7 Best Lenses for Nikon D90 in 2025 [Tested & Reviewed]

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How We Test Nikon D90 Lenses

Lots of beginners still choose the Nikon D90 as their first camera because it’s affordable, works well, and gives photos that classic Nikon color look. Since the camera has been around for a long time, adding the right Nikon D90 lens is the best way to make it feel new again.

When I recently picked up my old Nikon D90 camera again, I was reminded of how much I’ve grown as a photographer since I first used it. This was the first “real” camera I used when I started getting serious about photography. Even though it’s an older model now, it can still take amazing photos, especially if you use a good lens with it.

So, I decided to do a full review with my team to find out the best lenses for the Nikon D90. We wanted to cover everything: portraits, landscapes, zoom shots, wide-angle views, and everyday use. I talked to other photographers, asked clients, read Reddit threads, and checked Amazon reviews. After that, I rented and borrowed over 15 different lenses to test them in real-life situations.

What I look for in lenses for the Nikon D90:
Image quality and sharpness (because the D90’s sensor deserves good glass)
Mount compatibility (The Nikon D90 uses F-mount lenses made for DX sensors, so it’s important to choose lenses that fit correctly)
Fast and accurate autofocus (helpful for taking portraits or shooting events)
Versatility (I like lenses that can be used for different kinds of photography)
Good value (because most beginners don’t want to spend thousands upfront)

My Top Picks for Nikon D90 Lenses

nikon af-s dx 18-105mm ed vr
Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
  • Best Overall

nikon af-s dx nikkor 35mm
Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
  • For Portraits

sigma 17-70mm os hsm
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 OS HSM
  • Best Third Party
Show more
If you’re just getting started and need something simple and dependable, there are classic Nikon D90 starter lenses that are light, sharp enough, and a great way to learn how lenses work on the cameras.

What Beginners Need to Know

top 3 lenses for nikon d90

One of the first things I always tell people who are new to the D90 is to check the Nikon D90 lens mount type. It works with F-mount lenses and has a DX sensor. So, you need to use Nikon DX or FX lenses that work properly with it.

That might seem obvious, but many beginners accidentally buy lenses that don’t autofocus with the D90 or don’t match the sensor size. Besides that, here are a few other things to keep in mind:

Learn what the letters mean on Nikon D90 lenses:

  • AF-S. This means the lens focuses quietly, which is useful for weddings or wildlife photography.
  • DX. Made for cameras like the D90 with cropped sensors. These lenses are lighter and cheaper.
  • G. No aperture ring, so you change the aperture using the camera’s buttons.
  • VR. Stands for Vibration Reduction. It helps stop your pictures from getting blurry if your hands shake or if you shoot at a slower shutter speed.
  • ED glass. This helps increase color accuracy and reduces weird distortions.

Choose your lens based on what you like to shoot. For portraits, try 35mm or 50mm lenses. Landscapes or room interiors? Go for wide-angle lenses like 11–16mm. Sports or animals? A zoom lens like 55–200mm is a good choice.

Look at the aperture. Lenses for Nikon D90 with the maximum aperture of f/1.8 or f/2.8 let in more light, which is helpful when shooting in dark places. It also makes backgrounds blurry and cool.

Build quality and how it feels matter too. I’ve taken photos in the rain, snow, and hot weather, and I believe that how the lens feels in your hand and how it handles these situations can make a big difference. Even small things, like how smoothly the zoom ring turns, can affect your overall experience.

Think about balance with the camera. Some lenses are big and heavy, and the D90 is a smaller camera. If the lens is too heavy, the camera can feel unbalanced, which makes it hard to hold steady. When I give a beginner a camera that feels too heavy in front, they often get shaky photos.

If you take a little time to learn these small things early on, it’s much easier to find the right lens.

1. Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

Best all-around lens for Nikon D90

Amazon: 50+ bought in past month
B&H: 650+ sold in the past year

nikon af-s dx 18-105mm ed vr lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 18–105mm | Aperture: f/3.5–5.6 | VR: 3-stop stabilization | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: AF-S Silent Wave | Weight: 420g | Filter thread: 67mm

  • ✚ Versatile all-around zoom
  • ✚ VR is great for beginners
  • ✚ Balanced size for D90 body
  • ✚ Good color rendering
  • ✚ Sharp images in good lighting
  • Made of plastic
  • Variable aperture indoors

When I saw this Nikon D90 lens at the top of Amazon’s recommended list, I rented it for a week and took it on a weekend trip, where I used it to take photos of streets in the morning, quick portraits in the afternoon, and even some nighttime shots of the city. The first thing I liked was how well it fit with the D90. It felt light and comfortable, even after using it all day.

The zoom range was perfect for almost everything I wanted to shoot. The VR feature helped keep my photos clear, even when I held the camera in my hands without a tripod and used slow shutter speeds. The colors looked natural, and I got that warm tone I’ve always liked. I was also surprised by how sharp the photos were, especially for a lens that many people consider a “kit upgrade.”

However, it’s not a perfect lens. The variable aperture doesn’t let in as much light indoors or during sunset compared to lenses like the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8. Also, the outside of the lens is made of plastic, so it doesn’t feel as strong as the more expensive Nikon D90 lenses. Still, if you’re just starting out as a photographer or want one lens that does almost everything, this one is a great pick.

Tip for beginners: learn how the Nikon lens for portraits works at different zoom levels. At 18mm, you can take portraits that show the person and their surroundings. At 105mm, the background looks softer, and faces look more flattering. Also, don’t forget how helpful VR can be, as it allows you to take clear pictures at slower speeds, like 1/20 of a second, if your hands are steady.

Buy this lens if: You want a simple and affordable lens that works well for most types of photography without needing to change lenses all the time

2. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G

Best for portraits & low light

Amazon: 50+ bought in the past month
B&H: 1K+ sold in the past year
Adorama: 800+ sold in the past year
Best Buy: 700K+ sold in the past year

nikon af-s dx nikkor 35mm lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 35mm | Aperture: f/1.8 | VR: No | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: AF-S Silent Wave | Weight: 200g | Filter thread: 52mm | Build: Compact plastic, metal mount

  • ✚ Small and easy to carry
  • ✚ Great for low-light shooting
  • ✚ Creamy background blur
  • ✚ Sharp images edge-to-edge
  • ✚ Affordable for beginners
  • Can’t zoom in or out
  • Can feel tight indoors

A colleague of mine really likes the 35mm f/1.8G, so I borrowed it to see why she thought it was so good. I used it for a few days to take portraits, everyday lifestyle photos, and some low-light street shots. The first thing I noticed was how small and light it was. With this lens, the D90 felt compact and easy to carry.

“It's sharp, bright, and light. I use it every day on my D90 for portraits.”


ann young fixthephoto expert
Ann Young
Retouching Guides Writer

When I used it at f/1.8, the background became soft and blurry. This wide opening also let in a lot of light, so I didn’t need to raise the ISO much, even indoors.

Compared to the 18-105mm lens, this Nikon D90 prime lens doesn’t zoom at all. That means I had to walk closer or farther to get the framing I wanted. But that’s part of what makes using a prime lens interesting: it makes you think more about how to frame your picture.

One thing I didn’t like was how it felt a little too “zoomed in” when I was indoors. It was sometimes hard to fit everything into the frame. So, in tight spaces, I would switch to a wider lens like the Tokina 11–16mm.

Big tip for new users: try taking photos at different distances when using f/1.8. The closer you get to your subject, the blurrier the background will be, but the area in focus becomes very small. That means if you’re not careful, it’s easy to focus on the wrong part, like the nose instead of the eyes.

Buy this lens if: you want a small, sharp lens that takes great portraits and low-light photos and makes your D90 feel fresh to use again

3. Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 OS HSM

Best third-party zoom lens for Nikon D90

Amazon: 30+ bought in the past month
B&H: 450+ sold in the past year
Adorama: 400+ sold in the past year

sigma 17-70mm os hsm lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 17–70mm | Aperture: f/2.8–4 | OS: Optical stabilization | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: HSM Hyper-Sonic Motor | Weight: 465g | Filter thread: 72mm | Build: Solid metal/plastic hybrid

  • ✚ Constant f/2.8 for all focal lengths
  • ✚ Extra reach over 17-50mm
  • ✚ Strong, pro-quality build
  • ✚ Sharp with nice subject separation
  • ✚ Great for travel and portraits
  • Slightly heavier than kit lens
  • Cooler color rendering

I tested the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 OS HSM after seeing several YouTube videos recommend it. I used it for portrait shoots and during a day trip where I needed a lens that could do a little bit of everything. One of the first things I noticed was the constant f/2.8 aperture. This is a big help in low light and much better than the kit lenses that change as you zoom.

The lens felt strong and steady in my hands, which made it feel more like a Nikon D90 pro lens. The colors it produced looked a little cooler, but the photos were sharp at all zoom levels. I liked how it handled portraits between 35mm and 50mm. It made the person stand out from the background nicely, but it didn’t blur everything too much like the 35mm f/1.8 sometimes does.

When I compared it to the Tamron 17–50mm, I noticed that this Sigma lens could zoom all the way to 70mm, which was useful when I wanted a closer shot without changing the lens. Something beginners might not think about at first is how helpful a constant aperture is. It makes learning manual mode easier because your camera settings don’t change just because you zoomed in.

One small downside is that this lens is bigger than some others, so it’s not as easy to carry around without being noticed, especially if you're looking for a lens for street photography.

Buy this lens if: you want a zoom lens that works well in low light, offers a fast, constant aperture to shoot good portraits, travel, and everyday photos

4. Tamron SP 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD

Best budget f/2.8 zoom

Amazon: 30+ bought in the past month
Ebay: 350+ sold in the past year

tamron sp 17-50mm xr di-ii ld lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 17–50mm | Aperture: f/2.8 constant | VC: No | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: Built-in motor | Weight: 430g | Filter thread: 67mm | Build: Compact plastic body, metal mount

  • ✚ Constant f/2.8 aperture
  • ✚ Lightweight and balanced
  • ✚ Good for portraits and events
  • ✚ Affordable pro-level feel
  • ✚ Handles low light well
  • Autofocus not very quiet
  • Limited reach past 50mm

After using the Sigma lens, I wanted to try the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 that a coworker recommended. I tested it during a few lifestyle photo shoots and a wedding to see how well it performed in low light.

“I use this lens for half my weddings—it’s fast and easy to work with.”


kate debela fixthephoto expert
Kate Debela
Hardware & Software Testing Specialist

Straight away, I noticed that the Tamron is smaller and fits nicely on the Nikon D90. It felt good for long days of shooting. This Nikon D90 lens also has a constant f/2.8 aperture, which helped a lot in dark settings, as I didn’t need to raise the ISO much, and the blurred background in portraits looked smooth and soft in a natural way.

Unlike the Sigma, the Tamron can’t zoom in quite as far. A few times, I wished I had that extra 20mm reach when taking pictures from farther away. Also, the autofocus on this lens isn’t as fast or quiet as some Nikon D90 lenses with AF-S, so you might miss a quick shot if the subject is moving. However, as a lens for portraits and everyday use, the lens works well and takes nice, clear pictures.

If you use this lens, my biggest tip is to spend time shooting at 35mm to 50mm, as that’s where it gives the best, most natural-looking portraits.

Buy this lens if: You want a lighter, easy-to-carry lens that gives you sharp portraits without costing too much

5. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II

Best wide angle lens for Nikon D90

Amazon: 200+ bought in past month
B&H: 3K+ sold in the past year

tokina 11-16mm at-x116 pro dx ii lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 11–16mm | Aperture: f/2.8 constant | VR/OS: No | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: Built-in silent drive | Weight: 560g | Filter Thread: 77mm | Build: Rugged pro-grade construction, metal barrel

  • ✚ Ultra-wide dramatic field of view
  • ✚ Constant f/2.8 for low light
  • ✚ Sharp across the frame
  • ✚ Great for landscapes & interiors
  • ✚ Solid, durable build
  • Not perfect for portraits
  • Heavier than it looks

Trying out the Tokina 11–16mm lens on the Nikon D90 was one of the most exciting experiences. It made me think differently about how to take photos. I borrowed it because so many people on Reddit said it was the best wide-angle lens for the Nikon D90. I used this lens for landscape photography, interior photography, and some nighttime city shots.

This lens has a super-wide view, which changes the way your photos look. It makes your pictures feel bigger and more dramatic. It also has a constant f/2.8 aperture, which helps in low light. I even tried taking a picture of the stars. While the D90’s older sensor isn’t perfect for that, the lens still did a great job showing the stars clearly.

When I compared it to the 18–105mm lens at its widest zoom, the Tokina was much sharper, even at the corners of the photo, and didn’t stretch or distort the image at 11mm. This lens isn’t good for every situation, though. If you’re taking pictures of people, especially close-up, wide angles can make faces look strange.

This wide-angle lens felt heavier than I thought, but it’s made of strong materials and feels very tough. Beginner tip: if you tilt the camera too much, your photo might look stretched, so try to keep the horizon straight for the best results.

Buy this lens if: You want to use the Nikon D90 to take great photos of wide scenes like landscapes, buildings, or other creative shots

6. NIKON AF-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II

Best telephoto lens for Nikon D90

Amazon: 40+ bought in the past month
Adorama: 500+ sold in the past year

nikon af-s dx 55-200mm ed vr ii lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 55–200mm | Aperture: f/4–5.6 | VR: 4-stop stabilization | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: AF-S Silent Wave | Weight: 300g | Filter thread: 52mm | Build: Lightweight plastic, collapsible barrel

  • ✚ Excellent telephoto range
  • ✚ Lightweight for long shoots
  • ✚ VR helps with handheld shots
  • ✚ Good compression for portraits
  • ✚ Budget-friendly telephoto
  • Weak in low light indoors
  • Variable aperture limits

One of my colleagues, who mostly uses zoom lenses, told me to try the Nikon 55–200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II on the D90. So, I tested it during a weekend soccer game and a walk in the park to see how well it worked for wildlife and sports photos.

“This is what I always take when I go shoot wildlife with my D90: although it's light, it can zoom really far.”


vadym antypenko fixthephoto expert
Vadym Antypenko
Tech Gear Specialist

The first thing I noticed was how light and easy to carry this telephoto lens for Nikon D90 is. When I attached it, the camera didn’t feel heavy or hard to hold, which is helpful when you’re shooting for a long time without a tripod. The VR stabilization was great. I was able to take sharp photos, even when zoomed to 200mm, just holding the camera in my hands in low light.

The color rendering was nice, and between 85mm and 135mm, the lens provided a cool, compressed look in portraits, where the background appears closer and softer. This isn’t a very fast lens, though. Because the aperture changes as you zoom, it’s harder to use in dark places, unless you increase the ISO.

Compared to the 18–105mm lens, this one can zoom in much more, which helps you focus on far-away subjects. But I did miss having the ability to zoom out wide without switching lenses. One thing I’ve learned over time with zoom lenses is that your body movement matters. Even with image stabilization, how you stand and breathe when shooting can affect how sharp your photo is.

Buy this lens if: You want a light, budget-friendly telephoto lens for wildlife, sports, or portraits without needing to carry something huge and heavy

7. Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR

Best budget kit for Nikon D90

Amazon: 50+ bought in the past month
Adorama: 600+ sold in the past year

nikon 18-55mm af-s dx vr lens for nikon d90

Focal length: 18–55mm | Aperture: f/3.5–5.6 | VR: 3-stop stabilization | Mount: Nikon F (DX) | Focus motor: AF-S Silent Wave | Weight: 265g | Filter thread: 52mm | Build: Compact plastic, retractable design

  • ✚ Ultra lightweight
  • ✚ Great starter lens
  • ✚ VR helps stabilize shots
  • ✚ Inexpensive and easy to find
  • ✚ Natural perspective at 35-50mm
  • Limited zoom range
  • Average low-light ability

One of my clients, whose photos I've edited numerous times, always uses this lens and says it's her favourite. So, I decided to try it to understand why this low-cost, beginner-friendly Nikon D90 lens remains so popular. I took it with me on a weekend to shoot family portraits, street scenes, and close-up café photos.

The best thing about this lens is how light and small it is. When it's on the Nikon D90, it feels almost like a point-and-shoot. The VR helps keep photos sharp when holding the camera, especially when zoomed in to 55mm.

In bright light, the lens takes surprisingly sharp photos. It works as a lens for family portraits and everyday pictures. However, it does have some limits: you won't get strong background blur or good results in darker settings like you would with the 35mm f/1.8 Nikon D90 lens.

Something I always tell beginners is to spend time shooting at 35-50mm. That zoom range gives you a natural look that works great for portraits and street photography, and you don’t get any distortions. Compared to the 18-105mm lens, you don't get as much zoom with the 18-55mm, but it's smaller, lighter, and easier to carry everywhere. It's also more comfortable to learn.

Buy this lens if: You want a cheap, light Nikon D90 lens that works for everyday photos and helps you learn photography basics without making things too complicated

How We Test Nikon D90 Lenses

To make sure my list of the best lenses for Nikon D90 wasn't just based on reading specs, I did direct testing with the entire FixThePhoto team during real photoshoots. While I led the project and tested most of the lenses in the field, my coworkers helped by testing lenses in the areas they know best, which include portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and low-light photos.

We tested over 15 different lenses made for the Nikon D90, but some of them didn't make the final list because they didn't perform well in real-life use. Here are a few examples:

Nikon AF-P DX 70–300mm f/4.5–6.3G ED VR. It had great zoom, but the autofocus didn't always work properly with the D90, so it wasn't reliable.

Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G. This is a great macro lens for Nikon D90, but it's not as flexible for beginners as the more general 35mm f/1.8.

Tamron 70–300mm f/4–5.6 Di LD Macro. It was an affordable zoom lens, but it focused slowly and had chromatic aberration that affected the photo quality.

Sigma 10–20mm f/4–5.6 EX DC HSM. This wide-angle lens was fun, but the Tokina 11–16mm gave better results in low light and had sharper images.

Nikon AF-S DX 18–140mm f/3.5–5.6G ED VR. It had a useful zoom range, but it wasn't as sharp as the 18–105mm, especially when zoomed in all the way.

We tested each lens using the same steps. Here's what we looked at:

Image quality and sharpness. We checked how sharp each lens was by comparing them side by side. We took photos of test charts and real-life scenes to see how clear the pictures were across the whole frame, including the corners. We also looked at chromatic aberration and whether the photo had any distortion.

Real-world use. We didn't just test in perfect conditions; we used these lenses during real photo sessions, including paid portrait shoots, hiking trips for landscapes, and family events. We wanted to see how each lens worked when we were under pressure to get good shots. Sometimes we even changed lenses in the middle of a shoot to be able to compare results.

Build quality and fit. We looked at how strong the lenses felt, if they had any weather protection, and how well they attached to the D90's F-mount. We also checked for features beginners might like, such as easy-to-turn focus rings and clear aperture numbers.

Genre versatility. Every lens was used for at least three types of photography: portraits, landscapes, and either events or wildlife, to see which lenses worked well in many situations and which ones were better for specific types of photos.

Size, weight, and comfort. We paid attention to how heavy the Nikon D90 lenses were and how they felt when attached to the camera. We used each lens for a full day to see if it made our hands tired and how easy it was to stay unnoticed while taking candid street photos.

Performance in low light and aperture. We tested how the lenses worked in darker settings. We compared primes and constant-aperture zooms versus variable-aperture kit lenses. Because the D90 doesn't do as well in low light, finding a low-light lens for Nikon was essential.

VR/OS stabilization. We took pictures while holding the camera and slowly lowered the shutter speed to see how much the stabilization helped.

Autofocus speed and accuracy. We tested how fast and accurate the AF was in both bright and dark conditions. My colleagues who usually photograph sports or wildlife also tested how well the lens could keep up with moving subjects.

This whole testing process took over a month. We worked back-to-back, took lots of notes, and did hundreds of side-by-side comparisons. By the end, we didn't just pick lenses that were fine; we chose the best ones that can help the Nikon D90 perform well, even today.

Tati Taylor

Reviews Writer

Tati Taylor is a photographer and pro tech expert of the FixThePhoto European team. After earning a degree in Visual Arts and Photography from the University of Texas, she specialized in digital manipulation when met the FixThePhoto service. She promotes only budget-friendly gear and always includes at least one item in every article that's affordable for any user.

Read Tati's full bio

Vadym Antypenko

Tech Gear Specialist

Vadym has been with FixThePhoto since 2017, where he works closely with the team to try out different trends, apps, and tools, providing honest reviews and practical insights. Whether he checks TikTok editing apps or explores the trendy effect, Vadym helps creators understand what works best and how to get spectacular results. He is about crafting diy lighting setups, props, backgrounds from scratch showing amateurs that you don’t have to be rich to start this career.

Read Vadym's full bio

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