I'm planning on getting the new Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera. I currently have the Z6 with the 24-70mm f/4 kit lens. What are the "must have" lenses I should get to take full advantage of the Z8's high resolution sensor and advanced features?
For travel photography with the Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera, some of the best lens options to consider are:
- NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S: This is a versatile standard zoom lens that covers a useful range for travel from wide-angle to short telephoto. It's compact, lightweight, and has great image quality.
- NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S: An ultra-wide zoom lens that's perfect for landscape, architecture, and interior shots when traveling. It offers excellent sharpness and control over distortion.
- NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S: A fast telephoto zoom lens great for portraits, events, wildlife, and reaching out for distant subjects. The f/2.8 aperture is very useful in low light.
- NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S: An all-in-one zoom lens covering a broad 24-120mm range, making it very versatile for travel while keeping the size and weight down.
- NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S: A compact, lightweight, and affordable prime lens ideal for environmental portraits, low-light situations, and general travel photography when you want quality in a small package.
For travel photography with the Nikon Z8, I'd highly recommend the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. It's a fantastic all-around zoom that covers a really versatile range from wide-angle to short telephoto. The f/4 constant aperture is great for low light, and the lens is relatively compact and lightweight, making it perfect for travel. Optical quality is superb with excellent sharpness and control of aberrations. It's probably the ideal walkaround lens to pair with the Z8.
The new announced NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens is another great choice for travel.
The new announced Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens is another lightweight lens for Nikon Z for travel.
When traveling, I prefer using a small prime lens to keep things compact, so my vote is for the Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2. Goes from landscapes to portraits with that bit of telephoto reach, while letting in plenty of light with the bright f/2 aperture. It's super sharp and focuses quickly on the Z8. Pair it up with a small prime like the 20mm 1.8 S for low light & astro if you need wider shots. Ideal setup for travel photography if you don't mind swapping lenses.
For the best optical quality and low light performance, I'd go with a couple of premium prime lenses like the 35mm f/1.8 Z and 85mm f/1.8 Z for the Z8. That combo would be incredibly sharp and gives you a great walkaround normal lens plus a nice short telephoto for portraits, low light, etc. The downside is carrying two lenses, but they're small and light enough that it's not a huge burden for travel photography. Just my 2 cents as I prefer primes, but a zoom like the 24-120mm f/4 is probably the more convenient all-in-one option.
If you want more reach for things like wildlife, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S is a stellar super-telephoto zoom. It's bigger and heavier, but the incredible zoom range gives you tons of framing flexibility in one lens. The Vibration Reduction helps get sharp shots at those longer focal lengths too.
Get any lightweight NIKKOR Z lenses for travel.
If you want maximum versatility in one lens for travel with the Z8, take a look at the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR. That monster zoom range of 24-200mm covers everything from landscapes to portraits to closeups. It's not as bright as the 24-120mm f/4, but the longer reach is great for things like wildlife. And at just over a pound, it's still relatively portable. Optically it's very good, especially if you stop down a bit. Vibration reduction is a nice bonus too for low light situations when traveling.
The new announced Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens is another lightweight lens for Nikon Z for travel.
I agree, this lens is much cheaper than native lenses
The new announced NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens is another great choice for travel.
Yes, it is also much cheaper than most S lenses.
This is my travel setup for Z8:
14 - 30mm f4
24 - 120mm f4
100 - 400mm f4.5 - 5.6
