NIKON Z 24-120MM F/4 S

Sharpness

Levels of sharpness throughout the zoom range and across the entire image frame are top, but corner-sharpness does drop off in the 85-120mm sector. Otherwise, there’s little to choose between this lens and the Z 24-70mm f/4 S, which is no mean feat.

Fringing

Colour fringing is absolutely negligible, even at the extreme corners of the image frame. Technically, it becomes slightly worse at the long end of the zoom range but, even then, it’s practically impossible to spot in real-world shooting.

Distortion

Many ‘standard zooms’ with such a generous zoom range are renowned for barrel and pincushion distortion at short and long focal lengths. In this lens, however, there’s barely any distortion at 24mm and practically no pincushion at all in the 50-120mm sector.

N-photo verdict

The Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S makes the most of optical enhancements afforded by the Z system’s larger mount circumference and closer proximity to the image sensor. The net result is enhanced sharpness and all-round image quality, across the whole frame and throughout the entire zoom range, along with a reasonably compact and lightweight build. However, the lack of VR makes it less ideal for DX format mirrorless cameras like the Z 50 and Z fc.