These are the best Nikon lenses for medical photography, chosen for how they deliver flat-field sharpness, apochromatic or near-APO control of fringing, predictable working distances for lighting and aseptic barriers, and quiet, reliable autofocus (or long, precise manual throws)—mixing modern Z-mount macros with F-mount clinical staples via FTZ plus a few specialty options for extreme detail. Clinical work is about documentation integrity: optics that stay crisp at 1:1, render neutral color for consistent records, resist veiling flare under exam lights, and give you enough space for ring/dual flashes, cross-polarizers, retractors, and drapes without casting shadows. On Z full-frame, anchor with the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S—benchmark flatness and LoCA control so enamel, sclera, and instrument speculars stay clean, fast/quiet AF with a focus limiter for responsive framing, weather-sealed barrel, and VR that pairs with IBIS when you’re shooting handheld in clinic; pair it with the NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 for overhead documentation, derm visit summaries, tray/pack shots, and procedure-room copywork where 1:1 and short working distances are useful. Adapted F-mount macros remain clinical legends: AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G VR is the long-running all-rounder compatible with ring flashes and the R1C1 system, AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G is a ruler-flat tabletop/derm/dentistry favorite (tight spaces, charts, slides), and the Micro-NIKKOR 200mm f/4D IF-ED gives generous working distance for wound care, OR documentation, and sterilized barriers around bright lights—excellent compression and glare control on a tripod or rail. DX users have practical, lightweight choices: AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G VR for stabilized chairside records and the AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G for budget 1:1 on benches and teaching labs; the Z MC 50/2.8 also serves APS-C bodies well for compact clinical kits. For beyond life-size or tiny pathology specimens, third-party macros excel: Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2× Ultra Macro APO (Z) and Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2× Ultra Macro APO (F/Z) provide 1–2× with superb CA suppression and long, silky throws ideal for focus stacking; the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5–5× Ultra Macro is the microscope-adjacent tool for prongs, sutures, vasculature detail, histology cassettes, and device parts with a slim barrel that fits inside diffusion cones. Perspective/plane control for charts, dental arches, and casts is best with movements: PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D (via FTZ) offers tilt for plane alignment and shift to keep geometry true on copy stands; PC-E 45mm f/2.8D covers mid-size objects with flat-field precision. Image priorities that make these “best” in clinic are strict: flat-field rendering so edges and measurement rulers stay honest; apochromatic or near-APO correction so chrome, saliva, and speculars don’t fringe magenta/green; coatings that resist ghosting under LEDs/headlamps; modest breathing and quiet AF for procedure video; and sensible front threads for ring/dual flashes, cross-polarizing kits, and sterile covers; stabilization (lens VR + IBIS) helps when flash is impractical, though short-duration flash still freezes motion and patient sway best. Technique keeps records consistent—standardize white balance with a gray card or chart at the start of each session, shoot around f/5.6–f/8 for peak acuity (stack rather than stopping past ~f/11), use cross-polarization (CPL on lens + polarizing gels on lights) for derm/dent to tame surface glare while preserving color, set repeatable magnification and working distances (mark chair rails and boom arms), and keep a focusing rail for parallax-safe stacks of small specimens; for video walk-throughs, set a 1/50–1/125 shutter, use S-line macros for quiet focus and minimal breathing, and add gentle diffusion to avoid harsh speculars on wet tissue and enamel. Practical kit recipes are simple: premium Z clinical spine—Z MC 105/2.8 VR S for most patient records + Z MC 50/2.8 for overheads/trays, with Laowa 90/2× when 2:1 is required; F-mount value via FTZ—AF-S Micro 105/2.8G VR + Micro 60/2.8G, and Micro 200/4D for long working distance around lighting and barriers; movements/copy—PC-E Micro 85/2.8D (plus PC-E 45/2.8D) on a copy stand; DX compact—DX 85/3.5 VR or Z MC 50/2.8 with a small rail and ring flash. Whether you’re documenting dermatology cases, chairside dentistry, wound progression, surgical devices, pathology specimens, or instructional lab procedures, the best Nikon medical photography lenses deliver reproducible geometry, clean color, and controlled highlights that make clinical images accurate, comparable, and publication-ready straight out of camera.