Nikon Z wide-angle lenses - complete guide

Since 2018, Nikon has been among the major brands offering full-frame mirrorless cameras, alongside Sony, Canon, Panasonic and Leica. We have also written a complete article listing all current Nikon Z full-frame cameras. It should help you narrow down your options if you are considering buying one.

But let’s get back to the subject of this article: Nikon Z wide-angle lenses. Although the Nikon Z-mount is still relatively recent, the lens lineup has grown significantly. In this article, we’ll look at the best wide-angle lenses for the Nikon Z-mount, both for Nikon full-frame and APS-C cameras. There are still fewer options than on older systems, especially for APS-C, and many of them remain quite expensive. However, native Z lenses are the best way to fully take advantage of Nikon Z5, Z6/Z6 II, Z7/Z7 II and Z9 cameras (full frame), as well as the Nikon Z50, Zfc and Z30 (APS-C). Wide-angle lenses are popular for landscape and architectural photography, offering a wide field of view for dramatic scenes, architecture, or indoor spaces where you cannot step back very far.

Even though wide-angle APS-C lenses are still relatively rare, I decided to split the article into two sections:

• The best wide-angle lenses for Nikon full-frame cameras
• The best wide-angle lenses for Nikon APS-C cameras

Below is my list of the best wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses available for Nikon Z. In addition, we wrote a comprehensive page that will be updated regularly, so you can find all the lenses available for this Z-mount.

The table below summarizes the key points to remember for each lens.

Visual

Lens

Features

Best price

Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S

• Good image quality
• Quiet/fast AF
• Weather sealed
• Quite expensive

Amazon
B&H

Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S

• Very good image quality
• Very good flare resistance
• Fast/quiet AF
• Best 20mm option

Amazon
B&H

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8

• Very good compactness
• Superb image quality
• High-end design
• LCD screen

Amazon
B&H

Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S

• Ability to use filters
• High image quality
• Compact/lightweight lens
• Wide angle of view

Amazon
B&H

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

• Very good image quality
• Few optical defects
• Limited range
• Lightweight lens

Amazon
B&H

Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8

• Average design
• Good image quality (center)
• Fast/quiet AF
• Suitable for street photography

Amazon
B&H

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 Z

• Bright ultra wide angle
• All metal construction
• Tropicalized
• Good low light performance

Amazon
B&H

So here are the Nikon Z wide-angle lenses I consider the most interesting:

• Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S
• Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S
• Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S
• Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8
• Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8
• Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8

Below, you’ll find a comparison of the main characteristics of the Nikon Z wide-angle lenses discussed here.

On the DSLR market, Nikon had previously released a very popular 24mm f/1.8 in its G series. At the end of 2019, they released this 24mm f/1.8 in the S line, Nikon’s high-end Z-mount range.

This step up in quality comes with a more complex optical design, which also means more weight and larger dimensions than the DSLR version. Image quality is very good, especially from f/2.8, and some defects are easily corrected, such as vignetting or distortion. However, other flaws, such as coma and astigmatism, have a more noticeable impact with this 24mm. It is not the most astrophotography-oriented option, but it is excellent for landscapes. The AF is relatively fast and quiet.

At more than €1,200, Nikon’s S line has pushed the price of f/1.8 lenses up significantly, including this 24mm. Without many comparable native Z-mount alternatives, it remains the best option, even though more competition would be welcome.

In early 2020, Nikon continued expanding its f/1.8 range with this 20mm f/1.8 S. Like the 24mm, the DSLR version had a less premium design. So, once again, the mirrorless version is larger and heavier.

The image quality is very good from full aperture and improves further from f/2.8. Again, coma remains fairly visible, so this is not the most suitable lens for astrophotography, but it is excellent for landscapes and architecture. Flare resistance is very good, and autofocus is fast and quiet.

At €1,300, this is again a significant price increase compared to the DSLR version, although it is not possible to directly compare these versions, as the f/1.8 DSLR range is not high-end. This 20mm remains the best native option for now.

In mid-2020, Nikon announced the mirrorless version of its famous 14-24mm f/2.8. The DSLR version had been so highly regarded that even many Canon users envied it. This new version follows the same spirit, but with a lower weight (the DSLR version weighed almost 1 kg!).

The lens is excellent from full aperture, although there is a slight drop at the extremes of the range; in practice, there is very little to complain about. The design is very high-end with an LCD display showing some information and plenty of customization options. The AF is very fast and quiet.

For €2,800, you get the best Nikon offers in this category. The price seems high, but compared to Canon’s 15-35mm f/2.8 L or Sony’s 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, it’s not a surprise. It is obviously not for every budget, but it is definitely one of Nikon’s strongest options in this category. This is also the lens (with the f/4 version mentioned below) offering the widest angle of view.

In early 2019, Nikon released this rather atypical 14-30mm f/4, slightly moving away from the usual 16-35mm f/4 zoom range. Its weight and ability to accept screw-in filters, despite starting at 14mm, are quite remarkable.

The image quality is obviously less impressive than the 14-24mm f/2.8 S but still very high, even if it decreases as you zoom in towards the long focal lengths. Once again, this lens is not specifically designed for astrophotography, but it works very well for almost everything else, with compact dimensions and low weight that are real assets in the field.

At just over €1,500, it is not exactly affordable, but compared with Canon’s 14-35mm f/4 L or Sony’s 16-35mm f/4 G, the price is not unusual. A great compact and lightweight option considering the focal range.

Because Nikon has worked closely with Tamron, some Nikon Z lenses appear to be based on optical formulas similar to Tamron lenses originally released for Sony E-mount. After the 28-75mm f/2.8 Z, which closely resembled the Tamron version, Nikon released another very similar lens with this 17-28mm f/2.8 Z.

Build quality is very good, and autofocus is fairly fast and reliable. The Tamron version’s motor was a little slow, but Nikon’s implementation feels more responsive, depending of course on the camera body used. Optical quality is very good, although it falls slightly behind at the longer end. Vignetting and distortion are present, especially at 17mm, but chromatic aberrations and flare are very well controlled, which is a strong point for this type of lens. The focal length range is reduced, but this allows it to be one of the lightest in its category.

Available for 1350€, the Tamron version for Sony is much more affordable but Nikon has redesigned its “envelope” which makes it look less cheap. However, it is not necessarily better than the 14-30mm f/4 S, which costs almost the same, offers a wider focal range and remains more compact despite being slightly heavier. If you are not interested in the f/2.8 aperture, the 14-30mm f/4 from Nikon is in my opinion a better option.

At the end of 2021, Nikon announced a very light and compact 28mm f/2.8. First released in a “vintage” version alongside the Nikon Zfc, an APS-C body inspired by old Nikon film cameras, it was later released in a modern version, with a diameter increased by 1 cm and a weight increase of 5 g.

Given its simpler optical design and non-S positioning, it was reasonable to expect image quality to sit below the S-line lenses. And unsurprisingly, that is the case: uniformity is only average, with edges lagging far behind the center, which can still reach a very good level. The build is also more entry-level, with no weather sealing and more plastic materials. The AF is very fast and quiet. These characteristics make it more of a street photography lens, where its low weight and small size will be highly appreciated.

For 300€ (340€ for the “vintage” version), you get a useful and affordable lens, although it will not be as useful for landscape as for reportage.

If you’re interested in this type of lens, check out our guide to the best Z-mount pancake lenses.

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8, available for the Nikon Z mount, is a bright ultra-wide-angle lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Its f/1.8 aperture and wide field of view are among its main strengths, and its optical formula uses 15 elements in 12 groups, including 4 ED and 3 aspherical elements. The lens focuses internally and has a minimum focusing distance of 27 cm.

Its construction is entirely metal, and it is weather-sealed. The dimensions of the lens remain reasonable, in line with the average for bright wide-angle lenses. Its 16mm focal length makes it suitable for landscape, architecture and astrophotography. Its f/1.8 aperture also makes it useful in low light.

In short, the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 offers good handling and balance on full-frame mirrorless cameras, making it a strong option if you want a bright, high-quality wide-angle lens at a more accessible price.

Here are the comparative characteristics of each lens mentioned above.

The Z-mount now has more third-party options than it did at launch, but native autofocus alternatives remain more limited than on older systems, especially for wide-angle zooms.

One autofocus alternative worth considering is the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 Z which costs around €450. Viltrox lenses generally have significant chromatic aberrations and are sensitive to flare. So you shouldn’t expect to match the quality of Nikon’s 24mm f/1.8 S, but for almost a third of the price, the Viltrox offers decent performance.

Several third-party brands also offer manual-focus Z-mount lenses. These include Z lenses from Laowa (often very good quality), 7Artisans, TTArtisan, AstrHori, Samyang and Voigtlander.

The table below summarizes the Nikon Z manual-focus wide-angle lenses I have found:

As we can see, the manual-focus selection is broader than before, but performance varies a lot from one lens to another. More autofocus options from third-party brands would still be welcome.

The FTZ ring, recently updated by Nikon, allows you to use Nikon F-mount lenses. The link above details all the available Nikon F lenses (for DSLR cameras).

Things are fairly simple, as wide-angle options for Nikon Z mirrorless cameras are still relatively limited, although third-party brands are gradually expanding the range.

So I won’t go into detail about every manual-focus lens with wide-angle capabilities. However, here are the details of the few lenses that I think are worth considering at the moment if you have a Nikon Z APS-C camera. You can also take a look at all the lenses available for Nikon APS-C cameras on our dedicated page.

Below is a table summarizing what you need to know about these lenses. The table will be updated as new wide-angle lenses for Nikon APS-C cameras become available, especially those with autofocus.

Here are the Nikon Z APS-C wide-angle lenses I’m going to introduce:

• Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 Z
• Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR
• Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary

Below is a table summarizing the main features of these lenses.

Also available for Fujifilm X-mount, this Viltrox lens, released in summer 2022, was one of the first autofocus wide-angle lenses for Nikon APS-C cameras. It offers one of the widest angles of view available with autofocus, setting aside manual-focus lenses such as Laowa’s 10mm or Meike’s 10/12mm options. If you are looking for a good lens for landscape and architecture, as well as indoor shooting thanks to its very bright f/1.4 aperture, this Viltrox may be just what you need.

The lens uses a classic 67mm filter thread and has very good build quality, with an all-metal body (like my Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 E) and a satin black finish. The lens looks very solid and seems a bit large for an APS-C lens with 420g and 9cm length. However, Viltrox did not include full weather sealing on this lens. The lens is not stabilized either, although this is less important for such a wide focal length. In terms of ergonomics, the focus ring is pleasant to use and works very well. There is no AF/MF switch but you will find a micro USB-C port to update the lens through firmware. The autofocus is said to be excellent.

In terms of image quality, it is already very good in the center and on the sides, although the corners lag behind at full aperture. Stopping down to f/2.8 only slightly improves the center, but the edges become much better. At f/5.6, the image will be perfectly homogeneous, ideal for landscape for example. When it comes to optical flaws, chromatic aberrations are well controlled. Bokeh quality is decent, although the minimum focusing distance is fairly long (22 cm), which limits strong background blur. As usual, the resistance to flare is average while vignetting and distortion are overall very well managed.

All things considered, this Viltrox is excellent news and a very nice option for anyone looking for a wide-angle lens for an APS-C Nikon Z camera. The lens works well for landscapes, indoor photography thanks to low distortion and a large aperture, and astrophotography. In my opinion, it is a strong release that fully deserves its place at this price point.

Announced in April 2023, the Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR is a practical ultra-wide-angle zoom lens. Its focal range, equivalent to 18-42mm in full frame, is ideal for landscape, architecture and video. Its f/3.5 to f/5.6 aperture and minimum focusing distance of 19 cm offer good versatility for close-up shots. It features 12 elements in 11 groups, including one aspherical lens and one ED glass lens.

With its light weight and compact size, this stabilized lens is well suited for Nikon Z APS-C mirrorless cameras. For video, there is a power zoom mechanism that allows electronic zooming without external movement. On the other hand, it is mainly made of plastic and is not weather-sealed, which may limit its use in difficult conditions. Speaking of use, this zoom is really designed for video. Its motorized zoom makes it easy to change focal lengths. With all these features, this lens should appeal to content creators and vloggers. On the photo side, it is ideal for landscape, travel and even street photography.

In short, the Nikon Z DX 12-28mm is an affordable, practical and easy-to-carry lens. It performs well in both video and still photography. Of course, it does not offer the robustness or bright aperture of higher-end lenses. But its stabilization, motorized zoom and affordable price make it an excellent choice for content creators.

The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens with a bright f/1.4 aperture, offering strong low-light performance and shallow depth of field. It is one of the most versatile lenses suitable for landscape, documentary, and low-light photography. Its optical formula consists of 16 elements in 13 groups, with aspherical, FLD and SLD elements to minimize chromatic aberrations. It also features a 9-blade circular diaphragm for a soft, creamy bokeh effect.

The lens is dust- and splash-resistant and has a large focus ring for manual control. Its large f/1.4 aperture makes it particularly useful in low-light conditions. Sharpness becomes excellent from f/4 to f/5.6, although performance is a little weaker at full aperture. The lens also handles distortion and vignetting well, further strengthening its optical performance.

This lens is ideal for photographers looking for a bright prime for reportage, landscapes and portraits. While its size may be more suitable for larger cameras, its exceptional quality, brightness, and durability make it a standout option, without necessarily having to move to a much more expensive lens.

Here is a summary table of the main features of the Nikon Z APS-C wide-angle lenses mentioned above.

That’s it for Nikon Z APS-C wide-angle lenses for now, as there is not much else to cover. As soon as there are new releases, I will update the article!

For full-frame sensors, lenses below 16mm can generally be considered ultra-wide-angle, while 16 to 35mm is usually considered wide-angle. Obviously, the shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view. It all depends on your use. For APS-C, you will need to apply the crop factor of x1.5.

As mentioned above, wide-angle lenses are often used for wide shots, especially for landscape photography, architecture, and sometimes indoors with a general overview. Your interest in choosing a large maximum aperture for your lens depends mainly on your use and your practice.

As a reminder, a large maximum aperture generally allows you to:

• Shoot faster
• Limit motion blur in low light situations
• Better blur your background (bokeh)
• Reduce your depth of field on a subject.

Very often, as in my case, we buy this type of lens for situations where we want sharpness across the whole frame, typically for landscapes. However, having a large aperture may allow you to better blur an unsightly foreground or background, although with a wide-angle lens, the blur remains limited due to the short focal length. If you do not have a tripod and plan to shoot indoors or in very low light, a lens that opens to f/1.8 lets you shoot more than twice as fast as a lens that opens to f/2.8. However, for still subjects, a stabilized lens can also save several stops. In the end, remember that a lens with a larger aperture will cost more and will usually be heavier and bulkier.

Stabilization is generally less important on short focal lengths. However, if you shoot very often in low light situations or indoors, and if you don’t have a tripod, stabilization can really help you by allowing you to shoot at very low shutter speeds.

This point has become less critical with mirrorless wide-angle lenses. Indeed, thanks to shorter flange distances and newer optical designs, more mirrorless wide-angle lenses now make it possible to use screw-in filters. A good example is the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, which allows the use of screw-in filters even at 14mm. However, you should know that some other lenses from other brands do not allow the use of classic screw-in filters (because of a curved front element, for example) and require heavier and more expensive systems.

Although Nikon’s first Z-mount lenses are good or excellent, with very solid build quality, their prices remain high and the second-hand market is still limited compared with older systems.

The advantage is that you do not have to hesitate for too long. The disadvantage is that you still have fewer choices than on older mounts, especially if you want to take full advantage of the Z-mount. At least, that was the situation for a long time, although third-party brands are now gradually expanding the options available. I also just published a complete page on the best current Nikon Z telephoto lenses. The choice remains selective, but interesting.

I hope this article will help you make your choice! Feel free to share in the comments if you have any suggestions on other wide-angle Z-mount lenses. If you want to shoot landscapes or architecture, you should find something that suits you in this list. In the meantime, we’ve summarized all of the best Nikon Z lenses out there for you in a comprehensive article! More Nikon Z-mount articles are coming, including guides to the best telephoto, standard and other lenses!

Talk to you soon,

Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

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