Last updated on June 1st, 2021 at 06:23 am
Landscape photography is quite interesting as long as you have the right equipment: a good-quality camera and a similar lens. Most people spend their entire budget on a camera and end up with a poor-quality lens (read: horrible final results). It is safe to say that buying a proper lens or, in this case, a great wide-angle lens is important to make the most out of the scenery.
To make the process a tad bit easier, here is our list of the best lenses for landscape photography. We have worked with each lens and found them efficient in terms of performance with stunning results.
Best Nikon Lens For Landscape
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| Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 | Sigma 24mm f/1.4 | Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 |
We’ve divided the Nikon lenses for landscape into two categories for your ease.
- Best Full Frame Nikon Lenses For Landscape – For FX Format Cameras
- Best Nikon APS-C Sensor Lenses For Landscape – For DX Format Cameras
So, without any due lets get started
Best Full Frame Nikon Lenses For Landscape – For FX Format Cameras
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| Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 | Nikon AF-S FX 24-70mm f/2.8 | Sigma 24mm f/1.4 |
Nikon Full Frame Lens Reviews
1. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
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- Focal length: 14 to 24mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 114° to 84°
- Min focus distance: 28 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 1000 g
Landscape photographers need a great wide-angle lens them or should we say “the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens” to capture the best shots of the scenery in front of. It offers several features, including a smooth AF system and ergonomic design for great results. Fortunately, it is meant for use on both (FX) and (DX) cameras.
Design
Nikon is made entirely out of metal, which justifies its heavyweight of 970 grams. There is a non-removable plastic hood with effective weather sealing to keep it safe from rain and dust. Despite the heavyweight, it balances quite well on all sorts of cameras because of the clever placement of the centre of balance.
Performance
Nikon features a Silent Wave Motor that performs decently as an AF system. It takes no time to focus on subjects regardless of the lighting situation, making it an ideal choice for low-light photography. Moreover, it is silent, precise, and retains focus throughout the session.
It is safe to say that Nikon redefined the way we perceive ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses. Nikon was the sharpest during its time and quite famous amongst Canon camera users too. The images at 14mm look stunning when bumped down to the sweet spot, i.e., f/5.6 with great center sharpness. Zooming in further enhances the look of the corners, but they look their best at f/5.6.
Moving on, most ultra-wide lenses aren’t meant for the signature bokeh effect, but at 24mm, Nikon gives a rather pleasing, if not perfect, bokeh. On the other hand, vignetting is an issue as long as you work with large apertures. We recommend you to steer clear of 14mm if vignetting bothers you a lot. However, editing software minimizes it to a great extent. Further on, Nikon features their signature Nanocrystal and Super Integrated Coating technology that gets rid of ghosting and glare as long as the light source is not too bright.
Conclusion
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens is a quite old lens but is amongst the most popular choices for landscape photographers. The incredible edge to edge performance, pleasing colour representation, and lens design are just a few of the reasons why Nikon hasn’t lost its charm.
What we like:
- Decent AF system
- Minimal ghosting and glare
- Produces sharp images
What we don’t:
- It is heavy
2. Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
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- Focal length: 24mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.4
- Minimum aperture: f/16
- The angle of view: 84.1°
- Min focus distance: 84.1°
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 665 g
Canon and Nikon got another tough competitor after the release of the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens, a great lens for landscape photographers. It offers a wide range of elements at a relatively low price, which makes the other lenses look quite expensive and simply not worth it.
Design
Sigma features a sophisticated design with 15 elements in 11 groups: there are 4 low-dispersion elements, 3 FLD elements while the rest are aspherical. One must wonder about the level Sigma was aiming for when they planned on utilizing such an amount of high-quality glass. Quite obviously, the weight and size of the lens are relatively more than its rivals.
Performance
Sigma has a wide range of lenses, so why did they release the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens? The huge difference between the two stops, f/1.4 and f/2.8, is ideal for separating subjects from the background for a better perspective. As a result, event and portrait photographers get incredible images under various lighting conditions.
Moving on, Sigma features a hyper-sonic motor that imitates an AF system for brisk and silent performance. However, it is not the most accurate. On the other hand, the various elements allow the lens to deliver incredibly sharp images whilst the results at the max aperture are mind-blowing. The one major issue was the pronounced field curvature, which made the extreme edges look horrible. This issue improves a bit after you move past the f/2.8 mark, but the rivals perform better in this department. Moreover, wide-angle lenses are not meant for a pleasing ‘bokeh’ effect, so it’s better to purchase another lens if you find it impossible to live without this effect.
Additionally, vignetting is a major issue at the widest aperture, but images at f/2.8 seem to be free of it. Fortunately, the Super Multi-layer coating minimizes any ghosting and flare when shooting against any bright sources of light.
Conclusion
sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is a professional-grade wide-angle lens and gives strict competition to its rivals. The low price point and remarkable sharpness are just two of the reasons why Sigma gained so much popularity soon after its release.
What we like:
- Remarkable sharpness
- Affordable
- Minimal ghosting
What we don’t:
- Heavy vignetting
- Soft corners at wide apertures
3. Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC G2
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- Focal length: 15 to 30mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 110° 32′ to 71° 35′.
- Min focus distance: 28 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 1100 g
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is the world’s first f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for full-frame cameras with an image stabilization system- perfect for landscape photography. After the release, photographers couldn’t stop gushing about it for all the right reasons.
Design
Tamron boasts a decent optical design with 18 lens elements in 13 groups: there are 3 low-dispersion type elements as well as 1 molded-glass aspherical and 2 expanded glass-moulded aspherical elements for great performance. The front is fluorine-coated for protection against water and dirt and e-brand coating to minimize internal reflections—the latter results in minimal flare and ghosting. Moreover, the lens is quite heavy and not so compact compared to its rivals.
Performance
Image stabilization is one of the reasons for Tamron’s vast popularity. The built-in system or “Vibration compensation” offers 4 stops of compensation for manual shooting compared to other prestigious manufacturers who ignore the concept of lens stabilization. Experts say that image stabilization is integral for high-end lenses, which put Tamron at the top of our list.
Moving on, the wide focal length range of 15-30mm is perfect for full-frame cameras. Does this mean that it’s not meant for cropped sensor cameras? There is no harm while using it with DX devices, but it’s impractical in the long run because of the heavy front set-up.
Moving on, the lens is equipped with Ultra-Sonic Silent Drive autofocus motor technology that allows the device to focus on a rather brisk yet silent method. Even though AF speeds aren’t important for wide-angle lenses, we find it comforting and reliable, to say the least.
Sharpness is very important for a lens, and Tamron is sharper than most of its rivals: the center sharpness is remarkable at f/4, but the corners look a bit weak, especially at f/2.8. We found the contrast and colors quite impressive, too, whereas the bokeh effect looks pleasing.
Conclusion
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is a versatile piece designed for professional photographers that allow users to capture ultra-wide angles with ease. This is ideal for landscape and architectural photographers as well as astrophotographers who make use of the incredible optical performance and f/2.8 aperture.
What we like:
- Great stabilization system
- Minimal chromatic aberrations
- Performs well at all focal lengths
What we don’t:
- Lack of sharpness at edges
4. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED Vibration Reduction Lens
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- Focal length: 16 to 35mm
- Maximum aperture: f/4
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 107° to 63°
- Min focus distance: 29 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 680 g
Similar to Tamron, the Nikon 16-35mm VR lens breaks the record of being the first ultra-wide-angle zoom lens with a built-in image stabilization system. It offers a lot to users, including a well-protected design, silent shooting motor, and great specs to capture mind-blowing landscape images.
Design
Similar to other Nikon lenses, this one is built to stand the test of time. Regardless of the plastic body, it feels metal-like (read: durable) with dust and moisture seals to protect it from unfavorable weather conditions. There are 17 optical elements, but it weighs only 600 grams- relatively lighter than most lenses. It feels solid to the touch, and the proper placement of the focus ring makes the lens easy to operate.
Performance
We love experimenting with new devices, and Nikon had the same fate. After several photography trips, we fell in love with the AF system. It performs exceptionally well in terms of accuracy and speed, regardless of the lighting condition. Moving on, Nikon is pretty sharp compared to its rivals and sister lenses. The well-optimized lens suits digital cameras, and the overall results are worth it, but there were some issues with corner sharpness: nothing too major, so there is no need to fret.
Further on, the images at 16mm highlighted issues with field curvature and focus shift, so to avoid them, it is better to shoot at small apertures. The sharpness is incredible in the mid-frame and center, but the corners seem a bit soft. Moreover, the color representation is accurate and rather pleasing- perfect for capturing the true beauty of landscapes.
As we mentioned earlier, Nikon utilizes a vibration reduction technology to produce sharp handheld shots. It works well and is a treat for event photographers. However, ultra-wide-angle lenses are not meant for producing a “bokeh” effect because of their small maximum aperture and large depth of field.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a pro-grade constant aperture lens, Nikon 16-35mm VR is a great choice for you. It is ideal for both enthusiasts and professional photographers and appeals to the masses because of its ergonomic design and unique features.
What we like:
- Thorough weather sealing
- Pleasing color representation
- Incredible center sharpness
What we don’t:
- Heavy vignetting at f/4
- No bokeh effect
5. Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G
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- Focal length: 24 to 70mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 84° to 34° 20′.
- Min focus distance: 38 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 900 g
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S Nikkor was released more than a decade ago but remained one of the most popular full-frame lenses to date. It features some major technological improvements, including a PGM element and Nanocrystal lens coating for incredible color representation.
Design
Nikon looks as expensive as its price tag with a top-notch fit and finish. It is compact despite the aperture, zoom range, and full-frame coverage. The body boasts a sleek metal finish and weather sealing for protection against harsh shooting conditions. Moreover, it balances well and allows photographers to hold the camera comfortably.
Performance
Nikon does not disappoint us in terms of sharpness: images were taken wide open at 24mm and f/2.8 display a sharp center and corners with a hint of softness for a dreamy effect. The soft spot is 35mm at f/5.6, where the images look perfect, but we recommend you to avoid shooting at 24mm and f/22 because of major diffraction.
For those using a full-frame camera, images look great wide open at f/2.8 as long as you ignore the extremely soft edges. However, this improves after being stopped down to f/4 to f/16 with corner-to-corner sharpness throughout the focal range.
A great quality of Nikon is its ability to minimize chromatic aberration on sub-frame cameras as long as your focal length is greater than 24mm. The issue becomes more obvious in full-frame cameras, but the images are free of any CA at 70mm. Moving on, vignetting seems less of an issue on sub-frame cameras with a maximum corner shading of 0.25EV. However, full-frame cameras are more demanding; thus, there is a significant corner darkening of around 0.75EV at f/2.8, but it improves at f/8. The distortion is uniform across the frame with 0% distortion at 32mm, while full-frame cameras experience significant barrel distortion.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that Nikon is a great contender when it comes to buying full-frame lenses for landscape photography. The lens does a great job of delivering exceptionally sharp images throughout the focal range. Moreover, chromatic aberration is well controlled, and as long as you ignore the subtle vignetting, you are good to go.
What we like:
- Performs well with sub-frame cameras
- Very sharp
- Minimal corner softness
What we don’t:
- Expensive
- Prone to vignetting and barrel distortion
Best Nikon APS-C Sensor Lenses For Landscape – For DX Format Cameras
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| Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 | Nikon AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 | Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 |
Nikon APS-C Sensor Lens Reviews
1. Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Ultra Wide Angle Lens
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- Focal length: 14mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 115.7°
- Min focus distance: 27.43 cm
- Focus type: Manual Focus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 550 g
Rokinon AF 14mm f/2.8 lens is another great lens by Samyang. The manufacturer has gained a positive reputation over the years for launching budget-friendly lenses with great results, and their recent launch satisfies the need for an AF system too.
Design
Rokinon features an all-metal design that enhances its durability while the overall body feels easy and comfortable to hold. Moreover, there is thorough weather sealing for additional protection. It comes with a drawstring fabric pouch that consists of a thick piece of foam for secure handling.
Performance
Rokinon is a 14mm lens with a 114-degree angle of view, which makes landscape photography quite fun. Architectural photography needs an ultra-wide-angle lens to prevent vertical lines from converging and to cover the entire subject. Moreover, it makes the area appear larger and more spacious- perfect for real estate images.
Moving on, the lens offers a max aperture of f/2.8, which is the fastest aperture available at 14mm. As a result, photographers get a faster and stabilized shutter speed without the additional risk of image noise. Moreover, it delivers a decent ‘bokeh’ effect when you use a close photo distance, giving Rokinon an advantage over other wide-angle lenses.
The images performed quite well on the ISO 12233 chart test by displaying an excellent level of sharpness and a pleasing resolution/contrast combination. The images at f/2.8 boast a high resolution, while those at f/4 and f/5.6 display great sharpness in the center and corners. Moreover, any vignetting issues decrease at narrow apertures with no focus-shift issues.
As we mentioned earlier, Rokinon is famous for its brisk AF system that focuses internally. However, there are better AF systems if you want a silent performance.
Conclusion
The Rokinon AF 14mm f/2.8 Lens is a great choice for full-frame cameras as well as APS-C sensor cameras. Even though there are several lenses with a better angle of view to cover the focal length, Rokinon is a level above with its sharp results and decent AF system.
What we like:
- Decent AF system
- Minimal vignetting
- Great build
What we don’t:
- Major barrel distortion issues
- Not for silent shooting
2. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED
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- Focal length: 20mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.8
- Minimum aperture: f/16
- The angle of view: 94°
- Min focus distance: 20 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 355 g
Enthusiast landscape photographers need a lens that delivers excellent performance and results without emptying your pocket for good. Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED prime lens ticks all the boxes on the checklist and effortlessly makes its way to being one of our favorite lenses to work with.
Design
To be quite honest, we expected budget-friendly lenses to look worse than what Nikon offers us. There are 13 elements with 2 ‘extra-low dispersion’ elements included. The latter aids in boosting image sharpness and contrast as well as minimizing any spherical aberration issues while the metal and plastic hybrid body is thoroughly sealed.
Performance
Similar to other Nikon lenses, Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED prime lens utilizes Silent Wave motor technology for a brisk yet silent performance. Wide lenses have a limited distance scale, and the AF system takes less than half a second to move from one end of the scale to the other. Moreover, the system is pretty accurate regardless of the lighting condition, making Nikon a decent option for low-light photography.
As we mentioned earlier, Nikon performs exceptionally well in the sharpness and contrast department, leaving its rivals behind. The center sharpness is great at f/2.8, and it improves once you stop down the lens. F/4 is the sweet spot, while f/5.6 boasts great corner sharpness too. Moreover, there were no issues with the focus shift or field curvature either, while the optical design complements the micro-contrast performance. However, Nikon is not the ideal choice to get a ‘bokeh’ effect similar to the other wide-angle lenses.
Another great thing about the Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED prime lens is the firm control over vignetting at the minimum focus distance, which makes it quite famous amongst landscape photographers. However, the edges deteriorate at f/1.8, with the worst cases surpassing 3EV.
Conclusion
Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED prime lens is a great lens and designed especially for the Astro, landscape, and architectural photographers. It was a long time coming, but they managed to meet all expectations by releasing a lens with a wonderful optical design and brisk performance. Moreover, Nikon is not as expensive as its rivals.
What we like:
- Great design
- Affordable
- Brisk AF system
What we don’t:
- No bokeh effect
3. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX For Nikon DX
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- Lens mount: Nikon F
- Focal length: 11–16 mm
- Maximum magnification: 0.08x
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 108° to 82°
- Min focus distance: 30 cm
- Weight: 1.85 lb
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX II Lens features major improvements to make landscape photography easier for its customers. Tokina is a renowned brand and strives to produce technologically advanced and reliable lenses. Their current lens boasts a great AF system and multi-layer coatings for flawless images.
Design
The plastic-constructed lens has a smooth finish and feels quite sturdy. There is a well-positioned zoom ring that is adequately dampened for smooth rotation. However, it is quite heavy and is not weather-sealed either, which means that you may need to take additional precautions while shooting.
Performance
This well-built ultra-wide-angle lens doesn’t shy away from producing high-quality images throughout its focal range. One of the most important aspects of an ultra-wide-angle lens is its focal length range. Tokina offers a range of 11-16mm but with a better angle of view: perfect for landscape photography. However, it is not the best choice to capture portraits because the angle of view is too wide for that purpose and distorts the perspective.
Tokina makes up for any focal length range shortcomings by featuring a wide maximum aperture of f/2.8 throughout the range. As a result, performance under low lighting conditions is decent.
Further on, the same old optical formula works pretty well to deliver good-quality images. The images are fairly sharp in the center, and it improves significantly after you stop down the lens. Moreover, the corners look slightly soft at f/2.8 but pretty great at f/8. Tokina does a great job of minimizing distortion, and even though there are subtle hints of barrel distortion at 11m, it is nothing too problematic. On the other hand, vignetting is a cause of concern while using shorter focal lengths with corners 2.5 times darker than the center.
Moving on, the micro-motor AF system isn’t the fastest or the quietest compared to its rivals, but it works reasonably well.
Conclusion
The Tokina 11-16 is the perfect blend of positives and negatives, but the reasonable price makes it a part of our bucket list. There is no better lens with a better optical performance at this price.
What we like:
- Great AF system
- Minimal light reflection
- Well-controlled distortion
- Sharp results
What we don’t:
- Limited focal range
- Vignetting at shorter focal lengths
4. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
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- Focal length: 10 to 24mm
- Maximum aperture: f/3.5 to 4.5
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- The angle of view: 109° to 61°
- Min focus distance: 24 cm
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image stabilization: None
- Weight: 460 g
Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED DX AF-S Nikkor was the camera industry’s first attempt at creating an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for cropped sensor cameras. Soon after, the other manufacturers came out with their zoom lenses, but Nikon remains at the top.
Design
The lens has a plastic body with a matte black texture for aesthetic reasons. There are seven rounded aperture blades, a metal lens mount, and 77mm plastic filter threads. However, there isn’t any depth of field markings because of the reliable AF system.
Performance
One of the ways to judge the performance of a lens is through its sharpness. Fortunately, Nikon performs quite well in this department. The images display constant sharpness throughout the image with some softness around the edges at wide-open throughout the focal length. The image sharpness improves after you stop down the lens: we found the overall results better at the telephoto end, with f/5.6 being the sweet spot.
Moving on, chromatic aberration is a bit problematic, especially at the widest focal length or wide open at its longest focal length, i.e., 10mm and f/4.5 24mm, respectively. However, the images between 12-20mm demonstrate a firm control over chromatic noise while most of the issues are concentrated away from the center. On the other hand, shading is prominent at all focal lengths whilst images wide open at wide-angle have extremely dark corners. Further on, images taken above 15mm are free of barrel distortion: anything below has an average distortion rating of 0.5%.
Nikon features a silent wave motor that imitates an AF system and delivers rather brisk yet silent performance. The lens allows photographers to magnify their images up to 20%, but it is not meant for macro shots.
Conclusion
Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED DX AF-S Nikkor is a decent ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that delivers sharp results without any major issues with corner softness. Chromatic aberration is well controlled; however, distortion and vignetting is a major issue in some cases.
What we like:
- Reliable AF system
- Very sharp images
- Controlled CA
What we don’t:
- Corners prone to vignetting
- Major barrel distortion
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): About Nikon Landscape Lenses
Q: Can I use a prime lens for landscape?
A: If you aren’t aware of a prime lens, it is just a lens with a fixed-length: a 50mm lens allows you to shoot images at 50mm only. On the other hand, a zoom lens allows you to change the focal length up to a certain point. However, prime lenses are known to have sharper optics, better wide-open aperture range, and are comparatively lighter. However, the fixed-length means that you may need to change the distance from your subject manually, i.e., moving closer or far apart to zoom. Moreover, you may find yourself wasting time on changing your lens frequently.
Coming back to the question, a prime lens is, indeed, perfect for landscape photography.
Q: Is 24mm wide enough for landscape?
A: Selecting the right lens is equally important as choosing a technologically advanced camera to make the most of your images.
Beginners may feel intimidated by the wide range of lenses available with varying focal lengths, but the wrong lens selection ruins the entire image. A 24mm lens is an ideal choice for landscape photographers: 18mm is ultra-wide, 50mm+ is perfect for portrait photography, but 24mm works well with both subjects. It’s easy to get the perfect shot by using the right technique, but some professional photographers believe that images at 24mm don’t look as grand, and they lose the scale.
If you want a perfect landscape shot, we would advise you to opt for either 14mm or 18mm.
Q: Is 85mm good for landscape?
A: As a photographer, it is essential to know what sort of lenses work well with each subject. 85m lenses are usually meant for shooting stunning portraits because of its lightweight, wide aperture, and staggering fast speed. It is an ideal option to cover any event, but when it comes to shooting landscapes, users hesitate to invest in an 85mm lens. However, there are several tricks and benefits of using a similar lens to shoot captivating outdoor images.
Firstly, the 85mm lens allows photographers to explore their creativity by artistically composing landscape images. Further on, every lens can shoot various subjects if you use the proper techniques; thus, a prime lens trains you to do just that. Moreover, an 85mm prime lens allows a closeness to subjects resulting in interesting perspectives and better details. On the other hand, most people find portraits of landscapes quite aesthetically pleasing. In short, an 85mm lens is an optimal device for capturing creative images with clarity.
Conclusion
This ends our list of the best lenses for landscape photography. It is important to purchase a good quality ultra-wide angle lens with the right focal length (preferably 14mm) to get stunning images of the scenery. Most lenses also offer an image stabilization system and an AF system to capture better shots.
Moreover, our FAQs include some popular questions asked by customers who are new to the entire process. Nikon is one of the best camera manufacturers; thus, each of their lenses is reliable and often fun to work with. Sigma and Rokinon are quite famous for their budget-friendly lenses that deliver great performance and sharp images.