Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

£329/$297 Almost as flat as a pancake

Launched as a kit lens for the DX format Z 50 mirrorless camera, this tiny zoom weighs in at just 135g and, when retracted for storage, measures a mere 32mm. It almost classifies as a pancake lens! Even when extended for use, the overall length is only 55-60mm, depending on zoom setting. The only real minus point is the f/6.3 aperture rating at long zoom settings.

The design includes four aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element. New-generation optical VR has 4.5-stop effectiveness, almost matching that of the Z 50-250mm VR. Build feels pretty good and, while the plastic mounting plate contributes to the lightweight construction, it’s certainly durable.

Performance

Sharpness is excellent even when shooting wide-open at the shortest zoom setting. It drops off gradually as you extend through the zoom range but remains very satisfying even at the longest focal length. As with many lenses for compact system cameras nowadays, this one relies on in-camera correction for distortion.

N-photo verdict

A perfect fit for slimline Z 50 and Z fc cameras, it’s remarkably small and lightweight, and has the bonus of optical VR.