Nikon
announced a new addition to its Z-mount lens lineup this evening: the Nikkor Z
24-70 f/2.8 S is shipping this spring for $2,299.95. It’s a focal length that’s
already covered by the kit lens available with either the Z6 or Z7, but this
lens is cut out for professionals shooting weddings, landscapes, events, street
photography, environmental portraits, and more. It’s also designed to be an
excellent performer when shooting video.
According to Nikon, the DSLR equivalent is among its most
popular lenses for video, so the company wasted little time recreating that
glass for its new Z-mount system. It’s a lens that’s built to produce beautiful
bokeh and crisp, high-resolution shots (especially if you’re putting it on the
Z7). And this version is smaller (18.4 percent shorter) and lighter (by 24.7
percent) than the F-mount lens. It’s quieter, too — crucial for video — and
remains weather sealed throughout.
Nikon is claiming a lot of firsts with the new 24-70 f/2.8 S.
Here’s what the company says:
The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is the first NIKKOR lens touse the
all new Nikon-designed ARNEO coat, which is used in conjunction with Nikon’s
Nano Crystal Coat to significantly minimize flare and ghosting. The lens also
includes Nikon’s new Multi-Focus System to help ensure fast and accurate
autofocus even when shooting close-up subjects. Additionally, the 24-70mm f/2.8
S is the first NIKKOR Z lens to feature a dedicated manual focus ring independent
of the customizable control ring, a Function (L-Fn) button, and an Organic EL
Lens Information Panel for quick reference of key settings such as focus
distance, depth-of-field, aperture and focal length.
The separation of
the control ring and focus ring will definitely help customize the Z6 or Z7 to
your liking, and it makes for much quicker adjustments when shooting. Same goes
for the added function button, which is located where your left thumb would
rest on the lens.
Canon and Nikon are off to a strong
start with their first full-frame mirrorless cameras
The electro-luminescent (EL) display is a tiny screen that can
be toggled between focus distance/DOF, focal length (with a more precise
reading than the lens markers), or aperture. Like its other native Z-mount
lenses, the new 24-70 takes advantage of the mount’s wide 55mm diameter for
edge-to-edge sharpness. It doesn’t include lens-based VR (vibration reduction),
but the in-body image stabilization on the Z cameras shouldn’t make that feel
like too much of a loss.
Unfortunately,
Nikon still isn’t ready to share release details for the manual focus 58 f/0.95
lens that should be another great showcase of what the Z system is capable of.
But for now, customers who weren’t sold on the kit 24-70 now have a much faster
option. As for those longtime Nikon shooters who already own the older DSLR
version, well, there’s nothing stopping you from just attaching it to a Z6 or
Z7 with the lens adapter.
The Z-mount lens
family with the new 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and the as-yet-unreleased 58mm f/0.95
lens. Image: Nikon
Separately,
Nikon has announced that its firmware update for the Z6 and Z7 that will add
eye-detect autofocus and improved AE/AF performance will be available sometime
in May. Those are much-needed enhancements that could help Nikon better compete
with a few of Sony’s key strengths. RAW video output and support for CFexpress
memory cards are additional features that will be added to both cameras through
future updates, with release timing TBD.
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Camera