Nikon’s supposed legal battle with Viltrox has got me thinking a lot about the availability of cheap lenses. Specifically, how many cheap Nikon Z lenses exist, not by third parties, but by Nikon itself. I’ve long wanted the ‘Big N’ to embrace the entry-level photographer again and release a true mirrorless successor to the Nikon D3500, but when it comes to budget-friendly lenses, Nikon’s quietly built up a very nice selection over the years.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t buy cheap third-party lenses. I’ve already said that I think Nikon’s Z system is more attractive with Viltrox producing Z lenses, but there’s definitely a notion that first-party lenses are always expensive, and I think Nikon’s Z mount has proven otherwise. Granted, these ‘cheap’ optics tend not to be as affordable as their third-party counterparts, but they also hold their value more on the used market, should you wish to trade-in or sell up to fund newer kit further down the line, and they offer greater peace of mind when it comes to firmware updates that can – although rare – cause third-party compatability issues.
Right now, you can pick up the full-frame (FX) Nikon Z 40mm f/2 and Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8, as well as the APS-C (DX) Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 for under $300 / £300. And that’s RRP; it doesn’t account for sales or the used market. And indeed, I bought my Nikon Z 40mm f/2 from London Camera Exchange a couple of years ago for under £200.
Move up the pricing ladder ever so slightly, and you get something that affordable Chinese brands tend to shy away from due to their inherently more complicated optics, zoom lenses. The Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR is priced at just $329.95 / £329. And while we’re on the subject of crop-sensor zooms, you can add the Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR for $409.95 / £379 and the Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR for $399.95 / £379. Again, these are retail prices, so you can find them with a healthy chunk off in sales or secondhand.
Full-frame owners aren’t left out either, with the Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 at $449.95 / £429, as well as the brand-new Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 for $549.95 / £529. The latter brings me neatly to my next point, which is that cheap lenses aren’t automatically the best-value lenses you can buy.
If you’re a hobbyist photographer who wants to cover as many genres as possible, you need access to a broad range of focal lengths. As such, you may actually find yourself better off putting down a lump sum on one of the best superzoom lenses as opposed to buying multiple less-expensive primes. Beyond the aforementioned 24-105mm, Nikon also offers the Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for $949.95 / £949.
And while I wanted to keep everything here below the $1,000 / £1,000 mark, I think it’s also worth mentioning the Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR at $1,449.95 / £1,399. This superzoom is, admittedly, a significant outlay, but if you don’t need fast glass, it could easily be the only lens you ever need for your system (the same goes for the 24-200mm). Superzooms also mean you don't need to invest in a big camera bag to carry around all of your primes, nor find yourself constantly switching lenses.
Again, I’m not saying that cheap, third-party primes are a bad thing at all. Just make sure you consider all of the above before you commit to your purchase.
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I still think that cheap, third-party lenses are good for consumers and good for camera manufacturers. Sure, it might be a bit slow, but Nikon's monster 28-400mm zoom is the all-in-one kit lens I've been waiting for! Plus, the Nikon Z 180-600mm is my favorite lens, and it’s manufactured in China.
