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I’ve by no means thought that crop-sensor cameras are for newcomers and intermediate photographers, whereas full-frame cameras are for fanatics and professionals. Nevertheless, I do suppose that for top-class picture high quality and efficiency, in addition to for sturdiness, high-performance crop-sensor cameras must be backed up by equally high-grade lenses. That’s actually not misplaced on firms like Fujifilm, OM System, and Panasonic, judging by the energy and breadth of their APS-C and Micro 4 Thirds ranges.
However what about Nikon? I really like the type and substance of the Nikon Zfc. Shifting up a gear, the newer Nikon Z50 II is a correct little powerhouse. Nevertheless, whereas the diminutive, light-weight, and cheap Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR package zoom lenses carry out fairly effectively, they’ve sluggish aperture scores, plastic mounting plates, and are actually not of a pro-grade normal.
Naturally, you should utilize FX (full-frame) format Nikon Z system lenses on DX (APS-C) cameras, however they’re greater, heavier, and pricier than they must be. That’s as a result of they should produce a picture circle that’s giant sufficient to cowl an FX relatively than DX format picture sensor. The brand new Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR makes Nikon’s DX format mirrorless cameras a way more viable proposition for artistic and fanatic photographers, in addition to for hybrid stills/video shooters. It additionally goals to be one of many greatest Nikon Z lenses thus far, in addition to one of many greatest Nikon normal zoom lenses.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Specs
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Mount choices |
Nikon Z (DX) |
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Lens building |
12 components in 11 teams |
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Angle of view |
83 to 31.5 levels |
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Diaphragm blades |
9 |
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Minimal aperture |
f/22 |
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Minimal focus distance |
0.15m (Large) 0.25m (Tele) |
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Most magnification |
0.24x (Tele) |
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Filter dimension |
67mm |
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Dimensions |
75x88mm / 3×3.5in |
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Weight |
330g / 11.7oz |
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Value
Let’s put the value of this new lens into context. It lists at $799 / £897 / AU$1,299, and that’s about 3 times the value of the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR. To be sincere, I’d count on nothing much less. In spite of everything, this lens is way more geared to fanatic/skilled use than being aimed on the normal shopper market.
Certainly, the one different Nikon DX format constant-aperture f/2.8 normal zoom that I’ve ever seen was the traditional Nikon AF-S DX 17-55mm f/2.8, which launched all the way in which again in 2003 and had a price ticket almost twice as heavy as for the brand new Z-mount lens.
And within the full-frame camp, the lately launched Nikon Z 24‑70mm f/2.8 S II prices $2,797 / £2,599 / AU$4,599. All issues thought-about, the brand new Z DX trinity zoom appears prefer it may simply be a little bit of a cut price.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Design & Dealing with
One in all my pet hates is DX or APS-C format normal zooms that kick off at 18mm on the quick finish. That’s roughly equal to 28mm on a full-frame digital camera, and I actually miss a extra expansive wide-angle view. The design of this lens relies on a 16-50mm zoom vary, equating to 24-75mm in full-frame phrases, and giving way more beneficiant wide-angle protection. That’s a tick within the first field for me, and certainly, the lens beats typical full-frame 24-70mm trinity normal zooms on the lengthy finish, with marginally extra telephoto attain. Blissful days!
Together with its versatile zoom vary for on a regular basis, walkabout, and journey taking pictures, the lens’s killer characteristic is its comparatively quick and fixed f/2.8 aperture. By comparability, the retractable Z 16-50mm zoom that’s typically bought as a ‘package lens’ with Nikon Z DX format cameras has a variable f/3.5-6.3 aperture score. Diving into the mathematics, that makes the f/2.8 lens two-thirds of a cease sooner on the quick finish, and a sizeable two-and-a-third or 2.33 stops sooner on the lengthy finish.
What’s so nice in regards to the comparatively quick and fixed aperture score? First up, you possibly can acquire a tighter depth of discipline, particularly in the direction of the lengthy finish of the zoom vary. That’s nice information for isolating topics inside a fussy scene by blurring the background. Subsequent up, you may get sooner shutter speeds beneath low lighting ranges for freezing the motion, with out bumping up your digital camera’s ISO setting into the stratosphere and killing your picture high quality. And final however not least, if you happen to’re taking pictures in handbook publicity mode with a large aperture, it’s very helpful in case your aperture doesn’t change whenever you modify the zoom setting.
In the event you’re like me, you’re postpone by the sometimes massive, chunky, and heavy construct of full-frame trinity zoom lenses. Coupled with a comparatively light-weight and slimline mirrorless digital camera, it may typically really feel like a case of the tail wagging the canine, placing the cart earlier than the horse, or every other analogy that takes your fancy. Certain, this lens is larger and heavier than the unfeasibly tiny and featherweight Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, however it’s nonetheless remarkably compact and simply manageable for a continuing f/2.8 zoom. Speaking in numbers, it measures simply 75x88mm / 3×3.5in in dimension and weighs a mere 330g / 11.7oz.
For comparability, the size of the lens is just 4mm or 0.16” greater than the width of the Nikon Z 24‑70mm f/2.8 S II full-frame lens, and fewer than half the burden. It additionally has a comparatively small 67mm filter attachment thread, in contrast with 77mm for the 24-70mm Mark II and 82mm for the unique full-frame zoom. And lest we neglect, the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR for DSLRs weighed in at over a kilogram, or 2.35lb, making it greater than 3 times the burden. Lengthy story quick, this DX trinity zoom may be very simply manageable and really straightforward to stay with. It’s positively one for the journey.
The pictures above and beneath present the lens at its minimal and most zoom settings respectively. As with most traditional zoom lenses, it’s bodily shortest at its most wide-angle setting, and longest on the telephoto finish, though some normal zooms are bodily shortest at mid-range settings. Both manner, there’s not an enormous quantity of bodily extension as you stretch by means of the zoom vary.
Naturally, in contrast with actually quick prime lenses, an f/2.8 aperture isn’t super-speedy. Both manner, you may wish to use a narrower aperture to get a bigger depth of discipline whenever you need extra of the scene to be rendered sharply. With that in thoughts, I’m glad that the lens options optical VR (Vibration Discount), AKA optical picture stabilization. Based on Nikon, it’s value as much as 4.5 stops in warding off the blurring results of digital camera shake. To my thoughts, it’s an important inclusion within the lens’s design, on condition that there aren’t any Nikon DX-format cameras thus far that characteristic IBIS (In-Physique Picture Stabilization).
By way of glass, the lens options 12 components in 11 teams. That’s much more than the 9 components in 7 teams, featured within the f/3.5-6.3 package lens. Each lenses characteristic one ED (Additional-low Dispersion) component however the f/2.8 lens has two aspherical components relatively than 4, as featured within the smaller lens to scale back the bodily dimension to an absolute minimal.
How about construct high quality? The entire different Nikon Z DX zoom lenses that I can consider, plus the Z DX 24mm prime, have plastic relatively than metallic mounting plates. You could possibly argue that it helps to maintain the burden of the lens to an absolute minimal, which is a good level. However for the sake of high quality, I’d favor a ‘correct’ metallic mounting plate each time, and I’m happy to see one on this lens. Nikon doesn’t say how extensively the lens is weather-sealed however inspection reveals there’s at the least a rubber gasket fitted to the metallic mounting plate, to reduce the ingress of mud and moisture between the lens and digital camera physique.
Dealing with feels very assured, however isn’t completely to my liking. I’m in favor of bodily switches on the facet of the lens barrel, giving fast entry to auto/handbook focusing modes and VR on/off. Neither are fitted to this lens, forcing you to rummage round in digital camera menus to make the modifications. I really feel that’s much less handy and extra time-consuming, however it does at the least allow a cleaner and extra compact design. The customizable management ring for handbook focusing and different changes can also be a bit of on the skinny facet for comfy use, however does function in clean silence.
Most of Nikon’s extra budget-friendly Z-system lenses in each DX and FX classes are provided and not using a lens hood. I’m not a fan. I’ve hardly seen low-cost, third-party lenses provided and not using a hood, and I resent having to pay additional for the privilege of utilizing one as an ‘non-compulsory additional’. Fortunately, this lens is provided full with a petal-shaped HB-118 hood – good job too because it prices almost $50 to purchase individually.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Efficiency
If I’m going to spend 3 times as a lot shopping for this lens as opposed to the ultra-compact (however relatively cute) Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, I’d count on it to be sharper. The f/2.8 zoom doesn’t disappoint. At almost all zoom and aperture settings, it’s noticeably sharper from the center of the body proper out to the intense edges and corners. There’s a bit of extra coloration fringing within the 16-35mm sector of the zoom vary, however that is simply taken care of by the automated in-camera correction of all Nikon Z-system cameras.
For some (me included), refined variations in sharpness aren’t the massive information. It’s typically extra in regards to the high quality of bokeh. With this lens being 2.33 f/stops sooner on the lengthy finish of the zoom vary, it may attain a tighter depth of discipline with the prospect of smoother bokeh. I took the images above and beneath of a phrenology head set in opposition to the backdrop of some backyard vegetation. The above shot was taken at 50mm with the child 16-50mm lens at its widest aperture of f/6.3. The shot beneath was taken wide-open with the f/2.8 lens on the similar 50mm focal size. You’ll be able to see that the bokeh is rather a lot smoother with the sooner lens, though it’s nonetheless not a match for a sooner 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 prime lens.
The precise high quality of bokeh is good and clean. The shot beneath is a close-up of some dewdrops hanging from the spindly branches of an acer tree. You’ll see that the ‘bokeh disks’ attributable to brilliant defocused droplets of water with the sunshine coming from behind them are well-rounded, proper out to the sides and corners of the body. That’s fairly spectacular, and bokeh disks are additionally freed from the glitchy ‘onion ring’ impact.
A aspect of efficiency that’s all the time on my want record is quick and constantly correct autofocus. The lens obliges with a linear stepping motor-based system that’s each fast and near-silent. It’s additionally typical of the breed in delivering clean autofocus transitions when taking pictures video. That appears to be extra vital than ever these days, with so many people turning our hand to ‘hybrid’ taking pictures. And with that in thoughts, there are another vital efficiency enhancements packed into the lens.
Together with the autofocus and optical stabilization being useful for videography in addition to for taking pictures stills, the lens is designed to have minimal ‘focus respiratory’. As such, the angle or angle of view stays fastened whenever you transition the main focus distance from close to to far, or visa versa. Subsequent up, there’s ‘hi-res zoom’, which lets you successfully double the focal size of the lens to as a lot as 100mm, with out struggling any lack of sharpness when taking pictures video. Together with many different Nikon Z lenses, there’s additionally a stepless management ring that works not just for handbook focusing, but in addition for clean and silent aperture changes, very best when taking pictures video.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Pattern Photos
This gallery of instance photographs was shot within the cathedral and surrounding metropolis of Wells, within the south-west of England. I got down to cowl all of the bases, utilizing every thing from the shortest to the longest zoom settings, taking close-ups in addition to regular-distance pictures, and using the widest f/2.8 for a number of pictures to indicate the minimal depth of discipline and high quality of bokeh. General, I’m very happy with the outcomes that the lens has delivered.
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Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Lab Outcomes
We run a spread of lab assessments beneath managed situations, utilizing the Imatest Grasp testing suite. Photographs of check charts are taken throughout the vary of apertures and zooms (the place obtainable), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and evaluation software program to plot lens decision on the middle of the picture body, corners and mid-point distances, throughout the vary of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at 4 totally different focal lengths. The assessments additionally measure distortion and coloration fringing (chromatic aberration).
Sharpness:
Sharpness is great on the middle of the body and stays extremely spectacular proper out to the intense edges and corners. Certainly, our lab outcomes for sharpness are adequate to rival these of many prime lenses, all through the whole vary of focal lengths served up on this zoom lens.
Fringing:
When uncorrected, coloration fringing may be noticeable on the edges and corners of the picture body, particularly within the 16-35mm sector of the zoom vary. Nevertheless, Nikon Z-system cameras like their newer DSLR forebears have extremely competent computerized correction that takes care of fringing fully.
Distortion:
As they are saying, if one thing appears too good to be true, then it most likely is. The lab outcomes for distortion look impossibly good for the standard zoom lens and positive sufficient, that’s as a result of the lens depends closely on computerized correction, which may’t be switched off within the digital camera’s menu system.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR: Verdict
I really like the unfeasibly small and featherweight construct of this lens’s child sibling, the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR package lens, however the primary attraction of the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR is its comparatively quick and fixed f/2.8 aperture. This places it into ‘trinity’ normal zoom territory and, as such, it’s nonetheless a refreshingly compact and light-weight package deal.
I just like the upmarket construct high quality, in contrast with most Nikon Z DX lenses, that on this case stretches to a metallic relatively than plastic mounting plate, full with a weather-seal gasket. I’m additionally a fan of the 4.5-stop optical stabilization and that the lens is optimized for hybrid taking pictures, being equally adept at video in addition to stills.
I’m much less enamored with the shortage of switches for A/M focus modes and VR on/off, in addition to the thinness of the customizable management ring, however I can stay with all that, given the compact nature of the lens. All in all, it’s an excellent performer, and though it doesn’t come low cost, it’s effectively well worth the cash.
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Options ★★★★☆ |
It’s acquired a stable characteristic set that features a fixed f/2.8 aperture and 4.5-stop VR, and in contrast to most Z DX lenses, it comes full with a hood. |
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Design ★★★★☆ |
The design is comparatively compact and light-weight for a ‘trinity’ zoom however lacks switches for A/M focus modes and VR on/off. |
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Efficiency ★★★★★ |
The lens is super-sharp and has very quick and constantly correct autofocus, though it depends closely on computerized in-camera correction for distortions. |
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Worth ★★★★☆ |
It’s costly for a Nikon Z DX lens however very way more inexpensive than the identical type of lens for full-frame cameras. |
