Best Lenses for the Nikon Zf (And What to Avoid)

The Nikon Zf offers a very different shooting experience to the rest of the Nikon Z lineup, which means a typical “best Nikon Z lenses” list doesn’t necessarily apply here.

I’ve used everything from the smallest primes to heavier zooms on the Zf, and if you want to preserve what makes this camera so enjoyable to use, you can’t just put any lens on it.

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2 SE – Best Overall

I’m usually drawn to optically excellent lenses, but in this case my top pick is the 40mm f/2 SE — not because of its performance, but because of how well it matches the Nikon Zf.

It’s small, light, and almost perfectly balanced on the camera. More than anything else I’ve used, it feels like a natural partner to the Zf’s design and handling.

It allows the camera to become what it’s meant to be — a high-quality shooting experience, not just a tool for capturing images.

The 40mm f/2 SE isn’t the strongest lens in the lineup technically, but it’s sharp enough, bright enough, and fast enough to focus that those compromises are worth it. What matters is that with this lens, the Zf simply feels right to use — and that’s what makes it my top choice. If you’re looking for a more in depth analysis of the lens’ performance then see my full Nikon Z 40mm f/2 SE review.

Nikon Z 50mm 1.8S – Best for Image Quality

If image quality is your priority, the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S is the best lens to pair with the Nikon Zf.

It’s noticeably sharper than the 40mm f/2 SE, performs better in low light, and focuses faster, making it the more capable lens in almost every technical sense.

It is larger and heavier, but it still handles well on the Zf. That said, it sits right at the upper limit of what I’d consider a good match for this camera in terms of size and balance. It costs a little more than the 40mm f/2 but you definitely get what you pay for in terms of optical and AF performance with sharper images, faster and more sure-footed AF and the ability to isolate subjects with shallower depth of field thanks to the f/1.8 aperture and longer focal length.

It doesn’t offer quite the same feel as the smaller 40mm lens, but if you’re looking to get the most out of the Zf in terms of image quality, this is the lens I’d choose.

I’ve covered this lens in more detail in my full Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S review.

Nikon Z 35mm 1.8S – Best Wider Option

If you prefer a slightly wider field of view, the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is the lens I’d choose.

It offers very similar performance to the 50mm f/1.8 S, with excellent sharpness, fast autofocus, and the flexibility of an f/1.8 aperture when you want to isolate your subject.

It is a larger lens, and like the 50mm, it sits right at the upper limit of what I’d consider a good match for the Nikon Zf in terms of size and balance.

I’d take it over the 28mm f/2.8 SE without hesitation, because at 28mm and f/2.8 the compromises start to become a little too much. It’s harder to isolate subjects, and low light performance is noticeably more limited.

For more details, see my full Nikon Z 35mm 1.8 S review which was shot in the Philippines.

Lenses to Avoid on the Nikon Zf

The Nikon Zf isn’t a camera that pairs well with every lens in the Nikon Z lineup.

The biggest issue is size and balance. Once you start pairing it with larger zoom lenses or heavier primes, the whole feel of the camera changes. It becomes front-heavy, less comfortable to use, and you lose what makes the Zf enjoyable in the first place.

You can of course use zoom lenses with the Zf, but I don’t really see the point. If that’s how you want to shoot, a camera like the Nikon Z6 III makes more sense.

I’ve used the Zf with the 24–120mm f/4, which isn’t even a particularly large zoom, and while the results were good, the experience wasn’t. The camera felt front-heavy, and even with an L-grip it wasn’t especially comfortable to use. It was manageable, but it never felt like a natural fit.

That doesn’t mean these lenses are bad — they’re not — but they’re better suited to bodies designed around them. With the Zf, smaller and lighter lenses simply make more sense.

Final Thoughts

The Nikon Zf can be an incredibly fun and enjoyable camera to use, but if I’m being honest, that experience really depends on pairing it with the right lenses.

They might not always be the highest-performing lenses on paper, but when you match the right lens to the Zf, it becomes about more than just technical performance. It’s about simplicity and the experience of shooting.

With the right setup, the Zf becomes a camera you actually want to take everywhere and use, rather than something that just delivers great results.

For me, that’s where smaller prime lenses make the most sense.