Lens Reviews / Nikon Lenses i Not yet tested

24-70mm	$2,154 average price

Updates:
06/26/2019: Field Test & Gallery Images posted

 

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Field Test

Continuing Nikon's long tradition of excellent & useful pro zoom lenses

by Jeremy Gray | Posted 06/26/2019

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/6.3, 1/640s, ISO 500. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens does a nice job of controlling lens flare.

Whenever a new camera system is released, it is interesting to see which new lenses are released first. In the case of the Nikon Z full-frame mirrorless system, the Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras were released alongside three lenses (granted, the third was a couple of months behind): the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S and Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S. It was a somewhat interesting mix which was focused on providing compact and lightweight lenses.

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/9, 8s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The new 24-70mm f/2.8, on the other hand, is a staple of many enthusiasts' and professional photographes' kits due to its excellent versatility, fast constant aperture and impressive optical quality. While it offers the same focal length range as the 24-70mm f/4 S kit lens, it is a very different lens in terms of capability (and price). The new Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 has all three of these qualities, plus pro-level build quality. Let's take a closer look at the lens, see how the new Nikon Z mount changes the design and performance of the lens and find out how it works in the real world.

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/8, 1/80s, ISO 220. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Key Features and Specs

• Pro-oriented constant aperture standard zoom lens
• Diameter x Length: 3.5 x 4.96 inches (89 x 126 millimeters)
• 82mm filter thread
• Weighs 28.4 ounces (805 grams)
• OLED information panel
• Programmable control ring
• 17 elements in 15 groups
• Two ED elements and four aspherical elements
• ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coatings
• Internal focusing with multi-focus stepping motor
• Minimum focusing distance is 1.25 feet (38 centimeters)
• 0.22x maximum magnification
• $2,300 USD suggested retail price

Lens Design and Handling

As a pro-oriented lens, the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S has very good build quality. The lens features a weather-sealed design and fluorine coating on the front element. While smaller than the most recent 24-70mm f/2.8E lens for Nikon F mount, the new Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens is still quite large, especially when attached to the compact Nikon Z6 or Z7 cameras. In total, the new lens weighs 28.4 ounces (805 grams), which is fairly heavy, although quite well-balanced in the hand. The lens has a diameter of 3.5 inches (89 millimeters) and at 24mm is 4.96 in. long (126mm). The lens does extend a bit when zooming in, but it does not noticeably impact the overall balance of the lens. Further, the lens' included detachable petal-shaped lens hood, obviously, adds some length, too.

The lens has focal length markings at 24, 28, 35, 50 and 70mm and in order to zoom from 24mm to 70mm, you must rotate the zoom ring by about 90 degrees. The lens also includes a dedicated focus ring and a programmable control ring, which can be designated to control settings such as aperture and ISO. The rings have smooth rotation and feel nice. They are not very wide, but their ridged surface allows for good grip.

The lens retains the same general styling of other Nikkor Z lenses but is the first S lens to include a built-in OLED information display. In lieu of a physical focus scale, the OLED panel located on the top of the lens barrel can show a moving focus scale. The OLED information display, which has a dedicated button, can also display focal length, aperture or be left blank. When showing focal length, it uses 0.5mm increments at wide focal lengths and becomes whole-number focal lengths as you zoom in.

One of the implications of the new Z Mount is that lenses can be designed to be more compact without sacrificing image quality. In the case of the 24-70mm f/2.8 S, it is a fair bit smaller than the 24-70mm f/2.8E lens for F mount. The 24-70mm f/2.8E lens' diameter is 3.46 inches (88 millimeters), and its minimum length is 6.1 inches (154.5mm). The lens weighs a bit more than the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S as well, at 2.4 pounds (1,070 grams). It is worth pointing out that the 24-70mm f/2.8E lens for F mount has built-in Vibration Reduction, a feature not needed on the Z-mount version, as the Z6 and Z7 cameras feature in-body image stabilization.

Overall, the 24-70mm f/2.8 S has very good build quality. The lens can handle harsh environments and is well-balanced on the Z6/Z7 camera bodies. I particularly like the feel of the zooming mechanism, which rotates smoothly but also has enough resistance to allow for precise changes.

Image Quality

The Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens utilizes 17 elements across 15 groups. Within this optical design, there are two ED elements and four aspherical elements. Further, the lens includes ARNEO a,nd Nano Crystal coatings.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 32.5mm, f/8, 0.8s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Sharpness

A 24-70mm f/2.8 pro-oriented lens must perform well across the entire focal length range. This is certainly the case with the new 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens. Looking first at 24mm, the lens performs well wide open at f/2.8. The center area sharpness is very good, and the corners are impressive as well.

When you stop down to f/4 and f/5.6, the center sharpness remains excellent, with f/4 being particularly impressive. Corners sharpen up a bit as well, which is nice, especially for shooting landscapes. As you continue to stop down to f/8 and f/11, you lose a bit of resolving capability in the center of the frame, but you get a bit more consistency in performance across the frame.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

At 35mm, performance becomes even more impressive. At f/2.8-5.6, center sharpness is excellent. It remains very good at f/8, although it may not be quite as sharp as f/5.6, but it's very close. Compared to 24mm, corner performance is better at 35mm across the board.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/4, 1/800s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/4, 1/800s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/5.6, 1/400s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 35mm, f/11, 1/100s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

As you continue to zoom in, performance remains excellent. At 50mm, the lens is sharp across almost the entire frame at f/2.8. Corner performance is solid as well. When you shoot at f/4 and f/5.6, corner performance gets even better.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 50mm, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

At the long end of the lens, performance is very good. The center sharpness is impressive at f/2.8, but to my eyes, corner performance is a bit softer at 70mm than it is at 50mm. With that said, the entire frame looks good. Stopping down helps shore up the corners some, but that is not at all to say that the corners are bad at f/2.8.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/4, 1/640s, ISO 64. 100 percent bottom right corner crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 64. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed using default settings in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Overall, the resolving capability of the new Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens is very good. It is impressively sharp and the only weakness -- and "weakness" is likely an overstatement -- is corner performance at the very widest focal length.

Vignette

When looking at brightness falloff (vignette) with the 24-70mm f/2.8 S, the situation is not great when shooting the lens wide open at either extreme focal length. At 24mm, the falloff is dramatic at f/2.8. It's not quite as noticeable at 70mm, but it is still strong. Stopping down to f/4 helps some and f/5.6 further alleviates the issue. In any case, you can correct for vignette either in-camera or during post-processing.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/4, 1/125s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/60s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/4, 1/125s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/80s, ISO 64. Vignette test image. This image has been converted and processed using Adobe Camera Raw. Default settings were used except for Clarity, which was reduced by 100 to remove unnecessary fine detail. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

In the Field

Autofocus

The 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens utilizes a multi-focus stepping motor autofocus system and is an internally focusing lens. Out in the field, the lens focuses very quickly on both the Z6 and Z7 cameras and delivers very strong results. The lens can focus as close as 1.25 feet (38 centimeters), too, which results in a maximum magnification of 0.22x.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/100s, ISO 64. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 64mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 500. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shooting experience

When out in the field, there's a lot to like about the 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens. While a fairly large lens when compared to the Z6/Z7 camera bodies, it balances nicely and is not too heavy to use for extended periods of time. The built-in information display is also a nice touch.

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/4, 1/100s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Autofocus performance is also impressive. The lens is quick and very reliable. Of course, it is one thing for a lens to be able to capture focused shots, it's another issue entirely for it to produce sharp, high-quality photos. Fortunately, the 24-70mm f/2.8 S delivers really nice image quality across the board. Even when shooting in challenging scenarios, the lens controls flare very well and does an excellent job of keeping chromatic aberrations to a minimum.

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. Here we can see the general bokeh performance of the 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens. Personally, I like the overall look of the bokeh, although this is a very subjective aspect of lens performance.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 58mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. This is another example showing the bokeh of the 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens, this time at a shorter focal length.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/13, 3s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 70mm, f/8, 1/80s, ISO 140. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 30mm, f/2.8, 1/30s, ISO 1100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 36mm, f/8, 1/40s, ISO 560. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens does a nice job of controlling distortion.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 69mm, f/2.8, 1/80s, ISO 900. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The 24-70mm f/2.8 S may be fairly large compared to other Nikkor S lenses, but it's balanced well and easy to carry around when traveling.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 43mm, f/6.3, 1/6s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 32.5mm, f/9, 1/250s, ISO 64. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens does a nice job of controlling lens flare.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 70mm, f/5.6, 4s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 55mm, f/8, 1/13s, ISO 400. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 6s, ISO 4000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 6s, ISO 4000. 100 percent crop near the top left corner of the image. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The 24-70mm f/2.8 S does a pretty nice job of rendering stars in a circular way, meaning it does a fine job of controlling comatic aberration.

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/2.8, 6s, ISO 4000. 100 percent center crop. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file. The 24-70mm f/2.8 S does a very nice job of rendering stars in a circular way, meaning it does a good job of controlling comatic aberration.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 41mm, f/7.1, 3s, ISO 1000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 24mm, f/5, 5s, ISO 1000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 33mm, f/8, 5s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S Field Test Summary

Fantastic 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens is a must-have for any high-end Nikon Z kit

What I like:

• Excellent build quality
• Neat OLED information display
• Great image quality
• Good autofocus performance

Shot on Nikon Z7 at 26.5mm, f/8, 1/40s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

What I didn't like:

• While a good value, it's still an expensive lens
• Despite being well-balanced, the lens is still quite heavy and large

The 24-70mm focal length is very versatile on a full-frame camera. It's a staple of many professional kits and with good reason. The new Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens is yet another excellent example of a fast pro zoom lens and probably the best native lens for the Nikkor Z mount to date due to its very good optical performance, impressive build quality and strong utility for numerous types of photography.

Shot on Nikon Z6 at 24mm, f/14, 8s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.