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7 Best Nikon Z lenses in 2024!

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Best Nikon Z lenses

You need the best Nikon Z lenses to go with your brand-new mirrorless camera.

Finding the best Nikon Z lens doesn’t have to be hard. We’ve brought together the 7 best lenses offered by Nikon including our pick for overall best, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens!

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Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S | Professional large aperture mid-range zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

BEST OVERALL NIKON Z LENS

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Lens

Nikon

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2

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Mirrorless Camera Lens JMA711DA

BEST NIKON Z WIDE-ANGLE LENS

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens

Nikon

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3

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S | Premium constant aperture all-in-one zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras (wide angle to telephoto) | Nikon USA Model

BEST NIKON Z LENS FOR VIDEO

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens

Nikon

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4

Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S (Noct) | Exotic aperture professional f/0.95 low-light prime lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

BEST NIKON Z PRIME LENS

Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens

Nikon

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5

Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S | Professional large aperture telephoto zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

BEST NIKON Z ZOOM LENS

Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens

Nikon

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6

Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S | Professional macro prime lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

BEST NIKON Z MACRO LENS

 Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens

Nikon

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7

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm VR | Compact all-in-one telephoto zoom lens with image stabilization for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

BEST NIKON Z TRAVEL LENS

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens

Nikon

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You don’t want to miss the lenses we have in our Nikon Z lenses review—plus, stick around for a Nikon Z lens FAQ that covers everything you need to know!

1. Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Lens — The Overall best Nikon Z Lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S | Professional large aperture mid-range zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Lens?

  • This is a Nikon S lens which means it’s built to pro standards
  • This lens covers the focal lengths you’ll be using 90% of the time
  • This lens is seen as the centerpiece of the Nikon Holy Trinity
  • The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens makes a great first lens or travel lens
  • We love the high-tech features built into the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens

The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens was an easy inclusion as the number one best lens for Nikon Z cameras. This lens offers just about everything you’re looking for when you’re shooting on a mirrorless camera from Nikon.

The first thing that we need to cover is the focal length. The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens allows you to shoot everything from wide-angle landscape shops to portraits all in one lens.

This is a true workhorse of a lens that’s perfect for street photography, vacations, and even paid work at events like weddings.

This lens is also built like a tank. You’re going to be able to put a lot of photography miles on this lens without worrying about common lens wear and tear.

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

  • 24 mm to 70 mm covers wide angle to portrait telephoto making this a great all-around lens!
  • The new build design fits perfectly on the smaller frame of mirrorless cameras
  • Several optical element and coatings protect the lens and make sure your pics are distortion free
  • This is the perfect lens to upgrade to if you’re moving up from DSLR cameras

What You Won’t Love About NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

  • Misses out on the extreme ends of wide angle and telephoto
  • There are more affordable versions of this lens out there

If you only had to buy one lens for your Nikon mirrorless camera, make sure it’s the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens.

2. Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens — The Best Nikon Z Wide Angle Lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Mirrorless Camera Lens JMA711DA

Why Buy The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens?

  • This is a wide angle zoom lens that lets you do everything from ultra-wide to typical focal lengths for landscape photography
  • This lens is built in Nikon’s professional standards which means it is more than ready to head outdoors on your next adventure
  • The zoom on this lens is fast and responsive which makes it great for quickly changing subjects
  • This lens has more than its fair share of optical elements, coatings, and other features that make sure your landscape and night photography or crystal clear

The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens is one of the best Nikon Z lenses for landscape photography. The wide angle flexibility of this lens lets you shoot a variety of landscapes without worrying about changing lenses.

The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens is also the best Nikon Z lens for night photography. If you want to shoot for the stars, this wide angle lens is fast enough to handle the job!

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens

  • You usually need a prime lens for astrophotography, but this is zoom lens is more than capable of handling the work
  • At the 24 mm high-end we can even do some street photography or interesting portraits thanks to the quality of this lens
  • Even at the extreme wide angles, you’re not going to get the same distortion that you get with a cheaper lens
  • Nikon has really pulled out all the stops when it comes to designing this wide-angle line

What You Won’t Love About The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens

  • This likely won’t be your first choice of lens, and you’ll definitely want something to cover normal focal lengths
  • The price on this lens is a little high

The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens is going to be your first pick if you’re into wide-angle photography and shooting on a Nikon mirrorless camera. This wide-angle zoom lens has impressive features, a great design, and represents some of the best lenses being made by Nikon today.

3. Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens — The Best Nikon Z Lens for Video

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S | Premium constant aperture all-in-one zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras (wide angle to telephoto) | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens?

  • This is an extremely versatile lens that naturally lends itself to the demanding task of shooting video
  • You can quickly switch between a wide-angle shot of a scene to a close-up thanks to the diverse focal length options you get with this lens
  • The constant f/4 aperture is especially bright considering the focal length range of this lens
  • The wide-angle and telephoto options of this lens make it a great choice for creating YouTube videos and other content for social media
  • This lens also has an affordable price tag which means that content creators on a budget can still work with a great lens

The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens is the best Nikon lens for YouTube videos, documentaries, and films.

This is an extremely versatile lens which means that videographers and filmmakers on the go won’t have to worry about switching lenses in the middle of a live shoot. This is especially important for social media content creators and videographers who are working at live events.

While the aperture might not be the brightest, it’s actually fairly impressive when you consider the focal length range of this lens. As long as you can stay in control of your lighting, this is going to be a highly reliable video lens.

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens

  • You’ll love how easy it is to shoot video with this lens thanks to the focal length options
  • You won’t need to carry a second lens for most video shoots with this lens from Nikon
  • This Lens comes packed with high-tech features that you don’t usually see on zoom lenses with this kind of focal length

What You Won’t Love About The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens

  • The aperture might not be bright enough for some photographers

The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens really is the best all-around video lens for the Nikon Z Mount system. You can pick up this lens and shoot everything from trendy videos for social media to a documentary or feature-length film.

4. Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens — Your Choice For Best Nikon Z Prime Lenses

Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S (Noct) | Exotic aperture professional f/0.95 low-light prime lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens?

  • The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct redefines precision and control over depth of field
  • The manual focus lets you dial in precise focus in any shoot condition
  • The glass inside this lens was built to combat distortion and help you capture clear images

The best Nikon Z lens for portraits is the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct. You get total control over depth of field thanks to an unheard of f/0.95 aperture.

Even though the focus is manual only, this is still one of the best Nikon Z mount lenses thanks to its amazing features. Honestly, computers couldn’t keep up with the nuanced control that manual focus gives you with this lens.

The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is a powerhouse of a prime lens that completely changes the game when it comes to mirrorless primes.

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

  • That f/0.95 aperture is one of the fastest available
  • This lens is professionally built and weather sealed
  • The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct still has programmable buttons and other high-tech features
  • Nikon put everything into designing this lens and it shows

What You Won’t Love About The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

  • This lens has manual focus only
  • You might not need the pinpoint precision offered by this lens
  • This lens is extremely expensive is over triple the cost of the other most expensive lens on this list

The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct isn’t just the best prime lens offered by Nikon, it’s one of the best prime lenses made by any camera manufacturer. The aperture is one of the fastest commercially available and none of the corners on this lens were cut.

As long as you’ve got the money to spare for the price, this is one of the best lenses on the market today.

5. Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens — The Best Nikon Z Zoom lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S | Professional large aperture telephoto zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens?

  • This is easily one of the best telephoto lenses Nikon has made in recent years
  • The focal length and aperture combo are perfect for wildlife, sports, and any telephoto photography work
  • High-tech features like programmable buttons and an OLED display give you precise control over your settings
  • The Vibration Reduction feature is perfect for stabilizing fast-paced shots like sports and bird photography

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S is the best Nikon Z lens for wildlife, sports, and telephoto photography.

There is so much to love about this lens that it’s hard to sum it all up. It’s got everything you would expect from a high-level lens like a weather seal design and a professional build quality, but there’s so much more to the Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S than just the specifications you can write down on paper.

Telephoto zoom lenses are sometimes too big for small mirrorless cameras, but the NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S fits perfectly on a Nikon camera. The Vibration Reduction feature only helps you balance things even more.

The aperture on this lens is incredibly bright which means that you’ll be able to control your depth of field and work in just about any lighting condition.

What You’ll Love About The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S

  • The Multi-Focus Stepping Motor is fast and quiet even when working with telephoto shots
  • Fluorine coatings protect the lens from accidental damage
  • Zooming with this lens is responsive and easy to control

What You Won’t Love About The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S

  • No wide-angle coverage could be a dealbreaker
  • The cost of this lens might be too high for some

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S is a zoom lens that allows you to do everything from portrait photography to capturing pictures of birds and other easy-to-starter wildlife. You can even take this to a sports game or out on a camping trip thanks to its professional design.

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S should be your first pick for a telephoto zoom lens for a Nikon mirrorless camera.

6. Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens — The Best Nikon Z Macro Lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S | Professional macro prime lens for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens?

  • This is a true macro lens that you can use to get a life-size image of the smallest subjects you can think of
  • This is an S lens, so you can expect it to feel professional in your hands even on demanding shoots
  • Macrophotography relies heavily on the quality of lenses and the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro is not going to leave you disappointed
  • Nikon poured modern features into the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro

The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro is a close-up picture of everything that we want to see in a macro lens.

As always, the first thing we check in any macro lens is if it offers true one-to-one magnification. This means that the size of the subject is exactly what gets projected onto your camera’s sensor.

The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro has true one-to-one macro and image stabilization to help keep those close-up shots steady.

This is a weather-sealed lens, so you won’t have to worry about taking it outdoors when doing macrophotography with flowers, plants, and small animals.

All In all, this is one of the best macro lenses out there, and it’s definitely worth the spot in your camera bag.

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens

  • The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro has programmable buttons, an OLED display, and even a 9-bladed diaphragm
  • This macro lens has true 1:1 magnification
  • An 11.4″ Minimum Focus distance lets you get less than a foot away from your subjects
  • VR image stabilization is a vital feature for working with macro subjects and this lens has it!

What You Won’t Love About The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro

  • The price tag might be too high for some
  • It’s really for macro enthusiasts even though it has lots of general utility

The NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro is a macro lens that will feel natural in the hands of photographers working with small animals, plants, and even product photographers.

You should grab the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro to start experiencing the excitement and intrigue of macro photography.

7. Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens — The best Nikon Z travel lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm VR | Compact all-in-one telephoto zoom lens with image stabilization for Z series mirrorless cameras | Nikon USA Model

Why Buy The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens?

  • The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens is affordable and lightweight which are two travel photography must-haves
  • The flexible focal length of this lens can handle everything from wide-angle landscape shots to sports photography and more
  • Despite not being an “S” lens, the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens is still weather sealed with a fluorine coating

The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens is the best Nikon Z lens for street photography and any photography while you’re traveling the world.

Travel photography has always been one of the most popular styles, but it’s also one of the riskiest. You don’t want to be far away from home and lose or break, an expensive lens.

The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens allows you to handle almost every style of photography in a single lens without breaking the bank.

The aperture is bright enough to handle most shooting situations and the focal length is one of the most flexible that Nikon has to offer.

It’s great to be able to just leave this lens on your camera while traveling. You don’t want to accidentally miss the shot of a lifetime because you were switching from a wide angle to a telephoto lens.

There’s almost nothing negative to say about this lens when it comes to travel and street photography.

What You’ll Love About The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens

  • The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens has programmable buttons
  • 7-bladed diaphragm for smooth bokeh
  • Lens coatings and optical elements keep your street photography shots clear
  • Perfect for a one-lens travel kit

What You Won’t Love About The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR

  • Doesn’t have all the high-tech features of other lenses

When you’re on the road, you really only want to take the essentials. The NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens is a perfect choice for staying lightweight and on the budget without having to compromise on quality.

How To Buy The Right Nikon Z Lens & FAQ

Why are Nikon Z lenses so expensive?

Z-mount lenses are designed to work with Nikon’s new mirrorless digital cameras. They represent some of the fastest lenses, the best glass, and the most high-tech features that Nikon has ever produced in a lens. These lenses are also the newest products offered by Nikon which means that they’re commanding a premium price.

What is the sharpest Nikon Z lens?

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is the sharpest lens currently offered by Nikon. This high-end lens has one of the fastest apertures available, and it can produce photographs with crystal-clear detail.

What are the levels of Nikon Lenses?

There are two main levels of Nikon lenses with the Z mount. Nikon offers Nikon S lenses and lenses without the S distinction. Nikon S lenses are their latest professional lenses with weather-sealed bodies and all of the high-end features you would look for in a pro lens.

Are there Tamron Z mount lenses?

Tamron is another third-party lens manufacturer that is getting into the Z mount game. They released their first mirrorless camera lens late in 2022, and it’s expected that they’ll be releasing more zoom-out lenses over the coming years.

Does Sigma make Z-mount lenses?

Sigma is not currently producing Z-mount lenses. However, Sigma did announce that they will be releasing Z-mount lenses sometime during the year 2023.

What is the Nikon Z Holy Trinity?

The Holy Trinity of Nikon Z mount lenses covers the three zoom lenses you’ll need for wide-angle, normal focal length and telephoto photography. These are the Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24 mm lens, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens, and the Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens.

Conclusion – The Best Nikon Z lenses

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens is the best Nikon Z lens, but the rest of the lenses on this list are also great for photographers of different skills and styles.

When you add one of the best Nikon Z lenses to your photo kit, you’re going to have a powerful piece of glass that is sure to capture some stunning images!

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Hey there, my name is James and I am the creator and editor of this site. I have been photographing for the past 20 years and my mission is to simplify this misunderstood art of taking and processing photographs I love. I invite you to say “hey” on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram.

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