Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is a great take on Nikon’s classic wide-angle zoom: See our in-depth Field Test
posted Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 4:00 PM EDT
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Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Nikkor Field Test
Nikon released the 14-24mm f/2.8G lens for F mount way back in 2007 alongside the 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lens. With impressive performance, both zoom lenses have earned places in many photographers' kits. The 14-24mm f/2.8G has a few drawbacks, however, among them its inability to natively accept filters and its heavy construction. With the advent of the mirrorless Nikon Z system and the advantages the new Z mount has to offer, Nikon has revisited its classic 14-24mm f/2.8 lens with the new Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Nikkor.
The new wide-angle Z lens is much lighter than the F mount version and accepts 112mm screw-in filters using the larger of two included removable lens hoods. These reasons alone are enough to motivate Nikon Z users to opt for the native Z version of the lens rather than adapt the F mount 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom. However, there's a lot more to like about the Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Nikkor lens than its new form factor.
The 14-24mm f/2.8 S has excellent build quality, including weather resistance. The lens weighs only 1.4 pounds (650g), which is nearly a full pound lighter than the 14-24mm f/2.8G. Like the 24-70mm f/2.8 S and 70-200mm f/2.8 S VR, the 14-24mm f/2.8 S includes an OLED information panel on the top of the lens, plus an L-Fn button and programmable control ring. It's a very well-designed, well-constructed lens.
The same excellent engineering applies to the interior. The lens has 16 elements in 11 groups, including 4 ED elements and a trio of aspherical lens elements. The 14-24mm f/2.8 S also includes Nikon's ARNEO and Nano Crystal coatings. The result is great sharpness and well-controlled aberrations.
I was able to test the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 S paired up with both the Nikon Z7 and the new Z6 II camera bodies. In addition to evaluating the lens itself, Nikon sent along a 112mm circular polarizing filter. To see how the lens fared during testing and to learn how it differs from and improves upon its predecessor, read my Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Field Test. As always, you can also download an assortment of RAW and JPEG files from our Gallery Page.
