Nikon F-mount cameras and lenses have been around for 65 years. In that time, Nikon has introduced more than 90 different types of lenses, ranging from the 6mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye to the 2000mm f/11.0 Reflex. In 2016, the 100 millionth Nikkor lens rolled off the production line. Yet just two years later, the Nikon Z Mount was born, and Nikon all but ceased paying attention to their venerable F Mount lenses.
Does this mean F Mount lenses are on the verge of obsolescence? I don’t think so. In fact, I think now is the ideal time to buy used DSLR lenses as a Nikon photographer.
In the past, a rule of thumb was that the price of cameras would drop more than the price of lenses. For example, the former dream camera, the Nikon D3 from 2007, cost $5000 when it was launched – today, it can be found used for a tenth of that price. By the way, it’s still a respectable camera after all these years, as you can read in the article Nikon D3 vs Nikon Z9: Titans from Different Eras.
However, when Nikon decided to shift focus from DSLRs to mirrorless, the established order of used prices changed quite a bit. DSLR lenses that held their price for many years suddenly became significantly cheaper. The lenses have not gotten any worse – in some ways, they got even better. For example, lenses without vibration reduction gain a few stops of in-body image stabilization if you use them on mirrorless.
As for prices, consider the Nikon AF-S 500mm f/4E FL VR. This is a $10,300 lens – or, rather, it was. These days, it can be found on eBay for about $4500 (eBay partner program affiliate link). And what about the older 500mm f/4G VR? That lens is selling used for about $2000 (eBay partner program affiliate link).
These are practically criminal prices. What once would have bankrupted a family of four can be purchased for hardly more than the Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3. I recently put my money where my mouth is and bought a used copy of the Nikon 500mm f/4E FL, rather than shelling out $14,000+ on one of Nikon’s newest Z System exotics. It has now become my main lens as a wildlife photographer.
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Reasons Not to Buy a Used DSLR Lens
What’s behind the low prices of used DSLR lenses? Probably the most common and understandable reason is that Nikon has seemingly shifted to mirrorless for good. If you want such a good deal on a DSLR lens, it will be used, with comes with the possible fear of a hidden defect. (To avoid this inconvenience, some time ago we wrote a guide on how to buy used lenses.)
There are other arguments against buying a used DSLR lens that should also be considered:
- The Z-mount lenses have lived up to expectations; most of them are sharper and faster to focus than their F-mount counterparts.
- To use a DSLR lens on a mirrorless camera, it must be adapted via the FTZ adapter, which some may find annoying.
- As lenses age, their serviceability decreases due to lack of spare parts.
On current Nikon Z-mount cameras, the bottleneck for communicating with DSLR lenses is the FTZ adapter. Some great lenses lost autofocus on Z cameras, including Nikon’s older AF-D glass. If you want to adapt a Nikon DSLR lens to mirrorless, you’ll want to check ahead of time to see if there are any compatibility issues. We have a full list of FTZ-compatible lenses here.
Reasons to Buy a Used DSLR Lens
Despite this, I personally believe that DSLR lenses represent the best value of any used lenses today. There are many reasons to buy one:
- Significantly lower price makes previously unattainable lenses affordable.
- They can be used both on DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, unlike mirrorless lenses!
- You can sell a used lens for about the same price that you buy it, allowing for long-term “rentals” without losing much money.
- The optical improvement of Z System lenses is usually much smaller than the price difference. For example, the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 is slightly better optically than the most recent F-mount version, yet is $10,000 more expensive.
- If used on a mirrorless camera, older F-mount lenses can shine. Focus peaking and image stabilization can be added to old lenses that never even had autofocus. There is no loss in optical quality adapting a DSLR lens to mirrorless.
- Many F-mount lenses still have no Z-mount equivalent, yet have still decreased in price. For example, the Nikon 58mm f/1.4, Nikon 300mm f/2.8, and Nikon 500mm f/4.
- Did I mention the price?
Recommended Used DSLR Lenses
To give you a sense of context for how much cheaper used DSLR lenses have gotten these days, I’m listing some of my favorite lenses and their prices below. The telephoto lenses in particular are excellent deals, generally selling for less than half of their original price, yet performing at exceptional levels optically.
Telephoto Lenses
- Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL: Was $16,300 new, currently $6000 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. Even 12 years after its introduction, this 4.6 kilo (10.9 pound) hulk remains on top. It is still the sharpest lens in the 800mm+ category that we’ve tested. When photographing small or distant animals from a tripod, this lens will shine for years to come.
- Nikon 600mm f/4E FL: Was $12,300 new, currently $5000 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. The new Nikon Z 600mm f/4 is a little sharper, a little lighter, and a little better at focusing. But all these improvements are just “a little.” The biggest practical difference is the built-in teleconverter. If you can forego that, you can save enough cash to take this lens around the world. You could even go for an older version like the f/4G, which is still optically impressive and costs about $3000 used (eBay partner program affiliate link). Just make sure that there are no problems with the focusing motor, since a replacement can be hard to find these days.
- Nikon 500mm f/4E FL: Was $10,300 new, currently $4500 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. It’s an optically excellent lens with no direct Z Mount equivalent yet. It’s light enough to handhold, with the perfect focal length for wildlife photography. This is the lens I bought used, and I look forward to many years with it as my main workhorse. The older version is a little less sharp, but a 500mm f/4 for about $2000 (eBay partner program affiliate link) is incredible if you’re on a budget.
- Nikon 500mm f/5.6E PF VR: Was $3600 new, currently $1800 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. An absolute gem in the Nikon telephoto portfolio. Incredibly light (1460 g / 3.21 lb) and compact. It’s a pleasure to shoot handheld. It has very good sharpness, not much of which is taken away by the TC1.4x. It also focuses very well on Nikon mirrorless cameras, even with the teleconverter. This lens was born to travel. The only compromise is the f/5.6 aperture. However, with today’s high ISO performance and software options, noise is not nearly as much of an issue as it used to be.
- Nikon 400mm f/2.8E FL: Was $11,200 new, currently $5000 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. An optically excellent wildlife all-rounder that can be used for larger animals as well as for birds. Weighing in at 3800 g (8.36 lb), the 400mm f/2.8E is a piece of lens. In this respect, the new Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC is better. Still, most photographers shoot with these lenses from gimbals, at which point the weight only matters while you’re lugging it to the location. The older generation 400mm f/2.8G is also very sharp and fast-focusing, and it sells for a stunningly low $2800 on the used market (eBay partner program affiliate link). If you don’t mind the weight (4.62 kilos / 10.2 lbs) and front-heavy design, that may be the best bargain you can get today as a wildlife photographer.
- Nikon 300mm f/2.8 G VR II: Was $5500 new, currently $1700 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. If you’re comfortable with a 300mm focal length and need a maximum aperture of f/2.8, there’s nothing to think about. It’s an amazing lens that tolerates teleconverters very well, and it’s lighter than the other “exotics.” Plus, there isn’t a Nikon Z equivalent yet.
- Nikon 300mm f/4E PF: Was $2000 new, currently $800 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. The main advantage of this lens is its compactness. You can carry it around in your camera bag like a standard zoom lens. It’s a great companion to the Nikon 500mm f/5.6E PF when you don’t need as much reach. This lens’s light weight (755 g / 1.66 lbs) and portability may outweigh everything else.
- Nikon 200mm f/2G VR II: Was $5700 new, currently $2800 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. This is definitely a specialty lens. For wildlife photography, 200mm is often too short. So its main use is as a portrait, concert, or wedding lens, or for larger wildlife nearby. The main selling point of this chunky lens is the f/2 aperture and the beautiful bokeh. It has no Z System equivalent, yet sells for much less than it did new! The older VR version sells for under $2000.
- Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E VR: Was $1400 new, currently $750 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. One of two zoom lenses to find its way into my telephoto selection. While there are a few things to criticize about this lens objectively, there’s not much to complain about where price is concerned. If you’re looking for a very good wildlife lens on a budget, the 200-500mm f/5.6 has a lot to offer. Its best partner is the Nikon D500, which is also available today for a fraction of the original price, making it the ultimate budget wildlife combo.
- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL VR: Was $2450 new, currently $1200 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. This is the last of the holy trinity of f/2.8 lenses and represents the pinnacle of zooms from the DSLR era. It’s one of the sharpest zooms we’ve ever tested; the Z version is even a step sharper, but this one won’t hold back even a 45 megapixel sensor. Where the lens really shines is its focusing speed, where it can even keep up with attacking skua.
Standard Lenses
As focal lengths shorten, the performance gap between F-mount DSLR lenses and Z-mount mirrorless lenses begins to widen. However, some are still worth your time. Which ones are my favorites? Among the lenses that retain autofocus on the Z system, these are the ones that stand out.
- Nikon 105mm f/1.4E: Was $2100 new, currently $1200 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. I’m not a portrait photographer, but I’m very tempted to buy this lens. The 105mm focal length is a great compromise between 85mm and 135mm in my opinion. Even by today’s standards, the lens is sharp as a piranha’s teeth. Yet it also delivers bokeh as soft as a baby alpaca’s fur. Even on Z cameras, it focuses reliably and benefits from a stabilized sensor. I think I just convinced myself.
- Nikon 58mm f/1.4G: Was $1600 new, currently $850 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. This is the kind of lens that looks ordinary in the lab but shines in real use. I know several Nikon photographers for whom it is their number one lens. When photographing weddings, portraits, or street photos, this lens provides beautiful bokeh, lovely contrast, and beautiful colors.
- Nikon 28mm f/1.4E: Was $2000 new, currently $1100 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. Forget what I said earlier about Z-mount lenses outperforming their F-mount counterparts. This lens defies that rule. It is, in fact, still the sharpest lens that we’ve ever tested in the lab (at least in the center – though the corners are seriously sharp, too). Not to mention that if you love the 28mm focal length, f/1.4 is larger than anything you’ll get on the Z mount. It’s a one-of-a-kind lens.
Wide-Angle Lenses
When it comes to extreme focal lengths below 24mm, development has come a long way, and most wide-angle mirrorless lenses are better-corrected than their DSLR counterparts. However, there is still a pair of Nikon DSLR lenses that stand out.
- Nikon 20mm f/1.8G: Was $800 new, currently $420 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. Even though the Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S is sharper, that doesn’t mean that a DSLR 20mm is a bad choice. This lens still has the best sunstars of any lens on the market, and it’s impressive enough for Milky Way photography wide open at f/1.8. Given the price, I think that many landscape photographers should consider this lens first, even if shooting mirrorless.
- Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G: Was $1750 new, currently $700 used (eBay partner program affiliate link) – See our review. This lens was introduced in 2007 along with the 12-megapixel Nikon D3. Yet even on today’s 45-megapixel cameras, the sharpness lens holds up. Stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6, it’s within sight of the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S (itself the sharpest wide-angle zoom we’ve tested). It’s the obvious choice for a DSLR, and when you factor the current price into the equation, it’s worth considering for mirrorless as well.
Conclusion
In the title of this article, I asked if now is the time to buy used DSLR lenses as a Nikon shooter. And as you can see, the answer is yes. The prices are so low these days that I believe many photographers should consider an F-mount lens before a Z-mount lens. And the list above only scratches the surface; there are dozens of F-mount lenses that I haven’t included above, and almost every one is selling for a deep discount these days. If you have a favorite that I haven’t mentioned, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
These are golden times for photographers who don’t mind buying used. High-quality equipment has never been cheaper, and all of these lenses were built to last for a long time. While some photographers drop many thousands of dollars on the newest mirrorless equipment, photographers on a budget can pick up high-end DSLR gear for pennies on the dollar and take equally good photos.
This is especially beneficial for wildlife photographers. Even exotic F-mount telephoto lenses now sell for a fraction of their original price. Lenses like a 400mm f/2.8 or 500mm f/4 were previously out of reach, and now, they are suddenly attainable by mere mortals. Other lenses, like old manual-focus glass, can be used with features like focus peaking and in-body image stabilization, making them even more useful than ever, despite their lower prices.
It can be easy to forget, but now is one of the best times to ever be a photographer, especially if you’re on a budget.
I recently upgraded to the Z6 (I). I do mostly astrophotography, so I have mostly primes. Most of my F mount lenses are 3rd party and manual. While I love the focus peaking on the Z system, what I can’t do without is the exif data. Even my cine lenses would register the aperture on my D600, but not on my Z6. So I’m slowly replacing my cine lenses with either Z mount equals, or Nikkor F mount equals – AF-S. What astonishes me is that I’m finding used Nikkor F mount N line for roughly the same price as the 3rd party lenses I had bought 3-4 years ago, and they’re in excellent condition. I recently bought a Nikkor 24mm F1.8 for less than $300. Even though my cine lens was T1.5, I’m very happy with the low light performance of the Nikkor lens. I’ve had a Nikkor 80-200mm F2.8, but it’s much older and relied on the in-camera AF motor on my D600, so the AF doesn’t work on the Z6, but it’s sharp as a tack. I think I picked that up for about $200 on eBay.
Great article, used premium lenses can allow many to enjoy previously inaccessible wildlife photography experiences! I’ve been reading that the Nikon 600mm f/4E FL and other E FL suffered from auto-focus motor failure. Should that be a concern? I live in a place where it won’t be easy to get the necessary parts, and reliability issues could easily offset the financial savings. Any experience sharing on that matter would be greatly appreciated!
Great article that covers many of my thoughts when I began considering upgrading. I’m in my late 60s and photograph mainly wildlife and small birds. A couple of years ago, I retired and was interested in upgrading my kit from a D5300/Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6, which was heavy and had focusing limitations, especially for small birds.
While I could have purchased all-new Z mirrorless kit, after some investigation and the fact that at the time there was a limited choice of native Z lenses, I went with this – all used:
• D500
• Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED
• Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR
• AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III
This gives me a lightweight, flexible set of combinations, e.g.:
• D500 + 500PF + 1.4 teleconverter = the equivalent of 1050mm @ f8 weighing 2,582 g.
• D500 + 300PF + 1.4 teleconverter = the equivalent of 630mm @ f5.6 weighing 1,913 g.
I can also use these lens combinations on my Z5 with the FTZ converter. The only real downsides are that Nikon doesn’t make the D500 anymore and the sensor in the D500 is noisier than the new Z sensors. However, Photoshop does a good job of denoising photos where necessary.
Very similar to what I’ve done – at the same age too!
Enjoy.
Good article , 2 thumbs up .
Keep up the good work Libor .
From kris in Indonesia .
I refuse to buy a Z lens. My D850 is just perfect for my needs.
The Z range is just a marketing ploy and now ALL camera manufacturers have converted.
Most amateur camera users don’t have a clue re the difference BUT will buy the Z’s because they have the money and don’t know why the need the Z !!!
Good article. First time anyone has admitted that over 60% of F lenses mount but do not communicate and especially all but the most recent af lenses will not af on Z cameras.
I love using old lenses adapted but did not swallow the hype about compatibility as it is not there. Most are good “dumb” glass.
I completely agree. On a recent trip to the Platte river I rented the 600 mm F6.3 PF and used it most of the time with the 1.4 XTC. From the blind we really needed 800 mm most of the time. The recommendation I got was to bring a rented 600 rather than my 500 PF for the extra reach and it was good advice. While in Nebraska, I did feel jealous of those who had 600 mm F4 lenses. I could have used the extra light.
Returning home, I got amazing action photos of an osprey using the 500 mm PF with the 1.7 TC. I’m going to keep this lens as it is so light and easy to carry.
But, I just purchased an excellent copy of the 500 mm FFLED and only, $3.8 K for it! What a steal! This will probably be my wildlife/birding main state unless I go on a once a lifetime trip in which case I might rent one of the new lenses
The only reason why I have not switched from Nikon to Sony for birding/wildlife photography is the 300PF lens – there is just nothing else available from any other manufacturer. I am using D7500 and the crop sensor gets me 450mm equivalent AND I use 1/3 crop feature in the camera to get 12MP files at equivalent 600mm. The only thing I am missing is the AI focus system on the newest mirrorless cameras – so I am praying for Nikon to pull their act together and release a d500 equivalent mirrorless version – cannot justify the price of Z8. Sony A6700 looks very tempting at $1400 new, but Sony does not have a 300PF type lens. So, I am waiting and keeping my 300PF.
The 300PF is indeed exceptionally small. The 500PF is small but the 300PF is REALLY small. Hard to beat a compact birding lens like that, indeed! Although Sony’s new 300mm f/2.8 is quite small for an f/2.8…
I had to look it up …
In fairness, 1.47kg is very good going indeed – the same as my old 300/f4D. Impressive.
But it costs £5,800.
My used 300 PF cost £750.
!!!
And if I want bokeh I have my used Sigma Art 135/f1.8, which cost £720.
Agreed. The 300 PF is a gem, especially on an aps-c camera.
I agree too that a Z8 doesn’t represent good value.
This is not saying that it isn’t a fine camera; just that it costs a lot for what you get. I have a D500, 300 PF and 500 PF (all used) for the price of a new Z8.
And in dx mode the Z8 has no more MPs than the D500. Does a Z8 ‘out AF’ a D500 at 750mm (efl)? I suspect the answer to that is ‘not as you’d notice’.
I have a similar setup, although with a D500 and have added a 1.4 teleconverter, which gives the equivalent of 630mm @ f/5.6 with little added weight.
One other consideration, very similar to the method used to support the sale of my 400mm F2.8G.
The Buyer was keen to see a up to date service had been in place, which I achieved from a Camera Service Centre for approx’ £150
The Body is returned superbly clean, the Vendor and Buyer know as a result of the supplied report, exactly what is being sold.
The cost for such satisfaction, combined with the DSLR Lens cost is very worthwhile to add to the very attractive Lens asking prices that are to be seen.
Today after doing a trye kicker hunt, as a result of this report, at a fixed asking price, I have seen a Camou Coated 500mm F4G VR for £1500.
If only the weight was considerably less.
That’s the key. Weight — the older 600mm f/4E also is much heavier than the newer Z version. Time to lift some weights!
This was always my starting point with the Z camera’s: keep using my 70-200/2.8VRII, 200/2VR, 300/2.8VR and 600/4VR with the FTZ. Only the 14-24/2.8G feels a bit too chunky with the FTZ. I only have the Z24-70/4S and Z85/1.8S
I think the 70-200/2.8VRII is done much better in the z series
The whole of the image is sharp from f2.8 at any focal length and much clearer, sharper and better with backlight.