As a Nikon photographer, there is a large selection of lenses you can use for your creative images. If you’re a portrait photographer, Nikon has a marketplace of high quality gear for each price point.
In traditional portraiture, lenses with focal lengths of 35mm, 50mm and 85mm have always been the best choices for capturing your subject. But, now you can also consider using a telephoto zoom lens to add compression and soft backgrounds to your sharp, detailed portraits.
Whichever focal length of lens you prefer will be decided by the type of projects you consistently shoot. By browsing the available gear options, you can choose a lens that is fitting for your photography.
So, to help you decide which is the best portrait Nikon lens for you, let’s have a look at our list of top lenses below.
The first best Nikon portrait lens is the 50mm 1.8. It can be purchased as the lens only, with a protective pouch, with a polarizing filter or with a UV filter. This is a fast, upgraded and compact FX format prime lens.
It has a focal length of 50mm and a minimum focusing distance of 1.48 feet. The lens has an exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor. It is also optimized for edge to edge sharpness on both FX and DX-format D-SLRS. And, this lens is compatible with most Nikon camera systems.
The second best portrait lens for Nikon users is the 50mm 1.4. Comparable to the previously mentioned 1.8, the main difference is that this lens has a maximum aperture of 1.4.
It has a minimum focus distance of 0.45m and has a nikon F mount for FX and DX DSLRs. This lens has unparalleled autofocus performance. This is a prime lens, therefore it does not have the capability for zoom.
The third best portrait lens for Nikon photographers is the 85mm 1.8. This lens is a fast aperture, medium telephoto lens. It has an internal focus and a focal length of 85mm. The lens has a minimum focus range of 0.8m.
The lens has both manual and automatic focusing capabilities and is equipped with the Nikon Super Integrated Coating. To see if this lens will fit your camera, check here to enter your model number.
The fourth best portrait lens for Nikon photographers is the 35mm 1.8. This lens is used for more wide angle portraits and can even be used for full body images.
The lens has rear focusing, manual focus override and an aperture range of 1.8 to 22. It also comes equipped with a silent wave motor AF system and is compatible with DX and FX formate systems. This lens will give you a nice soft bokeh with sharp, quality details. A must have for your next portrait shoot.
The fifth and final best portrait lens for Nikon users is the 70-200 f/2.8 lens. This lens is of high quality, professional grade and requires a large financial investment.
It is a fast telephoto lens that can be used for portraits as well as a variety of other images. It deforms well in low light and has a jaw-dropping image quality. With an f/2.8 aperture, it creates beautiful backgrounds for your images.
The lens is also a quality build, which is perfect for enhanced handling by photographers. With weather sealed technology and 4 stops of image stabilization, this lens is perfect for creating your best portrait photography.
So, as you can see, Nikon offers several quality, versatile lenses at various price points. If you’re breaking into portraits, consider the nifty 50mm, 1.8. Yet, if you’re growing in your professional career, you may test out the telephoto 70-200mm lens. In fact, whichever lens you ultimately choose, will allow you to create quality and captivating portrait images.
