We recently got our hands on the Nikon (made by Tamron) 28-75mm f/2.8 Nikkor Z lens. This is a well-made lens that is very good optically, and is far less expensive than the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8S lens. Much to our delight, the Nikon 28-75mm f/2.8 is an excellent performer for infrared photography (something that the 24-70/2.8S does not do well). Should you get one? It depends on your needs, and what kind of subjects you enjoy photographing.
Many thanks to our friends at B&H Photo for loaning us the Nikon 28-75mm lens to test!
We took a short trip to Tucson, Arizona and we shot infrared photos exclusively. Look for an infrared workshop from us in early 2023!
This week, we got our hands on the newly released 50mm f/1.2S Nikkor Z lens. We both had the opportunity to test this lens and compare it to our other 50mm Nikon lenses. In addition to our impressions on optical performance, we’ll discuss what kind of photographer would benefit from this impressive lens.
Many thanks to our friends at B&H Photo for loaning us a production copy of this lens to evaluate.
Comparing the Nikon 14-24/2.8S with the legendary 14-24/2.8G
When Nikon introduced the AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED zoom Nikkor in late 2007, it was quickly hailed as a “legendary” lens. In fact, some reviewers said that its performance at 24mm was better than many 24mm prime lenses. In fact, even Canon users hailed this lens and would frequently use it on their cameras via a mount adapter. I purchased this lens and found it to be stellar on my full-frame Nikon DSLR bodies.
Fast-forward to 2020, and Nikon has just released a new 14-24mm f/2.8 lens; this one is designed to work natively on Nikon’s mirrorless Z-mount bodies. Earlier, I reviewed this lens and found it to be simply outstanding. I also made comparison shots with both the 14-24mm f/2.8G and the 14-24mm f/2.8S lenses. You can check out my evaluation video to see how these two lenses compare in terms of sharpness, contrast, and flare resistance. Thanks again to B&H Photo for providing a test copy of the new 14-24mm f/2.8S. Check availability & Pricing
The ultimate super-wide zoom lens for Nikon mirrorless cameras
I recently got my hands on the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8S super-wide zoom lens for FX format Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras, and I’ve spent the last few weeks putting it through its paces. This pro-level lens features a constant f/2.8 aperture, and is an entirely updated design from it’s F-mount predecessor.
The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8S Nikkor Z for mirrorless Nikon cameras.
The first thing you’ll notice about this lens is that it’s extremely well-built. The focus and zoom rings are silky smooth. The 14-24mm f/2.8S features an illuminated LCD panel that can be configured to display aperture, focus distance (and hyperfocal distance), or focal length. There is also the traditional A/M switch for quickly switching from autofocus to manual focus, and a Lens Function (L-Fn) button which can be customized in your camera to provide additional functionality, such as AF-ON or auto exposure lock (and much more). This lens also includes a multi-function control ring that can be configured to control aperture, exposure compensation, or ISO setting using custom menu f2 in the Nikon Z6 & Z7 cameras.
The all-purpose zoom lens that’s perfect for travel and walkabout photography
The Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3 lens (left) isn’t much bigger than the 24-70mm f/4, but packs an 8.3x zoom range that is perfect for general-purpose and travel photography.
Earlier this year, Nikon announced the 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR zoom Nikkor for full-frame (FX) Z-mount mirrorless cameras. Despite its variable aperture design, I was intrigued by the idea of having a native Z-mount lens for travel and general purpose photography. During my international photo tours, I typically used my 24-120mm f/4 VR zoom Nikkor as my primary lens.
When I moved to the Nikon Z mirrorless camera system last year, one of the challenges I faced was coming up with an appropriate travel kit. When I’m traveling, especially internationally, the size and weight of my kit are more important than superior optical quality. The Nikon 24-70mm f/4 S lens, which is the Nikon Z “kit” lens, is very good but has a limited zoom range, meaning I’d need to add a longer telephoto zoom to my bag.
I considered using my 24-120mm f/4 with the FTZ lens mount adapter, but I found that it was a little clumsy to use and frankly, quite heavy. That left me with the following travel kit:
This kit worked well on my photo tour of Scotland in the fall of 2019, but it was still a bit cumbersome compared to having a good all-purpose zoom lens. With the addition of the 24-200mm to the Nikon Z lineup, I could theoretically have a two-lens kit, with the 24-200mm being my go-to lens in most situations. This change would save me nearly a kilogram of weight from my bag!
