In this article, I want to talk to you about the best Nikon wide-angle lens, specifically how to make the choice also based on use.
I want to show you the strengths and weaknesses of these splendid lenses, to finally understand which model is right for you.
Before getting to the heart and discovering the best Nikon wide-angle lens, let’s briefly analyze the main characteristics of wide-angle lenses, thus discovering the potential of this very useful class of lenses.
Best Wide Angle Prime Lens For Nikon
Table of Contents
In this guide we will help you to determine which is the best Nikon wide-angle to associate with your camera, describing the most popular lenses of the moment and making the appropriate considerations on their characteristics.
In the mirror below we have anticipated the list of Nikon wide-angle lenses included in our selection and by clicking on the name of a model you will go directly to the section dedicated to it. However, if you are not very experienced, we strongly recommend that you read the introductory part of the guide first!
Best Wide Angle Prime Lens For Nikon | Comparison table 2022
| Image | Title | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| YONGNUO YN50mm F1.8N Standard Prime Lens Large Aperture Auto Manual Focus AF MF for Nikon DSLR Cameras | YONGNUO | Check Price | |
| NIKON NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Portrait Fast Prime Lens for Nikon Z Mirrorless Cameras | Nikon | Check Price | |
| YONGNUO YN35mm F2 Lens 1:2 AF/MF Wide-Angle Fixed/Prime Auto Focus Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras | YONGNUO | Check Price | |
| Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G Compact Wide-angle Prime Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras | Nikon | Check Price | |
| Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED Wide-Angle Prime Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras (Renewed) | Nikon | Check Price | |
| Tokina 35mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | Tokina | Check Price | |
| Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | Sigma | Check Price | |
| NIKON NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S Standard Fast Prime Lens for Nikon Z Mirrorless Cameras | Nikon | Check Price | |
| Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | Sigma | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Wide Angle Prime Lens For Nikon | 2022 Products Overview
1. YONGNUO YN50mm F1.8N Prime
- F/1. 8 large aperture which helps to separate the subject from background;
- A great prime lens that is an excellent addition to the Nikon 12-50mm kit lens;
- Supports auto focus and manual focus modes; supports full-frame and APS-C Format cameras;
- Adopts Gold Plated metal contacts, which effectively improves the signal Conductivity and corrosion resistance;
- Supports M/AV/TV/P and other camera Shooting modes, and parameters used to take pictures can be displayed in the exit information;
2. NIKON NIKKOR Z 85mm
- 85mm f/1.8 lens with nine blade diaphragm for soft rounded book
- Lens features 2 ED glass elements and Nano Crystal coating for lifelike accuracy
- Dust and drip resistant, the lens is extensively sealed to keep out dust and moisture
- Features customizable control ring
- Elevated by advancements of the revolutionary Z mount, the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S is a premium S-Line lens that blends optical ingenuity and artistic nuance. Flattering perspective. Breathtaking resolution.
- Stunning bokeh. Unwavering focus and lifelike accuracy compensation. This is an 85mm prime lens that will thrill and inspire those who shoot portraits, headshots, fashion, weddings, tight video shots, street photography or any situation that highlights the human form.
3. YONGNUO YN35mm F2 Lens
- Support Auto focus (AF) and manual focus (MF) mode, full line of the products are glass lenses.
- The aperture blades up to 7 pieces, which allows you able to shoot the near-circular diffuse plaques, appropriately narrow the apertures can shoot the 14 astral effect.
- Adopts chrome high precision metal bayonet, which effectively Improve the goodness to fit the camera body and the bayonet strength, wear and corrosion resistance for durable use.
- Supports full-frame and APS-C Format cameras, supports M/AV/TV/P and other camera shooting modes, and can be displayed the aperture data in the exit information.
- Multi-coated lenses, effectively Improve the transmittance and suppress the ghosting and flare when in backlight shooting, adopts Gold plating for the metal contacts, effectively Improve the signal Conductivity and corrosion resistance.
4. Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 28mm
- Fast f/1.8 prime NIKKOR lens
- Engineered for Nikon FX-format D-SLRs.Approx. Dimensions (Diameter x Length) 2.9 in. (73.0 mm) x 3.2 in.(80.5 mm)
- Nano Crystal Coat. Aspheric lens Elements
- Diaphragm blades: 7
- Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC)
- Lens not zoomable
- Bring a dramatic wide-angle perspective to your still and HD video shooting. The AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8Gs fast maximum aperture lets you create in nearly any light—dusk to dawn, indoors or out—and offers outstanding depth-of-field control.
- Nikons exclusive Nano Crystal Coat nearly eliminates the ghosting and flare seen with some wide-angle lenses for improved clarity and contrast. Impressive on both FX- and DX-format cameras, the AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G excels with landscapes, architecture, group shots, travel and more.
5. Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24mm
- This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a minimum 90-day warranty, and may arrive in a generic box. Only select sellers who maintain a high performance bar may offer Certified Refurbished products on Amazon.com
- Compelling wide-angle perspective combined with an ultra-fast f/1.4 aperture serves the needs of demanding professionals in exacting conditions
- Offers superior sharpness and color correction by effectively minimizing chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings
- Aspherical lens elements virtually eliminate coma and other types of aberration, even when shooting at the widest available aperture
- A Nano Crystal Coat further reduces ghosting and internal flare across a wide range of wavelengths for even greater image clarity. Picture angle with 35mm (135) format 84-degrees
6. Tokina 35mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO
- The Tokina 35mm f/2.8 AT-X M35 Pro DX Macro is a macro lens capable of life-sized (1:1) reproduction at an amazingly close 5.5 (14cm).
- Designed exclusively for use with digital SLR cameras that feature the smaller APS-C size sensor, this lens features a fast constant aperture of f/2.8, and provides a focal length equivalent to 52mm in 35mm format.
- As part of the AT-X line, this lens is designed to provide excellent optical quality, and offers advanced features like the WR (Water Repellent) front element, its One-touch Focus Clutch Mechanism, and a 9-bladed aperture.
- The excellent lens for short closeup photography.
- The One Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism allows for fast and easy switching between manual and auto focus from any position.
7. Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens
- 50mm focal length
- 75mm equivalent focal length on APS-C cameras, 100mm equivalent focal length on Four Thirds / Micro Four Thirds cameras, 80mm equivalent focal length on Canon APS-C cameras
- F1.4 maximum aperture; F16 minimum
- Ring-type ultrasonic-type AF motor with full-time manual focusing
- 77mm filters
- 0.45m/17.72 minimum focus
- Available in Canon EF, Four Thirds, Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha, Sigma SA, Nikon F (FX) mounts
8. NIKON NIKKOR Z 50mm
- Fast 50mm prime for Z Mirrorless cameras
- Uncanny f/1.8 performance, extreme sharpness and virtually zero distortion
- New ultra-quiet stepping motor for silent focusing
- Beautiful bokeh and superior Low-light performance
- 5-Axis Dual detect optical VR powered by Z cameras
- Compact, lightweight and slim unibody (monocoque) body design with tilting Vari angle LCD display
- Also compatible with F Mount NIKKOR Lenses using the FTZ Mount Adapter (sold separately)
9. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC
- 30mm focal length
- 2 low-dispersion glass elements, glass mold aspherical lens element
- 50.7-degree angle of view
- 11.81-inch minimum focusing distance
- The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM is a large aperture lens that provides a standard angle most similar to the human eye.
- As a lens designed for use on APS-C sized cameras, the 30mm focal length translates to approximately 50mm in 35mm format
- A glass mold aspherical lens element at the rear group of the lens reduces color aberration and provides high-quality image results. From 15.7 (40 cm) minimum focusing distance to infinity, this lens creates very sharp images with high contrast
- The image circle (rear of lens) is made to match the smaller dimensions used for the image sensor on these digital cameras.
Nikon Wide Angle Lens: What It Is and Why Buy One
Using a wide-angle lens allows you to frame a greater angle of view than standard lenses (we will quantify precisely later).
If you have so far used the camera only with the lens supplied in the kit, which typically starts at 18mm, you will certainly have encountered scenes that are too wide for them to fit into the frame.
When these situations begin to occur frequently enough to prevent you from seizing important photographic opportunities, it means that the time has come to buy a Nikon wide-angle lens.
Typically, this need is associated with landscape photography, which usually requires very extensive shots in both natural and urban contexts. Other situations in which it is necessary to shoot a high angle of view are the interiors, in which the limited room for maneuver prevents us from moving away, but also, more simply, group photos.
Furthermore, using a wide-angle allows you to obtain very interesting creative effects, thanks to the enhancement of the perspective typical of these lenses.
The Most Important Features of Nikon Wide Angle Lens
The key features for choosing a Nikon wide-angle lens are above all the focal length, brightness, and resistance to optical distortions.
Focal Length
The focal length is that parameter expressed in millimeters that indicates, in an inversely proportional way, how wide the angle of view framed with a given lens will be. The shorter the focal length, the greater the angle of view that you can embrace.
For example, if you are used to photographing with the 18-55 lens, the one most often sold in kits with reflex cameras, the shortest focal length available to you will be 18mm. Using a Nikon 10mm wide-angle lens, the angle of view will be 80% wider and pushing us to 9mm, this would even double.
In the diagram below we have compared all the starting focal lengths of the Nikon wide angles that we will describe later.
The innermost square corresponds to the frame that you would have at 18mm, ie with the basic lens. As you can see, the shots obtained at lower focal lengths are considerably wider.
We advise you to take this diagram as a reference to realize what frame you can get at a given focal length, when you read the reviews of the best Nikon wide angles, later on.
Almost all the lenses we have selected for you are of the zoom type, which means that you will have a certain range of focal lengths, more or less wide. Obviously, since we are talking about wide angles, we are mainly interested in the shorter one.
Brightness
The brightness of a lens corresponds to the maximum aperture available. All things being equal, optics that offer a very open aperture (for example f / 2.8) are preferred.
Each Nikon wide-angle lens that we will analyze has its own maximum aperture, which in the case of zooms often varies according to the focal length used.
Although this is a key parameter, normally, when choosing a lens, wide angles are somewhat of an exception. For most of their fields of application, it will be necessary to use, regardless, rather small apertures.
We advise you to take this aspect into consideration when choosing the Nikon wide-angle lens only if you plan to dedicate yourself to astrophotography or photos that require selective focus. Otherwise, even a less than excellent brightness will not compromise the use of the lens.
Optical Distortions and Deformations
A wide-angle lens, Nikon like any other brand, is more subject than other lenses to some particular deformations of the image.
The barrel distortion, for example, manifests itself as an unnatural bulge image and a consequent bowing of the straight lines (see the left edge in the example image).
These imperfections are rarely seen as a major problem in the case of natural landscapes, while they can represent a strong limitation in architectural photos. In fact, when the subjects photographed have regular shapes, the distortion appears more evident.
If you photograph strictly amateur, we frankly advise you not to give too much weight to this aspect: it will hardly affect your photos in a heavy way. If, on the other hand, you specialize in architectural photos and expect high-level results, it may be worth investing a little more for a high-end Nikon wide-angle lens, which minimizes this defect.
The flare, on the other hand, is a deformation of the image due to light rays that bounce between the various lenses of the objective and are recorded in the photo in the form of halos, haze or glare.
If you often photograph sunrises and sunsets (including the sun in the frame) it may be worth spending a little more on a lens with a good flare response.
In the mini-reviews of the best wide-angle lenses for Nikon, we have reported the optics that respond better or worse to this annoying defect.
Having made the appropriate premises, let’s now see which are the most interesting models of the moment.
Conclusions
At this point, I hope you have a clearer idea of the best Nikon wide-angle you can buy for your photography.
Have you decided to buy your first Nikon wide-angle lens? If you have any other questions or doubts, comment on the article.
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