Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S Review

Introduction

Nikon introduced the wide-angle NIKKOR Z 24mm f/1.8 S in September of 2019 for its mirrorless Z mount. At the time of the announcement, it was the widest professional-grade prime lens for the system, although Nikon followed up with the Z 20mm f/1.8 S announcement just five months later. The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is yet another professional-grade lens that joins the ranks of high-quality f/1.8 primes that the company has been pushing for since the release of its first full-frame mirrorless system.

We have been very pleased by the quality of the Z mount lenses after thoroughly testing them on both Nikon Z6 and Z7 camera bodies. Prime lenses such as the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S and Z 50mm f/1.8 S have demonstrated exceptional performance, yielding some of the best results we have seen to date from Nikon lenses. As a result, we had high expectations with the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S lens. In this review, we will take a closer look at this lens and see how it stacks up against its Nikon F cousins, as well as the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art.

With its price tag of $999, the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is a bit more expensive compared to the F-mount Nikon 24mm f/1.8G ED, which we found to be a superb lens. However, as you will see further down below, the two lenses have different optical designs and characteristics. The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is a weather-sealed, professional-grade lens, while the Nikon 24mm f/1.8G ED is an enthusiast-grade lens.

The much older Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED is in a desperate need for replacement, as it does not do very well on modern high-resolution sensors. At $2K, it is also a very expensive lens. The Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art, on the other hand, is a different story. It is noticeably sharper than the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED, and it is priced much more reasonably at $850, so it is a solid choice worth comparing to.

Note: It is important to point out that Z-mount lenses such as the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S are only designed to be used on Nikon’s Z-series cameras that have industry’s shortest flange distance of 16.0mm, which means that they cannot be adapted to any other camera system on the market today (see lens mounts explained for more information).

The optical formula of the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S consists of 12 elements in 10 groups, 4 of which are aspherical and 1 is extra-low dispersion (ED) element. It has a fast STM stepping motor, a rounded 9-blade diaphragm, and the lens is weather-sealed. In comparison, the Nikon 24mm f/1.8G ED has a slightly different optical formula with 12 elements in 9 groups, 2 of which are aspherical and 2 are ED. It has a rounded 7-blade diaphragm, silent-wave motor and other than the rubber gasket on the mount, it is not weather-sealed.

The Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED is arguably more similar in optical design, with the same number of elements and groups, except with two aspherical and two ED lens elements. It also has a rounded 9-blade diaphragm and professional-grade build quality.

The Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art is optically the most complex, thanks to its 15 elements in 11 groups, 2 of which are aspherical, and 7 of which are low-dispersion glass elements (3 FLD and 4 SLD). All this obviously comes with a big weight disadvantage – the lens weighs 665 grams, which makes it the heaviest lens in the group.

Here is a quick comparison summary of these lenses:

Considering the above, how does the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S stack up against these lenses in terms of sharpness performance? We answer this question on the lens comparisons page of this review.

Build Quality

Similar to other Nikon Z primes, the Z 24mm f/1.8 S is built very well, thanks to its solid metal base, a tough plastic shell, metal focus ring, and weather-sealed construction. Although some photographers prefer all-metal lenses for their long-term durability, I personally favor plastic over metal for several reasons, including potential weight reduction and better handling in cold weather conditions when not wearing gloves.

That said, with the large focus ring made out of metal, the Nikon Z-series prime lenses handle differently in the cold compared to their Nikon F equivalents that feature rubber focus rings. Other Nikon Z lenses such as the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S also feature metal focus rings, but they are much thinner in comparison.

The metal lens mount has a total of four locking ears for a very secure and tight attachment to the camera body. Because of this, all Nikon Z lenses fit snugly on Nikon Z-series cameras, with absolutely no detectable wobble on the mount. This is a very important design criterion for a modern camera system that helps prevent lens tilting.

To prevent dust and other debris from getting into the lens and the camera, Nikon incorporated a rubber gasket on the part of the mount that touches the camera. Nikon promises that the lens is “extensively sealed to keep dust and moisture out”, which means that there are separate rubber rings for each part of the lens to protect it from the elements. I have used the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S in very cold and sandy weather conditions in Death Valley National Park as well as rainy conditions in southern California, and I did not encounter any problems with its weather sealing.

Similar to other Z-series lenses, the filter thread is plastic. And as expected from a modern lens, the front section of the lens does not rotate when focusing, which makes it easy to use circular filters. The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S has a 72mm filter size, which is the same size as on the Nikon 24mm f/1.8G ED. The front element is not recessed deep inside, making it relatively easy to clean and maintain.

Size-wise, the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S is noticeably longer than both the 24mm f/1.4G and the 24mm f/1.8G. It is even longer than the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art, although it is not as thick. Due to the length of the lens, as I have pointed out earlier, Nikon decided to put a very large focusing ring, which is great. Although I don’t rely much on manual focusing when using mirrorless cameras, it is nice to be able to use it for overriding focus, or for other camera and lens adjustments (once set up from the camera menu).

Handling

The Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S has a very sparse set of controls, with just the single manual/autofocus switch and the large focusing ring. This is somewhat disappointing handling for an expensive S-series lens. I would have liked to see at least one custom function button on the side of the lens, but unfortunately, Nikon went with a very minimalist approach.

Regarding the focus ring, since all Nikon Z lenses autofocus with focus-by-wire motors, the focus ring is not coupled mechanically to anything. As such, it can be set up to perform different functions, such as changing exposure compensation or aperture.

The plastic HB-88 bayonet hood is not very big and does a great job of blocking sun rays from reaching the front lens element. It attaches, locks and unlocks very easily, and if you want to reduce the footprint of the lens when storing it in your camera bag, you can attach it in reverse position.

The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. Click the menu below to go to “Optical Performance”: