What are the best prime lenses for Nikon Z6?

Question

Hey everyone! I finally made the jump from my old D750 to the Nikon Z6, and I am absolutely loving the mirrorless experience so far. The electronic viewfinder and the face-tracking autofocus have been total game changers for my workflow. Currently, I have been shooting mostly with the 24-70mm f/4 S kit lens. While it is a fantastic and versatile lens for daytime use, I am really starting to miss the character, speed, and creamy background blur that you only get with a solid prime lens.

I primarily focus on street photography and portraits, so I am looking to put together a small but high-quality kit of primes. I have been doing a lot of research on the S-line lenses, particularly the 35mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.8. From what I have seen, the sharpness on these native Z lenses is incredible even wide open, but I am feeling a little overwhelmed by the choices. I am also debating whether it is worth it to use my older F-mount glass with the FTZ adapter or if I should just fully commit to the native Z mount to keep the setup compact.

One of my main concerns is low-light performance. I do a lot of shooting during blue hour and in poorly lit indoor environments, so I need something that can really gather light and maintain fast focus. I have heard that the 50mm f/1.8 S is one of the best nifty-fifties ever made, but I am also curious about the newer, more budget-friendly 40mm f/2 compact prime. It looks great for travel, but I wonder if the image quality holds up compared to the S-line glass.

I would love to hear from other Z6 owners who have already gone through this process. If you were building a prime lens kit from scratch for this body, which ones would be your top priorities? Do you find the f/1.8 S lenses to be the sweet spot, or are there third-party options I should be considering instead?

In your opinion, what are the best prime lenses currently available for the Nikon Z6 that offer the best balance of sharpness, bokeh, and value?

raphael_weiss · Accepted Answer

yo, I totally feel u on the D750 to Z6 jump. I made that same move a couple years back and it was honestly like seeing in color for the first time lol. When I first switched, I tried to save money by using my old F-mount glass with the Nikon FTZ II Mount Adapter, but after a month of lugging around that extra bulk, I realized it was kinda defeating the whole purpose of a mirrorless setup. The autofocus just feels smoother on native glass too. For your situation, sticking with native S-line glass is highkey the best move. If youre building a kit from scratch, here is what I recommend based on my own experience:

Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S: Seriously, this is probably the best fifty I have ever used. It is insanely sharp even wide open and the low-light performance on the Z6 is just butter. Definitely pick this up first.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S: This is my absolute favorite for portraits. The way it renders the background is sooo creamy, and it is way sharper and more consistent than the old F-mount 1.4 versions I used to use.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S: Tbh, this is the perfect street lens. It is wide enough for context but doesnt distort faces too much. It handles blue hour shots with almost zero flare.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2: If you want something tiny for travel, this is great, but the image quality isnt quite on the same level as the S-line stuff if you are a pixel peeper. Basically, the lesson I learned is that the f/1.8 S lenses are the absolute sweet spot for value and performance. They might be a bit more expensive than the budget compacts, but for professional results in low light, you wont regret the investment. gl with the new setup!

_777WolfTV · Answer

I'd actually suggest a different approach—40mm vs 50mm S.Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2: lighter, better value. Best choice is 40mm; its MTF is solid and ur street kit stays tiny!

WinterWisp · Answer

@Reply #1 - good point! That FTZ thing is just clunky and messes with the balance. I have to disagree slightly with the 40mm suggestion tho, especially since you mentioned wanting creamy bokeh and low light performance. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 is a fun little pancake, but be careful... it has some noticeable spherical aberration wide open and the corners are kinda mushy compared to the S-line glass. If you're pixel peeping at all, you might find it lacking. I would suggest looking at some third-party glass to save money without losing that pro look. You might want to consider the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 Z for your portraits. It's way cheaper than the Nikon S version but still gives you that compression and sharpness you need. Honestly, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S is the one lens you shouldn't skip. The technical specs on that thing are insane... the MTF charts are basically a straight line. If you can find one used, grab it. It blows the 40mm out of the water for actual image quality, even if it is a bit bigger.