Two-minute review

Nikon's Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 is one of two lightweight, inexpensive prime lenses for the Z-mount - the other being the wider 28mm f/2.8. 

At 40mm, it’s currently the closest match to the ‘nifty fifty’ lenses of old, aiming to provide a lightweight lens with a compact footprint, flexible focal length, and a relatively fast aperture. Above all, it’s cheap - really cheap for a proprietary lens sitting at just £259 / $289 /AU$310 new. Compared to the Nikon S 50mm f/1.8 or the S 35mm f/1.8, the 40mm comes in at under half the price while still offering some form of weather sealing and excellent performance.

Optically, this lens has a few idiosyncrasies - namely corner sharpness and coma - but the 40mm is innately usable in a wide range of situations. It’s wide enough for some landscapes and close enough for most portraits. Personally, I find the 40mm focal length more usable than 50mm for a walkabout lens - and f/2 is plenty outside of extreme situations.

I tested on a full-frame Nikon Z6 but the lens is also compatible with the 'DX' APS-C Nikon Z-mount cameras. In this case, the focal length becomes 60mm. It’s getting into portrait lens territory for APS-C here although it would also be a good choice for a shy street photographer who wants some distance from their subject.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: design

The Nikon Z 40mm f/2 features an entirely plastic build that feels well engineered and deceptively robust in the hand. Overall, it’s a solid and well put together lens but the plastic thread and mount do cheapen the overall feel somewhat. You’re never tricked into thinking this is a premium lens, even though its output is excellent. 

The Nikon Z 40mm f/2 is, however, extremely light - weighing just 6oz / 170g. Pairing this lens up with my Nikon Z6 results in a package that weighs just over 21oz / 600g, which rivals crop sensor setups for sheer portability. While I’d never call this pairing ‘pocketable’, it’s a featherweight combination for a full-frame system and perfect for every day shooting.

And, I have to say - the 40mm pairs nicely with the Z6’s relatively minimalist, being workmanlike in its design since there are no external AF switches, custom control rings, or any other kind of outward flare to speak of. I'd say it looks decent enough on one of Nikon’s more modern bodies. Is it boring? Maybe, but it doesn't look out of place. 

It’s worth noting here that the Nikon Z 40mm f/2 comes in two variations - the standard version that I tested and a more retro-themed ‘SE’ variant. If you're looking for a prime to pair up with the much more old-school-looking Nikon Zf or Nikon Zfc then you'll want to make sure you're checking out the SE for maximum retro effect.

Neither variant ships with a first-party lens hood but both are dust and drip-resistant, which is a major selling point for a lens this inexpensive. In recent years, third-party manufacturers (most notably Viltrox) have started to offer compelling budget alternatives to entry-level first-party lenses but weather sealing is one area where most are severely lacking. And, I can personally attest that the splash resistance of this lens is fantastic - having been soaked from head to toe on Dartmoor during field testing.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: performance

Thanks to built-in lens corrections on Z-mount bodies, you'll get extremely good results out of camera with the 40mm. For the price, the lens is impressively sharp even at f/2 and exhibits minimal chromatic aberration or vignetting. Flare is also controlled - despite this lens likely not featuring Nikon’s higher-end coatings. 

I’ve shot thousands of images with the 40mm and I’ve come to appreciate how it renders a scene. I've read some describe this lens as 'classic' in character and while its sharpness is certainly more akin to a modern lens, colors certainly do pop under the right circumstances. Bokeh-wise, the 40mm is also relatively circular/puffy in the center but becomes less bloomier and more defined around the edges. 

As with most lenses, the sharpness sweet spot for the 40mm is around f/5 to f/8 but even at these optimal apertures the 40mm is notably sharpest in the centre. Depending on what you're shooting the 40mm will exhibit some softness at the extreme corners - as with this sample image of a dock leaf taken at f/5.6.

Despite having a minimum focus distance of 11.8in / 30cm the lens is also quite soft when close focusing. You can narrow down the aperture for more sharpness but you’ll miss out on that creamy DoF (depth of field) up close, which means the 40mm can suffer for specialized applications like floral photography. Just below you can see a specific example of a flower taken at around a foot distance, where the focus point was set directly on the central bud.

The 40mm also exhibits some coma, which can result in noticeably smeared lights during night photography towards the extreme edges of the frame. In real-life testing, I found this to be an incredibly minor issue that only cropped up on a few niche cases such as the attached scene just below. Astrophotographers will likely skip this lens over in favor of the wider (and similarly priced) 28mm but note that this lens does feature some astigmatism if you're deadset on edge-to-edge clarity. 

That’s where my criticisms end, however. In practical use the 40mm performs admirably. Autofocus is extremely quick and minimal focus breathing means this is a versatile lens that can also handle video. Note, however, that my lens has a slight whirring sound when focusing - an absolute non-issue for me as a photographer but videographers may notice. I wouldn't rule out copy variation here since it's not a widely reported issue, though.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: sample images

Should I buy the Nikon Z 40mm f/2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikon Z 40mm f/2

• Regular use for over a year and counting
• Used in fair and inclement weather
• Day and nighttime use

I've had the Nikon Z 40mm f/2 in my kit for over a year now; in which time I've used it extensively for general purpose photography both home and abroad. Subsequently, I've been able to thoroughly test the lens in a variety of situations to determine its strengths and weaknesses.

Since Nikon openly advertises this lens as weather-sealed, I've made sure to test this lens in adverse conditions, particularly in rainy environments. I've also extensively tested this lens at night, making use of its wide aperture of f/2. 

Two-minute review

The Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM is the only "official" macro lens in the Canon RF lens lineup. The brand does make some other macro-enabled primes, including the RF 24mm, RF 35mm and RF 85mm f/2 lenses, but these achieve a maximum magnification ratio of 0.5x, or half life size; so while this might be plenty close enough for many users, they're not true 1:1 macro lenses.

The RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM doesn’t stop at life size reproduction, however; it goes to a full 1.4x magnification. That means you can fill the frame with an object just 26mm wide. And that isn't its only interesting feature.

Half way along the barrel is an intriguing "SA", or Spherical Aberration, control ring. This shifts optical elements within the lens to adjust the appearance of bokeh, both in front of and behind your main subject, and can also introduce a soft-focus effect.

It isn't immediately obvious how you're supposed to use this control, since it’s locked at its center position. In fact, there’s a switch on the underside of the lens to unlock it, which is easily missed. This is one lens where it's actually a good idea to read the manual!

This bokeh control is aimed more at portraiture and longer shooting distances; indeed, Canon does seem keen to push this as a "portrait" lens as well as a macro lens. It’s an interesting idea, but then it leaves you wondering whether the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM might be better, being a stop faster and far cheaper, too. You might say the 100mm is a macro lens first and portrait lens second, while the 85mm is the other way around.

I only had the RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM for a short time, so I concentrated on its macro capabilities.

These are pretty formidable. It’s hard to make any sensible comments about edge sharpness wide-open with close-ups because it’s near-impossible to find a subject flat enough to test it on – and to get it perfectly perpendicular to the camera. Photographing a framed vintage "butterfly wing" picture reveals another macro photography issue: objects with layers of paint and textures, especially those under glass that may have dust or fibers on its surface, are actually three-dimensional.

Only the most ambitious, bokeh-loving macro fan would want to shoot wide open at these distances. You’re more likely to want to shoot at f/11-f/22, and the RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM produced crystal-clear detail that was difficult to fault.

However, while you might think that a 100mm lens should offer plenty of working distance between yourself and your subject, that isn't the case here. At its closest shooting distances, the front of this lens is close enough to your subject to cast a shadow or give unwanted reflection on shiny surfaces. A skilled macro shooter could fix this easily enough with good lighting and choice of angles, but it was still a bit unexpected. 

You can also use this lens outdoors on a range of subjects, where its weatherproofed design and fluorine-coated front element should shrug off rain and dew. The lens also has image stabilization built in – although, as Canon admits, the effectiveness diminishes the closer you focus. 

This isn't necessarily a fault with the stabilization, but an issue with handheld macro photography. If you can’t keep the camera perfectly steady, even the tiniest fore-and-aft "drift" will throw your subject out of focus between half-pressing and fully pressing the shutter release (switching to Servo AF mode can be an effective solution!).

The RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM’s Dual Nano USM autofocus seemed pretty quick at normal shooting distances, doing a reasonable job of tracking the eyes of our pet Dachshund. However, on occasion it got a bit lost switching to ultra-close subjects. It has a focus limiter to help with this, and you can also use manual focus to get it in the right ballpark first. In fact, manual focus works especially well here. The focus ring is smooth and precise, and there’s a real focus "snap" in the viewfinder to show you when the focus is correct. 

Canon says this lens has suppressed focus breathing, which should be especially useful for filming where you want to use focus pulls.

This is a nice lens to use, if rather long. The SA control seems a slightly odd choice for macro work; I guess it's designed more for portraits and larger product shots. It’s good to have a single lens that can do a few jobs, so it’s easy to see how the RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM could create a kind of "product" lens category of its own.

Best of all, it isn't hugely expensive for an own-brand macro lens, especially one that can focus closer than rivals and has IS built in.

Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Price and release date

The RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM was announced in April 2021 and is now widely available. It typically costs around $1,099 in the US and £1,369 in the UK. However, if you don’t mind manual focus – and you’re not interested in the SA bokeh control – then you can get the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens for around half that, and with even higher 2x magnification.

Should I buy the Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

How I tested the Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM

I tried out the RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM in a variety of situations to test its performance, handling and image quality. One session was spent shooting a family pet to see how well the Nano USM autofocus could keep up with my EOS R8’s excellent AI subject tracking, while another was spent out on the coast, shooting a variety of subjects from driftwood to sea spurge.

I also spent some time testing this lens with typical close-up subjects including a challenging "butterfly wing" picture, some just-open narcissi, and the engravings on a vintage WW1 cigarette case. These were taken using a tripod, the 12-second timer on the camera, and electronic shutter mode.

Two-minute review

From the outside, there isn't much to suggest that this is one of the world’s most extraordinary wide-angle lenses. It has the characteristically elegant, smooth, matte finish of Canon’s RF lenses – and, apart from the bulbous front element (which is standard for lenses this wide), this is a slim, neat optic that’s easy to handle and won't consume too much space in your camera bag.

It’s surprisingly light: at 570g, it’s less than half the weight of Canon’s EF 11-24mm f4L USM DSLR lens. Nevertheless, it has IS optical stabilization built in – alongside Canon’s Peripheral Coordinated Control IS to control the wobbling of objects at the edges of the frame when you’re moving and filming. This is a particular issue for ultra-wide lenses and could be a big help to filmmakers using creative camera movements in interiors. 

The RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM also has a selection of exotic optical elements, glass moulded aspherical elements, UD and Super-UD glass, and advanced optical coatings. The STM AF actuators deliver fast and near-silent autofocus, too.

On the outside you get the usual Canon RF lens features including a zoom ring, focus ring, customizable control ring (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance or exposure compensation) and a programmable function button.

But when you put the camera to your eye, your world changes. The 20mm maximum focal length isn't out of the ordinary, but when you turn the zoom ring to the 10mm settings, your eyes will widen along with the scene in the viewfinder.

Your first test is likely to be to check sharpness at corners. This is usually the first casualty in ultra-wide lens designs, but the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM is pretty exceptional in this respect, even at 20mm. The corner sharpness does start to fall away a little, but you have to zoom in a long way to check. At regular print and display sizes, this lens is sharp from edge to edge.

Like many modern mirrorless lenses, especially those with extreme specifications, there’s a lot of digital correction going on here. However, chances are, you won’t ever see it. If you shoot JPEGs then it will be corrected in-camera, and if you shoot raw then Lightroom will automatically apply a correction profile of its own. So will Capture One, although the Capture One profile will leave behind some light fall-off towards the edges that you'll need to correct manually – or just keep as a creative "look".

Unlike other makers, though, Canon doesn't embed a fall-back "manufacturer" correction profile in its raw files, so if you’re using software that doesn’t have a matching profile of its own, then you could be in trouble.

This lens also does take some skill to use – not because of any defect or quirk of the lens, but its sheer angle of view. Shooting handheld, it’s extremely difficult to avoid any convergence in vertical or horizontal lines. That’s fine if a dizzying perspective effect is what you’re looking for, but if you want dead-straight architectural or interior shots, they'll be a lot easier to achieve with a tripod and a geared head. Otherwise, the slightest shift in your position or the camera’s angle can radically alter the perspective.

That doesn’t take anything away from the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM, as it simply goes with the territory. The fact is that it's a triumph in specifications, performance and handling. It’s amazing that anyone can make a zoom this wide for a full-frame camera – and given that, its optical performance is also fantastic, whether or not it uses digital corrections to achieve that. To have all of this packed into such a compact, light and great-handling lens is just the icing on the cake.

All that’s left is to start saving the cash to buy one.

Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM: Price and release date

The Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM was officially announced back in October 2023 and is now widely available. It’s on sale for around $2,299 in the US and £2,579 in the UK. The price reflects its angle of view, specifications and performance – so while it certainly isn't a cheap option, neither is it especially expensive by Canon L-series standards.

Should I buy the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

How I tested the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM

I used the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM on a Canon EOS R8, testing it across its focal range, but mostly at the widest (most interesting) end. I checked out performance both wide open and stopped down. In addition, I evaluated corrected in-camera JPEGs against Lightroom-corrected raw files and uncorrected originals (in Lightroom with the correction profile disabled).

For subject matter, I shot a series of landscapes, mixing close-ups with wider shots, and also some city architecture, including interiors. My aim was to replicate as far as possible the kind of uses this lens would be put to.

I ran some quick handheld tests to check the IS effectiveness and found it reliable down to about 1/8sec, but not really beyond that. Real-world tests seldom match official CIPA figures, which are typically a "best case" measurement.

Two-minute review

Sony has added yet another 'FE' lens primarily designed for its full-frame mirrorless cameras – the FE 24-50mm F2.8 G. It's a slight twist on the classic standard zoom, compromising the telephoto reach of 24-70mm zooms in order to wear the crown of Sony’s lightest and smallest ever full-frame zoom lens with f/2.8 aperture.

Kudos where it's due, Sony is more active in the lens department than most of its rivals. It's committed to its mirrorless camera system and users are spoilt for choice for what glass to whack on their Sony camera – but is there actually a need for this lens when there are already similar alternatives available? I think it's a sensible addition that will serve creatives well, especially those that shoot a lot of video in addition to photography.

At only 15.5oz / 440g and measuring 3.63 inches /92.3mm in length, it's virtually the same size and weight as the Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS lens, while giving that extra stop of light with its constant f/2.8 aperture, albeit at a much higher price.

Compared to the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 G OSS II, meanwhile, it's much smaller, around 50% lighter and significantly cheaper. At a little over $1,000 / £1,150 it's priced somewhere down the middle of those two 24-70mm zooms, but lacks the 70mm reach.

Let's not forget the FE 20-70mm F4 G, which is the most versatile off all Sony's standard zooms, but with an f/4 aperture. So there is some distinction between models, and for many people the new lens will be the most compelling of the four.

Sure, you sacrifice the telephoto 70mm of other standard zooms, but the 24-50mm range still covers four popular lens focal lengths; 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm. (Sony has a couple of cheap fixed lens alternatives including the FE 35mm F2.8.) I think it's a sensible focal length compromise instead of, say, making a 28-70mm f/2.8, especially because it caters for Sony's typical customer in 2024; a photo and video creator. 

Most video users will appreciate being able to go wider rather than zooming in more; it might not sound like it, but 24mm is much wider than 28mm and versatile for run-and-gun and selfie videos. 

You can do a little test if you already own another lens that covers this zoom range; check the metadata of your images to see which focal lengths you use the most often. We photographers often shoot the two extremes of what a lens offers, but if you rarely use 70mm then this 24-50mm is an obvious choice. 

Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G: price and release date

The Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G costs $1,100 / £1,150 / AU$1,999, which means it sits between the 24-70mm F2.8 G II ($2,299 / £1,999 / AU$2,899) and the 24-70mm F4 ($899 / £749 / AU$1,209). 

It's a similar price to the FE 20-70mm F4 G ($1,099 / £1,299 / AU$1,449) depending on your region, as price cuts have been handed out. Shipping is from April 2024. 

Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G: design

I had the new 24-50mm F2.8 G with a Sony A9 III for this review and it proved a perfect size match. It's the right fit for Sony's more compact mirrorless cameras – they feel made for each other. Even with a smaller travel camera such as the A7C II there would be good balance, and it makes for a great everyday lens. 

That physical synergy is extended to the design and features of the lens. An aperture ring which can be clicked or de-clicked is in easy reach, while twin linear motors give fast and quiet internal autofocus, plus focus breathing compensation. Truly, it's made for 2024's hybrid cameras. 

Other features include a dust and moisture-resistant build – again complementing the ruggedness of Sony's enthusiast and pro-level cameras – and a minimum 0.3m focus distance with maximum 0.3x magnification at 50mm; that’s decent close-focusing capabilities. 

One design quirk that I discovered quickly regards the extension of the lens barrel as you move through the zoom range. When retracted, the lens is actually in its zoomed-in 50mm setting, and as you zoom out to the wide end, the barrel extends. That's the opposite of almost every other lens that I have used – when you fire up the camera the lens is usually wide and you twist the barrel to zoom in. The reverse feels counterintuitive in the 24-50mm and it takes a little getting used to. 

There's little else to say about the lens build, besides that it takes 67mm threaded lens filters, a common a low-cost size, and that it comes supplied with a petal-shaped lens hood.

Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G: performance

During the few weeks I had the 24-50mm with the Sony A9 III, I've taken portrait photos, landscapes, video clips and more. I've found the lens able to support the high performance of the A9 III camera, providing fast and quiet autofocus, plus reliable and accurate subject detection autofocus. It's still worth mentioning these things in a lens review – I've been relaxed in knowing that the camera and lens combination is able to focus sharply, so I have one less thing to worry about. 

On the whole, the 24-50mm is optically excellent. It's super sharp even at f/2.8, though it's at its sharpest between f/4 and f/11. Once you've stopped aperture down to f/16, details get a fraction softer – that's typical of most camera lenses, and I expect most users won't be interested in performance at f/16 in any case. But overall detail is as sharp as I'd hope a Sony 'G' lens would be.

With all in-camera lens corrections turned off, I have taken sequences of identical images cycling through the different lens apertures, at both 24mm and 50mm, and then compared those image to check for vignetting. It's sharply present in the corners at 24mm and f/2.8, plus it's present at 50mm and f/2.8 in a more graduated way. Stop down to f/4 and I would describe vignetting as minor, and it's basically gone by f/8. For video you won't really notice vignetting because the very corners of the image sensor aren't in the frame. 

Chromatic aberration at any focal length is virtually absent – that's super impressive, as is the lens' control of flare. I shot towards the sun at various angles with it in the shot and just outside the frame and didn't experience much lens flare at all. 

While doing those shooting-towards-the-light tests I moved to dappled tree light, framed the sun in the picture and shot at f/16 and f/22 to pronounce the sunstar effect, where a crisp and tidy 22-point sunstar appeared – lovely stuff.

The 11-blade aperture is able to make fairly circular bokeh at f/2.8, although there's pronounced cat's eye bokeh towards the corners of the frame that changes in shape a little depending on if you are shooting at 24mm or 50mm. I've noticed this bokeh characteristic before in other Sony lenses like the 70-200mm F4 G OSS II. 

Whether or not cat's eye bokeh is an issue is frankly down to personal taste; I don't mind it, particularly. Fortunately, there's no obvious vignetting going on in the bokeh and it's smooth enough – but I've seen much silkier bokeh in a specialist lens such as the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena. Overall, bokeh is decent without being spectacular – dare I say it for a f/2.8 lens, it's plain. 

Overall, from design to handling and optical quality, the Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G is highly competent and is a decent everyday lens for video and photography. It's hard to get massively excited about the lens and it does have that length compromise compared to a 24-70mm, but it could be the most sensible Sony lens for users looking for a high-quality standard zoom lens. It's a surefire addition to our best Sony lenses buying guide.

Should I buy the Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G lens?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G lens

Sony sent me the 24-50mm F2.8 G lens with a Sony A9 III for several weeks, during which time I was able to shoot a lot of photo and video, including portraits and landscapes. 

I turned off all in-camera lens corrections, shot photos in both raw and JPEG to then compare corrected and uncorrected files to see what, if any, lens distortions were present. Please note there is little reason to do this in the real world, but these tests are designed to see how hard the camera is pushing files to correct them.

I've made sets of identical images taken at all aperture settings, at each extreme focal length of 24mm and 50mm, for further optical quality comparisons. I've shot action sequences and utilized the A9 III's superb subject detection and tracking autofocus to gain quick and sharp focus with the 24-50mm lens' dual linear motors, plus played with manual focus in both photo and video. 

First reviewed February 2024

Two-minute review

Prime lenses are, for the most part, optically superior to zoom lenses despite the often excellent optical performance of the latter. The trade-off with a zoom is the convenience of being able to change focal length without changing the lens, but beyond that prime lenses win hands down. 

The Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S is the lightest 600mm lens in the f/6.3 class at just 3lbs 3.9oz / 1,470g with the tripod collar attached. Just to put that into perspective, that’s only a whisker heavier than the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S, which is impressive, and alongside excellent image quality it makes the 600mm f/6.3 one of the best Nikon Z lenses available.

You’d certainly hope so, too, because this is a lens that comes with a hefty professional price tag. At $4,800 / £4,999 / AU$8,299, this is one of those lenses that costs more than many of the camera bodies it will find itself attached to, which means it will unfortunately be out of reach for many enthusiast photographers. But it’s not all bad news if you’re on a slightly tighter budget, because the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR comes in at a more affordable $1,697 / £1,799 / AU$2,999, and it’s a great lens for the price.

Despite its low weight considering the focal length, the Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S is still a largish lens compared to a medium zoom at 4.2 x 11 inches / 106.5 x 278mm. The front element and filter thread is 95mm, so a protective UV filter won’t be cheap, but it’s certainly not a necessity, because the included lens hood provides ample protection alongside helping to reduce or eliminate flare. But once again, in the grand scheme of things, this lens is still pretty compact for what it is; it’s comfortable to use handheld for long periods, and the tripod collar provides a balanced method of attaching the camera and lens to a tripod when required.

This is a premium lens, and the build quality is excellent, with the look and feel alone exuding quality. But it’s certainly not perfect, and the area in which it doesn’t quite live up to expectations may surprise you, given the situations the lens is likely to be used in. The 600mm features rubber gaskets to keep dust, dirt and moisture out of the lens, but Nikon doesn’t say anywhere that the lens is weatherproof. 

It can likely handle some use in wet weather, but Nikon also stresses in the small print that the lens isn’t guaranteed to be dust and drip-resistant in all situations and under all conditions. Sure, no camera or lens could be claimed to be 100% weatherproof, but this does leave a question or two hanging in the air, and more clarity here would be useful so that users aren't left to guess how weatherproof the lens might be.

A lens like this is primarily aimed at sports and wildlife photography, and the Vibration Reduction / image stabilization is excellent. During testing, and with an extremely steady hand, I was able to shoot sharp images at shutter speeds as slow as 1/30 sec. This is amazing, and useful for panning slower-moving subjects. The 600mm provides up to six stops of stabilization, but there’s a slight caveat here; this requires Z-series camera bodies that support Synchro VR, which is only available in the latest full-frame models like the Z9. For camera bodies that don’t support this, the 600mm still provides 5.5 stops of image stabilization, so no great loss here.

On the lens itself, there’s a customizable L-Fn button, four customizable L-Fn2 buttons, a focus limiter switch, a manual/AF switch and a memory set button. There’s unfortunately no VR switch or VR mode switch, which would be useful, but this option can be easily accessed via the camera. Alongside the manual focus rings, there’s also a customizable control ring that can be set to adjust focus, aperture, ISO or exposure compensation; this is set to aperture by default, and it's extremely useful.

The optical design of the Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S comprises 21 elements in 14 groups, which include two ED elements, one SR element, one PF element, elements with a Nano Crystal coat, and a fluorine-coated front lens element to repel moisture and dirt. That's a lot of glass, but the construction, including the Phase Frensel (PF) lens, helps to keep the lens small and lightweight as well as enabling the excellent image quality. A maximum aperture of f/4 would undoubtedly be more impressive, but this would mean the lens would have to be larger and heavier; f/6.3 still produces pleasing bokeh thanks to the nine-blade aperture, and it's a good aperture to shoot at to ensure enough subject depth-of-field in sports and wildlife photography.

Image quality is excellent, and autofocus is fast and silent. This is the type of lens where you’re unlikely to stop down to more than f/11, and will probably shoot wide open at f/6.3 most of the time. It's where the Nikon Z-mount excels especially in this lens – you won't notice a drop in overall sharpness at f/6.3. Stop the lens down to f/32 and diffraction naturally shows. 

As you'd expect, the centre of the frame is the sharpest, but edge sharpness is still more than respectable and you can confidentally compose subjects off-center knowing they will be sharp. During testing in bright conditions, no chromatic aberration was visible along high-contrast edges, and lens corrections applied using the lens profile in Lightroom made only a small adjustment.

Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S photo samples

The Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S is an excellent lens overall, and one that any Nikon shooter will be happy with if they can justify the cost. It’s primarily targeted towards full-frame Z-series cameras, but works just as well with APS-C Z-series cameras to provide an effective focal length of 900mm. You can increase the focal length on full-frame Z-series cameras by shooting in DX mode, and during testing we employed DX mode on the the Z 7 II, which still provides a useful and usable 20MP image. You can also use the lens with teleconverters to increase the effective focal length, but this does reduce the maximum aperture to varying degrees depending on the strength of the teleconverter.

Should I buy the Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S: Also consider

How I tested the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S

The Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S was tested over several shoots, including handheld use to assess the size and weight of the lens. Photos were taken at different aperture settings in both FX and DX modes to test handling, sharpness and distortion, while Vibration Reduction was put through its paces by shooting at slower shutter speeds than normal. I shot both static and moving subjects to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to compare the results. This provides the ability to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the lens, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers, and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this. 

First reviewed December 2023

Two-minute review

The new Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM is the world’s first full-frame zoom lens that goes up to 800mm. That's like your phone having a 30x zoom setting with no perceivable loss in image quality.  

What’s more, the RF 200-800mm is compatible with Canon’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, meaning a potential unprecedented reach of up to 1600mm (though I’d avoid this setup and I’ll explain why, later). 

It’s a competitively-priced lens and a winning combo for hobbyist wildlife and sports photography with Canon's flagship APS-C mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R7, with which its maximum reach extends to an effective 1200mm thanks to the sensor format’s 1.5x crop. 

I can also see the RF 200-800mm being popular with the full-frame Canon EOS R8, or even with EOS R5 owners for whom sports and wildlife is more of a side hustle or passionate hobby. It’s the EOS R5 that I paired the lens with for a short review period ahead of the worldwide announcement.

The lens, which weighs 72.3 oz / 2,050 g and measures 12.36in / 314 mm in length, has a lovely and well-balanced feel to it when paired with Canon’s DSLR-style mirrorless cameras like the EOS R5. Its heaviest elements are at the rear, rather than at the front, which was a trait of front-heavy Canon DSLR lenses.

As you move through the zoom range the lens physically extends in length, and I’d advise keeping the sizable lens hood (supplied) attached to reduce lens flare. As such, at 800mm this is a chunky lens, although it still feels good in use and can easily be carried by hand for extended periods. 

I really like the additional function of a ‘smooth’ or ‘tight’ response for refined or quick zoom adjustments, made via a dedicated control ring. In fact, all of the control rings and buttons have a lovely feel to them, while the build quality in this weather-sealed, weather-resistant lens feels top drawer, despite it not donning the pro grade L-series nomenclature.

Such a long lens, of course, requires image stabilization, and Canon says the RF 200-800mm is equipped with 5.5-stops of optical stabilization, that goes up to 7.5-stops when paired with the sensor-based stabilization on board enthusiast and professional cameras such as the EOS R7 and EOS R5. 

The reality is that it’s possible to get sharp handheld shots at the 800mm telephoto setting almost every time with shutter speeds as slow as 1/30sec – an impressive feat, although your subjects will need to be stationary at such slow shutter speeds or else you’ll get motion softness and blur. 

And the lens isn’t all about getting close to distant subjects because its close focusing distance at 200mm is a mere 0.8m from the camera sensor (that's less than 0.5m from the front end of the lens), resulting in a generous magnification ratio. In a picture I took of tiny, cold season berries (see gallery, below), you can appreciate how close the lens can get when set to its minimum focusing distance.

The elephant in the room is the modest maximum f/6.3-9 aperture. I have no problem with these aperture settings regarding depth of field – believe me, you can acquire a lovely shallow depth of field with an 800mm lens at f/9 (see the pictures of ducks at 800mm in the gallery below). No, it’s the impact on what shutter speed is possible at f/9 to freeze fast-moving action that's the issue. 

For photographing birds, you’ll ideally use a shutter speed of around 1/1000s to get sharp detail. Pair that with the f/9 aperture and you’ll need bright sunlight to get the right exposure in your action photos. That’s why using a 2x teleconverter with the RF 200-800mm is unrealistic, because the maximum aperture at 1600mm becomes f/18. However, with such a long reach already, the teleconverter is a bit overkill anyway.

I tested the 200-800mm lens over the course of a bright afternoon with intermittent sun and cloud, which proved ideal conditions for this lens. It’s in low light that the maximum f/9 aperture becomes tricky; you’ll really be pushing your Canon camera’s high ISO performance.

However, that modest maximum aperture is the sacrifice you pay to gain a relatively lightweight full-frame lens with such a decent zoom range and long reach at the telephoto end. 

Image quality at the wide 200mm setting is really sharp, while at 800mm you lose a little clarity, something I’d expect from a lens with such a wide zoom range. If you're only ever needing the telephoto end, it could be worth looking at the RF 800mm f/11 IS STM instead.

When the sun was out, I tested the lens’ ability to control flare by shooting towards light, dappled through a willow tree. This same test allowed me to see what bokeh (the quality of out-of-focus light) looks like.

Smooth and circular bokeh is seen as the holy grail of out-of-focus light, but in the corners the RF 200-800mm’s bokeh has a pronounced cat’s eye effect. I don’t personally mind cat’s eye bokeh. More importantly, I didn’t see much evidence of chromatic aberration or onion ring distortion in the RF 200-800mm’s bokeh – it looks decently smooth. Overall, image image quality is surprisingly good. 

After a short time with the lens and getting a feel for its zoom range, handling and overall image quality, I think it makes a compelling choice especially with the EOS R7 for safari, shooting grassroots sports from the sidelines, and especially for birdlife, in fair weather. 

Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: Price and availability

The Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM list price is $1,899 / £2,299.99 / AU$3,499 and the sales start date is December 2023. It's a decent price considering the features on offer, and the pricing certainly favors those in the US.

A decent quality lens hood comes in the box, along with the usual front and rear lens caps. 

Should I buy the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM

I had the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM lens for an afternoon outdoors in fairly bright weather, photographing birds and closeup subjects. 

During this short review period, I was able to take pictures across the 200-800mm zoom range, of distant subjects and of close subjects at the minimum focus distance, plus around and towards bright light to test how well the lens can control flare. 

Using the various aperture settings has allowed me to check the quality of bokeh, and how sharp image detail is.

First reviewed November 2023

Two-minute review

The medium telephoto zoom is one of the most versatile lenses on the planet; capable of fulfilling the needs of almost every type of photographer from wildlife to weddings, landscapes to sports, and far beyond. The 70-200mm focal range is most common, but the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 bucks that trend, slightly, to provide a Z-series lens with a much more palatable price tag than the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S. 

The 70-180mm costs $1,250 / £1,299 / AU £2,099, so it’s considerably less expensive than the 70-200mm f/2.8. This makes it a great option for enthusiasts and those on a budget who would like a constant f/2.8 aperture and a weight of just 1lb 12.1oz / 795g. It’s also fairly compact at 3.3 x 6in / 83.5 x 151mm, making it a versatile ‘carry around’ lens if you don’t require a wide-angle focal length. 

While slightly reduced from the norm, the focal range doesn’t hinder shooting in real-world situations since there’s only a loss of 20mm at the long end. And although image quality isn’t on par with the 70-200mm f/2.8 (we’ll cover that in more detail later), it remains an impressive performer. 

The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is part of a trio of Z-series lenses from Nikon, along with the Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8 and Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8. All three lenses provide a constant f/2.8 aperture alongside full-frame focal lengths ranging from a wide-angle 17mm up to 180mm. All three lenses also have the same 67mm filter thread, which will be most useful to photographers and videographers using screw-in filters since a single set of filters will cover all three lenses.

When I first picked up the 70-180mm, I was immediately struck by the slightly lower build quality than the professional spec 70-200mm f/2.8. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well built, looks good and feels solid in the hand, but it naturally doesn’t exude the premium look and feel of the more expensive professional model. However, the smaller size and lighter weight meant that it was comfortable to carry around attached to a Nikon Z 7II for long periods - a huge plus point. 

Controls are virtually non-existent on the lens. There's just a zoom lock to hold the lens at 70mm and avoid zoom creep when walking around, but it’s a useful feature. Unfortunately, the 70-180mm doesn’t feature optical Vibration Reduction (VR) / Image Stabilization (IS), so you can only take advantage of IS if you’re using a full-frame body with In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). APS-C Z-series cameras do not offer IBIS, so there’s no option for VR here. 

The 70-180mm is constructed of 19 elements in 14 groups, which include five ED elements, one super-ED element and three aspherical elements, with a nine-blade circular aperture providing pleasing bokeh. Focusing is internal, so the front element doesn’t rotate during focusing. This is great when using filters, although the lens barrel does extend when the zoom ring is rotated. The zoom ring itself, sitting towards the front of the lens, is large and comfortable to use. The narrow focus ring sits behind and offers a comfortable amount of resistance when turned to manually focus.

The minimum focusing distance of the 70-180mm is impressive at 70mm with a distance of just 0.89ft / 27cm and 2.79ft / 85cm at 180mm. This is on a sliding scale as you increase focal length, but at 70mm, you can get pretty close to small subjects, which further increases the usefulness of the lens. The 70-180mm can be used with the Nikon Z 1.4x and 2x teleconverters to increase the focal range at the expense of the maximum aperture and can also be used with APS-C Z series models where the focal range extends from 105-270mm with the f/2.8 remaining effective.

The lens is least sharp at the extreme ends of the f/2.8 to f/22 aperture range at all focal lengths, with the sharpest results between f/5.6 and f/11. F/2.8 and f/4 are more than sharp enough to use, but at f/16 and f/22 diffraction, or a loss of overall sharpness, is most noticeable. 

Edge sharpness is also at its lowest with the aperture wide open and increases as the lens is stopped down to the middle settings, but this is common with most lenses. There’s also some vignetting at f/2.8 which reduces significantly at f/4 and is gone once you stop down to f/5.6. Optical distortion is also minimal, which is impressive for a medium-range lens like this. 

Overall, the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is a solid performer and provides photographers with a cost-effective medium telephoto zoom with that all-important constant maximum aperture. Plus, the relatively light weight, compact size and decent image quality make it a lens well worth considering, whatever subjects you shoot.

Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 photo samples

Should I buy the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikkor Z 70-180 f/2.8

The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 was tested over several shoots to determine how comfortable the lens is to use handheld for several hours. Photos were taken at different aperture settings and focal lengths to test handling, sharpness, and distortion. Static and moving subjects were shot to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to compare the results. This allowed me to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the lens themselves, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this.

First reviewed October 2023

Two-minute review

Long telephoto zoom lenses have generally become less expensive and therefore more accessible over the past 10 years or so. The 150-600mm focal range has become something of a benchmark in this area, often sitting within what you might call an affordable price range considering how expensive professional telephoto lenses can be.

The Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR delivers a similarly versatile focal range, making it ideal for wildlife and sports photography in the main, and comes in at a reasonable $1,697 / £1,799 / AU$2,999. Sure, the 180-600mm isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s far more affordable than professional telephoto lenses, offering enthusiasts who shoot with Nikon Z-series cameras the longer reach they’ve been craving.

The arrival of this lens couldn’t come at a better time for Z-series camera owners, who have been lacking a native Z-mount lens with this focal range. Although the Nikon FTZ and FTZ II adapters are fantastic for allowing you to use F-mount lenses with Z-series cameras, their performance is never on a par with a native lens; and the adapter mount adds additional length, albeit small, to any attached lens.

The 180-600mm is a fairly large and indeed long lens at 12.5 x 4.4 in / 315.5 x 110mm. And with the tripod collar included, the weight of the lens is 4lb 11.5oz / 2,140g, so there's certainly some heft to it. That said, it isn't the heaviest telephoto zoom available, and during a four-hour handheld shoot while walking around a country park, the 180-600mm attached to a Nikon Z 7II remained comfortable to carry.

In order to deliver the wide focal range on offer, the Nikkor's weight is a result of the size and construction of the lens. It’s made up of 25 elements in 17 groups, which include six ED elements, one aspherical element, and a fluorine-coated front element. The maximum aperture is variable between f/5.6-6.3 depending on the focal length selected, which still results in a large 95mm front element.

Enthusiast lenses can sometimes be lacking in the build quality department, but that’ certainly isn't the case here. The 180-600mm looks and feels solidly made, with smooth focus and zoom rings alongside internal zoom and focusing, which means the lens doesn’t extend when zooming and the front element doesn’t rotate when the lens is focused.

The Zoom ring also provides a short rotation, which allows you to quickly and comfortably change the zoom factor without having to reposition your hand to maintain the zoom. Although the lens does have dust and drip sealings, Nikon doesn’t claim that it’s a weatherproof model, so shooting in torrential rain – for instance – could be problematic. Full weatherproofing would be the natural choice for a lens of this type and, unfortunately, it isn’t included here.

Controls on the lens are minimal, with just a manual focus/autofocus switch and an autofocus range limiter switch towards the rear end of the lens. There are also four customizable L-Fn buttons, which allow you to map several functions to the buttons that are conveniently positioned towards the front end of the lens. Unfortunately, there are no vibration reduction / image stabilization controls here, which means you'll have to delve into the camera menus to adjust these settings. This isn't a deal breaker, but a dedicated set of controls would have been extremely useful.

The lens balances well with Z-series bodies, although the Z 7II used for testing is comedically small in comparison to the lens. And if you find the lens too cumbersome for prolonged handheld use, the tripod collar and quick-release foot allow you to move between handheld shooting and a tripod or monopod quickly and easily.

The 180-600mm also works with the Nikon Z 1.4x and 2x tele converters, enabling you to  extend the focal range further if required. However, this does mean a reduction in the maximum aperture. One way around this is to use the lens with an APS-C camera to increase the effective focal range from 270mm to 900mm, retaining the f/5.6-6.3 maximum aperture.

When it comes to overall performance, autofocus is fast and near-silent, locking onto static and moving subjects, and tracking them seemingly effortlessly. It’s just what you want from a lens that’s designed for shooting often fast-moving and distant subjects. This speed and near-silence are thanks to the fast stepping motor that also makes the lens useful for video using autofocus when tracking moving subjects, although videographers typically use manual focus in the majority of situations.

Close focusing isn’t mind-blowing, with a sliding scale of distances depending on the zoom factor; but looking at the extremes of the zoom range, the minimum focus distance at 180mm is 4.27 ft/ 1.3m, while at 600mm it almost doubles to 7.88ft / 2.4m. This does allow for capturing small subjects closeup, but what’s achievable is far from a macro reproduction ratio.

Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR photo samples

Moving beyond autofocus, another feature that’s also highly effective is the 5.5-stop vibration reduction / image stabilization. During testing, I was shooting below 1/100 sec at 600mm in some situations, and although some did exhibit camera shake, many were perfectly sharp. Of course, a steady hand is still required when using image stabilization to get the best from the feature; but the 180-600mm is a fantastic performer in this area.

In terms of image quality, which is one of the most important aspects of any lens, images are captured well between the maximum aperture and f/11 throughout the focal range. They’re certainly not as sharp as more expensive lenses, but overall sharpness is beyond adequate. A small amount of chromatic aberration is visible along high-contrast subject edges in some situations, but this is minor, and can be removed effectively in Lightroom or other Raw processing software. If you shoot in JPEG, you can switch on in-camera corrections to deal with this.

Should I buy the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3

The Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 was tested over several shoots, including a four-hour session to determine how comfortable the lens is to use handheld over several hours. Photos were taken at different aperture settings and focal lengths to test handling, sharpness and distortion, while vibration reduction was put through its paces by shooting at slower shutter speeds than normal. Subjects covered also included static and moving subjects to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to compare the results. This provides the ability to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the lens themselves, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this.

First reviewed October 2023

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Two minute review

Nikon has taken some time to release the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 Lens. It is the company’s first for its mirrorless Z-mount cameras with APS-C size sensor (Nikon calls this lens format 'DX'), the first of which, the Nikon Z50, was unveiled in 2019, a year after the first full frame Z mount cameras (which Nikon calls 'FX'). As I write this in 2023, there are now a total of three APS-C cameras in the system, with the retro-inspired Z fc and Nikon Z30 joining the ranks.

With the 'DX' cameras being some of the best beginner mirrorless cameras and appealing more to the entry-level market, it is logical that to date, all four of the Z-mount DX lenses are zooms, with focal length coverage from 12mm all the way to 250mm, plus fairly modest aperture settings. There is an obvious gap for prime lenses with large apertures, but up to now, this has been covered by using a full-frame Z-mount lens on DX-format cameras. 

Now, Nikon has introduced the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 - a compact prime lens that provides roughly the equivalent field of view to a 36mm lens on a full-frame sensor camera, such as Nikon’s popular Z6 II or the Nikon Z8. However, it’s really best to think of this as a 35mm equivalent focal length lens, for all intent and purposes. 

The 35mm equivalent focal length is always a good place to start when you introduce prime lenses. The field of view offers a natural feeling, close to that of human vision, but allows some periphery so that images and video created don’t feel too close and tight. The f/1.7 aperture setting offers an equivalent depth of field to an f/2.5 full-frame lens, so it is a nice combination for creating shallow natural-looking images and depth of field. 

Externally, there is little to talk about on the lens. It has a very basic design with a small section of barrel, with most of the circumference being taken up by a ribbed manual focus ring. Besides the lens designation and branding, there is little else to note. 

It is as small and light as you would expect, weighing just 135g and measuring 70mm x 40mm. It has a small 46mm filter thread, and with the front lens element being much smaller than the barrel, the included HN-42 lens hood cones slightly inward to prevent light from hitting the lens element at acute angles. Overall, the build is best described as being ‘neat’.

Internally, the construction comprises 9 elements in 8 groups, with two aspherical elements, and the aperture features seven rounded blades. The only real item of note looking at the specifications is that the minimum focus distance is a reasonably close 18cm, which makes the lens an interesting choice for close-up work, particularly for those who are shooting video.

I had the Nikon Z fc for my test of the 24mm f/1.7 lens, and they made a perfect pair, being pocketable if you happened to be wearing a parka jacket with huge pockets. Still, for the rest of us, it would slip very easily into small sling bag, making the combination ideal for a weekend away. 

While away for a few days and also shooting a little bit closer to home. I found the Z fc and 24mm f/1.7 combination snuck into a small sling bag that was actually designed to hold a tablet and a few accessories, so it was a nice size to carry around. Photographing my kids playing, as well as general snaps of animals at a petting zoo and some landscape shots in less-than-ideal lighting, the lens performed well. The autofocus of the lens and camera kept up – although it wasn’t lightning-quick, I also wouldn’t expect it to be. 

What it did do is live up to my expectations; it was a great carry-around lens that, with a 35mm equivalent lens, gave a similar field of view that I am used to having on a smartphone, but offering much better image quality and sharpness that I would ever get from even the latest phone. 

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Price and release date

The Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 Lens costs £289.99/US$279.95/AU$499 and is on sale now. As it it is the first Nikon DX prime lens, there is little to compare it to within the range. The most obvious alternative lens from within the range is the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens, which should prove to be a great all-purpose lens, although it lacks the larger f/1.7 aperture for low light shooting. It costs £329/US$309.95/AU$449.

Sigma produces a series of 3 lenses DX lenses for the Nikon Z, the same lenses available for most other APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mounts. Of these, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN is the closest match to the Nikkor 24mm f/1.7. The Sigma lens has a narrower field of view at 45mm equivalent lens, which, along with the f/1.4 aperture, makes it more suited to portrait shots but less useful as an everyday walk-around lens. It costs US$399 / £349/ AU$699.

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Image quality

The beauty of a fixed focal length in this standard range is that detail is usually pin-sharp, and the 24mm f/1.7 is no exception. In the very center, details such as hairs on animals – in the case below, a goat – are perfectly defined. 

There is impressive detail resolution, even when shooting wide open. However, it is at f/2.8 to f/4 that I found the sharpest of the aperture settings. There is some drop in quality towards the edges of the frame, but the quality is impressive, especially when the lens's size and price are considered.

I didn’t notice any chromatic abberation in my real-world images, but by shooting through trees into a bright, overcast sky, I could force the issue by overexposing slightly and then viewing the image at 400%. Then, I could see some magenta along the edges. No one in their right mind would do this, so rest assured chromatic aberration isn’t an issue, and again, there is in-camera correction.

There is some vignetting with the correction turned off. Shooting a brick wall as part of my testing (brick wall construction is not a hobby of mine), shots taken at f/1.7 had heavy vignetting in the corners that took a +100 adjustment in Adobe Camera Raw to correct. Stopping down to f/4, and the shading in the corners had gone. All that said, vignetting correction is just a few button presses away, and it gets rid of vignetting entirely, even at f/1.7, so unless you are an absolute lens purist, you don’t ever have to worry about it. 

Again, with curvilinear distortion correction turned off in the camera, some pincushion distortion is present. A quick shift of the distortion correction in Adobe Camera Raw to -6 straightened everything up, and the image looks virtually identical to the image straight out of the camera with the in-camera correction switched on.

The overall conclusion is to leave the in-camera corrections all switched on and shoot away quite happily, knowing the images will be virtually perfect. 

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 sample images

Should I buy the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 lens?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikor 24mm f/1.7 lens

I tested the Nikor 24mm f/1.7 lens by taking it away with me for a few days away. I used it on a Nikon Z fc and took various images, just as someone would take it with them on their travels. This included scenic images, shots of my children, shots of animals at a petting zoo, as well as some detail shots to test the close-up ability and to see what the background bokeh looked like. 

During the real-world testing of the lens, I used a variety of different aperture settings and focusing methods to see how the lens performed.

I accompanied these images with some test shots of a brick wall to test vignetting and curvilinear distortion, as well as the tried and tested method of looking for chromatic aberration by shooting an overcast sky through tree branches. 

First reviewed October 2023

Two-minute review

Sony’s 50th full-frame lens, the FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II, is a comprehensive update of the (almost) 10-year-old Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS stalwart. It’s part of a recent wave of smaller and lighter second-gen Sony lenses, in this case, it's 15% smaller and lighter than its predecessor, weighing 794g / 28.1 oz, and measuring 149mm / 5.8in long. 

Lens size is a big deal when you shoot with Sony cameras – they are smaller than most and can feel off-balance with a big chunk of glass on the front. I paired the 70-200mm F4 II with the Sony A7C R, which is one of the best travel cameras, plus the crop-sensor Sony A6700 (with which the lens focal length is increased 1.5x), and both cameras proved an excellent fit with the lens. 

If this mark II version of the lens was only smaller and lighter it could be worth an upgrade for that reason alone, but it’s also the beneficiary of a total redesign, which has given it sharper image quality, faster autofocus and next level macro focusing. Yes, it’s smaller, lighter, sharper, quicker and more versatile than the original, and one of the best Sony lenses around.

The 70-200mm lens is already a versatile focal length – my own Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 G DSLR lens was my most-used lens for many years for portraits, weddings and events, and also proved to be an adept tool for sports, wildlife, landscape photography and more. Sony’s 70-200mm F4 II happily works in these fields, but also adds class-leading macro focusing capability, up to 0.5x magnification at any focal length, with a minimum focus distance of 0.26m / 0.86 ft at 70mm, and 0.42m / 1.38ft at 200mm.

Add the 2x teleconverter with an unchanged minimum focus distance and the macro capability is doubled to 1.0x magnification – that’s 1:1 life size. I’m generally not a fan of teleconverters; even the very best soften the image and can affect color rendering. In fact, you can see the minimum focus distance in action, plus the color shift of the same scene shot with and without Sony's 2x teleconverter, in the sample images below. In any case, the 0.5x magnification without teleconverter beats any other 70-200mm lens and adds another string to the bow of this versatile zoom lens. 

This is also a well-made and complex lens, with customizable function buttons and no fewer than five switches covering features such as a focus range limiter (including a new macro setting), full-time direct manual focus, SteadyShot optical stabilization and a zoom-lock that fixes the lens in its closed position when not in use – otherwise the lens barrel extends when zooming. 

Sony also says its new linear XD focusing technology, comprising four ‘high-thrust’ focus motors, increases autofocus tracking precision, even while zooming, and ultimately achieves what is 20% faster focusing than in the 2014 version. 

Camera tech has moved on in the 10 years since the original 70-200mm F4, too, and when you use the 70-200mm F4 II’s new focusing skills with a Sony camera equipped with the latest Bionz X processor and AI-autofocus chip, focusing is super intelligent, quick and reliable. For this review, the 70-200mm F4 II and A7C R have given me lightning-quick and reliable autofocus for photos and smooth video autofocus. 

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II: price and release date

The Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens costs $1,699 / £1,749 / AU$2,699 and includes a lens hood and removable tripod collar. It was available from August 2023. That's an understandable price increase given the improvements in this second-gen model, somewhere between the F4 original version, and the current pro-level Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 II version. 

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II: Image quality

An array of advanced aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements suppress lens distortion and render sharp detail, while the 9-blade aperture produces what Sony describes as ‘exquisite full-frame bokeh’. 

You can see from my self portrait below (taken remotely using the Sony Creators' app, at the lens' widest possible F4 aperture) that bokeh is smooth with no aberration or onion-ring distortion, while the shape at F4 is fairly round in the center of the frame, yet distinctly cat-eye in the corners. I’ve included cropped areas of the picture for a better look. 

If I were to take the exact same picture under identical conditions with Sony's 70-200mm F2.8 lens instead, or a prime lens with an even wider aperture, then bokeh would appear larger, and most likely even rounder. For an F4 lens, bokeh is actually very pleasant, but portrait specialists would choose an F2.8 or wider for that 'exquisite' bokeh.

Flare is also really well controlled in this backlit scene, and I’ve included a different macro photo of a spider and its web (in the same gallery) with stronger backlighting, and flare is mostly absent in that example, too. The included lens hood helps to reduce flare in these kind of scenarios.

A close look at the detail in the eye of the same self portrait reveals super-sharp detail, right where it matters. This single portrait photo alone displays many excellent attributes of what is an impressive telephoto zoom, paired with a reliable autofocus system in the latest Sony mirrorless camera.

Cast your eye over a wide range of photos, some of which are included in the gallery below to show the breadth of subjects you can capture, and it's clear the 70-200mm F4 II is a highly capable all-rounder. Image sharpness is maintained from the center to the edges of the frame, there's virtually no barrel or curvilinear distortion (the 70-200mm lens isn't known for either), and even in the corner of woodland photos with bright background light punctuating the tree cover, there's virtually no chromatic aberration. Put simply, there's very little fault to pick at in this excellent lens.

The image quality disparity between the pricier and heavier Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 pro lens and this second-gen F4 model has diminished somewhat and arguably the choice isn’t about overall image quality anymore – or even depth of field, because the F4 aperture gives an extremely shallow depth of field with a full-frame camera. Instead, it comes down to whether or not you need the extra stop of light, or particularly big bokeh.

Personally, I regularly rely on the wider F2.8 aperture for events and wedding photography in particular, where light is often dim. However, that Sony F2.8 lens is much heavier, and if you mainly shoot in daylight and would prefer a travel-friendly lens, then the F4 II is a no brainer.

Overall, the second-gen 70-200mm F4 lens is notably better - and more versatile - than its predecessor in almost every regard. The sting is the costlier list price, although it’s worth the extra money if you want a lighter lens better balanced with your Sony camera, together with its refined image quality and closer focusing. 

Should I buy the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens

I've had my hands-on the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 lens on several occasions, for short and extended periods of time. I used it extensively while I was writing my Sony A7C R review, in a generous variety of scenarios that allowed me to fully test its capabilities. 

At a pre-launch event I was able to test its close-up photography opportunities with the 2x teleconverter that increases its maximum 0.5x magnification to 1.0x. I've also happily used the lens for macro shots without the teleconverter at my own leisure. 

It's been attached to the travel-friendly A7C R and A6700 cameras, making for an ideal size-match, and I've shot everything from portraits to landscapes with it, plus low light sequences that push the lens' AF motors. I've also used it for general travel photography, for which this lens is a lovely companion. 

First reviewed September 2023