Selects: Top 5 Lenses for Nikon FX Full-frame DSLRs

Nikon full-frame DSLRs are a great way to achieve professional-quality photography without breaking the bank. Nikon DSLR lenses, in particular, benefit from decades of development and offer fantastic value for money. But which are the best lenses for Nikon full-frame DSLRs?

We’ve compiled a list of five lenses, each the perfect companion for any full-frame Nikon DSLR camera, like the Nikon D810 or Nikon D850 (read our Nikon D850 review). These lenses will extract as much of that incredible detail that Nikon’s flagship DSLR cameras can deliver. This article includes:

• Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED

• Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED

• Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART

• Nikon 58mm f/1.4G

• Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD

1. Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED

The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED is a lens that will excite any landscape photographer.

The 14mm focal length is super-wide, giving a unique perspective, and the wide f/2.8 aperture makes this a great lens to use in low light and for light painting, too.

• Read our light painting guide, in which Rosa GV uses the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED

Most of all, it’s the quality of the image this lens delivers—incredibly sharp when stopped down and, as with all of Nikon’s premium DSLR lenses, beautiful rendition and contrast.

2. Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED

This is an unusual and underrated lens. The Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED is an odd focal length, especially in a world full of 14mm, 24mm and 28mm lenses. The 20mm offers exceptional sharpness, particularly for a wide lens with a large maximum aperture. It also creates minimal distortion.

Since many Nikon full-frame DSLRs offer excellent resolution, the 20mm is a good option for landscape photographers. This one is definitely a keeper.

3. Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM is genuinely brilliant. Although Sigma has always been a great lens maker, even before their ART series was released in 2013, the release of the 50mm and 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART primes changed photographers' expectations of third-party manufacturers.

• Documentary photographer Jordi Jon Pardo uses the Canon version of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART.

If you go purely by science, the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART is better than pretty much everything out there. It's a modern-day legend.

4. Nikon 58mm f/1.4G

The Nikon 58mm f/1.4G — along with the 50mm and 55mm — have always made great portrait lenses. Although not as coveted as the 85mm, they offer more flexibility, especially if your budget can't stretch to another lens.

While the 58mm will not compete with the Sigma’s sharpness, the 58mm is perfect for accurately photographing different skin tones and rendering the creamiest of bokeh.

5. Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD

The Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Nikon is one of the very best. It also has Vibration Compensation (VC), which is Tamron's term for image stabilisation. This allows you to hand-hold at lower shutter speeds. While Tamron’s VC is a little more hit-and-miss than those from Canon or Nikon, it still offers an advantage. This is crucial for certain types of work, especially as the higher resolutions from full-frame sensors aren't too forgiving on lack of sharpness, or even the slightest amount of blur.

With the relatively cheaper cost than other manufacturers, and the excellent sharpness it delivers, the Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD is well worth considering.

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