A List of The Best Lenses for the Nikon D810

If you just got your hands on a brand new Nikon D810, or maybe took advantage of the price drops on used D800/e models, DxOMark’s newly updated list of the top lenses for these high-res DSLRs could come in very handy.

The list was just updated two days ago after DxOMark finished testing over 100 lenses on the D810 and determined which primes and zooms will offer the best resolving power for your buck. The results are interesting, if not entirely surprising.

On the prime side of things, the ZEISS Otus lenses rule all, with the 85mm and 55mm f/1.4 lenses taking the top two spots, in that order. They were followed by the ZEISS 135mm f/2 Apo Sonnar T* ZE lens, Nikkor 200mm f/2G ED VR, Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G, and Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G.

On the zoom list, Tamron, Sigma and Nikon take up the top three spots. The Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC is top dog, followed by the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM in the second spot and the Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II in third.

In terms of optical performance, DxOMark reveals in its conclusion that the D810’s lack of an AA filter really doesn’t make a noticeable difference over the D800e and its ‘cancelled out’ filter, so these suggestions are equally viable for the D800e.

That being said, the other advantages of the D810 — in the processor department, for example — still compelled DxO to call it, “arguably the most compelling 35mm model currently available for studio and location work.”