Nikon enthusiasts love its SLR and DSLR systems, which have been around for decades and have served as workhorses for many professionals. So, there has been no dearth of excellent and compatible lenses either. When we went looking for new Nikon lenses, we were looking to get the best professional-grade photographs without having to break the bank. That’s why getting MPB Nikon lenses was such a great idea. Not only did we find a ton of options that would extract as much incredible detail as the brand’s cameras could deliver, but also, they were within our budget. That said, the process could be a little intimidating, as there are so many choices for sizes, similar focal lengths, and more. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, which tells you about the best lenses from the brand on MPB. Read on.
Meanwhile, here’s a guide to buying affordable travel lenses on MPB.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G
6
Most lightweight. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G — along with its 55mm and 50mm counterparts — have always made for excellent portrait lenses. Costing USD 970 on MPB, this lens is perfect for photographing different skin tones accurately, especially on DX DSLRs. What’s more, this incredibly fast lens boasts a f/1.4 aperture that records every moment without compromising quality. It’s very lightweight at 385 g, making it perfect for traveling without any unnecessary additional weight. On MPB, it comes with front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, and the standard six-month warranty from the website.
Specs
- Mount: Nikon DX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.58 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 16 and 1.4 (tele and wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: No
Pros
- It’s an affordable lens.
- It’s a great all-around buy.
- The lens is perfect for beginners.
Cons
- There’s some distortion.
Buy on:
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G ED
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The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G ED is an unusually underrated lens. The combination makes for an odd focal length in a world with 28mm, 24mm, and 14mm lenses. However, the 20mm offered exceptional sharpness, especially for a lens so wide and with such a large maximum aperture. In fact, it also resulted in minimal distortion, ensuring clearer and sharper photographs with minimum effort. This lens is a particularly good option for landscape photographers since Nikon’s full-frame DSLRs feature excellent resolution. Just like other lenses on this website, this one came with front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, and the standard six-month warranty.
“We loved the way landscape photographs came out with this Nikon lens; they captured colors and sharpness way better than any other similar lens we’d seen.”
WOW Travel
Specs
- Mount: Nikon DX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.2 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 16 and 1.8 (tele and wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: No
Pros
- It produced sharp images.
- The lens was relatively compact and lightweight.
- The lens felt solid in our hands.
Cons
- There was some vignetting.
Buy on:
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED
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The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED is one for the landscape photographers. This super-wide lens gave us a unique perspective, which, when combined with the wide f/2.8 aperture, was perfect for low-light shooting conditions. However, above all, we were blown away by the quality of the pictures that the lens delivered — beautiful contrast and rendition, and incredibly sharp. With a minimum focus distance of just 11 inches, we were able to focus on our subjects. Finally, thanks to the rubber texture over the focus ring and zoom ring, we were able to grip it easily, with the different textures allowing us to feel them. Finally, the lone control switch to toggle between manual and automatic focus was very helpful.
Specs
- Mount: Nikon DX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.2 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 16 and 1.8 (tele and wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: No
Pros
- It produced very sharp images.
- The ultra-wide field of view is excellent.
- We loved the full-frame coverage with the wide f/2.8 aperture.
Cons
- It’s quite big in size.
Buy on:
Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
3
Sitting right in the middle is the Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, an affordable standard zoom lens alternative for a crop sensor DSLR. We appreciated the useful, extended zoom range of the lens, which also provides good optical performance with image stabilization and autofocus. Day-to-day shooting was a breeze, and the 485 g weight made it quite portable to travel around with the lens as well. It’s also equipped with the exclusive Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and Vibration Reduction (VRII) system from Nikon, offering great performance even in low-light conditions.
Specs
- Mount: Nikon DX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.38 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 22 and 5.6, 3.5 (tele, wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: Yes
Pros
- The lens offered excellent value for money
- We loved the broad, do-everything zoom range.
- The lens boasts a fast autofocus.
Cons
- It’s incompatible with full-frame cameras.
Buy on:
Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
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Most versatile. It’s a shame that the Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II has been discontinued, as it’s been a favorite superzoom lens with many, many content creators across the world. That’s why the highest cosmetic condition for this lens on MPB is “Good,” and we’d still recommend you to take it. This F-mount Nikon lens is a go-to lens for travel and walkabout photography. Designed for Nikon’s DX DSLRs, this 18-200mm lens is manageable in weight and results in more refined photographs. However, its standout features are Nikon’s exclusive Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and nifty “Vibration Reduction” system. it offers superb performance in low light, delivering steady images to both the sensor and viewfinder, and features fast, quiet autofocus.
Specs
- Mount: Nikon DX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.5 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 22 and 5.6, 3.5 (tele, wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: Yes
Pros
- The zoom range is powerful.
- We loved the compact and lightweight construction.
- The lens resulted in refined handling.
Cons
- The reach could be better.
Buy on:
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
1
Best overall. Sitting at the top of the list is the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, which is the brand’s latest and greatest F-mount zoom for DSLRs. Designed like a tank, this relatively large lens is famed for its overall performance and super-sharp image quality. What’s more, we could shoot everything from candids to landscapes, thanks to the sweet spot of a 24–70mm zoom lens. Moreover, the constant f/2.8 aperture allowed us to shoot pictures effortlessly even in low-light conditions, complete with consistent exposure. The best bit? We got exceptional results while shooting both stills and videos.
Specs
- Mount: Nikon FX
- Minimum focus distance: 0.22 meters
- Minimum and Maximum aperture: 22 and 2.8 (tele and wide)
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image stabilization: Yes
Pros
- We loved the top-notch build quality.
- The four-stop vibration reduction was excellent.
- The images were sharp.
Cons
- It’s rather weighty.
Buy on:
Our Verdict!
If you’re having trouble choosing an appropriate lens, here’s a smaller list to help you make a choice.
- Best overall: Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
- Most lightweight: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G
- Most versatile: Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
Are all Nikon lenses interchangeable?
Nikon’s DSLR camera lenses specifically are interchangeable, right from telephoto to wide-angled ones.
Here’s a detailed review of MPB gear for budget-conscious travelers.
Do full-frame cameras need different lenses?
Yes, full-frame cameras require full-frame lenses, which could be just as expensive as, if not more expensive than, the body itself.
How to know if a Nikon lens is full-frame?
All Nikon lenses designed for DX crop format cameras specifically mention “DX mount” or have “DX” in the lens name. If it doesn’t say DX, then it’s a full-frame lens or FX lens.
Some images in this article are copyrighted by MPB.
