Choosing the right Nikon lenses for car photography can significantly improve your shots, helping you capture every detail from the sleek lines to the vibrant paint colors.
Our guide lists the 10 best Nikon lenses for car photography, ensuring you find the perfect for your Nikon camera. Whether you’re shooting in a studio, garage, or at a bustling car show, we have a Nikon lens to help you out.
Our top picks include the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S for its wide aperture and sharpness, making it ideal for capturing cars in motion or low light. The Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G is the best F-mount lens, chosen for its versatility and ability to highlight intricate details with a shallow depth of field.
If you need more info, we have eight more fantastic Z-mount and F-mount Nikon lenses for car photography. Keep reading to find out more.
What Is the Best Nikon Z Lens for Car Photography?
When choosing the best Nikon Z lens for car photography, you need to consider features like aperture, focal length, and sharpness. All the Z-mount lenses in this section offer a range of perspectives, from wide-angle to telephoto, ensuring every shot from detailed close-ups to expansive environmental scenes stands out with professional quality.
- Superior sharpness across aperture range
- Fast, accurate autofocus with quiet operation
- Robust weather sealing for challenging conditions
- Exceptional low-light performance with f/1.8 aperture
- Minimal chromatic aberration, enhancing image quality
- Versatile focal length for diverse photography styles
- Outstanding sharpness and optical performance
- Durable, weather-sealed construction for reliability
- Fast, quiet autofocus ideal for video and stills
- Excellent low-light capability with f/1.8 aperture
- Ideal for portrait photography with flattering compression
- Excellent low-light performance with f/1.8 aperture
- Superb optical clarity and color accuracy
- Fast, silent autofocus perfect for candid shots
- Durable build with weather-sealing for outdoor use
- 5x zoom versatility for diverse shooting scenarios
- Constant f/4 aperture for consistent exposure control
- Exceptional sharpness and clarity across zoom range
- Robust build with comprehensive weather sealing
- Dual stepping motors for fast, silent autofocus
- Constant f/2.8 aperture for superior low-light performance
- Versatile telephoto range ideal for sports and wildlife
- Optical VR provides up to 5.5 stops stabilization
- Exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity
- Durable, weather-sealed construction for harsh conditions
Our Favorite Nikon Lenses for Car Photography
Let’s take a closer look at our favorite Nikon lenses. From wide angles capturing the full scene to telephoto lenses isolating specific details, there’s a perfect option for every shoot. These lenses ensure your car photography stands out, whether you’re shooting in bright daylight or low light.
1. Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
450 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 1.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
24 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
 |
The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is a brilliant wide-angle prime lens for car photography. The lens’s 24mm focal length is perfect for capturing the entire car and its environment, providing a dramatic perspective when shooting up close.
Sharpness is a key strength of this lens, crucial for highlighting the intricate details of a car, from the sleek bodywork to the texture of the interior. The optical design includes one ED glass element and four aspherical elements, and they ensure there’s minimal distortion. This is important for keeping the car’s lines straight and true.
Anti-glare Nano Crystal coatings reduce ghosting and glare. This is helpful when shooting with artificial studio lighting when the light can reflect off the car’s shiny surface. You get cleaner image quality without light artefacts, vignetting, or ghosting.
A 72mm filter thread also allows you to use filters for practical effects.
Its f/1.8 aperture allows for fast shutter speeds, capturing cars in motion without motion blur. This feature also helps in low light, making it a good option for evening shoots.
A fast aperture also helps with depth of field control. You can easily set the car part from the background by creating a bokeh background with a shallow depth of field.
Autofocus speed is another advantage, quickly locking onto subjects like fast-moving cars. It’s also dust and moisture-resistant, allowing you to work more comfortably outdoors.
The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is a top choice for car photographers, offering a wide field of view, a wide aperture range, and excellent picture quality. It’s the best place to start if you’re interested in car photography.
2. Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
370 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 1.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
35 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is another fantastic prime for car photography. The 35mm focal length gives you a tighter viewing angle than the 24mm. It’s still wide enough for full-body shots of the vehicle, but you can shoot tighter, more detailed shots too.
The fast f/1.8 max aperture is key for shooting in low light and achieving a shallow depth of field. It highlights the car by blurring the background, making the vehicle the main focus.
The lens’s sharpness is also a big plus. It captures every detail from the shine of the paint to the texture of the seats. There’s very little distortion distortion, so the lines and shape of the car are captured accurately.
Nikon’s new stepping motor provides quick, reliable, and quiet focusing. The barrel has a handy manual/auto focus switch and a custom control ring. A 62mm filter thread also allows you to use circular filters, giving you more creative options.
The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is a simple prime lens that’s perfect for car photography. The versatile focal length gives you excellent shot options. You have depth of field control with the fast aperture. And the optical quality is sharp and clear. It’s a brilliant lens for car photography.
3. Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
470 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 1.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
85 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S is another sensational prime lens. It’s 85mm focal length gives you a tighter field of view, which is perfect for detailed close-ups of specific features. But you can also shoot wider shots of the car when you have more space to work in.
Its f/1.8 aperture gives you excellent low-light performance, allowing you to work without a tripod. It also means you can use a shallow depth of field, creating a blurred background to highlight individual features.
Edge-to-edge sharpness is another strong point, with two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) elements reducing chromatic aberration and distortion. The outer glass elements also have a Nano Crystal coating, reducing glare from lights and reflective surfaces.
The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S has a robust build, being dust and moisture-resistant. That’s another reason why we’ve selected it as one of the best lenses for car photography.
4. Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
630 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 4.0
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
24-120 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S is a versatile zoom lens that’s perfect for capturing cars in all their glory. Its wide-to-telephoto zoom range allows photographers to shoot wide scenic shots and detailed shots of specific features. The flexibility allows you to work quickly without constantly changing lenses.
The constant f/4 aperture isn’t the widest on the list but still permits a good amount of light. You have no problems working in daylight or under good studio lighting. It’s also constant throughout the zoom range. And you still get excellent depth of field control.
Sharpness across the zoom range is impressive, ensuring that every detail is captured with clarity. You also get very little color bleeding or vignetting.
The autofocus is also quick and reliable, thanks to two high-speed STM stepping motors. There’s practically no focus breaking, which is handy for shooting car video footage. And a custom control ring gives more hands-on control over settings.
A wide room range gives you excellent versatility, but there’s no compromise over image quality. That’s why the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S is a great choice for car photographers.
5. Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
1360 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 2.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
70-200 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
 |
The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S is a standout choice for car photography, offering a versatile telephoto range and a fast f/2.8 aperture.
The wider end of the focal range is perfect for snapping detailed close-ups of the vehicles. But the telephoto end really comes into its own when working outdoors. It’s ideal for snapping cars as they drive down a country road or around a race track.
An f/2.8 aperture is great for a telephoto lens like this one. It gives you excellent low-light performance at all points in the zoom range.
This lens excels in isolating cars from their backgrounds thanks to its ability to compress space and deliver a shallow depth of field.
Its sharpness is unmatched, capturing every detail from the texture of the paint to the reflections on the glass, ensuring that car enthusiasts can appreciate the beauty of their vehicles in every shot.
The built-in image stabilization is a big bonus, allowing photographers to shoot at slower shutter speeds with less risk of motion blur. It also helps you shoot when there’s less light, helping you shoot without a tripod.
The quality and versatility make it a popular choice among professional car photographers. The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S is the best telephoto zoom lens for car enthusiasts.
What is the Best Nikon F Lens for Car Photography?
This section focuses on the best Nikon F lenses for car photography. These lenses were chosen for their ability to capture sharp, detailed images across various distances, from wide scenes to intricate close-ups. Each lens offers unique advantages, from low light performance to versatile zoom ranges, and meets specific demands of car photography.
- Superior low-light performance with f/1.4 aperture
- Ideal for street and environmental portraits
- Exceptional sharpness and minimal distortion
- Durable, weather-sealed construction
- Smooth, pleasing bokeh effect
- Versatile zoom range for diverse photography needs
- Constant f/2.8 aperture ensures consistent exposure
- Robust, weather-sealed construction for durability
- Advanced optical design minimizes aberrations
- Effective Vibration Reduction for sharp handheld shots
- Flattering portraits with natural compression effect
- Large f/1.4 aperture for beautiful bokeh
- Exceptional low-light performance
- Fast, accurate autofocus system
- Durable, weather-sealed construction for reliability
- Versatile zoom ideal for sports and wildlife
- Constant f/2.8 aperture for consistent exposure
- Advanced VR for sharp handheld shots
- Durable, weather-sealed for harsh conditions
- Exceptional image quality across the zoom range
- All-in-one lens for versatile shooting scenarios
- Broad 18-200mm zoom range covers most needs
- Effective Vibration Reduction for stable handheld shots
- Compact, lightweight design for travel convenience
- Sharp images with minimal aberration corrections
Our Favorite Nikon F Lenses for Car Photography
Let’s take a closer look at our favorite Nikon F-mount lenses. Whether you’re capturing sleek lines, intricate details, or cars in motion, there’s a lens here for every scenario. Whether you work with full frame or APS-C sensor, there’s a car photography lens for any Nikon DSLR camera.
1. Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
600 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 1.4
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
35 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G is a beautiful prime lens that’s ideal for car photography. The lens’s 35mm focal length is versatile, perfect for capturing both wider shots of the whole car and detailed close-ups.
The super-fast f/1.4 aperture is key for shooting in low light and achieving a shallow depth of field. A smooth bokeh background helps to isolate the car within the image, adding emphasis and artistic flare.
Sharpness is another strong point of this lens, crucial for highlighting the sleek lines and intricate details of cars. Images come out crisp and clear from edge to edge, even when shooting wide open. This ensures that every reflection on the car’s body and texture in its interior is captured with precision.
Compared to the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, the 35mm f/1.4G offers a wider aperture. However, the 24-70mm f/2.8 provides more flexibility with its zoom range.
The Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G excels in image sharpness and low-light performance. The wide 35mm focal length also gives you versatility with composition. That’s why it’s the perfect starting place for your car photography journey.
2. Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
1070 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 2.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
24-70 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR is the best DSLR zoom lens for car photography. Its zoom range covers wider scenic shots to closer detailed shots of individual elemtns, offering flexibility without the need to switch lenses.
The constant f/2.8 aperture is a huge benefit to car photographers. It gives you excellent low-light performance at all focal lengths, allowing you to use faster shutter speeds. And it allows you to play with depth of field, giving you more creative control.
Image sharpness is another highlight of this lens, brilliantly capturing the fine details of cars across its zoom range. The edge-to-edge clarity ensures every aspect of the vehicle is in focus.
Fast and reliable autofocus locks onto moving cars quickly. However, it’s heavier than some other lenses on this list, which might be a factor for long shoots without a tripod.
Compared to prime lenses like the Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G, this zoom lens offers more versatility for framing shots without sacrificing much in terms of aperture size. It’s a good option for photographers who value the ability to capture a variety of angles and compositions quickly.
The balance between flexibility, image quality, and performance makes the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR a popular choice for car photography.
3. Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
595 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 1.4
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
85 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G is a lovely, pro-level telephoto prime that car photographers will love. With its fixed 85mm focal length, this lens offers a unique perspective that’s ideal for focusing on specific details of the vehicle.
Its f/1.4 aperture allows a lot of light in, which is perfect for low-light conditions. It allows you to use faster shutter speeds and shoot from hand without a tripod.
This lens is particularly good at isolating the subject thanks to its ability to produce a smooth, creamy bokeh. This technique helps to highlight the car’s design by softening the background.
As it’s a prime lens, you won’t be surprised by the corner-to-corner sharpness. You also get glare-free images thanks to the Nano Crystal coating on the glass elements.
A Silent Wave Motor (SWM) gives you fast and reliable autofocus, ensuring sharp images of both stationary and moving cars. However, the lack of image stabilization means photographers need to be mindful of camera shake in low light.
A brilliant telephoto prime, the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G is the best lens for capturing intricate details and intimate car studies.
4. Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
1430 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 2.8
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
70-200 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR is a standout choice for car photography, offering a versatile zoom range that’s ideal for outdoor work.
Its f/2.8 aperture allows for fast shutter speeds and a shallow depth of field. It’s constant throughout the zoom range, so you don’t lose any stops when zooming in or out.
Its effective image stabilization is a big advantage. It gives you even better low-light performance, providing additional exposure options in low light. And it allows you to shoot with a faster shutter speed when shooting from hand.
Picture quality is brilliant, thanks to a combination of ED, Fluorite (FL), and High Refractive (HRI) elements. These ensure sharpness and clarity at any point in the focal range. It also has the Nano coating to reduce glare and vignetting.
It’s on the heavier side, but its performance and build quality justify the extra weight. The weather sealing and durable construction mean it can handle challenging outdoor shoots.
The Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR is a powerful tool for car photographers, offering flexibility, superb image quality, and reliability.
5. Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
| Brand |
Brand
Nikon
|
| Lens Weight |
Lens Weight
565 g
|
| Maximum Aperture |
Maximum Aperture
f/ 5.6
|
| Focal Length Range |
Focal Length Range
18-200 mm
|
| Image Stabilization |
Image Stabilization
|
The Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II is a versatile zoom lens that’s great for car photography. It’s wide zoom range and image stabilization make it the perfect choice for Nikon APS-C cameras.
The zoom range allows photographers to capture both wide environmental shots and detailed close-ups.
Its variable aperture to present a few limitations, especially in low light. But its effective Vibration Reduction (VR) system provides compensation, giving you four extra stops of exposure control.
Weighing just over 1 lb (565 g), this lens is relatively light and easy to handle. This makes it a good option for long shooting sessions at car shows or races.
Its quick and accurate autofocus ensures that photographers won’t miss the action, locking onto moving cars with ease.
While it may exhibit some distortion at the wide end and vignetting when wide open, these are only a problem at the extreme settings.
The Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II is a highly practical lens for car photographers looking for a single-lens solution to cover a broad range of shooting scenarios.
Conclusion: The Best Nikon Lenses for Car Photography
Looking at the best Nikon lenses for car photography, we’ve seen fantastic options for mirrorless and DSLR cameras. We’ve covered a wide range of lenses, from wide angles for broad shots of the car to telephoto options for detailed close-ups.
The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is our top pick in the Z-mount category, chosen for its wide-angle view and low-light performance. The Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G wins the F-mount category with its versatility and superb image quality. But as we’ve seen, there’s a Nikon lens for any type of car photography.
