Nikon Lenses

Est. 1917 · Tokyo, Japan · 95 lenses

Nippon Kogaku Kōgyō K.K. — later renamed Nikon Corporation — was established in July 1917 in Tokyo through the merger of the optical division of Tokyo Keiki Seisaku-sho, the Iwaki Glass Manufacturing Co., and the optical-instrument arm of Fujii Lens Manufacturing, with the explicit goal of producing military-grade optics domestically. German optical engineers including Heinrich Acht and Hermann Dillmann were retained as consultants in the 1920s, and the company's early output focused on binoculars, periscopes, microscopes, and aerial-photography lenses. The 'Nikkor' brand first appeared in 1933 on the Aero-Nikkor 18 cm f/4.5 aerial-survey lens.

Postwar, Nikon pivoted decisively to civilian cameras and lenses. The Nikon I rangefinder (1948) and the improved Nikon S (1951) earned international recognition when David Douglas Duncan, Horace Bristol, and other photojournalists covering the Korean War carried the Nippon Kogaku-built Nikkor 50 mm f/1.5 and 85 mm f/2 — recognized in Western press as optically superior to contemporary Zeiss and Leitz glass — and praised them in print. The Nikon F SLR system (1959) established the F-mount, a lens interface that would remain mechanically compatible across more than sixty years of manual-focus, autofocus, and digital-SLR cameras.

Nikon's lens line evolved through several distinct generations of mount and metering compatibility. The original non-AI lenses (1959–1977) used external 'rabbit-ears' aperture coupling; the AI (Automatic maximum-Indexing) revision of 1977 added a bayonet-coupled aperture ring readable by the camera, and AI-S (1981) tightened the linear-aperture-control specification for shutter-priority and program AE. Autofocus arrived with the F3AF (1983, a first attempt with two specialized AF lenses), then matured with the F-501 / N2020 (1986). Through the 1990s and early 2000s the AF, AF-D (Distance-encoded), AF-I (in-lens motor), AF-S (Silent Wave Motor), and G (no aperture ring) revisions extended the F-mount feature set. The Nikon D1 (1999) and the full-frame Nikon D3 (2007) brought the system into the digital era while preserving back-compatibility with virtually every F-mount lens ever made.

Nikon's optical design philosophy evolved from adapted double-Gauss and Sonnar derivatives in the manual-focus era — the Noct-Nikkor 58 mm f/1.2 (1977), with its hand-ground aspherical front element, was the first production photographic lens with an aspherical surface for non-night use — to increasingly complex aspherical and ED-glass designs in the AF and digital periods. The transition to the Z-mount mirrorless system (2018, with the Z 6 and Z 7) shortened the flange focal distance from 46.5 mm (F-mount) to 16 mm and widened the throat from 44 mm to 55 mm — the largest mount throat of any current 35 mm-format mirrorless system. The new design envelope is visible in flagship S-line lenses like the Z 50 mm f/1.2 S, the Z 58 mm f/0.95 S Noct (manual-focus, no AF gearing required at the f/0.95 aperture), the Z 14-24 mm f/2.8 S, and the Z 135 mm f/1.8 S Plena — the latter named for its uniformly bright, undimmed image plane edge-to-edge, a defining characteristic of the wide-throat mount.

Notable designs: Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2, Nikkor 13mm f/5.6, AI Nikkor 105mm f/2.5, AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G, Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

NIKON 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8— 6 elements / 5 groups, f = 10.300 mm patent; 10 mm marketed, f/2.8 marketed; FNO 2.92 designNIKON 1 NIKKOR 32mm f/1.2— 9 elements / 7 groups, f = 32.402 mm design, F/1.24 design; f/1.2 marketedNIKON 35mm f/2.8 (Nikon L35AF)— 5 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS, f ≈ 35.0 mm, F/2.8NIKON AF DX FISHEYE-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED— 10 elements / 7 groups, Patent f = 10.565 mm; marketed 10.5 mm, Patent FNO = 2.88; marketed f/2.8NIKON AF MICRO-NIKKOR 200mm f/4D IF-ED— 13 elements / 8 groups, 200 mm, f/4 marketed; patent F/4.07Nikon AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D— 20mm, f/2.8, 94° FXNIKON AF NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4 D— 11 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f ≈ 28.6 mm, F/1.4Nikon AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D— 6 elements / 6 groups, f = 28.60 mm, F/2.86 designNIKON AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4 D IF— 9 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f = 85.0 mm, F/1.4NIKON AF ZOOM-MICRO NIKKOR ED 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6D— 18 elements / 14 groups, Patent f = 82.4-194.0 mm, Patent F/4.14-5.73NIKON AF ZOOM-NIKKOR 35-70mm f/2.8D— 15 elements / 12 groups, 35-70mm f/2.8, Patent EFL 36.0-68.5 mmNIKON AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 G VR— 10-20 mm DX zoom, 14 elements / 11 groups; 3 aspherical elements, Patent f = 10.310 / 14.992 / 19.394 mmNIKON AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR— 12 elements / 9 groups (manufacturer count), 13 modeled optical material bodies, f = 18.50–53.40 mm patent designNIKON AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 G ED VR— 70-300 mm marketed; 72.1-292.1 mm patent, f/4.5-6.3 marketed; f/4.707-6.494 patent, 14 elements / 10 construction groupsNIKON AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 E ED VR— 18 elements / 14 groups, Patent design f=72.10-292.01 mm, Marketed 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6 G ED VR II— 13 elements / 9 groups, f = 56.61-194.07 mm design, F/4.12-5.78 designNIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR— 17 elements / 11 groups, 56.09-293.90 mm design EFL, f/4.5-5.6 marketed maximum apertureNIKON AF-S MICRO-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8 G ED— 12 ELEMENTS / 9 GROUPS, f ≈ 58.0 mm (patent) / 60 mm (production), F/2.88NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4 E ED— 14 ELEMENTS / 9 GROUPS, f ≈ 102.1 mm, F/1.45NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8 E FL ED SR VR— 25 ELEMENTS / 19 GROUPS, f = 123.6–291.0 mm (patent), F/2.91 (constant)NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8 G ED— 15 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f = 14.4–23.8 mm, F/2.88NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4 G ED VR— 17 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, f = 16.48–33.94 mm, F/4.1 CONSTANTNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6 E ED VR— 19 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, f = 205–487 mm, F/5.62–5.78 (optical); F/5.6 (marketed)NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8 G ED— 13 elements / 11 groups, f = 20.600 mm design EFL, F/1.86 design, f/1.8 marketedNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 G ED VR— 17 elements / 13 groups, 24-120 mm f/4 FX standard zoom, US 2010/0220400 A1 Example 1: f = 24.70 / 45.75 / 116.39 mmNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8 E ED VR— 20 ELEMENTS / 16 GROUPS, f = 24–70 mm, F/2.8NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED— 24-70mm f/2.8 marketed; f=24.78-67.70mm, FNO=2.91 design, 15 elements / 11 groups production count, 16 modeled optical media including replicated resin asphere layerNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4 G ED— 12 glass elements / 10 groups, Patent f = 24.68 mm, Patent FNO = 1.43Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED— 12 elements / 9 groups, 24 mm f/1.8 marketed, f = 24.423 mm designNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR— 28-300mm FX superzoom, 19 glass elements / 14 production groups, 2 ED elements / 3 marketed aspherical elementsNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4 E ED— 14 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f ≈ 28.4 mm, F/1.45NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4 G— 9 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS (patent) · 6 GROUPS (production), f ≈ 58.0 mm, F/1.4NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8 E FL ED VR— 22 ELEMENTS / 18 GROUPS, f = 70–200 mm (design 71.5–196.0 mm), F/2.8 (design F/2.9)NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8 G ED VR II— 70-200 mm f/2.8 FX telephoto zoom, Patent design: f = 71.40-196.00 mm, FNO = 2.89, 21 elements / 16 groups; 7 ED elementsNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR— 20 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, f = 80–400 mm (design 81.6–392.0 mm), F/4.5–5.6NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4 G— 10 ELEMENTS / 9 GROUPS, f = 85.0 mm, F/1.4NIKON AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8 G IF-ED— 14 elements / 12 groups, 1 ED element (S-FPL51), All-sphericalNikon AI Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8S— 10 elements / 9 groups, f = 105.003 mm, F/2.8NIKON AI NIKKOR 135mm f/2— 6 elements / 4 groups, Ai Nikkor 135mm f/2 (1977–2005), f = 100 mm patent (×1.35 → 135 mm production)NIKON AI NIKKOR 135mm f/2.8— 5 elements / 4 groups, f/2.8–f/32 · 7 blades, MFD 1.3 m · 52 mm filterNIKON AI NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8 ED— 5 elements / 5 groups, f = 180.00 mm, scaled from patent f = 100, f/2.8, all-sphericalNIKON AI NIKKOR 28mm f/3.5— 6 elements / 6 groups, f ≈ 28.00 mm, f/3.5NIKON AI NIKKOR 35mm f/2— 35 mm, f/2, 8 elements / 6 groupsNIKON AI NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8 P— 4 elements / 3 groups, f ≈ 45.0 mm, f/2.8 (patent FNO 2.88)NIKON AI NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4 S— 7 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS, f ≈ 85.0 mm, F/1.4Nikon AI Zoom-Nikkor 25-50mm f/4— 25-50 mm f/4, 11 elements / 10 groups, Two-group negative-positive wide-angle zoomNikon AI Zoom-Nikkor 35-200mm f/3.5-4.5S— 17 elements / 13 groups, f = 36.23-194.85 mm computed, F/3.5-4.5 nominalNikon AI Zoom-Nikkor 35–105mm f/3.5–4.5S— 16 elements / 12 groups, 35–105 mm, f/3.5–4.5Nikon AI Zoom-Nikkor 360-1200mm f/11 ED— 20 elements / 12 groups, 360-1200 mm, f/11 constant apertureNikon AI Zoom-Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5S— 16 elements / 13 groups, 51.35-131.5 mm design EFL, f/3.5 constant apertureNIKON AI-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2— 7 elements / 6 groups, f = 51.6 mm design / 50 mm nominal, F1.2Nikon AI-S Zoom-Nikkor 35–70mm f/3.5— 10 elements / 9 groups, f = 36.02–68.79 mm design; marketed 35–70 mm, F/3.5 constant apertureNIKON FISHEYE-NIKKOR 6mm f/2.8— 12 elements / 9 groups, 6 mm circular fisheye, F/2.8NIKON FISHEYE-NIKKOR 6mm f/5.6— 9 elements / 6 groups, f ≈ 6.00 mm, F/5.6NIKON Fuwatto Soft 90mm f/4.8— 1 group / 2 elements, f = 90.63 mm computed; 90 mm marketed, f/4.8 fixed apertureNIKON Gugutto Macro 120mm f/4.5— 3 elements / 2 groups, 120mm f/4.5 fixed aperture, US5764425 Example 4 scaled ×1.2NIKON Gyogyotto 20mm f/8— 3 elements / 2 groups, f = 20.0 mm (scaled from patent f = 100), f/8 marketed; f/8.25 designNIKON NIKKOR 28mm f/2.8 (Nikon 28Ti)— 7 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS, f ≈ 28.9 mm, F/2.87NIKON NIKKOR 35mm f/2.8 (Nikon 35Ti)— 6 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS, f ≈ 35.0 mm, F/2.8 (design F/2.88)NIKON NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S— 25 elements / 20 groups, 6 ED + 2 Super ED, All sphericalNIKON NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena— 16 ELEMENTS / 14 GROUPS, f ≈ 132.3 mm, F/1.85NIKON NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S— 16 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f = 14.4–23.3 mm (patent) / 14–24 mm (production), F/2.91 (constant)NIKON NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S— 14 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, f = 14.42–29.10 mm, F/4.0 (CONSTANT)NIKON NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S— 16 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, f = 24.70 – 116.50 mm, F/4.00 – F/4.12NIKON NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR— 19 ELEMENTS / 15 GROUPS, f = 24.7–194.0 mm (design), F/4.12–6.50 (design)NIKON NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3— 11 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, f = 24.7–48.5 mm, F/4.08–6.34NIKON NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S— 17 ELEMENTS / 15 GROUPS, f = 24.8–67.9 mm, F/2.92NIKON NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S— 14 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f = 24.72 – 67.91 mm (2.75× zoom), F/4.0 (constant)NIKON NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8— 8 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS, f = 26.78 mm, F/2.8NIKON NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8— 9 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f ≈ 28.8 mm, F/2.8NIKON NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S— 17 ELEMENTS / 15 GROUPS, f = 34.4 mm (patent) · 35 mm (marketed), F/1.23 (patent) · F/1.2 (marketed)NIKON NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S— 35mm, f/1.8, 11 elements / 9 groupsNIKON NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2— 6 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS, f ≈ 41.2 mm, F/2.04NIKON NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S— 17 ELEMENTS / 15 GROUPS, f = 51.29 mm, F/1.23NIKON NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S— 12 elements / 9 groups, EFL 51.6 mm, f/1.85NIKON NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct— 17 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, f ≈ 59.6 mm, F/0.95 (design F/0.98)NIKON NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S— 21 ELEMENTS / 18 GROUPS, f = 71.5–196 mm, F/2.88NIKON NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S— 12 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f ≈ 83.0 mm (patent) · 85 mm (production), F/1.85 (patent) · F/1.8 (production)NIKON NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR— 9 ELEMENTS / 7 GROUPS, f = 16.46–48.50 mm, F/3.56–6.36NIKON NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR— 17 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, f = 18.5–135.8 mm (design), F/3.5–6.3NIKON NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR— Production: 50-250 mm, f/4.5-6.3, Patent Example 1: f = 51.50-242.80 mm, 16 elements / 12 groupsNIKON NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S— 16 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f ≈ 102.9 mm, F/2.89NIKON NIKKOR-N 5cm f/1.1— 9 elements / 6 groups, Modified double-Gauss, All-sphericalNIKON NIKKOR-N Auto 24mm f/2.8— 9 ELEMENTS / 7 GROUPS, f ≈ 24.0 mm, F/2.8NIKON NIKKOR-N AUTO 28mm f/2— 9 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f ≈ 27.8 mm (design), F/2.0NIKON NIKKOR-S AUTO 50mm f/1.4— 7 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS, f ≈ 50.0 mm, F/1.4NIKON PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4 E ED— 17 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS (18 physical), f ≈ 19.4 mm, F/4.08 (design) / F/4 (marketed)NIKON PC-E MICRO-NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8 D ED— 9 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, f ≈ 41.2 mm (design) · 45 mm (marketed), F/2.8NIKON PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5 D ED— 13 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, f ≈ 24.6 mm, F/3.5NIKON REFLEX-NIKKOR 1000mm f/11— 5 elements / 5 groups, f ≈ 1001.4 mm, Fixed f/11NIKON REFLEX-NIKKOR 500mm f/8 (New)— 6 elements / 6 groups, f = 499.482 mm, F/6.7 geometric; f/8 effectiveNIKON REFLEX-NIKKOR·C 500mm f/8— 500 mm nominal focal length, f/8 marketed, F/7 geometric prescription, 5 elements / 3 groupsNIKON SERIES E 100mm f/2.8— 4 elements / 4 groups, f = 100.02 mm, F/2.8NIKON SERIES E 135mm f/2.8— 4 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS, f ≈ 135.1 mm, F/2.8NIKON W-NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8— 7 elements / 5 groups, f = 35.005 mm, F/1.8