If you are one of the lucky photographers who got their hands on the Nikon D70 and want to find out the best lens for the Nikon D70 in 2024, you came to the right place.
You will probably agree when I say:
Choosing Nikon D70 lenses can be challenging unless you have the proper knowledge.
This article will highlight the best lenses with the iconic Nikon D70.
After reading through, you’ll know more about each lens’s pros and cons, making choosing the right lens much more accessible.
Choosing the right lens – is it that important?
Absolutely!
Many photographers will tell you that a good lens is sometimes more important than the camera body.
To an extent, this has a lot of merits. Some lenses are expensive, but they don’t offer much more value than their cheaper counterparts.
But if you don’t have the chance to try them all, you can catch a case of buyer’s remorse. Also, it is essential to know the suitable materials for lenses since some are made of plastic, and others are made of metal.
Many lenses offer exceptional performance, but some faults may deter people from buying them.
To help you make the right decision, I’ve tested many Nikon D70 lenses and singled out the ones with the best value.
Nikon D70 – the legendary camera body
The chance is that you already own Nikon D70 and know all about it if you’re reading this article.
However:
You may be a photography enthusiast looking to purchase a good camera at a reasonable price, and Nikon D70 is the correct answer.
The first consumer-level camera Nikon introduced is a digital single-lens reflex camera. It was often sold in a “kit package” with the Nikon 18-70mm AF-S lens.
With that in mind, the body packed 6.1 megapixels 23.7 mm x 15.6 mm Nikon DX-format RGB CCD sensor, with a maximum resolution of 3,008 x 2,000 (6.01 million), with 1.8 in or 46 mm LCD monitor on the back.
Further enhancing Nikon D70 is possible with the right lens choice, and if you’re interested in finding out which lenses are the best for Nikon D70 in 2024, keep on reading!
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Lens | Nikon 85mm f/1.8G Lens | Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G Lens |
Unleash your creativity with sharpness and stunning bokeh, capturing the finest details effortlessly. | Get beautifully blurred backgrounds and exceptional portrait shots, perfect for professionals and enthusiasts alike. | Capture distant moments without breaking the bank, delivering impressive zoom range and versatility for everyday use. |
5.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Lens
Unleash your creativity with sharpness and stunning bokeh, capturing the finest details effortlessly.
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G Lens
Get beautifully blurred backgrounds and exceptional portrait shots, perfect for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G Lens
Capture distant moments without breaking the bank, delivering impressive zoom range and versatility for everyday use.
Best Prime Lens for Portraits
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G is a versatile prime lens has beautiful bokeh effect and it is amazing for any kind of weddings, portraits or general photography.
- Lens Type: Telephoto
- Mounting Type: Nikon F (FX)
- Focal Length Range: 85 mm
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.80 m
- Weight: 0.77 pounds
- Dimensions: 2.87 x 3.15 x 3.15 inches
I like to start with a prime lens since I love to shoot portraits, and Nikon 85mm f/1.8G is my top choice for Nikon D70.
On top of that:
This lens is hands down one of the sharpest, most precise lenses I had the opportunity to put my hands on over the last few years. The leading ace of this lens is nearly the perfect bokeh effect.
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G gives an excellent out-of-focus background, which is the most important thing when taking portraits and close-up shots. It produces sharp and crispy images regardless of the distance.
It also provides excellent pictures in low light conditions, even with high ISO. Autofocus is quick and similar to the rest of the top-notch 1.8 primes on the market.
The only noticeable drawback is its size – it is a bit too big and robust for a DX body, but it should not be a deal-breaker.
I’ve matched it with my D70 and had no issues regarding the lens size. It is one of the best prime lenses for the Nikon D70.
Pros
- Beautiful and smooth bokeh
- Focus is fast and silent
- Ridiculously sharp from 1.8
- Amazing value for the cost
Cons
- Slow focusing speed
- Corner softness at wide apertures
Best Wide-Angle Lens for Landscapes
This lens for Tokina has good autofocus and an excellent f/2.8 aperture while delivering excellent photos for landscape photography.
There are always questions and doubts when it comes to third-party products. The photography game and Tokinas’ lens on Nikon’s body are no different.
In this case, the testing showed that this lens is the best choice for wide-angle photos. With its robust body, this lens is rigid, precisely what you need for a challenging day in nature shooting landscapes – it can withstand a lot.
The lens can shoot night-sky photos as well as wide panoramic shots. It shines when used anywhere between 12-16mm, making it an excellent choice for ultra-wide angle shots without having to mount an extra fish eye.
The autofocus is reasonably quick but quite loud.
I’ve only noticed a slight vignetting issue when shooting at 11mm during testing. However, it was tolerable.
When considering all of this, Tokina 11-16mm is one of the best wide-angle lenses for the Nikon D70, especially considering the value/price ratio.
Pros
- Sharp from 12mm to 16mm
- Effective manual/auto slip ring
- It feels very well built
- Excellent value
Cons
- Slight vignetting at 11mm
- Short focal range compared to others
Best All-Around lens for everyday photography
This is an all-in-one lens that is very versatile, has excellent build quality and bas built-in VR II for steady shots that produces great shots.
If I had to go with only one lens, my pick for D70 would be Nikon AF-S FX 28-300mm. It packs a broad 10.7x zoom range with close focus to 18 inches at every focal length.
The built quality of the lens is rock solid. The real selling point of this lens is for travel. It is the best choice when you overpack your bag since you won’t have to carry multiple lenses, even though this lens
is quite large (it is 300mm).
The chromatic aberration is visible at 300mm, but you will be able to correct it in the postproduction adequately.
If you shoot anywhere between 28-200mm, you will not face any vignetting and sharpness issues. Focusing is high-speed and accurate; this is the lens you’ll want to use without a tripod when you need to shoot fast.
The lens produces sharp and crispy images, so it can head to head with the prime lens. If you can squeeze it into the budget, you will get the best all-around lens for Nikon D70.
Pros
- Good picture quality
- It has a longer reach
- VR is an instant lockup
- Fast and silent autofocus
Cons
- The zoom ring is not smooth
- This lens is heavy
Best Telephoto Lens for Wildlife Photography
This is a telephoto lens from Nikon with incredible properties, good build quality and it is a great solution for people who need budget friendly telephoto lens.
This lens is versatile for travel, landscapes, portraits, and distant subjects. I highly recommend it if you want the best telephoto lens for your D70 camera.
The lens focuses to 4.6′ at every focal length and features the Silent Wave Motor for smooth and virtually silent autofocus action. One of the drawbacks of this lens is the price tag.
You’ll get a surprisingly light lens for this price, considering it is 300mm. With that in mind, you will have a fantastic range of options for delivering professional quality images, which means that (based on your needs) this lens can serve as your everyday gear.
In my experience with this lens, it is the best deal in the DX range. The lens will shine if you keep shooting between 55-200mm.
On the other hand, you could encounter some sharpness problems with 300mm, especially with higher ISO.
Pros
- Useable Focal Length
- Long zoom and good colors
- Metal mount gives a sturdy feel
- Performs well with proper lighting
Cons
- Mediocre low-light performance
- Loss in Sharpness at 250-300mm
Best Macro Lens for Macro Photography
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G is one of the best macro lens that is designed for macro photography and it delivers lovely photos with beautiful bokeh.
Macro photography with richness in details is becoming increasingly popular.
To pair your Nikon D70 with the right lens for taking shots of small insects and droplets, I’ve tested lots of lenses and found the one that works the best.
The focal length of 10mm with a fast f/2.8 aperture will allow you to photograph mesmerizing images with a shallow depth of field. It will engage your subjects, making them pop out from the background.
One of these lenses’ selling points is its lightweight and f/2.8G, allowing you to take shots even in low light conditions without compromising.
If you use this lens to shoot at the lower end of the focal length, a creamy bokeh effect will welcome you, and the maximum of 105mm is perfect for creating a natural perspective.
Shooting at a wider aperture will be a pure satisfaction since it virtually comes down with zero aberrations. The autofocus is relatively fast and quiet, which guarantee of sharp images.
As far as macro photography goes, this Nikon 105mm f/2.8G lens is one of the best.
Pros
- Excellent image quality
- Feels sturdy and well built
- The hood is very nice
- Relatively long focal length
Cons
- Very heavy
- VR performs poor at a micro distance
Tips for Getting the Most from Your Nikon D70 Lenses
Learn your lenses’ sweet spots. Each lens has focal lengths that perform best. Shoot in those ranges for maximum sharpness.
Stop down for sharper shots. Using narrower apertures (higher f-stops) increases depth of field and enhances image sharpness.
Use fast shutter speeds to minimize blur. The D70 lacks image stabilization so use speeds of 1/focal length or higher.
Clean lenses regularly for peak performance. Dust, moisture and grease on lens elements can reduce image quality.
Employ lens hoods to control flare. Hoods prevent stray light from hitting the lens and causing reduced contrast and ghosting.
Fine tune autofocus for accuracy. Use AF Fine Tune to calibrate lenses for consistently sharp focus on the D70’s sensor.
Upgrade kit lenses when possible. Pro-level optics like primes and pro zooms give photos more “pop” than lower-end kit lenses.
Use lens filters to expand creativity. Graduated ND filters are great for landscapes. Circular polarizers cut reflections.
Maximize sharpness with tripods and remote releases. Supporting the camera and using remotes reduce vibration and camera motion.
Learn techniques like panning and rule of thirds. Master fundamental skills to take your D70 photography to the next level.
Best lenses for Nikon D70
So, there you have it! While Nikon D70 lenses, I’ve picked a couple that is the best and most advanced for beginners.
Feel free to read other guides on our websites, such as the Nikon D3500 lenses and Nikon D3100 lenses guide.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us or post a comment below, and I will do my best to help you further.
I hope this Nikon D70 ultimate guide will serve you well, especially since some lenses are expensive and make a significant investment.
Follow the guidelines outlined above, and you will be on your way to finding a lens that suits all of your needs.
Great advice!
I have a D70S that hasn’t been upgraded to the last updated version.
Can you suggest how to do that in 2021? The PC that I have now can’t download the software. (New PC, old software). Thanks!
Hi Jar,
I am not sure how you can’t download the software via your pc? You need to visit the Nikon download center, choose Nikon D70s, and check if there is a newer software update for your camera. This shouldn’t be an issue because of your PC, but if you can’t download the file, please try a different browser, or ask your friend (or anybody online) to download it and send it to you.
I am sorry if I couldn’t help but I don’t see why you can’t download the newer software for Nikon D70S camera.
Thanks for the excellent advice
Happy that this guide helped you choose the right Nikon D70 lens!