If you own or plan to own a Nikon Z‑mount APS‑C (DX) mirrorless camera, choosing the right lens can make all the difference. Nikon’s DX line-up for Z‑mount is designed to deliver compact size, lightweight handling, and excellent optical performance, covering everything from travel and vlogging to landscapes, portraits, and telephoto needs. In this guide, we’ll cover all Nikon DX Z‑mount lenses, compare their sharpness, autofocus (AF), stabilization (VR), size/weight, and value, explain what happens when you mount a DX lens on a full-frame Z body, and explore notable third-party DX options
Nikon Z-Mount DX Lens Line-up
NIKKOR Z DX 12–28mm f/3.5–5.6 PZ VR
Ultra-wide power-zoom lens ideal for vlogging, gimbals, and travel. Compact and lightweight (~205 g), with smooth power zoom and VR for video. Perfect for wide landscapes or tight indoor spaces.
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NIKKOR Z DX 16–50mm f/3.5–6.3 VR
Compact standard zoom (≈24–75mm full-frame equivalent), extremely portable, good center sharpness, and built-in VR. Great for travel, street, and everyday shooting.
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NIKKOR Z DX 18–140mm f/3.5–6.3 VR
All-in-one zoom (≈27–210mm eq) with a wide-to-telephoto range, strong VR, and quiet AF. Perfect for travel, landscapes, and general-purpose shooting without lens swaps.
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NIKKOR Z DX 50–250mm f/4.5–6.3 VR
Compact telephoto zoom (≈75–375mm eq), lightweight with VR, ideal for wildlife, sports, and outdoor portraits. Offers long reach without bulky glass.
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NIKKOR Z DX 16–50mm f/2.8 VR (New 2025)
Professional-grade standard zoom with constant f/2.8 aperture. Brighter for low-light, shallower depth of field, and improved VR. Excellent for portraits, travel, and creators wanting pro performance in a compact package.
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NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f/1.7
Bright, compact prime lens (≈36mm eq) perfect for street photography, vlogging, and low-light shooting. Excellent sharpness, lightweight, and pleasant bokeh.
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NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 (Macro)
Life-size reproduction macro prime (≈52mm eq). Great for close-ups, tabletop, pets, and creative portrait work with shallow depth of field.
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Comparing the DX Lenses
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Sharpness: The 12–28mm PZ and 24mm f/1.7 are the sharpest for wide-angle and low-light. Zooms like 18–140mm and 50–250mm hold up well for travel and telephoto work.
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Autofocus: All lenses use quiet stepping motors compatible with Eye-AF. Smooth for both stills and video.
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Stabilization (VR): Included in most zooms (12–28mm, 16–50mm, 18–140mm, 50–250mm) for 4–5 stops of shake reduction. Primes like 24mm f/1.7 and 35mm macro do not include VR.
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Size & Weight: DX design keeps lenses small and light — 12–28mm (~205 g) and 16–50mm kit zoom (~135 g) are ideal for travel.
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Value: 18–140mm all-in-one zoom offers best bang for your buck; the 12–28mm is video-friendly; the 24mm prime gives low-light performance at modest cost.
What Happens When Mounting a DX Lens on a Full-Frame Z Body
Mounting any DX lens on a full-frame body like the Nikon Z6 III triggers DX crop mode, using a smaller central area of the sensor (≈1.5× crop). This avoids vignetting but reduces image resolution. Forcing full-frame capture with a DX lens results in severe vignetting and degraded corners. DX lenses remain compatible with full-frame Z bodies, but you trade resolution for lens convenience.
Third-party Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
Sigma Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
Fast primes and compact zooms for APS‑C Z‑mount cameras. Excellent sharpness and value, filling focal-length gaps Nikon hasn’t covered.
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Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN | Contemporary (Nikon Z-Mount)
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Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN | Contemporary (Nikon Z-Mount)
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Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN | Contemporary (Nikon Z-Mount)
Tamron Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
Lightweight zooms and specialty focal lengths, offering APS‑C shooters flexible, cost-effective lenses with good size/weight balance.
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Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD (Model B060)
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Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
Viltrox / Meike / Samyang (Rokinon) – Budget & Creative Options
Viltrox Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
Manual and autofocus primes covering wide to normal focal lengths. Ideal for budget builds, vloggers, and creative manual control.
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Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 APS-C Lens for Nikon Z-Mount
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Viltrox AF 23mm f/1.4 APS-C Lens for Nikon Z-Mount
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Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 APS-C Lens for Nikon Z-Mount
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Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 APS-C Lens for Nikon Z-Mount
Meike Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
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Meike 35mm f/1.4 Z-Mount
Samyang (Rokinon) Z-Mount DX Mirrorless Lenses
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Samyang 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS Z-Mount
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Samyang 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS Z-Mount
Why Third-party Matters: Price tiers, niche focal lengths, smaller/lighter designs, and creative options extend the DX lens ecosystem beyond Nikon’s official lineup.
Best lenses by shooting style
- Travel
- Suggested: Z DX 16-50mm compact zoom or a 16–80mm DX zoom for flexibility.
- Why: Broad focal range, light weight, and general-purpose sharpness make these ideal for day-long trips and street photography.
- Trade-offs: Small maximum aperture on kit zooms limits low-light performance; carry a fast prime if you need more light.
- Vlogging
- Suggested: Z DX 16mm f/2.8 or a stabilized 16–50mm power zoom (for smooth framing).
- Why: Wide angle, lightweight designs, and power-zoom options ease handheld framing and livestreaming setups.
- Trade-offs: Wide primes are compact but may lack image stabilization; choose a camera body with good IBIS or a stabilized lens.
- Landscapes
- Suggested: Wide DX primes (e.g., 10–16mm-style equivalents, or 16mm f/2.8) and mid-range sharp zooms like 16–80mm.
- Why: Sharp corner-to-corner performance and controlled distortion matter most for landscapes.
- Trade-offs: You may trade portability for maximum image quality with heavier, higher-end optics.
- Portraits
- Suggested: Fast primes in the 35–85mm equivalent range (50mm equivalent is a classic choice).
- Why: Faster apertures provide subject separation and pleasing bokeh compared with kit zooms.
- Trade-offs: Prime-only kits reduce flexibility, so bring at least one zoom if you need variety.
- Extra reach (telephoto)
- Suggested: DX-specific telezooms and lightweight 70–180mm equivalents for wildlife and sports on APS-C bodies.
- Why: APS-C crop factor extends apparent reach, so DX telezooms are often smaller and more affordable than full-frame equivalents.
- Trade-offs: For extreme reach or ultimate subject isolation you may still prefer full-frame telephotos.
Final buying tips
- Match lens size to your body and shooting goals: choose lightweight DX glass for travel and vlogging, fast primes for portraits and low light, and stabilized zooms if you frequently shoot handheld video.
- Consider third-party DX lenses for cost-effective primes and specialty glass that complement Nikon’s own offerings.
- If you plan to upgrade to full-frame later, be aware DX lenses will force crop mode on full-frame bodies; budget for at least one full-frame lens if you want to retain all sensor resolution and coverage.
