Which Nikon Wide Angle Zoom Lens Is the Sharpest?

A good wide angle zoom lens can be invaluable for a wide range of applications ranging from events coverage and landscapes to astrophotography, and one of their most important properties is their sharpness. The excellent video review compares three options for Nikon shooters: the AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lenses.

Coming to you from Milky Way Mike, this great video review compares the sharpness of the AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G EDNIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lenses. The 14-24mm f/2.8G was one of Nikon's most well-known and beloved lenses for a long time, but with the introduction of the Z mount, we have seen some progress in lens performance. Beyond sharpness, wide angle f/2.8 zoom lenses are neither cheap nor compact, which is readily apparent when you see just how small the 14-30mm f/4 appears compared to the two f/2.8 lenses. On top of that, it is substantially cheaper, something worth considering when picking between the lot. Check out the video above for the full rundown on all three lenses. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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4 Comments

I've been thinking about buying the z 14-24mm f / 2.8 S for months. But watching this video, it made more sense to get 14-30mm f / 4s. I could not see a difference in performance as much as the difference in price. Maybe I'm wrong.

Get the F4 unless you need the faster 2.8 for low light. The f4 would be great for travel.

Nikon 16-35mm f/4 AF-S VR G ED

I have numerous uwa lenses including the 14-30 and 14-24 f mount. If Nikon had not made the 14-30, I would not have bought the z. What’s the point of having a small compact camera if the lenses are still huge? I am very satisfied with the 14-30 and feel it is of very high quality. I don’t feel the need to buy the z14-24.

The z system bakes lens correction into the raw files. Does it do this with f mount lenses and was the discussed?