With one of the best superzoom lenses for Nikon, you can turn your mirrorless camera or DSLR into an all-in-one powerhouse. Covering the gamut from a wide perspective to a powerful telephoto, superzoom lenses are ideal for exploring city streets or visiting famous landmarks – as long as you're aware that they come with some compromises.
You won't get the same kind of sharpness as you'd get from shorter zooms or primes – but the convenience is unparalleled. Plus, improvements in optical engineerings couples with advancements in stabilisation technology have made superzooms much easier to use than they once were, and the resulting images speak for themselves.
We've included options in this guide for users of Nikon Z mirrorless cameras and Nikon F DSLRs – both APS-C and full-frame. We've tested all the lenses on this list, and a lens only makes the cut if it impresses us and we think it offers value for money.
Matthew Richards
Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and a self-confessed fan of superzooms! He has tested many Nikon superzoom lenses, and has selected the most impressive specimens for this guide.
The best superzoom lens for Nikon Z mirrorless cameras, this superb optic balances image quality, portability and ease of use for a brilliant shooting experience.
If you need maximum range, this superzoom for Nikon Z will deliver it – though it's a hefty full-frame lens, and the barrel extends significantly when zoomed.
If you're using a DX-format Nikon mirrorless camera like the Z50, Z30 or Z fc, then this DX superzoom is a great choice, covering an effective 27-210mm range.
Nikon's best superzoom specifically for its APS-C DSLRs, this 18-200mm incorporates a sophisticated stabilisation system and a fast-performing AF system.
Cut down to size, this extensive superzoom for APS-C Nikon DSLRs is especially suited to travel photography. Slashed second-hand prices have improved its appeal.
Already priced competitively, the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC for DX DSLRs can be picked up even cheaper now it's mostly on the second-hand lens market.
If you want maximum reach on your DX-format DSLR, this Tamron lens steps up to the plate, with an equivalent maximum zoom of 600mm in full-frame terms.
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Nikon Z superzooms
The best Nikon superzoom lens for full-frame Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras, such as the Z 5, Z 6 II, Z 7 II and Z8.
Sometimes as photographers, we have a very long wish list when it comes to lenses. Even though we have ‘interchangeable lens’ cameras, we hanker after a single lens that can do pretty much everything, with a mighty zoom range that stretches from serious wide-angle viewing to long telephoto reach. And we want it in a compact and lightweight build, with speedy autofocus and strong stabilization that enables consistent sharpness in handheld shooting.
This Z-mount superzoom ticks every box. It has a tough, weather-sealed construction but weighs in at just 570g, and offers the kind of zoom range normally requiring two separate lenses. Designed for full-frame FX Z-series mirrorless cameras (such as the Z 6 II, Z 5 and Z 7 II), it also works well enough on the DX format models like the Z 50, with an effective focal length range of 36-300mm. Naturally, what you lose in wide-angle ability you gain in telephoto reach. Autofocus is very fast, highly accurate, and practically silent, while VR is worth about 4.5 stops in beating camera shake. All in all, it’s a hugely versatile lens for any Z-series camera.
If you need even more zoom power than is offered by the previous lens, then this new Z-mount superzoom will fit the bill nicely. Offering double the telephoto focal length, the Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR brings you from wide-angle (just) to super-tele with a twist of its zoom ring – and an extreme extension of the barrel. You may be alarmed at first by just how physically long this lens gets when you zoom it, but once you get used to it, you'll find yourself appreciating the versatility and the consistently strong image quality it offers.
There are other trade-offs, naturally. Having 28mm rather than 24mm at the wide end might not sound like much of a difference, but you do notice it. What's probably more significant though is the fact that if once you zoom all the way in to 400mm, you'll have a maximum aperture of just f/8 to work with (though the stabilisation helps here). If you need the maximum zoom range, this is the buy – otherwise, you may find more value in the faster, wider and lighter Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR.
This lens is a good everyday shooter for users of DX-format Nikon Z mirrorless cameras, a category that currently comprises the Nikon Z50 and Nikon Z fc. The Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR is essentially a mirrorless remake of the firm's popular AF-S DX 18-140mm VR lens for APS-C DSLRs, though it lacks a few features of that lens, like VR on/off and auto/manual focus switches, not to mention a weather-sealed construction. Minor gripes aside, this is a capable all-purpose lens that delivers impressive performance, and is a credible alternative to switching between a Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and a Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lens.
The best superzooms for F-mount Nikon DX DSLRs, such as the Nikon D3500, Nikon D5600 or D7500. Note that these lenses are no longer in production, so you'll be shopping second-hand – happily, that means it's often easier to get a knockdown price.
This is actually the Mk II edition of Nikon’s 18-200mm VR lens. However, both editions have the same optical design and second-generation VR system, which includes automatic panning detection in Normal mode, plus an additional ‘Active’ mode for overcoming increased physical vibrations. The most obvious update is that the Mk II features a zoom lock switch. Sharpness at 200mm is better than from the smaller of Nikon's two 18-300mm lenses, but barrel distortion at 18mm is equally poor. There’s less colour fringing, autofocus performance is faster, and the addition of Active VR mode is a bonus.
Measuring 79x102mm and weighing 585g, this is one of the bigger and heavier lenses on this list, but it’s still manageable and feels well-balanced, even on lighter DSLR bodies. It certainly goes large on zoom range, with a telephoto reach equivalent to 450mm in full-frame terms, although it can’t match the Tamron 16-300mm lens for ultra-wide viewing angles. Autofocus is a little pedestrian and it would be nice if the manual focus ring didn’t rotate during AF. However, thanks to the inclusion of top-grade FLD (Fluorite Low Dispersion) elements, this lens outguns many of its rivals for sharpness.
Compared to Nikon’s first 18-300mm superzoom, this newer edition is narrower, shorter and slashes nearly 300g off the weight, making it much more manageable. The downsizing is partly down to clever design, but there’s also a sacrifice in the widest available aperture at long zoom settings, which shrinks from f/5.6 to f/6.3, but that's no slower than the competing Sigma and Tamron lenses. Sharpness is good at wide angles but tails off dramatically at 200mm, and is disappointing towards the 300mm mark. Other attributes of image quality are uninspiring as well, making this poor value at the price.
This addition to Tamron’s superzoom lineup is very well priced, compact, and remarkably lightweight, at just 400g. Part of the weight-saving is due to it having a plastic rather than metal mounting plate, but it nevertheless includes a weather-seal ring and the overall construction feels solid and durable. Throughout the albeit shorter zoom range, sharpness is better than from Tamron's older 18-270mm lens. The only caveat is that corner-sharpness was a little lacklustre when shooting at 100mm using the widest available aperture.
This lens is the superzoom of choice if you want maximum telephoto reach – and it performs rather well, considering its massive 22x zoom range. However, Tamron’s 16-300mm has a slightly wider angle of view, is smaller and lighter in weight, and better value for money. Superzoom lenses are all about compromise, and this one pushes the envelope a bit too far in extreme focal length and pays the penalty in size and portability. It's the superzoom with the biggest reach, but that's not enough to get it to the top of our list.
The best Nikon superzoom lenses for Nikon F-mount full-frame FX DSLRs, such as the Nikon D850 or the Nikon D780 – these are no longer in production, but you can find them available secondhand.
Nikon only makes one superzoom lenses for its FX cameras, and it's this one. The AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR has been around for a little while, and Nikon shows no signs of replacing it just yet, perhaps expecting that owners of full frame Nikon cameras are less likely to pick a do-it-all lens like this one. There's not a lot wrong with the 28-300mm's performance, as it achieves a similar level of quality to other superzooms – with superzoom's you're paying for focal range rather than optical quality. While the image quality is decent, though, you're paying plenty for it, both in terms of price and weight.
How to choose a superzoom lens
The main thing that's going to affect the superzoom you buy is which type of Nikon camera you have – an F-mount DSLR or a Z-mount mirrorless camera. There were once lots of options for F-mount Nikon DSLR cameras – however, nearly all of these are now out of production, so you will need to buy these secondhand (but that does mean they can be extremely affordable).
In Z-mount, there are only a few options – currently three. However, they are all in production and plentifully available. Mirrorless shooters should also be aware that they can adapt F-mount lenses for use on their Z-mount camera, using the FTZ mount adapter.
With both Z and F mounts, there are different models available depending whether the camera uses a DX or FX sized sensor (Nikon's terms for APS-C and full-frame, respectively). Choosing the right type is important, as a DX lens will not fit an FX camera. FX lenses do work on DX cameras, however they can be quite heavy and unbalanced (and sometimes cost a fair amount more). Remember also that the smaller sensor will incur a crop factor that extends the lens' effective focal length by 1.5x. So, an 18-400mm superzoom lens mounted to an APS-C camera will behave like a 27-600mm lens.
How we test lenses
We test lenses using a mix of both real world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.
FAQs
Are superzoom lenses worth buying?
Yes – as long as you're aware of the drawbacks as well as the advantages. Choosing big zoom into a compact lens means compromising the maximum aperture rating. In the past, this made superzoom lenses difficult to operate without camera shake at the telephoto end, but fortunately, the advent of optical image stabilization has gone a long way towards correcting this problem.
Superzooms make sacrifices in terms of optical quality, too, especially at the longer zoom settings, where it's not uncommon to see some soft detail and noticeable color fringing at the edges of the frame.
We don't say this to put you off superzooms – far from it. We consider them some of the best lenses for travel thanks to their unbeatable reach. They're for those who don't need the absolute top-end of image quality, but want to be covered in every situation. Those who'd rather pack one lens in a bag instead of two or three, and have a camera setup that will carry them through an entire day's shooting.
What is a superzoom lens?
There isn't a precisely quantified definition of a superzoom lens – but generally, it refers to any lens with a focal range that runs from wide-angle to telephoto. If the wide end of a lens is wider than 28mm, and the telephoto end is longer than 120mm, it probably counts as a superzoom. Though practically there is some variance at both ends – for instance, Sigma's 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport lens is often considered to count, even though it doesn't go as wide as most superzooms.
Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners!
His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related.
In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.
