Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
It’s time to find the best wide-angle lens for Nikon cameras. By pairing an excellent lens with your already amazing Nikon camera, your photography is going to be taken to the next level. Why? Because a quality wide-angle lens will fill your frame from corner to corner with exactly what you’re looking to capture. This means you get an incredible perspective in all your photos of landscapes, cityscapes, and of course architecture.
Sure, Nikon makes great cameras. But no camera will ever reach its full potential without a lens to match. And while prime lenses and zoom lenses are great, if you’re the kind of person who loves the outdoors, who loves traveling, and who loves taking striking imagery of vast panoramas, you need the best wide-angle lens for your Nikon camera!
Plus, wide-angle lenses are great for shooting when there’s limited space available. Rather than struggling to fit the interior of a building into the frame of your tiny smartphone, bust out your Nikon camera and your wide-angle lens, back yourself against a wall, and let the lens do its magic. Because of its amazing range, you can photograph the most claustrophobic rooms with ease, whereas your friends without lenses will struggle!
1. Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens
First on the list is an incredibly affordable proprietary lens from Nikon. This amazing wide-angle lens is ideal for beginners. It’s a great introduction to how these types of lenses work, and it won’t break the bank while you’re figuring it out. The lens uses a very fast stepping motor that makes it ideal for shooting video while keeping focusing noise to a minimum. The lens has very smooth manual adjustments, it has vibration reduction technology, image stabilization technology, and you’re able to use slower shutter speeds in dim situations.
The main point of this lens is really its affordability. It’s a fairly new item on the market and still costs less than many lenses that are 10 years older. Despite this, you don’t sacrifice any quality. You can get up to 0.8 feet from your subject to create dramatic imagery, which is great for taking photos indoors. Plus, the lens is lightweight, easy to use, and produces quality images. We think any photographer, professional or amateur, will be very satisfied with this lens.
Pros
- Exceptionally Affordable & Well-Rated
- Vibration Reduction Technology
- Small & Lightweight Design
- Fast & Nearly Silent Stepping Motor
- Ideal for Beginners
Cons
- No External Switches
- Won’t Work w/ Some Older Cameras
2. Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC Super Wide-Angle Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras
The Sigma Super Wide-Angle Lens is the only third-party lens on our list today for a reason. Because it’s simply superb. As an older lens, you can now pick it up at an outrageously affordable price. It’s great for real estate, architecture, parties, and low-light photography. It’s an ideal wide-angle lens that can be used to capture some of the most extreme landscapes on earth. It has a maximum aperture of f3.5 through the full zoom range, it gives an excellent exaggerated perspective, and it uses a special low dispersion glass to provide full correction of all different types of aberrations.
Even though it is quite a few years old, this Sigma lens is still relevant today. It even comes with a petal-type hood to block out the extraneous light. The focusing system is fantastic, and you can even focus at an unreal distance of up to 9.4”. If you need to emphasize perspective, this is one of the better lenses to do it with.
Pros
- Included w/ Petal Hood
- Ultra-Wide 102.4 Degrees
- Amazing Exaggerated Perspective
- Minimum Focusing Distance of 9.4”
- Hyper Sonic Motor for Quiet Autofocus
Cons
- Older Model
- Third Party Lens
3. Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED Zoom Lens
The Nikon 16-35mm wide-angle zoom lens is fantastic. This is one of those lenses that is going to change the way you take photographs. What really sets this lens apart from the competition is the glass. You simply can’t get better images when using a different brand of lens. Plus, the vibration reduction really adds some quality to your photographs. It may not seem like much, but when you’re shooting photographs on the move, the vibration reduction keeps your images clear, in focus, and superb. The nanocrystal coating and the VR work together to produce the very best image quality of any wide-angle lens in this price range.
Additionally, you get full versatility with this lens. Because of its advanced technology, you can use it for a ton of different shooting situations while never needing to worry about flare or ghosting. If you have a DSLR camera from Nikon and want the all-around best lens, definitely pick up this model. It’s great in the daytime, it’s great at night, and you can take some seriously creative photographs of anything you set your eyes on.
Pros
- Image Stabilization + Vibration Reduction
- Works in Daylight & Low Light
- Fast & Silent SWM Motor
- Advanced Lens for DSLR Cameras
- High Resolution Through Full Zoom Range
Cons
- Heavy for Some People
- Plastic Outer Case
4. Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S Wide Angle Lens
This list would not be complete without an excellent Z lens from Nikon. This type of lens is designed specially to be used with a Z camera body, and it’s the best there is. It’s ultra-wide, meaning that you can use it for any scene imaginable. You can also focus as close as 11 inches to get amazing context in tight interiors. This is one of those indispensable lenses that you will want to carry with you for any kind of occasion. Serious videographers and filmmakers will also love the Z lens because of its small and agile feel. It fits comfortably on your camera and its advanced image stabilization eliminates all the unwanted camera shake that you would otherwise experience.
The lens has a nanocrystal coat and a fluorine coat, which work together to reduce ghosting and flare while repelling dirt, water, and dust. The autofocus is smooth and quiet, the 5-axis VR gives unparalleled shake correction, and the control ring is fully customizable for manual focusing. Plus, the body of the lens is resistant to dust and moisture.
Pros
- Smooth & Fast Autofocusing
- Superior Optical Performance
- Small & Saves Space
- Available w/ 82mm Circular Polarizer
- Fluorine Coat Repels Dirt/Dust/Water
Cons
- Designed Specifically for Z Cameras
- Very Expensive
5. Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens
Last on the list is another amazing proprietary lens from Nikon. If you’re looking for something heavy-duty to take with you for shooting serious landscapes and low-light events, this is it. It is a little large for casual outings, but it’s great if you’re taking the lens to snap photos of something impressive on a hike or out in nature. With Nikon’s lens technology, you get the best in optics. The color correction is fantastic, you get superior sharpness in all your images, and almost all the aberration is eliminated. The autofocusing is fast and quiet, which makes it an excellent lens for taking video.
But the greatest thing about this lens is that it’s versatile. You can shoot indoors and in close quarters, you get a great perspective on architecture and landscapes, and it’s even ideal for group portraits. Plus, when you zoom in all the way, you get a very natural 35mm perspective just like what you see with your own eyes. It’s an ideal lens for any photo or video session.
Pros
- Ideal for Architecture & Travel
- Excellent for Video w/ Fast Autofocusing
- High Versatility
- Sharp Throughout the Frame
- Lightweight
Cons
- Not Designed for Newest Cameras
- Large Size for Casual Outings
Final Thoughts
As a professional photographer or an aspiring photographer, you obviously need a wide-angle lens. It’s like a tradesman not having a screwdriver. It’s a critical tool that goes into your camera kit. But when it’s time to choose the best lens, there are still a few things that you want to keep in mind. And if you’re new to the game, there might be some terms that you’re not familiar with.
Let’s talk about perspective. You’ve heard this word thrown around a lot in the article, so let’s explain it a little better. With a wide-angle lens, the closer you get to a subject, the more exaggerated your perspective is going to be. This is what allows you to take pictures of average buildings and turn them into looming giants.
On the other hand, if you back away from your subject, you can cram in way more context. This is what enables you to stand on the side of a mountain and take a picture of the entire country. The wide angle of the lens captures pretty much everything that you can see with your own two eyes.
Another important thing to think about when purchasing your lens is the focal length. The true focal length of a lens is always going to depend on which camera you pair it with. For example, a full-frame lens is only going to work with a full-frame camera. You always want to check which camera you have to make sure it’s going to match properly with the lens you’re looking at.
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