Nikon debuted its Z-mount cameras in 2018 and shortly thereafter came out with its first professional 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens. Unlike some of the other companies that also began making mirrorless full-frame glass, Nikon came out with a legendary lens right out of the gates. The original 24-70mm f/2.8 lens may have been a little bulky, but it was incredibly sharp, immune to flare issues, and excellent for video work, too.
It’s got to be tough then to make a new version of a lens with such big shoes to fill, but the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S II might just be up to the task. At $2,799, the new lens also demands a very high price. How can Nikon justify the high cost of this new lens when the original is so good to begin with?
Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Review: How It Feels
Nikon isn’t going to impress buyers simply based on optical performance, so the first place to show major improvement is in the handling. The first version weighed a hefty 28.4 ounces (805 grams) and was quite bulky in hand. The newest version shaves off 130 grams to bring the total weight down below even the lightweight Sony 24-70 f/2.8 G Master II. At 23.8 ounces (675 grams), the new lens is very easy to carry around and pushes the balancing point back into the camera for stable hand-holding potential.
Although the new lens is still physically long, it is now internally zooming, which provides for even more secure sealing against dust and moisture. This also keeps the balance point equivalent regardless of where the focal range is set. Videographers will appreciate the ability to zoom the 24-70mm without worrying about shifting the weight on a gimbal. Nikon has also reduced the filter diameter to a more manageable 77mm measurement.
The lens has a solid focus and zoom ring, plus a customizable control ring. This ring can be used for aperture control, for example, but I did find the indexing of the click stops did not quite line up with third-stop increments. You can also set this ring to have smooth-turning functionality. There are multiple custom buttons and a focus limiter switch that can be set within the camera body to speed up focusing at different distance ranges.
There is a new lens hood design for this new version, which features a sliding cutout to adjust polarizing filters. The lens is a proper professional S series lens, so it is fully sealed for the most rugged environments. I feel like Nikon has done a great job of modernizing the handling of this latest 24-70mm lens to provide a tangible benefit over the first version.
Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Review: How It Shoots
One of the chief — and only — complaints about Nikon’s first 24-70mm lens centered around its rather slow autofocus performance. In order to show a major improvement, Nikon put a brand new so-called Silky Smooth voice coil autofocus motor into the version II. VCM assemblies provide ideal smoothness when recording continuously for video applications, but the motor is also plenty fast for intense photo situations. The 24-70mm f/2.8 II gave me zero issues in acquiring and tracking subjects quickly and smoothly.
Flare resistance is ideal with almost no loss of contrast or ghosting. Any ghosting I did see was incredibly minor and remained nondescript even with tighter apertures. There were no chromatic aberration issues or LoCA (longitudinal chromatic aberration) to worry about either.
Excellent sharpness was one of the standout hallmarks of the original lens, and this new version meets or even exceeds it slightly. Regardless of the focal length chosen, center sharpness is ideal at f/2.8 with high contrast and detail maintained. Stopping the lens down gives only the slightest hint of improvement. Even the corners are excellent at f/2.8 with some vignetting present, but excellent sharpness overall. Again, stopping the lens down will help to raise detail in a very minor way. This is a sharp lens in pretty much any situation.
The 24-70mm is also excellent for the occasional close-up shot at 70mm. There is a reasonable amount of working distance at the 70mm range, and the lens can deliver roughly 1:3 lifesize reproduction. I was happy with the sharpness up close, and this lens proves to be versatile for the occasional semi-macro shot.
Bokeh has changed this time around thanks to a more circular 11-bladed aperture. This gives a more circular look to specular highlights and cuts some of the harshness from the previous lens. At f/2.8, there is a nice cat’s eye look to the corners, and the highlights are free of onion rings, with only a small amount of a soap bubble effect going on. I found the backgrounds to be fairly smooth-looking overall, although there is a touch of busyness to the overall look.
Nikon’s 24-70mm Legend Continues
This new Nikon lens seems to achieve an incredibly high level of optical performance throughout its focal range and has essentially no bad qualities. It’s versatile, fast focusing, and sharp, which is exactly what you want out of a professional lens. Nikon has also made sure to add to its cinematic potential by controlling breathing well and allowing for a smooth aperture and internal balance as well. The fact that the lens is lighter and smaller only adds to its appeal. However, at $2799, this lens is going to take a chunk out of the budget, and there are definitely more affordable options as well. Still, this is exactly the lens Nikon needed to make right now, and users can now choose an option that works best for their budget and needs.
Are There Alternatives?
The first version of the 24-70mm f/2.8 is still a great choice for photographers who want to get excellent optical performance at a lower price. If you don’t need the 24mm wide coverage, consider the incredibly well-priced Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 G2, which is still optically stunning.
Should You Buy It?
Yes. This lens may be the expensive option, but it offers zero compromises.
