Nikon Z 24mm 1.8 S

The Nikkor Z 24mm f/1.8 S is a mixed bag. It's certainly not a bad lens and has its strengths, but also a few downsides. Of all the current Nikkor Z f/1.8 primes, this is the weakest. The image center is quite sharp straight from the maximum aperture. But the borders and corners are fairly soft at large apertures. If you want very good sharpness across the whole frame, you need to stop the lens down to the range of f/4 to f/8. Vignetting is quite high at large apertures, but software correction can take care of that. CA's are well controlled and image distortion is moderate. The bokeh quality of the lens is on a surprisingly high level for such a wide angle lens. The build quality is on the same high level as the other f/1.8 Nikkor Z primes. Given its mixed performance, the current retail price of around 900 EUR/1000 USD feels like a bit too much for what the lens offers. However, if you have a particular use-case which requires this focal length, combined with the large aperture, there is currently only this lens... or 3rd-party options, which are more affordable, but may come with even more weaknesses than the Nikkor.

An outstanding 24mm lens for the Nikon Z system.

Announced in September 2019, the Nikkor Z 24mm lens adds to the line-up of f/1.8 prime lenses for the Nikon Z range of full-frame cameras - it can also be used with the new APS-C Nikon Z50, too. Features of the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S lens include a design of 12 elements in 10 groups, along with a 9-blade rounded aperture. At 24mm, it should be useful for a number of different subjects, including landscapes, street and even environmental portraits.

Highly Recommended awardThe Nikon Z 24mm f1.8 S is a very good wide angle prime lens for owners of Z-series mirrorless bodies: Resolution and contrast is as good or even better than the Zeiss 28mm f1.4 Otus - which is no small feat. It also delivers usable close-up performance when stopped down a little and retains its high contrast exceptionally well even in contra-light situations. Plus its size and weight makes it a good match for the compact Z-series bodies it's designed for. The new Z Nikkor also focuses fast and reliably and is sealed thoroughly against the elements. Its longitudinal color aberrations could be lower but didn't stand out in real-life shooting, and the Bokeh is quite smooth for a 24mm f1.8 lens. All-in-all the Z 24mm f1.8 S performs better than the Nikon Z 35mm f1.8 S and is neck-and-neck with the Zeiss Otus 28mm f1.4. This deserves a Highly Recommended - provided you get a well-centered copy!