Summary
The Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR is the new-generation pancake-size APS-C lens designed to take advantage of Nikon’s new Z-mount. It has excellent sharpness, solid contrast and colors, while maintaining a small and lightweight footprint. It couples very nicely with the Nikon Z50 mirrorless camera, which makes it a portable travel kit capable of yielding high-quality images.
When traveling overseas, I packed the Nikon Z50 together with both 16-50mm and 50-250mm kit lenses. At just 935 grams of total weight (which is less than what the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G weighs by itself), this kit took very little space in my bag, and proved to be a versatile choice for most of my photography needs. I was pleasantly surprised by the optical characteristics of the lens, which I did not expect to see from a plasticky zoom kit lens.
It is sharp in the center at short focal lengths, and although it gets a little weaker as you zoom in towards 50mm, it still performs admirably once stopped down to the f/5.6-f/8 range. The lens has very little field curvature and focus shift, and practically has no focus breathing to worry about. It has excellent contrast and color, and handles ghosting and flare extremely well. Although it certainly does suffer from pronounced distortion, some vignetting and lateral chromatic aberration, these issues are automatically addressed by the camera, as well as post-processing software like Lightroom. The lens is easy to use and handles great in the field.
Overall, the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm VR is a lens with superb value, especially once you factor in its price, weight, and size. If you are in the market for a portable travel setup, I would highly recommend to check this lens out together with the Nikon Z50 and the Z DX 50-250mm VR lens.
Where to Buy
If you would like to support our efforts, you can purchase the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm VR lens from our trusted partner B&H Photo Video.
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
- Optical Performance
- Features
- Bokeh Quality
- Build Quality
- Focus Speed and Accuracy
- Handling
- Image Stabilization
- Size and Weight
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
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