First test
PRICE: £259
NIKON.CO.UK
Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8
TEST PICTURES
F/2.8
F/4
We check out a couple of portable and attractively priced primes from Nikon’s steadily growing Z lens system
F/2.8
F/4
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
NIKON’S Z SYSTEM grows ever larger, with DX optics for its APS-C cameras, top-of-the-line S lenses and a few non-S lenses like this 28mm f/2.8
SPECS › Price £259 › In the box Z 28mm f/2.8, front and rear caps › Filter 52mm › Construction Nine elements in eight groups › Special lens elements Two aspherical › Diaphragm Seven blades › Magnification 0.2x › Minimum focus 19cm from focal plane › Focusing Auto, manual › Weather sealed Yes › Dimensions (dxl) 70x43mm › Weight 155g
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
and the 40mm f/2 tested below. These two share a similar look, are very compact and have plastic lens mounts, costing £259 each. The Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 is a good general-purpose wide-angle with a modest maximum aperture, which is still faster than many zooms of this focal length. As you would expect based on the price, build quality is not of the highest calibre. And the mount is plastic rather than metal – although it is dustproof and drip resistant. The Z 28mm f/2.8 SE is a special-edition version, aesthetically designed to match the retro-looking
Nikon Z fc. Cosmetics aside, they are optically identical, and the SE edition is £309. Image quality is pretty good for the price, but it starts slowly with modest sharpness at f/2.8. At the same focal length it exhibits strong vignetting, but that improves vastly by f/4; this aperture elicits a lift in overall sharpness across the frame. Stopping to f/5.6 and f/8 produces even better sharpness, and the lens ultimately peaks at f/11, slipping down at f/16. WC
Verdict The Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 is a capable performer for the money, and pretty good when stopped down a little. PROS Good price, light, solid performance in the f/5.6-11 aperture range, silent AF, control ring CONS Obvious vignetting at f/2.8, quality at f/2.8 nothing special
PRICE: £259
NIKON.CO.UK
Nikon Z 40mm f/2 A budget option, perfect for Z owners wanting to travel light
SPECS › Price £259 › In the box Z 40mm f/2, front and back caps › Filter 52mm › Construction Six elements in four groups › Special lens elements Two aspherical › Diaphragm Nine blades › Magnification 0.17x › Minimum focus 29cm from focal plane › Weather sealed Yes › Dimensions (dxl) 70x45.5mm › Weight 170g
and f/2.8, sharpness across the frame was OK, accompanied by vignetting. Although this was not as obvious as the 28mm lens. Image quality picked up from f/4 onwards, and optimum performance was seen around f/8 and f/11, where resolution, contrast and frame sharpness were all strong. WC
IF YOUR PREFERENCE is a lens that’s more standard than wide, then the Nikon Z 40mm f/2 could be the best choice. Its key features include dust and drip resistance, a stepping motor that gives fast, silent AF and a control ring used to adjust focus as normal – or set aperture, ISO or compensation.
Handling rates highly. The lens is so light, you barely notice it on a Z 7II, which I used to test this pair. Balance is fine, and the stepping motor means there’s no noise when autofocusing, which is also swift. The optical performance of the Z 40mm f/2 is not dissimilar from what we saw with the 28mm f/2.8. At f/2
TEST PICTURES
Verdict Nikon Z owners looking for a compact, yet fast standard prime at a good price will be happy. It’s a decent performer, too. PROS Good price, lightweight, quick aperture, creditable performance at mid-aperture values, silent AF, decent close focusing, control ring CONS Plastic mount, needs stopping down for a respectable level of sharpness across the frame
F/2.8
F/2.8
F/4
F/4
F/5.6
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/8
F/11
F/16
Issue 100 | Photography News 73
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