Last Updated on 01/22/2020 by Mark Beckenbach
If you just picked up your first Nikon DSLR or a new Mirrorless Z camera, you need to check out these affordable lenses.
It’s exciting when you get your first camera; whether it be a DSLR or a Mirrorless model, you will be able to create beautiful images with it. While the cameras themselves are great, they are nothing without lenses. There is a good chance that the camera you purchased came with kit lenses, and while these are good lenses, you will find that you outgrow them rather quickly. Fortunately, there are a ton of great, affordable lenses for Nikon cameras that will seriously impress you with their quality and overall performance. After the break, we will share with you a few affordable lenses that you should take a closer look at if you want to expand your collection of glass.
All of the lenses listed below are under $1,000, with many of them being far, far less than that. There really are some bargains out there that perform at levels which would have been unheard at their price points just a few years ago. We have selected a wide variety of lenses, from wide-angle primes to telephoto zooms, and we are sure you will be impressed with their overall quality and output. Take a look at the affordable lenses you should take a look at first for your Nikon camera.
Irix 15mm F2.4 Blackstone
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Absolutely fantastic image quality
- Not too contrasty
- Not too saturated
- Super sharp
- Zone focusing scale and a touch-up zone focusing scale
- Weather sealing
- Smoothing focusing action
- Click at the infinity spot
- Illumination with a blacklight in the dark
- Autofocus confirmation and EXIF registration in the contacts
- These lenses are pretty damned affordable.
Cons
- Maybe the text on the lens should be glow in the dark and not be blacklight illuminated
Buy now: $515
Nikon 24mm F1.8 G
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Surprisingly sharp
- Lightweight, you’ll never want to take it off of your camera
- Nice bokeh
- Great colors
- Fast autofocus and very accurate overall
Cons
- Fairly pricy
Buy now: $746.95
Nikon 35mm F1.8 G
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Light and fast
- Inexpensive
- Works with Full-Frame cameras in FX mode
- Extremely versatile
- Silent focusing
- Come with a lens hood
Cons
- Honestly, nothing
Buy now: $196.95
Pro Tip: Do you want to get more out of your new Nikon camera but are overwhelmed at the sheer amount of controls and menu options? There’s a couple of ways to get through this. You can grab the manual and bore yourself to death, or you can grab a fun and easy to follow camera tutorial. We suggest the second option, because who has time to be bored? Seriously though, these camera guides will show you all the ins and outs of your specific camera. Follow along with them, and you’ll be putting your camera and your lenses to good use in no time at all.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm F1.8 S
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Robust weather sealing
- Excellent sharpness
- Compact and lightweight
Cons
- More expensive than competing Full Frame 35mm f1.8 lenses, though it can be argued that it is the best and most feature-packed
Buy now: $846.95
Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- When it’s accurate and it’s sharp, it’s incredibly so
- Nice bokeh
- Weather sealing for an affordable price point
- Nice handling of backlit situations.
Cons
- Not incredibly sharp wide open, nowhere as sharp as the 35mm lens
- AF performance with outer focusing points isn’t that great
Buy now: $399
Nikon 50mm F1.8 G
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- The lens is light, yet still well built
- The silent wave motor is nice and quiet
- Great autofocus speeds
- Wonderful sharpness, and great bokeh
- It produces beautiful colors, especially skin tones
Cons
- Nothing really
Buy now: $196.95
Pro Tip: Do you own a Nikon Z50, Z6 or Z7 and wish you could use some of the F mount lenses we have listed here on your camera? Well, you’re in luck. Nikon has an FTZ adapter that will allow you to connect and use any F mount lens on your Mirrorless camera. The best part is it’s affordable, and it will expand your lens possibilities by hundreds.
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Damned good build quality
- Super sharp wide open
- The fact that you’ve got wide to normal focal length range at a constant f1.8 blows our minds
- Fast to focus
- Perhaps the absolute best concert photography lens anyone can get their hands on
Cons
- APS-C only, but that isn’t a con. Sure, everyone wants a Full Frame version
- Positively nothing else
Buy now: $588.99
Tokina 70-200mm F4 AT-X Pro FX VCMS
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Pretty darn sharp wide open
- Really, really nice bokeh
- Solid build quality
- Image stabilization in the lens is very effective
- We really like the color rendition, especially with skin tones
Cons
- This weird noise happens when the IS activates and deactivates
Buy now: $788.22