Nikon Z 24‑105mm
1:2 Macro (2026 ~ today)
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
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Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. (67mm filters, 12.3 oz./350g, 0.8'/0.25m close focus, 0.5× macro ratio, $547). bigger.
I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, cracked-plastic-mount, non-USA, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
April 2026 Better Pictures Nikon Z Z Lenses All Nikon Lenses All Nikon All Reviews
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
More samples throughout this review at Bokeh, Falloff, Macro, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as BASIC ★ JPGs; no tripods, NORMAL or FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed. Bah!
Lotus Espirit V8, 9:56 AM, 28 March 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 49mm at f/11 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.9), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 4.4 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
Gypsy Red (exterior color code 596) 1955 Corvette Interior in White and Red, 10:41 AM, 28 March 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon SB-400 flash to fill in shadows, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 67mm at f/8 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.6), as shot. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.9 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat (GPH) C8 Vette, 11:41 AM, 28 March 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon SB-400 flash, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 45mm at f/11 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.6), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 4.9 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
Coastal Bluff, 6:23 PM, 28 March 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 46mm at f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 5.6 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
Yes, it's super sharp.
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
This is a super-handy lens for everything, covering wide-angle to telephoto in one compact lens.
Not only does it have a super-useful zoom range, its extended close-focus 1:2 macro ability lets it replace a dedicated macro lens for most people other than crazed insect photographers!
Don't worry that it's "only" f/7.1 at 105mm. This no longer matters with mirrorless cameras because they are superb at high ISOs, and unlike DSLRs the finder brightness has nothing to do with the lens aperture. Bokeh is fine at 105mm.
Don't let the low price fool you, by keeping the maximum aperture down to f/7.1 at 105mm Nikon can make it ultra-sharp and compact at a low price. Bravo!
It is ultra sharp and a great performer optically, even if its all-plastic construction feels cheap. Seeing the low price and how small and light it is, I love the plastic construction!
I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. bigger.
New intro top
Nikon's first-ever 24-105mm — for any camera!
Good intro top
Sharp.
No visible distortion.
Super-handy zoom range.
Close-focusing: 1:2 Macro!
Dedicated manual focus ring, it's also reprogrammable to other functions.
Small.
Light.
Bad intro top
There is no AF/MF switch; you have to set this in a menu, or dedicate a camera button to it 🤮.
Plastic mount.
Soft plastic filter threads are easy to cross thread, typical of consumer lenses in 2026.
Plastic exterior.
Missing intro top
No AF/MF switch.
No internal optical image stabilization, but works great with in-camera stabilization if you have it.
No Stabilizer switch for in-camera stabilization.
No aperture ring.
No case included.
No hood included.
Mounting index dot is the same white as everything else, so it doesn't stand out when you need to find it to mount your lens.
No focus or depth-of-field scales.
No infra-red focus indices.
No focus lock buttons.
Will not work with any teleconverters.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
Name specifications top
Nikon calls this the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-105mm F/4-7.1:
NIKKOR: Nikon's brand name for almost all their lenses since 1932.
Z: For Nikon's mirrorless cameras, only.
Nikon's Model Number: 20132.
It also has:
Aspherical: Specially curved glass elements for sharper pictures.
E: Electronic diaphragm.
ED: Magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced secondary chromatic aberration.
G: Gelded; has no aperture ring.
IF: Internal focusing; nothing moves externally as focused.
STM: Stepper (Pulse) autofocus motor.
∅67: 67mm filter thread.
Optics specifications top
Nikon Z 24-105mm Internal Optical Construction. Aspherical and ED elements. bigger.
12 elements in 10 groups.
1 ED element: magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced axial secondary chromatic aberration.
2 Aspherical elements.
Nikon Super Integrated multiCoating (SIC).
"Pumper" zoom: moves in and out as zoomed.
Diaphragm specifications
Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. bigger.
7 rounded blades.
Electronically actuated.
Stops down to f/22 - f/40.
Filters specifications top
Plastic 67mm filter thread.
Focal Length specifications top
24 - 105mm.
When used on DX cameras, it sees the same angle of view as a 35 - 160mm lens sees when used on an FX or 35mm camera. On DX, the Z 18-140mm DX is a much smarter choice.
See also Crop Factor.
Angles of View specifications top
84° ～ 23⅙° diagonal on FX.
61° ～ 15⅓° diagonal on DX.
Autofocus specifications top
No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in (but who cares; it's a pumper zoom so that pumps in far more air than traditional focus would!)
Focus Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infinity Focus Stop specifications top
No.
You have to focus somehow to get precise focus at infinity, just like at every other distance.
Depth of Field Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infrared Focus Index specifications top
No.
Close Focus (distance from subject to image plane) specifications top
24~50mm: 0.66 feet (7.9" or 0.2 meters).
105mm: 0.92 feet (11" or 0.28 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio specifications top
1:2 (0.5×) at 70~105mm
Reproduction Ratio Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Image Stabilizer specifications top
NONE, but works fine with in-camera stabilization if you have it.
Caps specifications top
LC-67B 67 mm snap-on front cap, included.
LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap, included.
Hood specifications top
Optional HB-93B Hood ($37).
I'd ignore it.
Case specifications top
None included.
Size specifications top
2.89" ø maximum diameter × x4.19" extension from flange.
73.5 mm ø maximum diameter × 106.5 mm extension from flange.
Weight specifications top
12.3 oz. (350 g).
Announced specifications top
11:01 PM, Tuesday, 06 January 2026.
Promised for specifications top
Mid January 2026.
Included specifications top
Lens.
LC-67B 67 mm snap-on front cap.
LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap.
Nikon's Model Number specifications top
20132.
Packaging specifications top
|
|
Z 24-105mm Box. bigger. |
Z 24-105mm Box. bigger. |
Microcorrugated cardboard box with corrugami formers.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
03 April 2026
$547 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II: $2,047 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $394 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
07 January 2026 (Introduction)
$547 at B&H and at Adorama.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II: $2,197 at B&H.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing
Bokeh Distortion Ergonomics Falloff Filters
Flare & Ghosts Lateral Color Fringes
Lens Corrections Macro Min & Max Apertures
Mechanics Sharpness Spherochromatism
Stabilization Sunstars Teleconverters
I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield
Overall performance top
This inexpensive, cheap-feeling lens makes great pictures, and it's so small and light you'll want to take it everywhere.
I prefer it over any 24-70mm lens because of its far more useful zoom range.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is swell. Its little stepper motor focuses with only the slightest hum.
It's not particularly fast or slow; it just works and any limitations are usually the fault of the camera rather than this lens.
Manual Focus performance top
There is no AF/MF switch; you have to set this in a menu, or dedicate a camera button to it 🤮.
Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Just grab the electronic manual focus ring for instant manual-focus override anytime the camera is awake.
Better than any other brand, even if you're in AF-C and grab the manual-focus ring, it just swaps to manual focus instantly and stays in manual focus. Other brands will try to fight you for focus if you're in continuous AF, while this lens just does what you tell it to do.
Bravo!
Focus Breathing performance top
Focus breathing is the image changing size (growing and shrinking slightly) as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe (change size) as focus gets pulled back and forth between different actors as they speak. The image is said to breathe because it expands and contracts as the focus follows the dialog back and forth.
The image from this lens shrinks only slightly as focused more closely at 24mm, shrinks moderately at 50mm, and shrinks noticeably when focused more closely at 105mm.
Bokeh performance top
Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is neutral. The backgrounds stay a little busy even if they're completely out of focus because the blur circles retain sharp edges.
Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the DAVIS logo. Click any for the © camera-original file:
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Vantage Vue Wireless Sensor Suite (use with WeatherLink console), 03 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II at 1/1,000, 1/500 and 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 with +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14.0, 13.6 and 13.6).
Click any for the © camera-original file.
As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 105mm at f/7.1 and get as close as possible.
Distortion performance top
This lens uses electronic distortion correction as an integral part of its optical design, so therefore cameras do not allow us to turn it off.
There is no visible distortion as-shot, other than some slight barrel distortion at 24mm.
If you shoot raw data rather than JPG images, whatever software you use to create visible images from raw data may or may not correct the distortion as is done in-camera as JPGs. You're on your own there; I don't bother with raw data.
For more critical scientific use, use these corrections in Photoshop's lens correction filter to JPG images.
Yes, it's sloppy that distortion isn't corrected completely, but it's still mostly invisible.
On Full-Frame at 30' (10m) |
Correction factor to use with images made with correction ON in Z5 II |
24mm |
+1.10 |
35mm |
+0.50 |
50mm |
+0.50 |
70mm |
+0.70 |
85mm |
+0.40 |
105mm |
+0.50 |
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
Ergonomics performance top
|
|
At 24mm. bigger. |
At 24mm. bigger. |
|
|
At 105mm. bigger. |
At 105mm. bigger. |
Ergonomics are usually very good. The direct mechanical zoom ring is half the lens, and manual focus always has full-time instant override: something no Canon or Sony or Fuji can do!
However,
There is no AF/MF switch; you have to set this in a menu 🤮.
This is a real pain in real-world shooting, having to stop and fiddle just to get manual focus. While instant override is awesome, as soon as you let go of the manual focus ring the AF system may take over again. To stop and hold the distance we have to fiddle in menus. Personally I dedicate an Fn button on my camera to make this a little faster, but I still have to hold an FN button, look at my screen and gently fiddle with a dial — a great way to miss a critical photo rather than being able to flick a dedicated switch on better lenses.
Falloff performance top
Falloff on is invisible on full frame at any setting, other than some slight falloff wide-open at f/4 at 24mm.
I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction at its default of NORMAL OFF:
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
If you save only raw data rather than create JPG images in-camera, whatever software you use to create visible images from that raw data later may or may not correct this as is done in-camera as JPGs. You're on your own there; I don't bother with raw data.
If you go out of your way to turn off the correction, or possibly in some raw software, this is what you get:
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction deliberately turned OFF:
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
I see no difference with or without falloff correction active.
Filters, use with performance top
This Z 24-105mm is the first lens in many years I've tested that won't work with more than one filter at a time without vignetting at 24mm on full frame.
It will only accept one filter at a time without vignetting at 24mm on full frame. This is no big deal as very few if any of us ever need to use more than one filter at a time. This was important back with film when we'd need one filter to set white balance and maybe also a polarizer or grad, but we don't need filters for white balance with digital.
Standard rotating polarizers and rotating grad filters may be thick enough to cause a tiny bit of vignetting at 24mm on full frame. No big deal; either crop it out or zoom to 24.5mm.
Avoid polarizers at the 24mm end; the sky's natural polarization can appear as a dark band across the sky.
Nikon's 67mm Circular Polarizer II is very thin and causes no vignetting problems.
Flare & Ghosts performance top
Flare and ghosts are well controlled.
See examples at Sunstars.
Lateral Color Fringes performance top
There are no lateral color fringes as shot on Nikon cameras as JPG, which by default correct for any that may be there.
If you shoot raw and then use non-manufacturer software to process that data into images then there is the possibility that there might be some. I don't bother with raw for exactly reasons like this.
There is some minor spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus at large apertures. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.
Lens Corrections performance top
Distortion correction is always ON; it's part of the lens design to correct it electronically rather than optically. This gives the designers more freedom to make the lens smaller, sharper, less expensive and have a great zoom range, something we could never do with film.
The Z9, Z8, Z7 II, Z6 III, Z6 II, Zƒ, Z7, Z6, Z5 II, Z5, Zƒc, Z50 II, Z50 and Z30 correct for any or all of distortion, diffraction and falloff (vignette control).
Diffraction and falloff corrections may be turned ON or OFF as you like, while distortion correction always ON.
The Z9, Z8, Z7 II, Z6 III, Z6 II, Zƒ, Z7, Z6, Z5 II, Z5, Zƒc, Z50 II, Z50 and Z30 always correct for lateral color fringes (lateral chromatic aberration). This is part of Nikon's secret sauce and never appears in any menu.
Macro Performance performance top
Macro gets super close!! Here's a shot on full-frame:
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, Friday, 03 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 105mm wide-open at f/7.11 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.6), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.3 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.3 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
The blue color fringes are mostly from spherochromatism, which should go away as stopped down. In this case the hands are in perfect focus, while the numbers are farther away and thus tinged a bit with blue because they're not in perfect focus.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
Maximum & Minimum Apertures performance top
Maximum Aperture |
Minimum Aperture |
|
| 24mm | f/4 |
f/22 |
| 35mm | f/4.2 |
f/25 |
| 50mm | f/5 |
f/29 |
| 70mm | f/6 |
f/36 |
| 85mm | f/6.3 |
f/36 |
| 105mm | f/7.1 |
f/40 |
Mechanical Quality performance top
Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. bigger.
This is a cheap-feeling almost all-plastic lens. The glass is glass, the screws are metal and the electrical contacts use gold, and otherwise it looks like all plastic.
Exterior Finish
Black plastic.
Front Bumper
None.
Filter Threads
Plastic.
Hood Bayonet Mount
Plastic.
Zoom Ring
Rubber-covered plastic.
Focus Ring
Hard plastic.
Identity
Printed around front of lens in nearly invisible gray on black, also printed on top of barrel.
Internals
Seem like all plastic.
Dust Gasket at Mount
No, but there is a lip of hard plastic that does the same thing.
Mount
Plastic.
Markings
Just paint.
Serial Number
Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. bigger.
Laser engraved in warm black on black on the bottom of the barrel.
Date Code
None found.
Noises When Shaken
Mild to moderate rattling.
Truth & Ethics
Made in Thailand, not Japan.
Never disclosed in any advertising, marketing or online offers for sale.
Sharpness performance top
Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.
If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 or smaller at ISO 1,600 or above at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.
People worry waaaaay too much about lens sharpness. It's not 1968 anymore when lenses often weren't that sharp and there could be significant differences among them; ever since about 2010 all new lenses are all pretty much equally fantastic.
This lens is super sharp corner-to corner at every aperture, limited by your vision as an artist and of course by heat shimmer and by diffraction at the smallest apertures. Avoid f/16 and smaller unless you really need them for extreme depth of field because diffraction takes its toll. See also How to Calculate the Sharpest Aperture.
Look at the camera-original sample files and see for yourself.
The claimed MTF curves agree with this. It's not the old days where cheap lenses may have been softer, this lens today is super-sharp:
 |
 |
MTF at 24mm at f/4. |
MTF at 105mm at f/7.1. |
Nikon's MTF at 10 cyc/mm and 30 cyc/mm. Sagittal (radial) shown as solid lines. Meridional (tangential) shown as dashed lines.
While it's usually valid to compare rated MTFs between different lenses of similar vintage from the same maker, every maker measures or simply calculates MTF very differently, and therefore one cannot compare these curves between brands. For instance, Sony seems to ignore diffraction and simply calculate overly optimistic MTFs that hug 100%, which no real lens can do at f/8, while other brands are more realistic and include diffraction. Only Canon offers any insight on how they arrive at their curves.
See also my article on MTF and Canon's article on MTFs.
Spherochromatism performance top
Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration and therefore cannot be corrected with software or automatic corrections. It happens mostly in fast normal and tele lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum (red and blue) are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum (green).
Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes (the middle of the spectrum) on background highlights and magenta fringes (the red and blue ends of the spectrum added together make magenta) on foreground highlights.
Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.
This Z 24-105mm has a small to moderate amount of spherochromatism, with warm fringes ahead of and cool fringes behind the plane of perfect focus:
Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance, Friday, 03 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 105mm wide-open at f/7.11 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.6), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 2.2 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 2.2 MB BASIC ★ JPG file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
Image Stabilization (VR) performance top
This lens has no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS, IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)), and it works great with in-camera stabilization, if you have it. Most Nikon Z cameras are internally stabilized.
"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of hand-held, free-standing with no support or bracing, frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness as viewed at 300%. Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed.
This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp are all the frames.
Are you seeing how fantastic is modern stabilization? I'm looking at these images at 300%, far, far more closely than we ever could do with film. With film we had a 1/focal length rule-of-thumb which suggested the slowest safe hand-held speed would be 1/100 for "good enough" sharpness, and today I can get perfect sharpness hand-held most of the time at 1/8!!!
At 24mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 2s |
1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
0 |
58 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7½ IPS |
43 |
100 |
100 |
I see 4 stops of real-world improvement.
At 50mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 2s |
1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
8 |
8 |
83 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
36 |
77 |
100 |
I see 5 stops of real-world improvement.
At 105mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 2s |
1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
1/500 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
7 |
45 |
50 |
77 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8⅓ |
13⅓ |
8 |
60 |
82 |
100 |
I see 5 stops of real-world improvement.
Sunstars performance top
With a 7-bladed rounded diaphragm, I get mild 14-point sunstars on brilliant points of light, mostly at the smallest apertures. Even at f/32 it's weak most of the time:
Buick Super Eight, 9:55 AM, 04 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 24-105mm at 75mm at f/32 (!) at 1/20 at Auto ISO 180 (LV 13.5), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger.
Ignore the crazy rainbow dots at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by interference among the divisions between pixels on the sensor. These are made visible because we're using enough exposure to show the dark underside of a huge palm tree, and then putting the blinding disk of the mid-day sun in it. Doing this will show everything due to the insane lighting range.
Of course if you push it as I've done below, here's what you get. Click any to enlarge (all shot at 50mm):
All shot at 50mm. Click any to enlarge.
Teleconverters performance top
It will not work with the Nikon Z TC 1.4× teleconverter and will not work with the Nikon 2× teleconverter.
There is not enough room in the back of the lens to accommodate the protuberances from either of the Canon RF 1.4× or Canon RF 2× extenders.
Weather Sealing performance top
Nikon claims it's "designed with careful consideration for dust- and drip-resistance." No one knows what that means.
No LEICA M lens, nor anything other than dedicated underwater cameras claimed any of this up until a few years ago. "Weather sealing" is mostly a marketing feature to get you to pay more.
People have worried way too much about this ever since camera companies started FUD campaigns to make us think that our gear will dissolve unless it has weather sealing. How do you think we shot in the rain for the first 200 years of photography?
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I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
This is a superbly sharp and useful lens for just about anything, especially with its extended macro ability.
Don't worry that it's "only" f/7.1 at 105mm. This no longer matters with mirrorless cameras because they are superb at high ISOs, and unlike DSLRs the finder brightness has nothing to do with the lens aperture. Don't let the low price fool you, by keeping the maximum aperture down to f/7.1 at 105mm Nikon can make it ultra-sharp and compact at a low price. Bravo!
Personally I prefer the Z 24-200mm VR for its greater zoom range and optical stabilization that lets me skip having to carry a separate telephoto lens.
The bigger and heavier Z 24-120mm f/4 isn't any sharper and also lacks optical stabilization, but it has an AF/MF switch which I find important. It's also a constant f/4 and has a metal mount — but still about twice as heavy and twice as expensive.
I prefer this lens to any 24-70mm lens. I have no need for f/2.8, and to me the extended 70-105mm range is huge; 70mm doesn't do anything for me while 105mm is usually awesome for just about everything.
Of course we're all different and this is why Nikon makes so many very similar lenses. This isn't 1968 any more; all of them are equally sharp today.
Bravo, Nikon!
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap (exactly like an iPhone) so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.
The very best protective filter is the nearly indestructible Hoya multicoated HD3 67mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.
For less money, the Nikon 67mm NC (No Color/Neutral Clear), Hoya 67mm NXT Plus UV and Hoya 67mm UV MC are all excellent filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.
The least expensive coated filter is the Chiaro 67mm 95-UVAT UV, which I haven't tried but ought to be swell.
If I was working in nasty, dirty areas, I'd use an uncoated 67mm Tiffen UV filter instead. Uncoated filters are much easier to clean, but more prone to ghosting.
Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.
Nikon's 67mm Circular Polarizer II is excellent, andthin enogh not to vignete at 24mm on full frame.
Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.
All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. Since filters last a lifetime or more, there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 50 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s! The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt, and you'll be using it long after you've thrown this lens away in 50 years.
I got my 24-105mm at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.
It also comes as a kit with the Z5 II at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, cracked-plastic-mount, non-USA, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
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