Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S

Product Information

Although the function ring on the 24-120 has better resistance to turning, it’s still a pain to use. I have both and I was already very impressed by the Z 24-70 F4, well the Z 24-120 F4 is better in IQ and goes up to 120. The big knock on wide to tele zooms has always been that at the widest and longest focal lengths, image sharpness falls off considerably. com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Included in the box is a petal-shaped lens hood (HB-102), which fits onto the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S’ 77mm filter thread.

Polycarbonate external housing over metal frame interior, with weather sealing throughout, including a rubber ring at the lens mount. The 24-70mm f/4 S excels for travel due to its more compact size, but if that means you have to bring along another lens to cover the telephoto range, the 24-120mm f/4 S suddenly becomes a clearer choice. Boasting a constant maximum aperture of f/4, it is built for controlled, creative shooting that delivers stunning detail.The lens doesn't feel at all front-heavy, and it should play as well with the Z 5 and Z 6 series bodies, as the three share the same chassis. It has the same controls, such as L-fn, and function ring (useless), as well as the focus and zoom rings. Still, the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S navigates those balances quite well – and that’s its biggest strength.

This enables you to capture some fairly good close-up shots when shooting at the 120mm focal length. Nikon’s ARNEO Coat and Nano Crystal Coat keep images clear by combatting ghosting and flare caused by incidental light coming from any direction. Let’s compare the Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 S (“Z 24-120” for short) to the Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f4G VR (“F-Nikkor”) and the Nikon Z 24-200mm f4-6. To me, the biggest handling issue with the 24-120mm f/4 S is Nikon’s inconsistency with the position of the rings on their mirrorless lenses in general. Nikon says the Z 24-120mm f/4 S is sealed against dust and moisture, but even so, I’m always careful to wipe down the telescoping barrel when I use this lens in harsh conditions, before zooming back to 24mm.Late payment and early repayment penalties apply; full details of these will be provided in the loan agreement pack. This is heavily dependent on the body you use, but the lens kept up even with the super-fast AF on the Z9.

Images are softer in the corners at f4, but definitely not noticeable and only observed when pixel peeping. If it suffers a hard bump or a small drop when the barrel is extended, the 24-120mm f/4 S stands a higher risk of decentering compared to some lenses.Quite a bit of time goes into these reviews, including approximately 2-3 hours of lab testing for each focal length shown in our sharpness tests. AF-operation of the lens in photo-mode produces a very low buzz – a bit of which can also be heard if you record video with the built-in microphone. The superbly flexible 24-120mm focal-length range frees you to take in all the angles without changing lenses. Was this an intentional ploy on Nikon's part to confuse competitors, or simply that one design version of a longer mid-range zoom won out as we got close to production?

The Nikon Z system has a wealth of standard zooms, ranging from budget-friendly starters like the 24-50mm F4-6. The A/M toggle switch lets you swap back and forth between manual and autofocus without having to dive into a menu.Focus transitions were free of false purple and greens (Longitudinal CA) and tree branches and power lines avoided purple fringing (Lateral CA). I've struggled a bit with these rings over the years, finding them to be a little too sensitive in general. And the Z 24-120 is the only lens in this comparison which has an extra function button which can be assigned different functions e.