The ultimate guide to ultra-wide lenses

Nikon Team •Technology & know-how•25 May 2023•3 min read

Go ultra for incredible scenes with Nikon's new and first ever Z mount power zoom

Ultra-wide angle usually refers to a lens with a full frame focal length of 24mm or less. These are incredibly useful, either as primes or zooms and in both stills and video, as that wide angle can take in more than the human eye can see, leading to images that look epic.

The Nikon Z range offers a host of different options for ultra-wide lenses for both DX and FX cameras and at a range of budget options so you’ll be able to find the right kit at the right price for you. You can let your creativity run wild with an ultra-wide in your bag. And they’re not just for landscapes…

Go ultra for incredible scenes with Nikon's new and first ever Z mount power zoom

Nikon Team

What's in our kitbag?

Z 30Built for vloggers

NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VRNikon's first Z mount power zoom

The new NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR is the first Nikon Z mount power zoom and is perfect for both putting yourself in the picture as a selfie or a vlog and shooting dynamic scenery. The 12-28mm range is equivalent to 18-42mm on a full frame FX camera, offering a range of angles that will come in useful every day. The super-quiet power zoom function allows for smooth, controlled zoom shots in video and the fixed barrel length means the centre of gravity of the kit won’t change as you zoom in and out.

NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR

Nikon's first Z mount power zoom is perfect from shooting dynamic scenery to vlogs and portraits

A zoom lens in the middle of the focal range is a must for most photography bags, with either the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S or NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S offering great flexibility for FX cameras, giving you access to the most popular focal length but also allowing you to dip your toes into the ultra-wide end. Or try the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, which is a kit lens option for Nikon Z DX cameras: the Z 30, Z 50 or Z fc. Great for everything from interiors to cityscapes and portraits, it’s also a brilliant tool for video. Click here to read how zooms can be used in video.

For an even wider range of shooting options the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S or the NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR take you into telephoto range at the top end. All are extremely portable and well balanced when matched to your camera, meaning they are a great ‘all day long’ lens when on a photo-finding expedition. From huge vistas to intimate portraits and incredible wildlife shots, you can get them all with a lens in this range.

NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

A kit lens option for Nikon Z DX cameras, the Z DX 16-50mm is great for everything from interiors to cityscapes and portraits.

At the other end of the scale, lenses such as the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S, NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/ 2.8 S and NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 access the lower end of the ultra-wide spectrum, letting you take everything from epic views to frame-filling close-ups. This kind of ultra-wide is made for drama. Interior spaces suddenly look vast, close-ups put the viewer right in the scene and as a video tool they can be incredibly effective.

NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/ 2.8 S

A lens made for drama, the 14-24mm offers reliable flexibility for both vast epic views to frame-fillings close-ups.

Ultra-wides don’t just come in zooms, either. Prime lenses include the NIKKOR Z 24 f/1.8 S and NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S. Fast lenses with big apertures such as these are perfect for shooting low light scenes, cities and landscapes at night and dramatic astrophotography.

So, whatever you shoot, an ultra-wide will give you a new perspective on the world and unlock new realms of creativity.

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