These are full-frame (FX) Nikon F-mount lenses. For APS-C (DX) Nikon F-mount lenses, see the Nikon F DX Mount page. Both DX and FX lenses use the same physical F-mount. FX lenses can be used on DX bodies without vignetting.

These 50 Nikon F lenses are rated for infrared photography from real-world tests by IR photographers. Ratings are Good (35 lenses), Maybe (14 lenses), Bad (1 lens), and Unknown (0 lenses) for hot spots, the bright spot some lenses leave in the center of an infrared image, and follow the thresholds below.

Zooms

IR Focal
Length		 Minimum
Aperture		 Lens Filter Weight Notes Images
Good 18-35mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
Adorama 		⌀77mm 385 g Used this for IR almost exclusively for 18 months. Very good focal length for IR subjects and only saw small hot spots at the highest aperture. Lou Aiello  
Good 19-35mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 Cosina / Vivitar / Phoenix 19-35mm ƒ/3.5-4.5
KEH 		⌀77mm 320 g Submitted by Rich Lukey View images
Good 28-45mm ƒ/4.5 Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 28-45mm F4.5
KEH Adorama 		⌀72mm   Tested by Rob  
Good 28-300mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
KEH Adorama 		⌀77mm 800 g Before going mirrorless, this was my go to travel and go to IR lens. Very good results. Minor hot spots at the highest apertures only. Lou Aiello  
Good 35-70mm ƒ/3.3-4.5 Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5
KEH Adorama 		⌀52mm 259 g Old lens with infrared markers on focus ring.  
Good 70-200mm ƒ/4 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR
KEH 		⌀67mm 850 g Submitted by Tye Hardison  

Primes

IR Focal
Length		 Minimum
Aperture		 Lens Filter Weight Notes Images
Good 15mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8
B&H		 ⌀95mm 880 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/11, quite subtle. Some vignetting.  
Good 15mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8
Adorama 		⌀95mm 820 g Usable up to ƒ/16, almost ƒ/22. Significant vignetting.  
Good 16mm ƒ/2.8 Nikon AF Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D
B&H		 n/a 290 g Good results with IR. Lou Aiello  
Good 18mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 18mm f/2.8
 ⌀77mm 675 g No hotspot.  
Good 18mm ƒ/3.5 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5
 ⌀82mm 470 g Usable up to ƒ/11. Some vignetting.  
Good 21mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 21mm f/2.8
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀82mm 735 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/11 and is clearly visible at ƒ/16.  
Maybe 21mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 21mm f/2.8
Adorama 		⌀82mm 600 g Hotspot visible at ƒ/5.6.  
Good 24mm ƒ/2.8 Nikon NIKKOR-N Auto 24mm F2.8
KEH Adorama 		⌀52mm   Tested by Rob View images
Maybe 25mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 25mm f/1.4
 ⌀82mm 1171 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8 but it’s usable.  
Maybe 25mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 25mm f/2
 ⌀67mm 570 g Hotspot visible at ƒ/5.6.  
Good 25mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8
 ⌀58mm 460 g Usable up to ƒ/11.  
Good 25mm ƒ/2.8 Zeiss ZF-IR Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8
 ⌀58mm 480 g A dedicated IR/UV lens built on the Classic Distagon 25mm f/2.8 optics with IR-optimized coatings. Very diffuse hotspot at ƒ/22, perfectly usable.  
Good 28mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Otus Apo Distagon T* 28mm f/1.4
B&H		 ⌀95mm 1350 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/11 in a cross shape.  
Good 28mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 28mm f/2
Adorama 		⌀58mm 500 g Usable up to ƒ/11.  
Good 28mm ƒ/2.8 Nikon AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D
KEH Adorama 		⌀52mm 205 g No hot spots, great resolution, tested at ƒ/8 on a Nikon D80. Ricardo García Mainou  
Good 35mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4
 ⌀72mm 1131 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/11 and is clearly visible at ƒ/16.  
Maybe 35mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4
Adorama 		⌀72mm 830 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/5.6, but it’s usable up to ƒ/8, no wider.  
Maybe 35mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Milvus Distagon T* 35mm f/2
Adorama B&H		 ⌀58mm 649 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8, but it’s usable up to ƒ/16.  
Maybe 35mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Classic Distagon T* 35mm f/2
Adorama 		⌀58mm 530 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/5.6, but it’s usable up to ƒ/11, no wider.  
Good 50mm ƒ/1.4 Nikon Nikkor-S Auto 50mm F1.4
KEH Adorama 		⌀52mm      
Maybe 50mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Classic Planar T* 50mm f/1.4
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀58mm 330 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/5.6 and is visible at all apertures narrower than that.  
Good 50mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Milvus Planar T* 50mm f/1.4
KEH B&H		 ⌀67mm 875 g Almost no hotspot except at ƒ/16.  
Maybe 50mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss ZF-IR Planar T* 50mm f/1.4
 ⌀58mm   A dedicated IR/UV lens built on the Classic Planar 50mm f/1.4 optics with IR-optimized coatings. Hotspot starts at ƒ/5.6 but is usable up to ƒ/8.  
Good 50mm ƒ/1.8 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G
KEH Adorama 		⌀58mm 185 g Tested on ƒ/8 on a Nikon D80. No hot spots. Ricardo García Mainou  
Maybe 50mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Classic Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2
KEH Adorama 		⌀67mm 570 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8, but it’s usable up to ƒ/22 in bright areas.  
Good 50mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Milvus Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀67mm 660 g Usable up to ƒ/16.  
Good 55mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Otus Apo Distagon T* 55mm f/1.4
 ⌀77mm 970 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/11 in the shape of a cross, but it’s usable up to ƒ/16.  
Good 58mm ƒ/1.4 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀72mm 385 g No hotspots. Tends to flare with sun near frame.  
Bad 60mm ƒ/2.8 Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D
KEH Adorama 		⌀62mm 440 g Versatile little lens that can do Macro, portraits, street work. Surprisingly poor IR Performance with hot spots starting at ƒ/5.6 Lou Aiello  
Good 60mm ƒ/4 Coastal Optics UV-VIS-IR APO 60mm f/4
 ⌀52mm 535 g A dedicated UV-VIS-IR macro lens covering roughly 290-1500nm, built for forensic and scientific imaging. No hotspot, even at ƒ/45.  
Maybe 85mm ƒ/1.4 Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D IF
KEH 		⌀77mm 550 g One of Nikon’s all time great portrait lenses but only get decent under ƒ/11 which should work since most portraits are done in that range anyway. Lou Aiello  
Maybe 85mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Otus Apo Planar T* 85mm f/1.4
Adorama 		⌀86mm 1140 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8, but it’s usable up to ƒ/16.  
Maybe 85mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Classic Planar T* 85mm f/1.4
 ⌀72mm 570 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8, but it’s usable up to ƒ/11.  
Maybe 85mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Milvus Planar T* 85mm f/1.4
KEH Adorama 		⌀72mm 1280 g Usable up to ƒ/8.  
Good 85mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss ZF-IR Planar T* 85mm f/1.4
 ⌀72mm   A dedicated IR/UV lens built on the Classic Planar 85mm f/1.4 optics with IR-optimized coatings. No hotspot.  
Good 85mm ƒ/1.8 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀67mm 350 g No hot spots up to ƒ/11, never shoot narrower than ƒ/11. Tye Hardison  
Good 90mm ƒ/2.8 Tamron SP 90mm ƒ/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD (Model F017)
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀62mm 610 g Wonderful lens, hotspots only over ƒ/16 Massinissa Dalla Costa  
Maybe 100mm ƒ/1.4 Zeiss Otus Apo Sonnar T* 100mm f/1.4
 ⌀86mm 1336 g Hotspot starts at ƒ/8, but it’s usable up to ƒ/11.  
Good 100mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Classic Makro-Planar T* 100mm f/2
KEH 		⌀67mm 680 g Almost no hotspot except at ƒ/22.  
Good 100mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Milvus Makro-Planar T* 100mm f/2
Adorama B&H		 ⌀67mm 807 g Almost no hotspot.  
Good 105mm ƒ/1.4 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED
KEH Adorama B&H		 ⌀82mm 985 g    
Good 105mm ƒ/2.8 Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
KEH Adorama 		⌀62mm 720 g Macro work horse that is very good for IR as well. Lou Aiello  
Good 135mm ƒ/2 Zeiss Milvus Apo Sonnar T* 135mm f/2
 ⌀77mm 1059 g Almost no hotspot except at ƒ/22.  
Good 200mm ƒ/4 Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D IF-ED
KEH Adorama 		⌀62mm 1185 g Exceptional and expensive MACRO. As you would expect from a Nikon F prime. Good results in IR. Lou Aiello  

Add a Lens

What the ratings mean. Hot spots usually appear as you increase the lens ƒ-number, so each rating depends on the lowest ƒ-stop where a hot spot shows and how severe it is, and the thresholds differ by sensor format.

  • Good: No hot spots, or one that starts at ƒ/11 or higher where diffraction impacts image sharpness.
  • Maybe: Contains a mild hot spot that starts at ƒ/5.6 or ƒ/8 and is correctable in editing.
  • Bad: A hot spot that starts at ƒ/4 or lower, or is hard to correct in editing.
  • Unknown: No data reported.

How reports are checked and rated

Nikon F Lens Mount Adapters

Use an adapter to mount these lenses to many mirrorless cameras.

B&H - Nikon F lens mount adapters

Adorama - Nikon F lens mount adapters