Nikon NIKKOR Z 24 70mm F 2 8 S II Review | 54 Data compared

The Photography Life review highlights the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II as a high-end professional lens featuring a revolutionary internal zoom design and a lightweight 675g body, making it ideal for gimbal use. Optically, the lens delivers outstanding center sharpness, exceptional flare resistance via advanced coatings, and fast, accurate autofocus with its Silky Swift Voice Coil Motors. Notable drawbacks include its relatively long physical length and moderate vignetting at maximum aperture. Furthermore, the lens exhibits cat’s-eye bokeh in corners, produces weak sunstars, and offers only comparable sharpness to its predecessor, all at a high $2,799 price point.

The DPReview initial impressions of the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S II highlight excellent control over longitudinal chromatic aberration, clean bokeh in typical scenarios, and a revised internal zoom mechanism that optimizes handling for gimbals. While the lens delivers strong optical performance, a notable disadvantage is the intense cat’s-eye effect at 70mm f/2.8, along with a distinct, non-circular, octagonal bokeh shape when stopped down to f/5.6.

The Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S II marks a major redesign of Nikon’s professional standard zoom, introducing key innovations like an internal-zoom mechanism that keeps the length at a constant 142mm, an 11-blade aperture diaphragm, and a declickable control ring for smooth video aperture racks. It is the first non-super-telephoto lens to pioneer Nikon’s Silky Swift Voice-Coil Motor (SSVCM), which delivers autofocus performance that is up to five times faster, virtually silent, and incredibly confident for both stills and video tracking. Optically, the lens performs like a "bag of primes," delivering exceptional contrast and sharpness across the frame even at f/2.8. Real-world testing reveals low barrel and pincushion distortion that are highly linear and easily correctable, a complete lack of chromatic aberrations, outstanding flare resistance due to advanced Meso Amorphous and ARNEO coatings, and a high 0.32x close-focus magnification at the 70mm end. Despite these strengths, the review notes several design trade-offs and physical limitations. The biggest hurdle is its premium $2,800 USD price tag, making it the most expensive standard zoom in its class and pushing value-conscious buyers toward...

Performance testing reveals exceptional corner-to-corner sharpness, negligible color fringing, and massive magnification up to 0.32x at the 70mm telephoto end. The primary pros highlighted in the review include its internal zoom structure, incredibly rapid and precise autofocus tracking, a highly adaptable click/de-click aperture ring, and its remarkably lightweight build. On the downside, the cons point out that the lens is physically quite long (half an inch longer than the original), features a variable minimum focus distance depending on the focal length, completely lacks the OLED information display seen on older S-line models, and demands a steep financial investment with a high launch price tag. Despite the high cost, the review concludes that its stellar resolution and versatile performance make it an exceptional upgrade for serious photographers.

The Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is a significant, premium upgrade to Nikon's iconic mirrorless mid-zoom lens, targeted at photographers and videographers seeking maximum performance. A major pro of this version is its structural redesign featuring a fixed-length internal zoom mechanism, which enhances weather sealing by preventing dust or moisture from being sucked into the barrel. Videographers heavily benefit from this internal zoom because the center of gravity remains constant on a gimbal, eliminating the need for constant recalibration. Furthermore, the lens is substantially lighter at 675 grams compared to its 805-gram predecessor, utilizes a faster and quieter Silky Swift Voice Coil Motor (SSVCM) autofocus system, adds more aperture blades for smoother bokeh, and features a useful filter window on the lens hood. Despite these clear performance upgrades, the lens introduces a few notable cons and compromises. To accommodate the internal zoom, the physical lens length has extended by 16mm, making it more cumbersome to pack into smaller camera bags. Financial investment is another downside, as the version II carries a steep MSRP of $2,799.95 USD ($3,499 CAD), which...

The Nikon ZR mirrorless cinema camera, developed in collaboration with RED, offers powerful video capabilities including internal 6K 12-bit R3D raw recording and internal 32-bit float audio for highly efficient workflows. The camera boasts a large, bright 4-inch folding LCD screen that eliminates the immediate need for external monitors during solo shoots. However, its lightweight design can introduce subtle handheld microjitters, making the use of a tripod or monopod highly recommended. Reviewer Christopher Malcolm noted that relying strictly on the LCD screen led to some underexposure issues, emphasizing the need to rely on waveforms or future false-color updates rather than the screen preview alone. Additionally, the reliance on a micro HDMI port presents potential durability and reliability concerns for professional setups that require multi-monitor broadcasting. The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens brings notable physical and operational upgrades, featuring an internal zoom mechanism that maintains a constant lens barrel length to benefit gimbal stability and keep out debris. It is 16% lighter than its predecessor and offers remarkably quiet autofocusing speeds that are reportedly five times faster. On the...