7 Best Lenses For The Nikon Z7II (…and 3 to avoid)

The Nikon Z7 II is a professional-level high-resolution camera and you need high-quality lenses to get the full performance out of the 45.7-megapixel sensor.

That is why my top pick is the exceptional Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S. It covers a very versatile focal range and delivers the best in sharpness and color. It also made my list of the best Nikon lenses overall.

Keep reading to see more options depending on the type of photography you plan on using your Z7 II for the most.

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The 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens in the Z mount lineup is quite impressive. It packs a wide max aperture and a good mid-range focal length and delivers industry-leading image quality.

This made my top pick because of the combination of versatility and image quality.

There’s a reason that the 24-70 f/2.8 lens can be found in almost any professional photographer’s bag. You can shoot anything from wide-angle landscapes to longer focal-length portraits with this lens. Plus the f/2.8 max aperture means you’ll have a lot of control over depth of field and have the ability to shoot in low light.

It is also one of the sharpest 24-70mm lenses that you’ll find in any camera system. This lens takes full advantage of the Nikon Z mount to create exceptional image quality.

The autofocus performance is top-notch as well. It uses two AF drive units synchronized to deliver extremely fast and accurate autofocus. This works well paired with the excellent autofocus system of the Z7II.

On top of all that, this lens comes in lighter and smaller than the F-mount counterpart that was itself one of the best 24-70mm options out there.

I put this lens on the list because it’s a versatile all-around lens, similar to the 24-70mm above. It has a smaller max aperture at f/4 but still has excellent sharpness across the frame and optical performance in general. It’s also around about $1100 cheaper than the f/2.8 version that made the top slot.

This is a good option if you don’t see yourself needing the f/2.8 aperture very much and value sharpness and image quality over low-light performance.

For instance, if you plan on using this zoom lens for landscape photography, then the image quality is far more important than the wide max aperture.

As a Z7II owner, you’re looking to level up your photo quality and a high-end prime can do just that. Prime lenses generally outperform zoom lenses in all aspects of image quality. The 50mm f/1.2 is one of the best in the Z mount lineup.

Sure, you could go for the old classic, 50mm f/1.8, but that’s not all that exciting. The f/1.2 aperture can give you a focal plane of only 10″ from 10 feet away. This means the ability to shoot with beautiful bokeh in any situation.

The f/1.2 aperture also means beautiful low-light photography without having to increase the ISO. So your night photos will be cleaner and sharper.

Any wide-aperture lens like this is a massive difference for anyone that’s never used one. It will allow you to experiment with shallow depth of field as well as shoot in low light much better than any kit lens.

If you plan to use your Z7II for everyday photography like photographing your kids or get-togethers with friends and family, you’ll be thankful to have the option to use f/1.2, especially in indoor situations.

This is the second piece in the Nikon Z mount version of what photographers call the “holy trinity” of lenses (the next one on this list will complete the set).

Like the other f/2.8 zoom lenses above, this is one of the sharpest zoom lenses at this focal length that I have tried. In terms of wide-angle shooting, it may be the best full-frame lens on the market. The image quality is more impressive given the very wide 14mm end. At 14mm, this lens covers 115° of view.

There are some small compromises though.

If you want to use filters for your landscape photography, you’ll need 112mm filters. It can be hard to find companies that offer this size so your options are limited if you have your favorite filters to work with.

If you don’t need the f/2.8 maximum aperture then you may also want to look at the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens. It is less expensive, lighter, and will allow you to use standard 82mm filters. In terms of sharpness and color, it is quite close to the 14-24mm f/2.8, so depending on what kind of landscape photography you typically shoot, you may be able to save over $1000.

This is simply an excellent lens with really no negatives I found.

That being said, it can be used for a wide variety of shooting situations. Whether you’re shooting portraits, sports, wildlife, weddings, or even as a companion to a wide-angle lens for shooting landscape images…this lens delivers.

It delivers class-leading sharpness at all apertures and the out-of-focus areas of bokeh at f.2.8 are quite soft and pleasing for shallow depth-of-field photos.

Also, there really aren’t many other telephoto options in this range in the Z-mount lineup. So your choices are to pay the $2,399.95 MSRP or use an FTZ Adapter with an older F-mount lens. But, I think you get a lot more value for your money by investing in the Z mount version. You won’t need to use an adapter and the autofocus speed and image quality are second to none.

The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 has all of the same benefits as the 50mm version, but if you are shooting a lot of portrait photography, then the 85mm is a perfect focal length for portraits.

By using a longer focal length, you’ll be able to stand farther away from your subject while still filling the frame. This adds something called compression in photography, which helps to give a more flattering look to people.

Of course, the longer focal length also can be somewhat limiting for everyday use. So keep that in mind. This lens is great as a second or third option for the Z7II while the ones at the top of this list are more versatile and good for everyday use.