Nikon NIKKOR Z 14 24mm F 2 8 S Review | 54 Data compared

Despite its stellar optical and physical upgrades, the lens has notable drawbacks regarding filter usage, accessories, and price. Because of its wide 14mm focal length, using front-mounted filters requires the attachment of a massive, specialized lens hood that accommodates expensive 112mm filters, though a rear holder for unrotatable gel filters is provided as an alternative. From a structural standpoint, the lens does not feature built-in optical image stabilization—relying entirely on the camera body's sensor-shift system—and its electronic focus ring utilizes a variable gearing system that makes smooth, manual focus pulling difficult for videographers. Additionally, at a premium price point of 2,400 USD / 2,600 EUR, it is roughly double the price of the slower Nikon Z 14-30mm f4.0 S. Critics also point out that for a luxury lens costing well north of 2,000 USD, the included protective pouch is disappointingly flimsy and lacks pull strings, which risks letting the lens slip out and sustain damage inside a camera bag.

The lens features notable pros and cons that balance its high performance against its steep ownership cost. On the positive side, it offers stunning image quality, excellent build and handling, and a unique filter attachment system via a dedicated, oversized hood that accommodates 112mm screw-in filters. However, the lens is exceptionally expensive to buy, which means photographers will need deep pockets. Furthermore, its native own-brand circular filters are massively expensive—with a polarizer costing up to $680—and the hood cannot be used with standard square or rectangular filter systems. Lastly, while automatic in-camera corrections easily fix them, noticeable barrel and pincushion distortions are present at the focal range extremes when uncorrected.

The ePHOTOzine review highly praises the Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens, awarding it a "Highly Recommended" rating for its outstanding sharpness, excellent handling, and minimal distortion across the frame. This versatile, weather-sealed optic features 16 elements with advanced coatings, along with a custom L-Fn button and a rear filter slot, making it ideal for landscape and architectural photography. Despite its stellar performance, the lens comes with a high price tag and exhibits some counter-intuitive pincushion distortion. However, the review concludes that the premium cost is justified for a no-compromise, professional-grade zoom, representing a top-tier choice for the Nikon mirrorless system.

The PCMag review highlights the Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S as an exceptional, high-end ultra-wide zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras, boasting a significantly lighter, more compact build than its predecessor. Key benefits include robust weather sealing, a flat front element supporting 112mm screw-in filters via the included hood, three control rings, and a rapid, silent autofocus motor. While performing exceptionally, the lens features a highly sensitive control ring that can make fine adjustments difficult, alongside a non-linear manual focus response for video. Furthermore, utilizing filters requires expensive 112mm glass, and the maximum close-focusing distance offers a modest 1:7.7 reproduction ratio.

The DPReview field review rates the Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S as an outstanding, professional-grade ultra-wide zoom, highlighting its 35% lighter weight compared to its predecessor and sensational edge-to-edge sharpness with minimal flare. The lens offers robust, weather-sealed construction featuring an OLED display and a specialized hood for attaching 112mm screw-in filters. Cons include a high $2399.95 price tag, noticeable barrel distortion at 14mm, and slightly weaker performance at 24mm, alongside the high cost and inconvenience of 112mm filters. Digital profile corrections are required to manage corner vignetting when shooting wide open.

The Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is a highly successful mirrorless upgrade to Nikon’s legendary F-mount ultra-wide lens, offering top-tier performance for landscape, cityscape, and astrophotographers. Priced at $2,396, it stands out for being significantly lighter (by 350 grams) and slightly smaller than its predecessor, while delivering much faster and quieter autofocus via an internal stepping motor. It boasts excellent overall sharpness, a constant f/2.8 aperture, and minimal color fringing or flaring. A major physical highlight is its removable lens hood system, which enables wide-angle photographers to use large 112mm screw-in filters—a highly requested feature previously unavailable on the older F-mount version. Despite its superior build and image quality, the lens has a few notable downsides. It exhibits noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its focal extremes, along with slight vignetting when shot wide open, though these can be easily corrected in post-processing. It completely lacks built-in vibration reduction (VR), relying instead on in-body image stabilization. Additionally, the front element recedes by about a centimeter when zooming from 14mm to 24mm; this movement could potentially trap dust and dirt over...

The Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S is a highly capable ultra-wide-angle lens designed for Nikon’s mirrorless system, offering a lighter (650g) and more compact alternative to its 2007 DSLR predecessor. It is well-suited for landscape, architecture, and astrophotography due to its robust weather sealing and silent internal stepper motor. A major design highlight is its flat front element with a fluorine coating, which allows the lens to be paired with more practical and affordable 100mm filter systems rather than bulky 150mm setups. Key strengths include incredible center sharpness even when shooting wide open at F2.8, an ability to generate gorgeous sunstars using its 9-blade diaphragm, and exceptional control over flare, ghosting, and optical aberrations. However, the lens does exhibit a few minor drawbacks, such as a slight drop-off in sharpness toward the extreme corners when wide open, though this is easily corrected by stopping down to F8. It is also noted to be slightly front-heavy when mounted on more compact bodies like the Nikon Z6II and Z7II. Additionally, the lens lacks internal image stabilization—relying instead on the camera body's in-body...

The Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is an exceptionally high-performing ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that features an elite, lightweight mechanical design. Key advantages include its outstanding optical quality, delivering sharp results across all focal lengths and apertures, even in the corners when shot wide open. It is significantly lighter than its F-mount predecessor, offers exceptionally smooth zoom mechanics, features fast and completely silent autofocus, and includes two versatile lens hoods, including one that supports 112mm filters. However, the lens comes with notable trade-offs, including a very expensive price tag and a highly restrictive focal range that cuts off at 24mm on the long end. The 14mm focal length is difficult for beginners to manage due to severe perspective distortion and an incredibly wide area of coverage. Additionally, while the built-in digital display panel looks neat, it is ultimately criticized as a pointless and unused gimmick.

The Photography Life review deems the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S a top-tier lens, awarding it 5 stars for class-leading sharpness, coma correction, and flare resistance, making it an excellent choice for astrophotography. Weighing only 650 grams, this lightweight lens features robust weather sealing, fast autofocus, and unique 112mm front filter capability using the included HB-97 hood. While praised, the lens is very expensive at roughly $2,400, offers a somewhat narrow 14-24mm range, and features a front element that moves within the outer barrel, which may trap grit in dusty conditions. Despite these factors, its superior image quality and build earn it a top-tier recommendation.

The Photography Life review identifies the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S as a top-tier, lightweight ultra-wide zoom offering exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness, minimal coma, and effective filter support (112mm) via its dual-hood design. It is praised for its robust weather sealing and excellent optical performance, making it an ideal choice for professional landscape and astrophotography. However, the lens comes with a premium price tag and exhibits noticeable vignetting and barrel distortion at 14mm, which requires correction. A minor operational drawback is the internal movement of the front element, which may allow debris to enter if a protective filter is not used in harsh conditions.

The Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is a highly capable, ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that successfully modernizes its legendary F-mount predecessor while shedding significant weight and bulk. Weighing just 23 ounces (650g), the lens handles beautifully and feels remarkably well-balanced on full-frame Z-series bodies. Optically, it excels at focal lengths between 14mm and 18mm, delivering exceptional center sharpness wide open at f/2.8 and very good corner performance. Additional strong points include nearly nonexistent focus breathing, highly effective flare resistance, well-controlled coma, and a flat field with far less troublesome field curvature than the older DSLR version. It also features advanced controls like an A/M switch, a customizable L-Fn button, a programmable control ring, and an informative OLED display. Despite its stellar performance, the lens carries a steep price tag of US$2,399, which may make the cheaper and more compact 14-30mm f/4 S a more logical choice for non-professionals. A notable drawback is its complex relationship with filters; the design accommodates 112mm screw-in filters via an included alternative lens hood, but it natively locks out rectangular or graduated ND filter holders,...

The Professional Photographers of America (PPA) review describes the Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S as a professional-grade lens featuring superior edge-to-edge sharpness, minimal chromatic aberration, and robust environmental sealing. A key innovation is the flatter, fluorine-coated front element, which allows the use of 112mm circular filters via the included HB-97 hood, significantly improving functionality for landscape photographers. PPA | Professional Photographers of America Cons identified include a 0.13x maximum magnification from a 11-inch close-focusing distance and minor, easily corrected native distortion and vignetting. Additionally, while the filter system is a benefit, it requires a high-cost proprietary filter system, including a $680 polarizer.