At a time when mirrorless cameras seem to be getting more and more expensive, the Nikon Z30 is like a breath of fresh air. It may be Nikon's most basic camera, but it has everything you need to get started in vlogging, and it makes a great camera for regular stills photography too.
But what are the best lenses for the Nikon Z30? Well, not lenses costing thousands, obviously. I've chosen a selection of lenses that reflect the modest cost of this camera and the possibly restricted budgets of its users. So while these are probably not the best Nikon Z lenses you can get, I think they are the best lenses for the Nikon Z30, balancing cost, features, and versatility to bring out this camera's true potential. I've also picked lenses of a size and weight that's a good match for the Z30's compact body.
Ideally, lenses for the Z30 should have VR (Vibration Reduction) built-in, since the Z30 doesn't have in-body stabilization. Nikon has thought of this and includes VR in all its zoom lenses for this camera, though Nikon's Z-mount prime lenses don't have it and rely instead on a wide maximum aperture to keep shutter speeds up and ISO settings down in low light.
Keep in mind that the DX-format APS-C sensor in the Z30 is smaller than the full-frame sensors in Nikon's larger mirrorless cameras, so while you can use full-frame Nikon Z lenses on the Z30, they will be heavier and more expensive than the DX-format lenses Nikon has designed for its smaller cameras.
Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens tester and a Nikon aficionado, and has personally handpicked all the lenses in this guide as perfect companions to the Nikon Z30.
Best lenses for the Nikon Z30
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Best everyday lens for the Z30
This is the standard kit lens for the Nikon Z30, but just in case you don't have this already, or are deciding whether it's worth getting, here's my opinion – it's such a great little lens, it's practically a must-have for any of Nikon's DX format mirrorless cameras.
One of the best things about the Z30 in everyday use is its small size, and the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR (24-75mm in full frame terms) is the ideal complement. It’s very small and light, which makes it a great choice not just for general walkabout shooting, but also for travel or street photography.
It also handles low light well, despite not having a particularly wide maximum aperture; I was also mightily impressed by its fast, quiet autofocus when I tested it. If you're desperate for a faster aperture, check out the newer Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR but all things considered, this retractable zoom is still my top choice for an everyday lens.
Read more: Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR review
Features ★★★★★ |
There’s a lot packed into this lens, including stepping motor-based autofocus and 4.5-stop optical VR. |
Design ★★★★★ |
The retractable design enables an unfeasibly compact packing size, similar to that of a pancake lens. |
Performance ★★★★★ |
Sharpness and clarity are very good and there’s minimal color fringing, but the lens relies typically heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortion. |
Value ★★★★★ |
It’s great value in its own right, even better if you get it as a kit lens with one of Nikon’s Z DX format cameras. |
Best fast zoom for the Z30
If you already have a Nikon Z30, it may well have come bundled with the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR kit lens. This newer Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR has the same focal length range but a much faster f/2.8 aperture that remains constant throughout the zoom range, and is a whole 2 1/3 stops faster when fully zoomed in, allowing for better low-light performance and a shallower depth of field to isolate subjects. Despite its pro-tier specs, the lens remains remarkably compact and lightweight at just 330g, pairing perfectly with smaller bodies like the Z30.
In my performance tests, the lens proved to be exceptionally sharp across the entire zoom range. Autofocus is fast, accurate, and nearly silent, making it suitable for both stills and video. Bokeh is significantly smoother than that of the variable-aperture kit lens, plus it has a robust metal mounting plate with weather-sealing. A 4.5-stop optical VR system tops things off. It may cost about three times as much as the kit lens, but considering its spec sheet, it's a bargain!
Read more: Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR review
Features ★★★★☆ |
It’s got a solid feature set that includes a constant f/2.8 aperture and 4.5-stop VR, and unlike most Z DX lenses, it comes complete with a hood. |
Design ★★★★☆ |
The design is relatively compact and lightweight for a ‘trinity’ zoom but lacks switches for A/M focus modes and VR on/off. |
Performance ★★★★★ |
The lens is super-sharp and has very fast and consistently accurate autofocus, although it relies heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortions. |
Value ★★★★☆ |
It’s expensive for a Nikon Z DX lens but very much more affordable than the same kind of lens for full-frame cameras. |
Best wide-angle lens for the Z30
With an 18-42mm equivalent focal range, this versatile zoom is perfect for extra-wide shots of landscapes, architecture, interiors, and more. This lens is also designed with vlogging in mind. Its wide angle of view will make it easier to film yourself with the camera at arm's length and also gives a bit of leeway if you use digital image stabilization, which brings a small crop factor. It also comes with an electric power zoom mechanism, another feature designed for video.
Very good sharpness in images and a customizable control ring make it well worth the competitive price tag – you’d normally expect to pay quite a bit more for an ultra-wide lens.
Read more: Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR review
Features ★★★★★ |
Optical VR always comes in handy on Z DX lenses and this one also has a video-friendly power zoom. |
Design ★★★★☆ |
Like other Nikon Z DX lenses, it has a plastic rather than metal mounting plate but the overall design is very good. |
Performance ★★★★★ |
Expansive viewing angles are backed up by excellent edge-to-edge sharpness, throughout the whole zoom range. |
Value ★★★★★ |
A little gem for both stills and video capture, the lens is terrific value for money. |
Best street photography lens for the Z30
For street photography and when I’m on walkabout or traveling, I really like lenses that are compact to stash, lightweight to carry and make my camera inconspicuous for candid shooting. At less than an inch thick and tipping the scales at a mere 5oz, this Viltrox lens ticks all the right boxes, qualifying as a ‘pancake prime’. I also have an older Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens in my collection but the relatively new 26mm is much more sophisticated, adding manual focus instead of being limited to autofocus, and having a fully adjustable aperture diaphragm instead of a fixed f/4.5 aperture.
On full-frame cameras, I like the generously wide-angle 26mm focal length, but that's not the whole story. I love that that I can also use it in crop mode, or on a DX (APS-C format) camera body like the Z30, where it gives an entirely natural perspective, equating to an ‘effective’ 39mm focal length.
Either way, the actual or effective focal length is coupled with a fairly fast f/2.8 aperture that enables quick shutter speeds for freezing motion, even under dull lighting conditions. That adjustable diaphragm that I mentioned also comes with a physical aperture control ring, which is a neat handling extra.
Best of all, the tiny Viltrox delvers excellent sharpness and clarity, punching well above its weight in terms of performance. If you'd rather stick with an own-brand Nikon lens, don't rule out the compact Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7.
Read more: Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo review
Features ★★★★★ |
The feature set might not look overly exotic but in the context of a pancake lens, it’s relatively rich with stepping motor autofocus and focus/aperture control rings. |
Design ★★★★★ |
Build quality feels very sturdy, with an all-metal construction and weather-sealed mounting plate. The design manages to shoehorn useful features and high-end handling into an ultra-compact build. |
Performance ★★★★½ |
Performance is impressive by any standards and image quality is outstanding for a pancake lens, with excellent edge-to-edge sharpness, great clarity and well-controlled aberrations. |
Value ★★★★★ |
The lens costs about three times as much as the previously launched Viltrox 28mm lens but I reckon it’s more than three times as good, making it great value. |
Best standard prime lens for the Z30
Normally, I would not recommend a full-frame lens for an APS-C format camera like the Z30, mainly on the basis of cost and size. The Z 40mm f/2 is an exception. This low-cost full-frame prime lens is also very compact, despite its f/2 maximum aperture, and this makes it a great buy for the Nikon Z30.
Thanks to the crop factor of the Z30's smaller APS-C sensor, this lens will give a narrower angle of view of a 60mm lens on this camera, but that's only a little longer than the classic 'nifty fifty', and gives more scope for playing with shallow depth of field effects.
Read more: Nikon Z 40mm f/2 review
Features ★★★★☆ |
There’s not really any room for any fancy features, as this lens is unfeasibly compact and lightweight. |
Design ★★★★☆ |
The design aims for simplicity, right down to its plastic mounting plate and lack of a hood. |
Performance ★★★★☆ |
This little lens punches above its diminutive weight in terms of image quality and all-round performance. |
Value ★★★★★ |
The standard version is terrific value for money but the retro-styled SE (Special Edition) is more pricey. |
Best travel lens for the Z30
If you think the regular 16-50mm kit lens might not offer you the focal range you need, this could be the answer. The Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR offers an effective focal range of 27-210mm in full-frame terms, so it can work as both a regular walkaround kit lens and a telephoto. But while most of the Nikon Z DX lenses I've looked at are priced very keenly, this one is the exception. It does seem rather a lot to pay compared with other Z DX lenses.
Even so, it’s small for a lens with this amount of range and reach, and delivers good images. Handling is also accomplished, aided by a 5-stop optical stabilizer and a control ring with a custom function facility.
Read more: Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR review
Features ★★★★★ |
Powerful 5x zoom range is top of the features list, backed up by fast autofocus and 5-stop optical stabilization. |
Design ★★★★☆ |
There’s an additional, customizable control ring but no switches for A/M focus nor VR on/off, and the mounting plate is plastic. |
Performance ★★★★☆ |
Image quality and all-round performance are impressive but sharpness drops off a bit at the long end of the zoom range. |
Value ★★★★☆ |
Good value rather than entirely great, the lens costs about the same as a pair of Z DX 16-50mm and Z DX 50-250mm zooms. |
Best telephoto lens for the Z30
The Z30 is designed primarily as a portable vlogging camera, so if you're interested in long-range sports and wildlife, it's likely you'll have gone for the Nikon Z50 or perhaps the Nikon Z fc instead (this lens sometimes comes as part of a twin-lens bundle with the Z50). Nevertheless, if you do decide to try some longer-range shooting with your Z30, this is the lens to get. It offers an effective focal range of 75-375mm in full-frame terms, so it's practically a super-telephoto. At the same time, it's remarkably light and inexpensive.
Read more: Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR review
Features ★★★★☆ |
Strong features include a 75-375mm ‘effective’ zoom range, fast autofocus and 5-stop optical stabilization. |
Design ★★★★★ |
The retractable design makes for a small stowage size and the lens is refreshingly lightweight, although it has a plastic mounting plate. |
Performance ★★★★☆ |
As advertised, autofocus is rapid and stabilization is very effective. Sharpness drops off a bit at the long end but is very good overall. |
Value ★★★★★ |
As one of Nikon’s Z system (albeit DX format) lenses, it’s great value for money. |
Best portrait lens for the Z30
Compared with full-frame cameras, APS-C models like the Z fc can struggle to deliver a tight depth of field. That’s because DOF is more dependent on the ‘actual’ focal length rather than the ‘effective’ focal length after the 1.5x crop factor is applied. To compensate, I love that this lens has an ultra-fast f/1.2 aperture, which is capable of delivering a really tight depth of field at typical shooting distances for portraiture.
Making the most of the tight depth of field, the Viltrox combines superb sharpness with beautifully smooth bokeh in defocused areas, with a natural-looking roll-off between the two. It’s a great portrait lens that enables you to really isolate the main subject within a scene by blurring fussy-looking backgrounds.
Handling is excellent, and although the lens is necessarily a bit chunky due to the super-fast aperture rating, it’s well stocked in features. These include an aperture control ring with a click/de-click switch, a handy AF/MF focus switch, and a customizable function button.
See our full Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro review
Features ★★★★★ |
Top-ranking features include great glass, a click/de-click aperture ring, AF/MF switch and AF-hold button. |
Design ★★★★★ |
Up-market build quality includes a full metal casing and metal mounting plate, complete with extensive weather-seals and great handling. |
Performance ★★★★★ |
The lens fulfils all the aspects of image quality that you want from this kind of lens, including excellent sharpness, beautiful bokeh and minimal aberrations. |
Value ★★★★★ |
It’s twice the price of some of the most inexpensive Viltrox lenses but worth every cent and much more, being a top-class optic. |
Best macro lens for the Z30
The Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 is a compact and lightweight standard prime for Nikon’s APS-C (DX) Z-mount cameras, offering both a fast aperture and close-up macro capabilities. Its 35mm focal length translates to an effective 52.5mm on a DX camera, providing a natural perspective favored for general shooting, portraits, and street photography. The bright f/1.7 aperture allows for beautiful bokeh, excellent low-light performance, and fast shutter speeds.
While designated as a 'macro' lens, its native maximum magnification is 0.67x, not a true 1.0x macro. However, the 1.5x crop factor of the DX sensor makes this effectively a 1.0x magnification in full-frame terms.
Performance is highly impressive, delivering excellent sharpness in both general shooting and close-up macro photography. Autofocus is fast, silent, and accurate thanks to a linear stepping motor, and is a welcome departure from the often-sluggish focus found in many macro lenses. Color fringing and distortions are negligible with in-camera corrections.
Its superior build quality includes a durable metal mounting plate and weather seals, while weighing just 220g, and its dual functionality as a fast standard prime and close-up lens makes it a versatile and worthwhile addition to the DX system.
Read more: Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 review
Features ★★★★☆ |
Top features are the fast f/1.7 aperture rating and macro facility, but there’s no image stabilization and the hood is sold separately. |
Design ★★★★☆ |
The design is simple but effective. The lens is certainly streamlined but I’d have preferred an A/M focus mode switch to be fitted. |
Performance ★★★★★ |
Image quality is highly impressive in all respects, and autofocus is fast and consistently accurate for close-ups as well as general shooting. |
Value ★★★★☆ |
It’s a lot pricier than its sibling Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 lens but better built and more versatile, making it pretty good value. |
Lab test data and comparisons
The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions. We take photos of Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts, then use the Imatest Master testing suite to analyze sharpness, distortion, and chromatic aberrations at the centre of the image frame, corners, and mid-point distances across the range of aperture settings (up to f/22).
The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. For zoom lenses, we repeat our test at the widest and longest ends of the zoom range, plus intermediate 'mid-wide' and 'mid-telephoto' settings. Use the dropdown menus to select between them (for primes, the same data appears on all graphs for ease of comparison). Only full f-stops are labelled on the X-axis for sharpness, so, for example, an f/1.2 or f/6.3 lens would correlate to f/1 and f/5.6, respectively.
The Viltrox 56mm prime retains excellent sharpness, even wide-open at its extravagant f/1.2 aperture (and certainly not an extravagant price tag). The Viltrox 26mm is also astonishingly sharp for a 'pancake' lens, closely matching the Nikon 40mm prime. Among the zoom lenses, the Nikon 16-50mm f/2.8 lens eases ahead of its f/3.5-6.3 sibling. The latter also comes bottom of the group for color fringing. The Viltrox 26mm pancake prime appears to have the worst distortion, but some of the Nikon lenses are flattered by automatic in-camera corrections that can't be disabled.
For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.
Center sharpness
Use the dropdown menu to select between wide-angle, mid-wide, mid-tele, and telephoto zoom settings
| Timestamp (f-stop) | Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR () | Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR () | Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR () | Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 EVO () | Nikon Z 40mm f/2 () | Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR () | Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR () | Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro () | Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 () |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2086 | N/A |
| 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2041 | 1620 |
| 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1741 | N/A | N/A | 2277 | 2146 |
| 3 | 1974 | 1812 | 2059 | 2042 | 1938 | 2081 | N/A | 2566 | 2236 |
| 4 | 1920 | 2130 | 2028 | 2455 | 2376 | 2027 | 1859 | 2550 | 2244 |
| 5 | 2046 | 1998 | 2168 | 2492 | 2504 | 2093 | 1883 | 2330 | 2257 |
| 6 | 1845 | 1932 | 1945 | 2265 | 2346 | 1897 | 1713 | 2048 | 1942 |
| 7 | 1556 | 1589 | 1622 | 1942 | 2038 | 1557 | 1545 | 1720 | 1583 |
| 8 | 1226 | 1338 | 1300 | 1650 | 1781 | 1242 | 1257 | 1364 | 1241 |
| 9 | 1021 | 1026 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 989 | 939 | N/A | N/A |
Fringing @ f/8
Use the dropdown menu to select between wide-angle, mid-wide, mid-tele, and telephoto zoom settings
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | 0.64 |
| Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR | 0.07 |
| Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR | 0.03 |
| Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 EVO | 0.44 |
| Nikon Z 40mm f/2 | 0.13 |
| Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | 0.13 |
| Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR | 0.26 |
| Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro | 0.15 |
| Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 | 0.18 |
Distortion
Use the dropdown menu to select between wide-angle, mid-wide, mid-tele, and telephoto zoom settings
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | -0.33 |
| Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR | -0.8 |
| Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR | -0.11 |
| Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 EVO | -2.14 |
| Nikon Z 40mm f/2 | -0.98 |
| Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | -0.68 |
| Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR | -0.14 |
| Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro | 0.78 |
| Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 | 0.22 |
There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments. We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).
We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to autofocus speed and the overall quality of the images produced.
Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World
How to choose the best lens for the Nikon Z30
Which lenses fit the Nikon Z30?
The Z30 uses the Nikon Z mount and is compatible with all lenses designed for that mount. Nikon’s own Z-mount lenses all have Z at the start of their model names.
You can use any Z-mount lens on the Z30, although some Z-mount lenses are designed for use with APS-C format cameras such as the Z30, rather than full-frame cameras. Nikon lenses that fall into this category have DX as part of their model names. These lenses are typically smaller, lighter, and cheaper than the equivalents designed for full-frame cameras.
If you buy a DX lens and later upgrade to a full-frame Nikon Z camera, the image you get through the DX lens will be cropped compared with a full-frame lens.
The Z30 is also able to use F-mount lenses, which are made for use with Nikon’s DSLR cameras. For this, you need an adaptor such as the Nikon Mount Adapter FTZ II. The idea is that owners of older DSLR cameras can buy a Z camera and still use their old lenses.
How do I know which lens to get for my Z30?
The reason there are so many types of lens in the first place is that different scenes demand different lens designs, particularly when it comes to focal length and aperture rating.
Usually, you will decide what you want to photograph, then get a lens with the focal length that suits the situation. For example, to shoot landscapes you will need a wide-angle lens, while for sports and wildlife you will need a telephoto.
You can watch this video that explains focal length: it helps you work out what kind of lenses you need for different genres of photography.
