Best Nikon Lenses For Low Light and Portraits

Looking for the best Nikon lenses for low light and portrait photography?

We checked everything Nikon and other brands offer, and selected ones with the best value for your money.

All of the lenses below have excellent image quality, a large aperture, are useful for more than just a single type of photography, and are affordable and far from being overpriced.

Prime lenses we covered:
Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM

Zoom lenses we covered:
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S

You automatically support us if you order anything through our Amazon links, and we highly recommend them because of their low prices, fast delivery and top support, especially when it comes to camera equipment.

Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX

The Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX is small, optically great and also the most affordable Nikon lens out there.

Thanks to the f/1.8 aperture, it lets in an enormous amount of light and is simply perfect for low light situations (parties, clubs, night photography etc.). This means less blurred shots and more high quality images when shooting in dark places.

Another reason why f/1.8 is so good is because it allows you to completely blur the background, making your subject stand out (called shallow depth of field). It’s the easiest and quickest way to make your shots look professional.

Who is this lens good for? Wedding, portrait, casual, low light, indoor photographers. The focal length is actually perfect for almost everything except for wildlife, and combined with the f/1.8 the quality of your shots will look absolutely stunning.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S

Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S replaces the old, but best selling 50mm f/1.8D that couldn’t auto focus on bodies like the D3300 that have no AF motor. This new version however, works perfectly and will also auto focus on it without any issues.

When it comes to image quality and colors, it’s more or less like the 35mm above, and also features the same aperture size. However, because of its longer focal length, it produces better looking bokeh (background blur) and may be a better choice if you’re strictly buying a lens for portraits.

It’s slightly heavier and bigger, takes 58mm filters but is still extremely compact! Perfect for those who travel and want a high quality prime lens.

Who is this lens good for? Everyone, from extreme low light, clubs, street photography, to portraits and weddings, sports, animals, products etc. Think of it as a slightly longer brother of the 35mm.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S

The Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S is perfect for weddings, portraits, street and concert photography.

With superb image quality, beautiful colors and bokeh, this is one of the sharpest lenses Nikon has ever made. The focal length makes it perfect for situations where you can’t or don’t want to get in front of your subject (typical for concerts and weddings). 85mm is also a great length for photographing faces as wider angles tend to distort faces, while longer lengths do work but often force you to get too far from your subject.

Like both prime lenses above, this one also features a large f/1.8 opening, so low light photography won’t be an issue at all.

Who is this lens for? Wedding, portrait, concert and street photographers. However, it can also be used for sports and many other types, don’t let the millimeters limit your creativity!

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM is sharper than the majority of prime lenses on the market.

It’s tack sharp even at f/1.4, features a Ring-type AF motor for fast, silent and accurate focusing with Full Time Manual Focus, and has a closest focusing distance of 0.30cm/11.81″.

Mounted on an DX camera, its field of view is equivalent to a 50mm lens, a length that’s perfect for almost any type of photography, especially for portrait, wedding and extreme low light photography.

Great bokeh, beautiful colors and optical quality, plus it’s built like a tank so you don’t have to worry about easily damaging it.

Who is this lens for? Often shoot in low light and/or want super sharp photographs with amazingly shallow depth of field? The 35mm f/1.4 is a dream come true for many photographers, at a highly affordable price.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S

The Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G is easily the best all-around zoom lens out there, with image quality that’s better than many prime lenses.

This is one of those lenses you put on and rarely use anything else, especially if your style of photography covers more than just a single subject. With the ability to zoom from 24 to 70mm while still having f/2.8 (not to mention superb quality), you’re ready to shoot almost anything.

Its contrast, colors and optical quality are the best there is, as well as the AF performance, even on entry-level DSLRs.

Who is this lens for? If you want to own a single best zoom with range perfect for portraits, casual photography, traveling, weddings, concerts, reporting, indoor etc., you’ll love it!

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S is one of the sharpest zooms available, with superb image quality and excellent overall performance. It’s perfect for both hobby photographers who want the best image quality, and also for professionals that need the best there is.

The 70-200mm range and f/2.8 aperture make it perfect for concerts, weddings, sports, reporters and animals. Its auto focus is very fast and accurate so it’s a perfect match for more advanced Nikon DSLRs. It also features Vibration Reduction to help you when shooting at 200mm where it’s harder to hold the camera still.

Who is this lens for? Sports, portraits, weddings, concerts, action, animals (200mm is too short for serious wildlife), landscape, traveling (although not as light as many other lenses).

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.