Best Lenses For Nikon D850 Camera
Do you own a Nikon D850? As a versatile camera that is meant to suit a variety of skill-sets and shooting environments, this is a great piece of tech to add to your photography kit. Whether you're into photography only since few months or you’re a seasoned professional, you can definitely benefit from the professional features of this camera.
With 45.7 megapixels, you can capture every detail on photo and video and get wide-angle shots as well as slow-motion video in 4K UHD. Time-lapse is a breeze to shoot, even in low light, and you’ll still get a high resolution. An ISO range of 64 to 25600 gives you a lot of exposure to play with.
If you’ve got such a strong player in your camera kit, which lets you shoot just about anything from landscape and wedding stills to sports and fashion videos, you need some decent lenses to get the best out of your Nikon.
As the Nikon D850 has the capacity to capture high-res photos and also has speedy AF features, it’s necessary to look at lenses that will match up to its efficiency. There are plenty of lenses out there, but which ones are the best lenses for the Nikon D850? Let’s take a look.
LIST OF BEST LENSES FOR NIKON D850
10 BEST LENSES FOR NIKON D850 REVIEW
1. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 50MM F/1.8G LENS - BEST PORTRAIT LENS FOR NIKON D850
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES: Want to make your portraits and outdoor shots look realistic? As this 50mm, f/1.8G naturally gives you a cinematic feel with its breathtaking bokeh; it is considered the best prime lens for portraiture. Though this lens is not the sharpest in its class, you ultimately get sharp images and color accuracy when used with a huge resolution camera like Nikon D850.
DESIGN: Compact in weight (185 grams) but slightly bigger when compared to the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. Though the lens is primarily made of plastic, it feels sturdy and professional. The lens mount is made of metal, and the gasket is weather sealed, which feels nice.
It has got a distance marking scale on the barrel with an AF/MF on the side. The manual focus ring has a rubberish feel and provides a good grip on your fingers.
I really liked that the lens has an internal focusing mechanism as 50mm f/1.8 Canon lens doesn't have this provision.
However, the AF is a little noisy, so I wouldn't recommend using AF all the time while shooting videos. I don't consider the lack of image stabilization in this lens a big flaw because the Nikon D850 already has a Vibration reduction feature to get rid of camera shakes while shooting videos handheld.
PERFORMANCE: As you know wider the aperture, the more the depth of field. This is what the lens gives you. I've used it on my D850 (Full-frame) and D5600(APS-C), and I'll tell you how it works.
Firstly, I'll share my experience with the APS-C Nikon camera where it gives a 75mm equivalent. The center sharpness while at f/1.8 is excellent. But you notice some soft corners at f/1.8. When stopped down to f/4, f/8, you get sharp corners as well.
With the D850, I wasn't able to get soft corners at f/1.8. Which I consider a bonus because you naturally get complete focus on the subject and a blurry background.
If you wish to have high color contrast, set the aperture between f/4- f/11. For portrait photography, we naturally need some dark corners, right? Only then will portraits look realistic. And this lens gives you that.
You can use the lens very well in low-lights because the f/1.8 allows more light to enter the lens resulting in brighter footage.
Overall, the lens works great both in an APS-C camera and a full-frame Nikon camera like D850. In both cases, you will not notice any aberrations or purple fringing even when all image filters are removed, making it one of the best lenses for Nikon D850.
Pros
Cons
2. NIKON AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105MM F/2.8G IF-ED - BEST MACRO LENS FOR NIKON D850
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES: Be ready to take beautiful close-up shots of insects, flowers or even take beautiful portraits of small-headed people with this 105mm f/2.8G lens. This macro lens from Nikon would pair very well with your Nikon D850. It's on the expensive side, but it's a professional piece of equipment to add to your collection, and it will serve you quite well.
DESIGN: Well, I admit that the lens is slightly heavy (almost around 750 grams), but the build quality is commendable.
I want to compare the build quality of this lens with that of the above-mentioned 50mm f/1.8G lens. Firstly, the lens is fully made of metal and comes with a plastic lens hood. Like the 50mm f/1.8G, the gasket is weather sealed.
One noticeable change is the presence of an image stabilization feature included to the lens. So, you can comfortably take videos without worrying about camera shakes, and micro jiggles disturbing your performance.
It has got switches on the lens barrel for AF/MF and image stabilization. Like the previous lens, the manual focus ring here feels sturdy and focuses precisely.
PERFORMANCE: Let me start with its magnification feature. It has a 1:1 reproduction ratio, meaning you can capture elements true-to-size, even from a distance. It's a great option if you happen to be into wildlife or nature photography because every detail will show up starkly in a 1:1 ratio.
Although the autofocus might not be compatible with very cheap new cameras, you'll still be able to focus in manual mode, and if you're using your Nikon D850, everything should be fine. You can expect a pretty quick AF speed.
You can use the lens with any FX, DX, or mirrorless Z format cameras (ensure you have an FT-Z adapter). Experts say that the lens shows a high color accuracy and sharpness when used between f/5.6 - 11 on a full-frame camera like D850.
Surprisingly, the lens doesn't give you any distorted images even when used in bright light. However, slight lens flare and fringing are noticeable under bright light so make sure you use the necessary image filters in your post-production.
Overall, it doesn't feel like the lens is 12 years old. I recommend this lens as another buying option for the best lenses for Nikon D850 because it gives you an impressive and soft bokeh at f/2.8. You can also use the lens in low-light scenarios as the lens has got a wide aperture and image stabilization, allowing you to have slower shutter speeds in low-lights.
Pros
Cons
3. NIKON AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR - BEST MEDIUM-TELEPHOTO LENS FOR NIKON D850
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES: Are you looking for a telephoto zoom lens for addition to your studio kit? Well, here's a fantastic lens for which is again from Nikon. I wouldn't say this lens to be cheap, but it's much more affordable than many lenses out there. So, if you're just starting out or if you're looking for a semi-budget option that can still give you quality results, this is an excellent lens to go for. It’s one the the sharpest Nikon lens I own, and its focus speed is also the fastest. This APS-C lens will provide an equivalent focal length of 105-450 mm when used with Nikon D850.
DESIGN: Firstly, this is a pretty light lens, and for a telephoto lens, this lightweight design really surprises me. Moving on, the lens is primarily made of plastic but is durable. It comes with a large zoom ring that's quite easy to turn.
Like the micro Nikkor 105mm, this lens also has a Vibration Reduction (VR) feature great for shooting handhelds, especially if you don't particularly want to use a tripod or if you're an amateur.
The only thing that could have been added is weather resistance. Yeah, unfortunately, this lens is not weatherproof, so avoid using the lens in harsh conditions. Also, you will not find any switches on the lens, so you will have to use the camera's menu settings and back buttons to adjust the controls.
This is the first-ever lens from Nikon with an AF-P pulsing motor, which makes a huge difference in autofocus. It is very fast, silent, and accurate, making it another best lens for Nikon D850.
PERFORMANCE: If you primarily shoot using autofocus, you'll prefer this lens, but you can correct it to manual focus anytime you want. The manual focus could be slightly better on this lens, but it's decent. Aside from that, this lens is packed with features for the price, and it's very much value for money.
With a 4.3x zoom range, you can capture wide landscapes while also getting close-up snaps in very crisp detail. Even while shooting videos, the VR feature ensures stabilization throughout the clip.
The image quality is good and is also sharp even when wide-open. The color contrast is also good. However, the lens would demand higher ISOs when using it in dim lights. The reason being the lens has relatively a slow aperture.
I used this lens on my D850 to capture pictures of the newly bloomed daisy flower in my garden. At 300mm, I was able to achieve perfect creamy bokeh that was quite impressive. The lens does give you a nice depth of field.
Overall, a great telephoto lens that could be used to capture anything in bright light.
Also, check out the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR f/2.8 G IF ED if you want a similar lens that can be used in low-lights.
Pros
Cons
4. SIGMA 150-600MM 5-6.3 CONTEMPORARY DG OS HSM - BEST SUPER-TELEPHOTO LENS FOR NIKON D850
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES: Another super-telephoto lens for your Nikon D850 with an excellent zoom range of 150 to 600mm. With this lens on your Nikon camera, you can take beautiful wildlife photographs, portraits, landscape photographs, and even use it for sports photography. The lens is compatible with APS-C sensor Nikon cameras as well. In that case, you will get an equivalent focal length of 225 to 900mm.
DESIGN: The sports version of this lens weighs a kilogram heavier than this contemporary version. The rear end and tripod mount of the lens are made of metal, whereas the rest of the design is made of plastic. But the overall quality is good; it is sturdy and has a metal lens mount with weather sealed gasket at the back of the lens.
When it comes to the zoom and focus rings, I will not say the rings are as smooth as the lenses mentioned above. But they are not bad either. It's just that they are a little sticky. They are sturdy, of course, and give you precise focusing.
I am happy that it has a zoom lock switch so that I can lock the zoom position at any focal length. I also noticed that once plugged in with a Sigma USB dock for Nikon you can customize the firmware updates, AF speed, OS system etc.
PERFORMANCE: When using the default stabilization mode, I didn't find the results to be supreme. So, I switched to moderate view in OS view, by doing so I found both my still photographs and videos to remain stabilized even at 600mm.
For outdoor photography and videography the lens works best. However this is not a great indoor lens. The lens doesn't have a wide aperture hence it suffers in dark environments. If you're working in slightly dim light conditions set the aperture at f/6.3 to get bright shots.
Now I'll tell you about the overall image quality when used with an D850 camera. It's stunning. I tried the lens at different focal lengths like 150mm, 300mm, 450mm and finally 600mm. I should say the lens maintains its sharpness and contrast throughout the focal range. And at 600mm f/11 the results are damn good.
If I have to mention about the AF speed, it's decent not fast not very slow. But the AF is very accurate especially when used at the longer focal lengths. The bokeh quality is impressive, you get perfect out-of-focus effects. Thanks to the 9-bladed diaphragm used in the lens' internal design.
The lens is parfocal meaning the lens maintains it's focus even when the focal length changes so definitely the best lens for Nikon D850 for shooting videos outdoors.
I recommend using this lens with a tripod as the lens it is heavy and you will not get the true results of this lens when shooting handheld.
Pros
Cons
5. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 14-24MM F/2.8G ED - BEST LANDSCAPE LENS FOR NIKON D850
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES: Be ready to shoot beautiful landscape shots even in low-lights with this wide-angle zoom lens from Nikon. The lens features a weather-resistant design and gives a full-frame equivalent of 21-36mm when used with an APS-C camera.
DESIGN: The lens is mostly made of glass and metal. As you know, lenses that have wide apertures are naturally heavy. The same goes with this lens; it weighs almost 2.2 pounds.
The internal optics consists of a 9-bladed diaphragm to give that extraordinary bokeh effect. Also, three aspherical elements and two ED glasses help reduce distortions and chromatic aberrations.
When it comes to autofocus speed, the AF is very fast and also accurate. Thanks to the Silent wave AF motor.
As the Nikon D850 has a vibration reduction feature, I don't see the lack of image stabilization in this lens as a big flaw.
PERFORMANCE: Though this lens was officially released in 2007, it is still many professional photographers' favorite due to its versatility.
I use this lens on my D850 camera to capture wide-angle shots of buildings, mountains, and even for street photography. As the lens has got a minimum focusing distance of 0.28m, you can use this as a macro lens as well. However, don't go beyond this limit, as your images will look blurry.
For those of you who would love to make vlogs with your Nikon D850 can consider buying this lens. The best part I liked about the lens is its level of sharpness. Throughout the zoom range, you will notice that your images are crisp and clear.
For outstanding landscape results, use the lens between 18 to 24mm. This is it about the lens, those looking for a wide-angle lens for your D850 DSLR should definitely have their hands on this amazing lens.
Pros
Cons
6. ROKINON FE8M-N 8MM F3.5 FISHEYE FIXED LENS FOR NIKON
PRODUCT DETAILS:
This fisheye lens from Rokinon takes a place in my list as it is great for wide-angle shots. This is a very affordable lens, with only manual focus (which is best for fisheye lenses). It’s made for Nikon, so it should match very well with your D850 camera.
The lens has very good depth-of-field, and the aspherical elements ensure that you won’t have to deal with issues of ghosting.
Projection is very effective, and since a fisheye lens is a bit of a specialty lens, it’s better to go for a budget option like this.
Pros
Cons
7. ROKINON 14MM F/2.8 IF ED UMC ULTRA WIDE ANGLE FIXED LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Here’s another option from Rokinon, and it’s also priced reasonably. It’s suitable for DSLR cameras and also mirrorless cameras.
With ED and aspherical elements, the images you take should be detailed and crisp and without any aberrations. Wide rectilinear shots are well-suited to this lens, and UMC multi-coating is present to reduce lens flare and ghosting.
The lens has a special chip to enable focus confirmation and auto exposure and also has a petal-type hood. The wide-angle shooting you can achieve with this lens makes it ideal for night photography and landscapes. You can only shoot on manual with this, however.
Pros
Cons
8. ROKINON 85MAF-N 85MM F1.4 ASPHERICAL LENS FOR NIKON WITH AUTOMATIC CHIP
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Also, from Rokinon, this telephoto lens is relatively compact, and the sharpness is particularly good at f/2 and decent at f/1.4.
There’s no autofocus here, as it’s manual only, and adjusting focus is quite satisfying and mechanical. The lens also comes with a bayonet-type hood that protects the lens and reduces glare. With eight-diaphragm blades, bokeh turns out very well when you use this lens.
Pros
Cons
9. TAMRON AF 35-150MM F/2.8-4 DI VC OSD LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
The 9th product in my list of best lenses for Nikon D850 is this lens from Tamron. The lens is a notch above mid-range, but considering how expensive lenses can get, it’s probably very reasonable to some. The quality will be worth the investment for sure, and it’s one of the best lenses for the Nikon D850 you can get.
This is built for portrait-work and has a great zoom range. Autofocus is quick and precise, with Optimized Silent Drive (OSD), so you can work quietly. You also get very accurate color and contrast when shooting with this lens.
Pros
Cons
10. TAMRON 18-400MM F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Finally, another mid-range option from Tamron, this lens will work great with your Nikon D850. This is an all-in-one zoom lens that is built for travel photography and also works very well for nature and wildlife photography.
With a wide focal length range, you can shoot everything from spacious landscapes to small details, with a magnification ratio of 12:9. The clarity of the snaps you’ll take with this lens will be well worth the price.
Pros
Cons
BUYING GUIDE FOR THE BEST LENSES FOR NIKON D850
Now that you've got an idea about the different lenses that can produce the best results with your Nikon D850 camera, make sure you read the points given below carefully before making a final decision about the lens.
What type of shots or videos you will be taking?
As you know, every lens has its own ground. You need to be aware of what type of photography/videography you're interested in. I'll tell you my top picks for the different styles of photography.
If you wish to take landscape shots or videos like environmental photography, street photography, building photography, or even group shots, an ultra-wide-angle lens of <24mm such as the is recommended. My pick would be the NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 14-24MM F/2.8G ED LENS.
For taking extreme close-up shots with good sharpness, a focal length of 90-105mm is suitable. Expert's pick: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105MM F/2.8G LENS.
If you're a sports or wildlife photographer, a super-telephoto lens like the SIGMA 150-600MM 5-6.3 CONTEMPORARY DG OS HSM will do the job rightly.
However, if you want a general-purpose telephoto lens for taking portraits, landscapes, wedding photographs, and videos, a medium telephoto lens with 60- to 150mm focal length is preferred. My pick would be the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR LENS.
For taking portraits, a prime lens is the best because they generally don't provide end-to-end sharpness, thus resulting in realistic portrait photographs. My favorite is the AF-S NIKKOR 50MM F/1.8G LENS.
If you will be shooting videos or still images where you need to use different focal lengths, a zoom lens is preferred. For street photography, I would recommend either a wide-angle zoom or prime wide-angle lens.
LENS MOUNT
For your information, a Nikon D850 camera uses a full-frame(35mm film) sensor. Meaning, it uses an FX mount lens.
But you can use a DX mount(APS-C) lens as the camera works well with that as well. But make sure you take the crop factor equivalent while using a DX mount lens on a full-frame camera like D850.
APERTURE
Wider the aperture, the more the light enters the lens. If low-light photography and videography are your areas of interest, a wide aperture of f/2.8 or wider is a must. Otherwise, the lens will suffer in low-lights. If you wish to have a sharp focus on the subject while the background remaining blurred, a wide-aperture lens is needed.
For outdoor shoots and bright lights, a normal aperture range of f/3.5-6.3 is suitable. But remember wide the aperture, the more shallow the depth of field will be.
IMAGE STABILIZATION
The Nikon D850 doesn't have an in-body stabilization feature, so I highly recommend my fellow handheld photographers/videographers purchase a lens that has an IS feature in it.
The reason being, while you shoot at low-lights handheld, the more the chances are for the images and videos to get blurred. This is because your camera will suffer from camera shakes and micro jiggles while shooting handheld.
If you have an image stabilization or vibration reduction feature in your lens, you can capture sharp images and videos even at slower shutter speeds without any camera shakes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Is the Nikon D850 camera F mount?
Yes. The Nikon D840 is a full-frame 45.7MP DSLR camera. But it is compatible with both FX(Full-frame) and DX (APS-C) mount lenses.
2. Is Nikon Z7 camera better than a Nikon D850?
Well yes. Though a Nikon D850 has versatile features like a 42MP camera, EXPEED 5 image processor, touch screen facility, and much more, it doesn't have an in-body stabilization and an N-log feature. In contrast, the Z7 camera has these two in addition to many improved features.
3. What is the sharpest Nikon lens?
According to my user experience with different lenses, the AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR or the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR is the sharpest lens with a good zoom range.
4. What is the difference between a Nikon AF and AF-S lens?
The AF in a Nikon lens means it supports Autofocus. An AF-S lens means that it uses a Nikon Silent wave motor for autofocusing. The former lens is comparatively heavy to the AF-S lens.
CONCLUSION
So now you know what you should be looking at when you’re scouting for the best lenses for the Nikon D850. Although some are quite expensive, there are a few cheap ones as well that are very serviceable and will still give you quality results. Make the most of your Nikon D850 camera, and get a good lens to match so you won’t be caught off guard no matter the shooting environment or conditions. You’ll be good to go with any of the lenses on this list!
