Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 vs Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3
This is probably the most obvious comparison to make, since these are the two main kit lenses currently available for Nikon Z DX cameras. How do they compare? We’ll start with the widest focal lengths, which are 18mm and 16mm respectively:
Both lenses do a great job here! The Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 is sharper in the corners, while the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 is sharper in the center and (to a lesser extent) the midframes. As you stop down, any differences start to become harder to notice, as expected.
Next, let’s look at 24mm:
Keep in mind that the aperture values are different in the charts above this time, since the 16-50mm can only reach f/4.2, while the 18-140mm can reach f/3.8 at 24mm.
Looking at the same apertures, we see that the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 is a little sharper throughout the frame this time. The difference is never huge – it teeters on the edge of what is visible or not (AKA about a 10% difference in the numbers above). Both lenses remain nice and sharp.
Here’s 35mm:
The story is pretty much the same at 35mm. While the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 is a little sharper at shared apertures, it is never by too much.
And finally, 50mm:
As before, make sure that you’re comparing the same apertures against one another! Things can get a little confusing otherwise, since the lenses have very different maximum apertures at 50mm (f/4.8 and f/6.3 respectively).
Just like at 24mm and 35mm, the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 is a little sharper here at 50mm. The differences aren’t significant enough that I would worry about them, but they do exist.
All in all, I would rate the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 as being the slightly sharper of the two lenses. However, the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 has the advantage at 18mm in the corners, which could be significant to landscape photographers. Either way, the two lenses are not far apart in sharpness overall.
Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 vs Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3
I already said on the previous page of this review that the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 is strongest from 18mm to 50mm. At 70mm onward, it gets a little less sharp. Where does this place it relative to Nikon’s Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3? Here’s how they measure up, starting at 50mm:
Here, the sharper lens corner-to-corner is the Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3. It really is an impressive telephoto lens! It’s not that the 18-140mm is bad at 50mm by any stretch, however. The two lenses aren’t terribly far apart (at least, not yet).
Next is 70mm:
This time, the difference is starting to look pretty pronounced. The Nikon Z DX 18-140mm definitely loses some sharpness at 70mm, while the Nikon Z DX 50-250mm is even stronger than it was at 50mm (especially in the midframes and corners). It’s a really impressive performance by the telephoto zoom.
And finally, 140mm and 135mm:
The difference this time is the most significant yet. While the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm is still totally usable, the Nikon Z 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 is seriously sharp. I definitely would rather have the 50-250mm lens in my bag if I often used such long focal lengths.
Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 vs Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7
How does the 18-140mm perform compared to a prime lens (albeit a tiny one, which usually implies worse performance) – the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7? Here’s how we measured both lenses in the lab:
As before, please make sure that you compare the same aperture values against one another!
When you do that, I’m personally surprised at how well the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 holds up by comparison. The two lenses are at an extremely similar level. While I do think the 24mm f/1.7 holds a small advantage overall (especially in the corners and midframes at the narrower apertures), the two lenses are close to being interchangeable, at least where sharpness is concerned.
The Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 has the advantage of being smaller, as well as offering a brighter maximum aperture of f/1.7. However, the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 has the obvious advantage of being able to zoom, and it also has vibration reduction while the 24mm f/1.7 does not. So, the real winner of this comparison is not based on sharpness, but which other characteristics you prefer in a lens.
The next page of this review sums up everything and explains the pros and cons of the Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR. So, click the menu below to go to “Verdict”:
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