out-of-focus background that you get when shooting a subject, using a fast lens, at the widest aperture, such as f/2.8 or wider.” This lens from Nikon is the one that provides photographers to add the mileage of Bokeh effect in their photos to make them more pleasing and aesthetic. With a Minimum Focus Distance of 3.0 ft. (0.85m) and Filter Size of 77mm, this gem of a lens from Nikon has 9 Diaphragm Blades.

Considered as one of the best all-rounder lenses of Nikon, this one is a light weight and a cheap zoom lens that can be used for any situation which is a strong evidence of its versatility. With a focus that can be termed as fabulous, Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX II should be one of the first purchases of any good photographer.

The newest edition of the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-D is a fantastic choice for a professional telephoto zooms. THouhg it is power packed in all areas, it is still affordable, and has been a popular choice right from the 1990s. It has incredibly high optical and mechanical quality and unlike the new lesser performing plastic made lenses, the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-D is made almost entirely of metal. This robust and relentelssly high performing lens, can keep delivering high quality images even under pressure of performance, for years and years to come. Amazingly this lens has teh same sharpness, delivery and focus capabilities of the 70-200/2.8 VR II, but at half the cost. Nikon's least expensive fully professional f/2.8 zoom is the definite first choice for telephoto lenses, and delivers fantastic value and longevity for the price.

Nikon invented the world’s first 80-200mm f/2.8 lens way back in the 80s, and they have been perfecting their knowledge and precision ever since. This new 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II is arguably the best ever 70-200mm f/2.8 lens made by Nikon. And that’s saying a lot since there are so many options around. This undoubtedly is the fastest and least distorting tele foto lens ever from Nikon, and it is also the fastest and the most accurate at focusing quickly. If you are a professional that uses the 80-200mm day in and day out, then this one is for you. But it once with a little extra money and you are good for a decade at least and much more if you choose. This lens is great for serious amateurs too, who want to evolve to the next level of photography. A definite buy as the best ever Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 lens.

A good camera lens helps us capture a moment in time, and recreate the depth of the experience – truly a photograph is much more than just an image

Distilling the most precious moments in the form of memories is what makes photos so important in our life. Photos not only allow us to share our beautiful moments that are preserved forever, with our loved ones but are also a way of expressing our views of the world around us. They help us express our emotions and speak our mind. From being a piece of memory to become the evidence of someone's artistic abilities, photographs do more than just capturing our precious moments.

Over the many decades, still photography has seen many transformations with the transition from black & white to color being the most prominent amongst all of them. But what is that one thing that makes a photo look more beautiful than ever? Well, it's the lighting. Lighting plays a pertinent role in making a photograph more vibrant and the colors more accurate. Any professional photographer would agree to the fact that good lighting is not just about a photo is dark or bright but also about setting its tone, character, and mood. The question might arise that why does the light matters so much in a photo since the general perception has always been that if a photo is bright enough then it is obviously a good photo. But we have to realize that a photo can serve numerous purposes. It can be a part of a portfolio for a model, be an artistic presentation of a professional photographer or become the most prominent part of an event. And while clicking photos for any of these things, the lighting plays the most important part in setting the tone and mood of the photo thereby serving the purpose accurately. Afterall, one cannot have the same approach while clicking a photo whose aim is to highlight an event accurately cannot have the same that he will have while clicking a photo whose sole purpose would be to bring out the beauty of a sea, garden or a mountain.

Now the thing is what is that one single factor or a thing that determines the quality of a photograph by setting everything in its perfect position including the light. The thing that is more important than the camera itself. Well, it is the lens. A lens is that one sole factor that decides how beautiful a photo will come out to be. It is, in fact, a fact that if your lens is of poor quality, no matter how great or costly your camera is, the end result would never turn turn out to be good. While on the other hand even a simple entry level camera with the great quality lens would do wonders. A lens is not just limited to zooming in or zooming out but also about the aperture size. Cameras of different size and shape come to the market and vanish in no time. But a lens is something that will serve a photographer's purpose more than anything else.

Now if we take a deep look into the market of camera lenses, we realize that it takes much more than a whole load of models to make good camera lenses. A very high level of expertise, technology and insights into the market need to come together to create real magic. To make good camera lenses, a company needs to invest more on research and development and also having a knack for innovation. Nikon and Canon are the undisputed market leaders in camera lens. The battle between both these players has always been very intensive. We hope that this round up of the best Nikon lenses will help you in making a good choice. 

If you want to explore beyond the 10 Nikon lenses I have reviewed, then have a look at the huge Nikon Lenses selection here.