Nikon DX lenses for the F-mount: the full list

After detailing the lenses available for the Canon EF-S mount, the equivalent system for Canon cameras, today I’m turning to Nikon DX lenses for the brand’s F-mount. Here, we will focus on lenses designed for Nikon APS-C DSLR cameras. The FX designation indicates that a lens was designed for the brand’s full-frame DSLR cameras. As a reminder, Nikon DX sensors have a crop factor of 1.5 compared with FX sensors, as the DX format is smaller. To calculate the full-frame-equivalent field of view, multiply the focal length by 1.5. For example, a 35mm lens mounted on a DX camera provides a field of view equivalent to approximately 52.5mm on an FX camera.

It is worth knowing that lenses designed specifically for DX sensors are generally smaller, lighter and less expensive. If you have bought a Nikon APS-C camera body, I therefore strongly recommend choosing DX lenses whenever possible, even though the range is admittedly much more limited than the selection available for FX cameras. You can, of course, use Nikon FX lenses on an APS-C body. If you do the opposite and mount a DX lens on an FX body, the camera will usually crop the image automatically to match the smaller image circle. Otherwise, you may see heavy vignetting around the edges because the lens was not designed to cover a full-frame sensor.

Here is a quick overview of the Nikon APS-C cameras compatible with all the lenses listed in this article and still in production:

The tables below can be sorted according to the characteristic you are interested in, such as focal length, maximum aperture or filter diameter.

This page is still being developed. All currently available DX-format lenses are already included in the tables below. I will gradually add my personal opinions and recommendations to help you make the best possible choice.

Nikon offers around twenty lenses designed specifically for the DX format. The choice is naturally much broader for the FX format. As usual, I have divided the lenses for Nikon APS-C DSLR cameras into the following categories:

1. Wide-angle (WA) and ultra-wide-angle (UWA) lenses: focal lengths below 14mm (UWA) and from 14mm to 24mm (WA)
2. Standard focal lengths: from 24mm to 50mm.
3. Telephoto lenses: focal lengths above 50mm
4. Macro lenses: designed for macro photography

Nikon offers only three conventional wide-angle lenses for APS-C sensors. There is also a fourth lens with a very wide field of view, the 10.5mm f/2.8G ED, which is a fisheye lens.

For anyone interested in lenses offering a very wide field of view, I have written a complete article on the best Nikon wide-angle lenses for both DSLR cameras, whether full frame or APS-C, and Z-mount mirrorless cameras. All the lenses mentioned on this page are also included in that guide, where you will find more detailed information about the wide-angle models I particularly recommend. If you own a Nikon APS-C camera, I strongly advise choosing a lens specifically designed for the DX format. It will generally be lighter, more compact and less expensive.

Nikon offers a broad selection of lenses covering standard focal lengths. These include the classic 18-55mm and 17-55mm zooms, as well as several versatile all-in-one lenses for photographers who want to travel with a single lens, such as the 18-140mm and 18-200mm. There are also two prime lenses designed for the DX format: a 35mm and a 40mm, the latter offering 1:1 macro capability.

These lenses are particularly well suited to everyday photography and portraiture. You can also read our article covering all the Nikon lenses we recommend for portrait photography. It includes both standard and telephoto lenses for the DX and FX formats, as FX lenses can also be used on Nikon APS-C cameras.

Compared with Canon’s EF-S range for APS-C DSLRs, Nikon offers several interesting entry-level telephoto lenses, some with built-in VR image stabilization and others without.

Only two macro lenses are designed specifically for the Nikon DX format, and they are listed in the table below. We have also published a detailed guide to the best Nikon macro lenses for both the F-mount DSLR system and the Z-mount mirrorless system.

The research was relatively straightforward here, as the available lenses are largely the same as those produced for the Canon EF-S mount. Third-party brands entering the APS-C DSLR market generally released the same lenses for Canon EF-S and Nikon DX cameras. I found only six third-party brands, including three offering autofocus lenses: Sigma, Tamron and Tokina. Although more and more photographers are moving to mirrorless systems, some manufacturers, such as Tokina, continue to update older DSLR lenses. Examples include the Tokina ATX-I 11-16mm F/2.8 CF and Tokina ATX-I 11-20mm F/2.8 CF, two serious wide-angle options worth considering.

Over the years, Sigma has released a large number of lenses for Nikon DX cameras. I decided not to include the brand’s oldest models and have focused instead on the more recent options. As a reminder, the acronym “DC” indicates that a lens is designed for APS-C sensors, while “OS” means that it includes optical image stabilization. Sigma’s “Art” line represents its premium range. The other lenses listed in the table are older, but they may still be worth considering.

Following the same approach as with Sigma, I have only included Tamron’s more recent lenses. In my opinion, Tamron offers one of the best, if not the best, wide-angle lenses available for Nikon DX cameras. As a reminder, the acronym “Di II” indicates that a lens was designed for APS-C DSLR cameras.

Samyang offers only a small number of lenses for Nikon DX cameras, but I have included the available models below.

Tokina has a good reputation for its wide-angle lenses. I personally started with the older Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 on my first Canon APS-C camera. In recent years, Tokina has updated several of these lenses, including the Tokina ATX-I 11-16mm f/2.8 CF. It is an excellent option worth serious consideration if you are looking for a fast wide-angle lens with very good image quality. For the rest of the range, I have only retained the most recent models, although older versions can still be found online.

Meike’s fisheye lens also has a fairly good reputation.

I only found this 6.5mm fisheye lens, but it has received good reviews.

Feel free to share your feedback if you think there are other lenses that deserve to be included in these tables!

To learn more, take a look at our list of Nikon FX lenses for full-frame DSLR cameras. They can all be used perfectly well on Nikon DX cameras.

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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