Nikon photographic equipment is the second most popular in our country. Therefore, debates about which lens to choose can be very, very heated - after all, there are so many people, so many opinions. And when starting to dig into some of your personal impressions, it can be difficult for a beginner - if you start reading someone’s lengthy discussions, flavored with specific terms, you risk burying yourself in your head and only getting more confused. This text was written specifically so that any person can quickly decide what will be best for him.

Why should you believe this choice?

I bought my first lens for Nikon D80 more than 7 years ago. Since then, I've used a lot of different lenses, so yes, I have an idea of ​​what lenses a beginner photographer who chooses Nikon needs. But you are absolutely not obliged to take the word of a stranger. Therefore, this article summarizes not only my experience, but also compilations from discussions of lenses on forums, excerpts from articles on choosing optics written by reputable photographers, and so on and so forth. Believe me, I went through a lot of articles before writing this short and universal text. If I had come across a similar article those same 7 years ago, I would have saved a lot of money and nerves.

FixNikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX Nikkor

For any beginning photographer one of the best ways To develop your skills is to work with lenses whose focal lengths mimic human vision as closely as possible. In other words, photographs come out the way our eyes perceive the world. Neither closer nor further.

Therefore, the first and main lens that I would advise you to pay attention to would be the Nikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX for 13-15 thousand rubles. It has a fairly wide aperture, which allows a lot of light to pass through. This gives you faster shutter speeds, which in turn allows you to take sharp, noise-free photos indoors or at night without the need for a tripod. In addition, this allows you to make maximum use of depth of field and blur the foreground or background (so-called bokeh). As a result, these photos look more professional.

Great fix for a beginner

In terms of a cropped matrix (with a 99% probability this is exactly what your camera has, because if you had a full-size sensor, you would hardly be reading this text), its focal length is 50mm, which is as close as possible to how the human eye sees.

Here's what Phoblographer's Andy Hendrickson has to say about this lens:

could you weld this lens to mine?NikonD7000 and I wouldn't complain. This is one of the cheapest lensesNikon and one of my favorites. It has a surprisingly versatile focal length and is fast enough for handheld shooting in low light.

An interesting point - if you are more interested in the 50 mm distance (in terms of crop – 75 mm, which is closer to portrait use) and your camera has an autofocus motor, this is for you best choice there will be a Nikon 50mm f/1.4G without the AF-S index costing $340. Yes, Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S has a silent, high-speed motor and is a little more modern. However, for less than $100 you get a luxurious F1.4 lens that will keep you happy for a long time. But this, I repeat, is if you have your own motor in your camera and you want to photograph people more. Moreover, it is now difficult to buy, except in import stores.

Zoom lens

The next lens I would recommend taking a closer look at is Nikon 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor, costing about 45 thousand rubles. Thanks to this lens you can take great sports photos, shots wildlife and use it during tourist trips.

Nikon AF 70-300mm - stands out not only for its price, but also for its image

It's worth noting that quality zoom lenses are usually very expensive. But Nikon AF 70-300mm F /4.5-5.6G stands out not only for its price, but also for its image quality. Look at the great bird photos photographer Tom Hogan got with the D90 and this lens. In his review, he praises the autofocus, stabilization system and notes that in the 70-200mm range there is practically nothing to complain about in this lens.

Another photographer, Ken Rockwell, writes that "...this is the best compromise in size, weight, price and image quality of all Nikon optics."

Macro Lens

If you like to photograph flowers, insects or other objects at very close distances, you cannot do without a macro lens. In this section, I would advise you to pay attention to two lenses. The first is NIKKOR 85mm F/3.5G AF-S DX ED VR Micro. It costs about 35 thousand and allows you to shoot at that comfortable distance when you yourself are close enough to the subject of shooting, but have not yet poked the lens directly into the nose of the insect that interests you.

NIKKOR 85mm F/3.5G AF-S DX ED VR Micro is a great option for macro photography

In addition, this lens is very light, it has fast and quiet autofocus, and it has a good stabilization system. The latter is very important, because allows you to shoot handheld and not use a tripod.

To others good option is Tamron AF 90mm F/2.8 Di SP. This is a good, light and fast lens that can be used (albeit with some stretch) as a nice portrait. Interestingly, it is not much cheaper than the recommended Nikkor 85mm F/3.5G, so the purchase decision is best made based on the availability of lenses in the store. All other things being equal, Nikkor seems to me to be better made, while Tamron has a larger aperture on its side.

If you want to compare both lenses in action, please read the article to the end; in conclusion, I will tell you how to see the lens you are interested in in action, and paired with your camera

Wide angle lens

Interestingly, many beginners first look to buy a zoom lens. While most scenes within the city or in nature require either a wide angle (so that more interesting things can be included in the frame) or a fixed angle (i.e., to capture what the human eye sees). To understand what you really need, I advise you to go to the simulator developed by Nikon and see what all these optical zoom numbers mean.

If you are interested in a wide-angle lens for Nikon, then I would advise you to pay attention to. It costs about 32 thousand rubles, which is almost half the price of a similar lens from Nikkon.

If you're confused about a lens being made by a third party, we can turn to Roger Cicala, founder of LensRentals.com, who handles more lenses every day than I have in my entire life, for advice. So Roger writes that of the third-party manufacturers - and there are only three notable ones: Tamron, Tokina and Sigma - he would not recommend dealing with only one, Tokina. Roger says they have a high defect rate. While the other two manufacturers keep the quality quite at the level. Yes, they may be made from slightly cheaper materials, there is more plastic in them, but they can be very good from an optical point of view.

Returning to the Sigma AF 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM, we can say that it is very, very good. As a rule, the main problem with all wide-angle lenses is distortion at the edges of images, which then needs to be corrected in a graphics editor. So, Sigma has the least distortion of most similar lenses, for which it is rightly loved by many photographers. In addition, the lens boasts excellent aperture and good quality the resulting images.

Universal lens for Nikon

A relatively new lens costs 50 thousand rubles. This is the most expensive lens presented in this review, but it is a truly excellent universal lens that can replace some of your usual lenses and allows you to no longer have to worry about changing optics. Seriously, after connecting such a lens, you are unlikely to need to hang anything else. Thanks to its aperture (F/1.8), you can shoot in low light conditions, essentially replacing the Nikon 35mm F/1.8G prime, which I wrote about at the very beginning.

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is a great all-around lens

Check out what they have to say about it: FStoppers.com “...without a doubt, this is an excellent lens for portrait photographers and wedding photographers Worldwide"; Chris Gampat from Phoblographer called it a "super-sharp wide-angle" and added that

>...this is absolutely the best concert photography lens anyone can get their hands on.

At the same time, it would be wrong to say that the lens has no shortcomings. The same DPReview, impressed by the sharpness of the lens, noted problems with autofocus in dark scenes and scenes with low contrast. However, as other publications write, this could have been a problem with the original firmware and today's versions of this lens are no longer susceptible to this problem. Interestingly, you can purchase a proprietary docking station for this lens, which connects to your computer via USB and allows you to reflash the lens or fine-tune its properties.

Summing up

If you just bought a Nikon camera and want to expand the boundaries of your creativity, then the lenses listed will be the best investment for you. I would suggest starting with a prime lens and then moving towards a wide-angle lens. I promise you will be pleased with the results. If, after reading the text, you want to see how the lens you are interested in can shoot, I suggest using another tool - the website Pixel-peeper.com. Using this resource, you can select a specific model of camera and lens, and then look at what kind of pictures photographers take using the selected pair. For example, this is what a selection of photos looks like for the Nikon D3200 and Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM, and this is what it looks like for the Nikon D5200 and Nikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX. As you can see, the results are simply amazing. Additionally, in the menu at the top we can change shooting parameters to see how the lens works in different modes, change the camera and lens model to whatever you like. The site searches for suitable photos on the largest repository Flickr and displays the corresponding images. Luck with searching.

Consumer level- all inexpensive, not very bright lenses with an aperture of f/3.5 and some cheap examples with an aperture of f/1.8. Plastic models, and sometimes models with plastic mount, are much cheaper. Prices for such lenses are usually less than $500, in some cases they can be high-end models and superzooms. Examples of such cameras: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR, Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.

Amateur level- This is an intermediate stage between consumer and professional lenses, mid-price range and low-aperture models. Such optics are better in design and equipped with more advanced optical elements. Prices typically range from $500 to $1,500. More advanced models will have a gold (Nikon) or red (Canon) ring on the front to indicate the “status” of the lens. Examples: Nikon 24-120mm VR f/4G, Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM.

Professional lenses– these are high-class optics, fast models with aperture numbers f/1.4 and f/2.8, with excellent build quality, as well as protective coating. Prices typically start at $1,500, but can be lower depending on the age of the model and other factors. Examples: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II.

Exotic / special purpose – expensive lenses, manual focusing models with a specialized mount. For example: NOCTILUX Leica-M 50mm ASPH f/0.95, Zeiss Sonnar T APO * 135mm F/2. On our website, we have already talked about the reasons for the high cost of exotic lenses, you can read about it.

Price is not always the main differentiating factor between these categories. The level is mainly influenced by the quality of the lenses and build, the autofocus motor, size, optical characteristics and, only then, the price.

Some models may be significantly cheaper than others due to their age, but this does not mean that they are inferior and should be moved to another category. For example, the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 lens can be purchased for under $1,000 currently, and that's only half the price of the newest Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II. Despite this, the 80-200mm is a professional lens. Manufacturers usually combine amateur and professional level into one category. This is done in order to prevent such confusion. For convenience, in our review we will also combine amateur and professional equipment; sometimes additional clarifications may be indicated.

Cost of consumer optics vs professional

Now is the time to talk about the price difference. Why does Nikon 35mm f/1.4G cost almost 8 times more than Nikon 35mm f/1.8G DX? For many beginners this complex issue, because the difference is very significant. Does this mean the lens is 8x better? Here is a long list of reasons why professional lenses cost so much more:

It's all about production costs and component quality. This is one of the main reasons for the high cost of professional lenses; the cost of such products is much higher. There are also high quality standards set by manufacturers. Entry-level optics are created in large batches, and the process is almost completely automated. While each individual lens and glass of professional optics is manufactured with pinpoint precision. In the creation of consumer optics, the use of low-grade materials is acceptable and bubbles may occur in the lens. In comparison, the glass elements used in professional lenses undergo rigorous testing and inspection, and are samples only premium used in production. The glass elements used in expensive professional lenses are handcrafted and processed by experienced engineers who administer both visual and computer quality checks. There are big differences in the physical assembly of the lenses and other components used in the lenses. Consumer-grade lenses are largely machine-assembled and made from cheap plastic and aluminum parts. The assembly process of professional optics is only half automated, and it is created only from the best components, which are based on expensive materials. Thus, the production costs of professional lenses are always much higher.

Quality assurance(Quality assurance) – professional optics have many quality assurance (QA) parameters. For example, if the dispersion of an entry-level lens can vary in the range from 1 to 10, then for professional lenses this value should be several times smaller, from 1 to 3. High quality of expensive equipment is achieved throughout the entire production - from the choice of lens glass to creation details. Below is a video of the creation of Nikon lens production:

And here detailed video from Canon, here is the process of creating professional optics Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM:

Please note how complex and painstaking this process is. Unfortunately, there is not a single video showing how consumer lenses are created. This is most likely due to the fact that the process is much less impressive.

Optical design. Professional lenses have complex optical designs that require many optical elements to reduce or correct lens aberrations. For example, the aforementioned Nikon 35mm f/1.4G has 10 elements in 7 groups, while the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G DX has 8 elements in 6 groups. While the difference in the physical number of elements isn't all that great, there is a huge difference in the size of each individual lens element, as evidenced by their diagrams.
Lens design:

Comparison of Nikon 35mm f/1.4G vs Nikon 35mm f/1.8G lens designs

Lens elements and coating, as well as large differences in the type of lenses used in lenses - all this affects the cost of the model. Ultra-low dispersion aspherical elements and fluorite elements cost much more than conventional components. Additionally, professional lenses are often made with special coatings such as Nikon's Super Integrated (SIC) and nanocrystalline coatings, which significantly reduce internal reflections, improve sharpness, contrast, colors and reduce ghosting and flare.

Image quality(sharpness and contrast) are ensured by a complex optical design. Professional lenses are optimized to provide very High Quality Images. Special attention Focused on reducing various optical aberrations and defects such as distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting.

Image quality(colors) in professional lenses are guaranteed by advanced technologies in lens design and coating.

Lens format also plays a significant role. Consumer models are made for small cameras, with an APS-C type matrix. Due to the use of smaller sensors, only the central areas will be sharper, while those on the sides will be blurrier. To reduce the cost and size of consumer optics, manufacturers have made models with smaller circles.

Maximum/Constant Aperture. Most entry-level lenses are not fast. As a result, photographs taken with them in dimly lit rooms will be much worse than photographs taken in the same conditions with a professional lens. The lack of a good lens aperture reduces the efficiency of autofocus, which leads to focusing errors in difficult shooting conditions. Professional lenses are generally bright and have a constant aperture. The differences are often quite large. For example, the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G can shoot at its maximum zoom at f/5.6, while the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G can shoot at f/2.8 no matter what focal length you choose . This is a very significant difference.

Bokeh. Not bright lenses or lenses with variable aperture do not allow you to create a beautiful blurry effect background, known as "bokeh". While professional lenses are designed specifically to make the background smooth, smoothly blurred, which not only looks beautiful in itself, but also allows you to correctly place accents in the photo.

Autofocus Speed. Entry-level optics typically have a slow autofocus motor, which is often insufficient for fast action, such as wildlife and sports photography. Professional lenses, on the other hand, usually come with a very fast autofocus motor that is capable of capturing movement instantly. With telephoto lenses, autofocus settings can be optimized depending on the shooting situation.

Fixed lens size. Most inexpensive lenses, and some amateur-grade models, can change their physical size depending on how the focal length changes. This makes them not only awkward filters to use, but also prone to potential malfunction or breakdown in the future. Some optical elements may stop working, which can subsequently significantly affect sharpness, contrast and overall quality Images.

Then we looked at amateur models, this time we will focus on professional ones. The border between them is real life It’s quite difficult to carry out - there are many examples when people who don’t make money from photography buy expensive optics, and professionals shoot with cheap “glasses”. However, Canon itself helped us clarify this issue. The company very clearly hints which lenses it considers professional. They are easy to distinguish. Firstly, the marking contains the letter L, and secondly, these lenses white(whereas amateur ones are completely black), thirdly, they have a red rim, as a symbol of belonging to a higher caste. But that's all external differences, optically these lenses also stand out. Below we will tell you in detail what.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM

• Construction (elements/groups) 16/13.
• Dimensions 76x172 mm.
• Weight 705 g.
• Approximate price 22,000 rubles.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM

• Construction (elements/groups) 20/15.
• Minimum focusing distance 1.2 m.
• The diameter for the filter is 67 mm.
• Dimensions 76x172 mm.
• Weight 760 g.
• Approximate price 37,000 rubles.

It was not by chance that we combined these two lenses; they differ only in the presence of a stabilizer. Otherwise, they are completely identical, even the dimensions are the same. It is difficult to distinguish the two brothers externally; the stabilized version is only revealed by the presence of two additional switches (just for the stabilizer and those responsible). Which of the two 70-200mm f/4 to take is one of the most popular debates on photo forums. And we will also speak about this a little lower.

In general, the 70-200mm f/4 without stabilizer is Canon's best-selling telephoto camera. It is actively used by both professionals and amateurs. And it's deserved. The lens gives very nice picture, sharp even at the widest aperture (although at f/5.6-8 the results are even better), in which there are practically no aberrations and distortions. The lens has a pleasant background blur, which allows you to talk about a “drawing” and use the lens as a portrait. In terms of price and creativity, the 70-200mm f/4 is one of the best.

It is also important that this lens is designed for professional use, which means it has a metal mount, a durable body, some kind of moisture protection, stable build quality and predictable results in terms of photo quality. Many people are confused by the design - narrow but long, but this is a feature of all telephoto cameras with a constant f/4 aperture.

Many also love the 70-200mm f/4 for its quality to size ratio. It is clear that the 70-200mm f/2.8 is a more interesting lens, but it is also much heavier. Many photographers for travel purposes specifically choose the version with a constant f/4 aperture; they shoot just as well.

The catch with the 70-200mm f/4 is that it loves light. When shooting during the day, it is great, but once it gets dark, the lens becomes, if not useless, then very limited in use. The maximum aperture is still f/4, but there is no stabilizer, which means that the shutter speed will have to be set fast enough to avoid blur, and there is already not enough light. You have to raise the ISO, and this reduces the quality of the image. It doesn't turn out to be universal. While an amateur can still come to terms with this, giving up shooting is not an option for a pro.

The 70-200mm f/4 version with stabilizer is designed to slightly correct this problem. Optically it is slightly different, but the photo quality of the two lenses is the same. The stabilizer allows you to feel more confident when shooting in low light, especially when you have to shoot static objects at a distance, but you have to pay an additional 15 thousand rubles for this feature, which somewhat ruins the good price-quality ratio of the unstabilized version. Is this overpayment worth it? If you often shoot in low light conditions, then yes, but if you have the opportunity to use a flash or just take pictures when there is enough light, then it will be more profitable to buy the simplest 70-200.

Shot from Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM

Shot from Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM

• Construction (elements/groups) 18/15.
• Dimensions 84.6x193.6 mm.
• Weight 1113 g.
• Approximate price 48,000 rubles.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM

• Construction (elements/groups) 23/19.
• Minimum focusing distance 1.2 m.
• The diameter for the filter is 77 mm.
• Dimensions 89x199 mm.
• Weight 1490 g.
• Approximate price 75,000 rubles.

The situation between these two lenses is similar to what we have already observed for the two 70-200mm f/4 lenses, although there is still a difference in image quality between the two f/2.8 versions. Historically, it so happened that the 70-200mm f/2.8 without a stabilizer became the founder of the series, and the 70-200mm f/2.8 with a stabilizer was one of the modified descendants. Although we can say that the quality of the lenses is equally high and the difference is barely noticeable, and the 27 thousand rubles difference in cost is an overpayment for the stabilizer.

The 70-200mm f/2.8 in any version is a dream for many photographers. The best zoom lenses with almost no flaws. Amazing sharpness starting from f/2.8, no distortion, excellent background blur, micro-contrast, very correct color rendition, fast autofocus, making the lenses ideal for shooting sports. In terms of photo quality, this is an uncompromising solution. They also have excellent dust and moisture protection, good equipment with a tripod leg and a truly indestructible design. In addition, the high aperture allows, unlike the 70-200mm f/4, to work seamlessly with extenders (teleconverters that increase the focal length at the cost of aperture), both 1.4x and 2x.

The stabilizer of the more expensive version deserves a separate paragraph. It gives a real gain of 4 stops of shutter speed and allows you to get sharp pictures at values ​​up to 1/10 s, which is a very decent figure for a telephoto camera. In addition, the stabilizer has several operating modes, which allows you to configure it for shooting with tracking and just long exposures. In general, it’s not for nothing that the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS is the pinnacle model range Canon. The company can be proud of this lens.

The price to pay for all these “goodies” is standard - price and weight. Everything is clear with the first one, a good thing may not be cheap, but the weight upsets many even more. Almost one and a half kilograms of metal and glass make the 70-200mm f/2.8 a lens for either professionals or fans who are willing to do anything to get good pictures, even carry such a heavy load.

In terms of choosing between the two versions of the 70-200mm f/2.8, the rules are the same as for the 70-200mm f/4, with the only difference being that the 70-200mm f/2.8 without a stabilizer, thanks to its aperture, is not helpless in the absence of light like the 70-200mm f/4 and does not require a stub by any means, but optically it is slightly worse than the more expensive version, and this is also worth taking into account.

Shot from Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM

Shot from Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM

• Construction (elements/groups) 17/14.
• Minimum focusing distance 1.5 m.
• The diameter for the filter is 77 mm.
• Dimensions 99x189 mm.
• Weight 1360 g.
• Approximate price 54,000 rubles.

70-200 is good for everyone, but its focal length is limited to 200 millimeters. For animal photographers, ardent paparazzi, sports photojournalists and simply those who like to shoot at a considerable distance, this is not enough. Of course, Canon has something to offer this group of photographers. 100-400 is the most popular lens of this cohort. Firstly, it is expensive, but not exorbitant (many options have six-figure price tags), and secondly, it provides a 400 mm focal length. This is the minimum you can try to photograph animals with.

At such distances, the requirements for optics are completely different. For example, the maximum aperture of f/5.6 at 400 millimeters does not bother anyone. Firstly, the depth of field at such a focal length is so small that it would be difficult to shoot with faster optics. Secondly, professionals use such lenses to shoot from tripods (watch football broadcasts, for example), which means that for them a very high aperture ratio is not entirely necessary, but is no longer critical.

The 100-400 is a fairly old lens, so it doesn't have some modern features. It does not have the most effective image stabilizer (the gain is approximately 2-3 stops) and a focusing motor, due to which the autofocus speed is lower than that of the same 70-200. But there can be no complaints about the optics: excellent sharpness across the entire field, including at 400 millimeters, minimal distortion, pleasant background blur - in general, the picture is of quite professional quality. Dimensions, weight and price are simply the price to pay for the ability to shoot far away. And, by the way, for its capabilities, 100-400 is not that expensive. Say, 400 millimeters with a stabilizer at f/5.6 aperture could be provided by the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS + 2x extender, but the price of such a kit is much higher.

As features of the lens, we note trombone-type zooming, as well as original way putting on/removing the hood. They are convenient, but they differ from the generally accepted ones and require some simple getting used to.

Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM

• Design (elements/groups) 15/11
• Minimum focusing distance 1.5 m
• Diameter for filter 77 mm
• Dimensions 90x221 mm
• Weight 1190 g.
• Approximate price 42,000 rubles.

Canon has quite a few professional prime lenses: 400mm f/5.6, 500mm f/4, 600mm f/4 and even 800mm f/5.6, but these are all very rare and very expensive equipment. In our review of the primes, we decided to include only the 300mm f/4. It is not very expensive, and can be useful to a fairly wide range of photographers, especially those who shoot with a full-format camera.

The big advantage of this lens is the combination of an f/4 aperture and a modern stabilizer, which allows you to shoot without using a tripod. Of course, in the budget sector there are quite a few models that provide a focal length of 300 millimeters, but comparing 300mm f/4 with them in terms of quality is simply useless. The fixed focal length lens offers uncompromising image quality and is very high resolution. Even when shooting with multi-pixel matrices, photographs can be viewed at high magnification, and the picture will still remain clear. There is no point in talking about sharpness; it is simply excellent here. In addition, many highlight the good color rendition and contrast in the pictures. For these components, the 300mm f/4 is no worse than the 70-200mm f/2.8.

Separately, it is worth noting the successful performance of the 300mm f/4 with a 1.4x extender. The focal length increases to 420 millimeters, the aperture drops to f/5.6, but the image quality remains very high level. Extenders, as you know, are a capricious thing and work differently with different lenses, but 300mm f/4 and 1.4x are an example of a successful combination.

In terms of size and price, the 300mm f/4 is more than adequate for its capabilities, but do not forget that this is a fixed focal length lens. This means that it is of little use in reporting and is not suitable for all shooting situations. But if you work in such areas, then buying a 300mm f/4 will be more profitable than any zoom.

, D800E , D810 , D810a , D850 , , D3x , , D4s , , + (and its modifications) and Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n (and its modifications) + , S3 Pro UVIR , IS Pro .

List of all Nikon digital mirrorless cameras with Nikon Z mount

List of all Nikon Nikkor Z lenses for mirrorless cameras with Nikon Z mount

• Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm 1: 0.95 S Noct (not officially presented)

Exact list of system mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses Nikon 1:

Nikon has released a number of mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses and Nikon 1 mount and 1 Nikkor lenses (also called Nikon CX).

• , Nikon 1 J2 , Nikon 1 J3 , Nikon 1 J4 , Nikon 1 J5 .
• Nikon 1 S1, Nikon 1 S2
• Nikon 1 V1, Nikon 1 V2, Nikon 1 V3

It is best to use specially designed Nikon CX lenses (same as 1 Nikkor) on these cameras.

Exact list of all 1 Nikkor lenses:

UPD: in the summer of 2018, the Nikon 1 system ceased its development.

Nikon FX and Nikon DX digital cameras and lenses, their differences

Depending on the size of the sensor, Nikon digital SLR and mirrorless cameras are divided into two types: FX and DX. Lenses for these cameras are also marked in the same way.

FX lenses are designed for full-frame FX cameras (also called full-frame, or full-size, or Full-Frame).

DX lenses are designed for cropped DX cameras (also called crop cameras, or cameras with APS-C sensor size).

Nikon FX cameras have a matrix the size of a classic 35 mm film, DX cameras have a smaller matrix, the so-called ‘cropped’ one, with a frame diagonal 1.5 times smaller than in FX.

The full-format camera is marked 'FX' on its body. Shown here with a full-frame lens

Before the advent of Nikon DX cameras, there were only full-frame cameras and Nikon FX lenses, which don't actually have an FX designation, since at that time there was no need to separate the full frame and the cropped one. Examples of lenses from full-frame cameras:

As you can see, the 'FX' prefix is ​​not indicated in the lens name. If there is no DX or CX designation on the lens, then it is a full-frame lens for an FX camera.

After the advent of Nikon DX digital SLR cameras, the manufacturer began producing DX lenses to save on glass, metal and plastic. And all lenses for cropped cameras already had the DX designation. Examples of DX lenses:

As you can see, all lenses have the letters DX in their names.

Important about DX and FX

Exact list of all Nikon DX cameras:

All Nikon DX series cameras have the same actual physical size of their sensor (matrix). Size is approximately 23.6 mm X 15.8 mm. Physical size is not directly related to the number of MegaPixels.

Exact list of all Nikon FX cameras

Very important, so important that everyone should know this: All Nikon FX series cameras have the same actual physical size of their sensor (matrix). The size is approximately 36 mm X 24 mm. Physical size is not directly related to the number of MegaPixels.

• All Nikon DX lenses can and should preferably be used on cameras with cropped Nikon DX series sensors (the exact list is given above).
• All Nikon DX lenses can be used on full-frame cameras such as Nikon D3, D3x, D4s, D800E, D810, D810a, D850, but the camera will either use only part of its sensor to take a photograph, or the resulting image will be incorrigible and other distortions at the edges and corners of the frame. This is due to the fact that DX lenses cannot project images onto the large sensor of FX cameras. Using DX lenses on FX cameras is not recommended. Full frame cameras can automatically recognize a DX lens and configure itself to work with it. Personally, I don’t see the point in buying an expensive full-frame DSLR camera and using more ‘simple’ DX lenses on it.
• For all Nikon FX cameras, it is recommended to use only Nikon FX lenses.
• All full-frame lenses (lenses from FX cameras) can be used on DX cameras without any problems, you just need to take into account visual effect from .

As an example, a shot taken with a full frame camera FX(Full Frame) and a cropped lens. The camera is set to full frame mode ‘image area FX‘. It can be seen that the cropped lens produces black corners (vignette) and the photo is not suitable for use.

If you take the same photo, but in camera mode, the ‘image area DX‘, then the camera will automatically use only the central area of ​​its sensor and as a result the picture will be like from any other Nikon DX camera. Below is the same photo FX(Full Frame) in ' mode DX image area‘.

Indeed, full-frame Nikon FX cameras can use cropped lenses in the 'DX' crop mode. This mode will only be used central part camera sensor, equal in size to the sensor used in Nikon DX cameras, which will allow you to avoid using a cropped lens on full-format cameras. To do this, in the camera menu, just enable the ‘Image area’->’Select. image area’ and select the value ‘DX 24x16 format’ there.

If we summarize the above points, it suggests small conclusion- regular FX lenses can be used on all types of cameras: FX and DX. And lenses from cropped DX cameras are not recommended for use on full-frame FX cameras.

Exact list of all Nikon DX lenses

Prime lenses:

1. Nikon DX A.F. Fisheye Nikkor 10.5mm 1:2.8GED with a gold ring ()
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1.8G SWM Aspherical ()
3. Nikon DX AF-S Micro Nikkor 40mm 1:2.8G SWM ()
4. Nikon DX AF-S Micro Nikkor 85mm 1:3.5G ED VR SWM IF Micro1:1 ()

Wide-angle zoom lenses

1. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 10-20mm 1:4.5-5.6G VR ()
   
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 10-24mm
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 12-24mm 1:4 G ED SWM IF Aspherical with a gold ring ()

Versatile zoom lenses

1. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm 1:2.8-4 E N ED VR Nano Crystal Coat SWM IF Asphericalwith a gold ring ()
   
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1:2.8 G ED SWM IF Aspherical with a gold ring ()
4. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM Aspherical [black/silver] ()
5. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical [black/silver] ()
6. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G SWM VR Aspherical ()
7. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6GII VR II ()
   
8. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G ()
9. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G VR ()
   
10. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G ED SWM IF Aspherical ()
11. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm
12. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM IF Aspherical ()
13. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [Thailand/China] ()
14. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [Japan/China] ()
15. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6GII ED SWM VR IF Aspherical ()
16. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical ()
17. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm 1:3.5-6.3 G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical ()

Telephoto lenses

1. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED SWM [black/silver, Japan/China] ()
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED VR IF SWM ()
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6GII ED VR II ()
   
4. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm 1:4.5-5.6G ED VR SWM HRI ()
5. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4.5-6.3 GED()
6. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4.5-6.3 GED VR ()
   

Professional Nikon DX lenses

It’s not out of malice that I called Nikon DX lenses more ‘simple’. It just so happens that all Nikon professional optics are full-frame lenses. The only professional lenses for Nikon DX cameras are:

These lenses have gold ring near the front lens- a sign of high-class lenses. These lenses are on the Nikon NPS (Nikon Professional Services) list.

Attention: On Nikon lenses Nikkor DX is not indicated as an equivalent (EGF), but as a physical real lens. - this is a physical parameter of the lens itself, which does not change when installed on different cameras. For both FX and DX lenses, to find out the EGF when used on cropped DX cameras, you need to multiply by Kf = 1.5X. For example, the EGF of a lens on a cropped camera will be 27-82.5mm (18*1.5 and 55*1.5). The relationship between focal length and viewing angle can be seen.

Healthy: If you select “Off” in the “AF point illumination” setting in the menu of full-format cameras, then after turning on one of the cropping modes (in fact, crop), the unused area of ​​the image visible in , will be darkened, which will greatly facilitate sighting using crop. mode. Below is how unused areas are darkened when certain crop modes are enabled.

About the automatic focusing feature

The Nikon Nikkor lens is responsible for the ability to automatically focus the lens designations AF, AF-I, AF-S and AF-P.

What is the difference between AF-S/AF-P/AF-I and AF lenses? In an AF lens, focusing occurs due to the camera motor; in such cases they say that the camera has a 'screwdriver' or a focusing motor. On the contrary, in AF-S/AF-I/AF-P lenses, focusing is achieved by a motor directly built into the lens itself.

Lenses marked 'AF'

The designation 'AF-S' on the main name of the lens, which is usually written in gold letters. The photo shows

Almost always on AF-S lenses you can also find the prefix 'SWM', which means Silent Wave Motor (quiet wave / ultrasonic motor).

‘SWM’ mark applied to information plate lens

Important: SWM motors come in two main types, parts.

If you use optics from other manufacturers, then you need to know for sure whether the lens has a built-in motor or not; each manufacturer has its own designations and does not overlap with the designations of Nikon Nikkor lenses.

Important: Due to certain features associated with cameras, the following 'AF-S D' type lenses will not work normally on D3500 cameras (this only applies to these cameras):

1. Nikon ED AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1:2.8 D
2. Nikon ED AF-S Nikkor 400mm 1:2.8 D
3. Nikon ED AF-S Nikkor 500mm 1:4 D
4. Nikon ED AF-S Nikkor 600mm 1:4 D
5. as well as all lenses,

Lenses designated 'AF-P'

In January 2016, Nikon introduced Nikon Nikkor lenses in the 'AF-P' line. Designation 'AF-P' (A uto F ocus P ulse motor) indicates the presence of a fast and stepper focusing motor. 'AF-P' work similarly to 'AF-S', only quieter, faster and more accurate.

Designation 'AF-P' on the Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G lens

Please note that not all Nikon cameras will be able to work correctly with 'AF-P' lenses; for some cameras you will have to update the firmware to full compatibility with 'AF-P'.

Full list of Nikon 'AF-P' lenses:

Autofocus with AF-P lenses will only work with cameras (exact list):

Automatic and manual focusing will not work with cameras (exact list):

Lenses designated 'AF-I'

Nikon AF-I lenses are on the side. The lenses themselves are like ‘AF-I’ (Auto Focus Internal Motor)- very rare lenses, and also very expensive. Some users mistakenly call them 'AF-1' ('AF-one').

Some of these lenses use a built-in focusing motor for focusing, built on the basis of conventional electric micro-motors, which are quite noisy during focusing. There is no exact data on what type of motor is used in Nikon AF-I lenses.

Attention: There is no exact information whether amateur level cameras will work with such lenses. But, most likely, no mortal will ever install such a lens on a simple amateur camera.

Full list of Nikon AF-I lenses:

1. Nikon ED AF-I Nikkor 300mm 1:2.8D, 1992-1996
2. Nikon ED AF-I Nikkor 400mm 1:2.8D, 1994-1998
3. Nikon ED AF-I Nikkor 500mm 1:4D, 1994-1997
4. Nikon ED AF-I Nikkor 600mm 1:4D, 1992-1996

When choosing a lens, the most important parameters are its type (FX, DX) and focusing method. If you now know what kind of FX or DX camera you have, with or without a built-in focusing motor, then by choosing a lens based on just these two parameters you will get all the necessary functions for shooting.

Typically, lenses without a built-in focusing motor are cheaper than their motorized counterparts. If you have a camera with a motor, then in a certain sense you can save on lenses. As an example, you can look at this, which is very cheap:

About aperture control options

You can find another interesting thing on Nikon lenses designation - letter 'G'- a lens with such a letter can only control the aperture directly from the camera, and the lens does not have an aperture control ring.

G ('Gelded') lenses are actually impossible to use with some older film cameras, as there will be a permanent lock. Also, lenses with an aperture control ring (Non-G) can be used more flexibly for various kinds photos of surveys, for example, such as .

Myths: It is often said that there are 'D' and 'G' lenses, D - with an aperture control ring, and G - without an aperture control ring. In fact it's a delusion- the letter 'D' (or 'AF-D') indicates the possibility of transmitting the focusing distance to the subject to the camera - this makes it easier to calculate the flash power for the correct one. The misconception is due to the fact that almost all ‘D’ lenses have an aperture control ring, because previously they did not distinguish between lenses with and without a ring.

The difference between a lens G and without G (using the example of lenses and )

A protrusion for reading the extreme position of the ring on a lens, which is a NON-G type lens, that is, one that has an aperture control ring.

Very important: In order to use a 'NON-G' type lens (with a ring) in exactly the same way as a G-type lens (control the aperture from the camera), you need to set the aperture control ring to the maximum F number value, usually F16, F22, F32 and switch a special lock on the lens that will fix the aperture control ring in a stationary position. Different lenses either snap the ring into the extreme position themselves, or require manual locking using a special switch. If this is not done, a number of cameras will display the error ‘fEE’ (ring not installed) on the display.

Some cameras allow you to control the aperture of autofocus NON-G lenses in metering modes A (priority) and M (manual) using the aperture ring. To do this, you need to find the item ‘Setting control dials’ -> ‘Setting aperture’ in the camera menu and set the value to ‘Aperture ring’. In S modes (priority