The Nikon D850 has been called one of the best DSLRs ever made. You don’t want to waste such a well-made camera with inferior lenses, so to help you fill out your kit, here are my picks for the best lenses for the Nikon D850.
The first lens I would recommend for you is the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2 because of its high image quality, versatile zoom range, wide maximum aperture, and affordable price.
Some of these lenses also made my list of the overall Best Nikon Lenses so be sure to check that out as well.
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Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2
Tamron’s version of the pro-level workhorse lens is every bit as good as the Nikon version at about half the price. Top-notch sharpness and usability at a more affordable price.
The Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 is one of the best overall lenses you can buy. In fact, it made my picks for the best Nikon lens overall.
To begin with, this lens covers arguably the most useful focal lengths with a range of 24-70mm and it has a wide maximum aperture of f/2.8 that is useful for shooting portraits with a shallow depth of field.
If you’re shooting with a Nikon D850 then you need a lens that can keep up with the 45/7 megapixel sensor. Some lenses, especially older ones, just don’t resolve enough detail to take advantage of that sensor. This lens can handle it.
I recommend the Tamron version instead of the Nikon 24-70mm because it delivers image quality on par with the Nikon for about half the price. Unless you’re a professional that doesn’t mind dropping an extra $1000, the Tamron is going to be a MUCH better value for your money.
Pros
- Enough detail resolution for the 45.7 MP sensor
- 24-70mm range covers most needs
- Well-built, weather-sealed, and durable body
Cons
- Extending barrel may turn off some photographers compared to the Nikon version
It also boasts excellent image quality with sharpness across the focal length range and minimal distortion. Even when shooting wide open at f/2.8 there is minimal edge softness. As a result, your images are going to be sharp whether you’re shooting portraits at 70mm and f/2.8 or landscapes at 24mm and f/10.
Lastly, it’s about half the price of its 24-70mm Nikon counterpart, so you’ll be getting tremendous value for your dollar with this lens.
But if you’re pixel peeping, you may see a slightly better performance from the more expensive Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 E ED VR, and with a D850, that small difference may mean a lot to you. If that is the case and you don’t mind spending the extra money, the Nikon version is tough to beat.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G
The 50mm f/1.8 lens is an affordable upgrade from the kit lens that might have come with your camera. The wide max aperture will unlock opportunities to use shallow depth of field in your photography and shoot in low light conditions and the lens is sharp enough, even wide open, to take advantage of the D850.
I always recommend that all my students have a mid-length prime lens like this in their bag. In addition to being one of the most affordable lenses you can find for the D850, it is also incredibly sharp and has a wide maximum aperture of f/1.8.
This 50mm prime is an excellent lens on any Nikon full-frame camera, especially if you are looking for an affordable and compact lens to take with you in a variety of different situations.
Pros
- Low-cost full-frame prime lens
- Excellent sharpness for the price
Cons
- 50mm prime can be limiting
The 50mm focal length is more versatile than you would think. You can get close and shoot portraits but it is also wide enough that you can get a lot of the scene in the frame as well.
You can leave this lens on your camera and, with a little movement to get the right framing, get a lot of different types of shots. It is also very light and compact at 6.5oz, which makes it great for travel.
This lens makes a great companion to the D850 because it is affordable and compact but still delivers a high end image. This means that while you may be limited by the focal length, you can get very high-quality results in terms of image quality.
But, I am sure many of you are interested in shooting landscapes, so check out this next pick…
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD
The focal length of this Tamron lens is perfect for wide-angle scenes like landscapes and cityscapes and the f/2.8-4 aperture is wider than many other lenses in this price range so you can use it for wide-angle portraiture as well.
The D850 is probably one of the best landscape DSLRs you can buy. But some of the popular Nikon wide angle lenses are prohibitively expensive and the very popular