The best NIKKOR Z lenses for low-light situations

Primes vs zooms

Lenses come in two flavours: fixed focal length prime lenses and variable focal length zooms. Because they have fewer moving parts, prime lenses can often be designed with larger maximum aperture (all the way down to f/0.95!). Both, however, can be great for low-light images. For zooms, an f/2.8 lens will give you lots of light-gathering capability, plus the flexibility of that variable focal length for different situations. Prime lenses with an aperture of f/1.4 offer plenty of low-light capability for most people and are smaller and lighter than their pro-level f/1.2 equivalents.

FX vs DX

Whether you have a full-frame Nikon FX camera or a crop sensor DX body, the light-gathering capability is still dictated by the lens aperture and will be identical in both cases. So if you have a 50mm f/1.4 lens, it will let in the same amount of light to the sensor no matter what body it is attached, with the DX body capturing a smaller, cropped view because of the smaller sensor. There will also be a slight difference in depth of fied (narrower on FX and less narrow on DX).

Best for travel and landscapes

For those sweeping, nighttime landscapes, you’ll need a fast, wide-angle (or ultra-wide) lens.

• NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8. With a great focal range for wide angles and a compact form, this is a fantastic lens for travel and landscapes, all in a budget-friendly package.
• NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S. One for the pros, this is the world’s shortest full-frame f/2.8 wide-angle zoom, with astounding image quality. A favourite lens of astrophotographers.
• NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR. More detail with lower ISO means sharper low-light images, with 4.5 stops of Vibration Reduction built in.

Best for street

• NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4. A classic street lens with a natural viewing angle that thrives in low-light situations and is perfect for walkaround days.
• NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2. Truly pocket-sized (with a price to match), but with a large f/2 aperture, this is a street lens that will give great results when the sun goes down. You can also get the SE version with a retro look.
• NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7. A DX lens with all the character you’d want in low light, plus the ability to take macro images.

Best for portraits

• NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S. A classic fast portrait lens at a great price – the f/1.8 aperture allows you to achieve incredible images in lower light.
• NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S. The pros choice for portrait photography – the f/1.2 aperture grabs any available light for stunning detail.
• NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena. With flawless circular bokeh and incredible resolution in any situation, the Plena is a low-light master for the professional.
• NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR. A second appearance for the f/2.8 DX zoom, which at the longer end has an equivalent focal length of around 75mm that’s perfect for portraits.

Settings

To get the best low-light performance for your lens, set your camera to Aperture Priority and then choose the lowest aperture your lens has. This means the camera will select the correct ISO (when set to Auto ISO) and shutter speed for the scene. If your camera/lens has Vibration Reduction, make sure to turn it on. This will minimise the chance of blur from camera shake on longer exposures. Set your camera to record RAW files, too, as that will give you more latitude in editing compared to JPEGs. Now all that’s left to do is wait until dark…

For more info on low-light photography and a few challenges to get you started click here.