Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR

[MEPER]

i have attached a few test short with 12-28 on Z50.
I think it is a nice lens. Very lightweight and easy to use.
First two images at 12mm and 3rd at 17mm. I had to look that up in image info as no direct information is visible in viewfinder other than a bar that goes from W to T.
The 3 images also has a 100% crop attached. It is an internal zoom lens so it does not change size when zoomed. Also a quite cheap lens.

[MEPER]

Just realized that if i look at the rear screen (not the viewfinder) the actual zoom setting is shown (12 - 28 mm).

[MEPER]

One more test image at 12mm.
From the D2X time I have the AFS 12-24/4 DX lens which is physical much larger than the Z 12-28.
Could be interesting to compare them one day.

[Birna Rørslett]

Interesting. I just ordered that lens for my Z fc as a lightweight, travelling alternative to the otherwise excellent but heavy Viltrox 13mm f/1.4.

[MEPER]

Hope you will get a good sample :-)
If you are not satisfied with the performance you have probably got a bad one.
Even that it is a wide angle zoom the VR is nice and works very well. I also think corner sharpness is good.
Lens is ready for use when camera is turned on. The 16-50 need to be "unclicked" when collapsed (you could of course not collapse it before shooting is finished).
When camera is turned off the lens will go back to 12mm so it will always start at 12mm when camera is turned on. 

[Gerhard2006]

One more test image at 12mm.
From the D2X time I have the AFS 12-24/4 DX lens which is physical much larger than the Z 12-28.
Could be interesting to compare them one day.

They did a video on Gray’s Westminster but compared this 12 to 28 to the 12 to 24 F4 a while back and they also included the 10 to 24 DX lens and the 12 to 28 was the best of the bunch. With the 12 to 24 F4 being last. So the New Z lenses seem to reign supreme. Looks like a fun lens to use and would work well with video as well. Thanks for sharing. Regards, Gerry.

[MEPER]

I guess it is easier to design a wide angle lens for mirrorless cameras?
I have observed that AFS 12-24/4 are often sold at very low prices. Around 200 USD or less for a near mint one?
I am in doubt what I should do with my sample. Will probably decided after I have compared it with the 12-28.

[pluton]

Thanks Meper, for showing your comparison.

[Gerhard2006]

I guess it is easier to design a wide angle lens for mirrorless cameras?
I have observed that AFS 12-24/4 are often sold at very low prices. Around 200 USD or less for a near mint one?
I am in doubt what I should do with my sample. Will probably decided after I have compared it with the 12-28.

Just keep your 12 to 24. Apparently at the longer focal lengths it covers full frame and is a very good lens at those settings. I recall Birna said years ago that the 24 mm setting is sharper than any 24 she has ever used.
This also applies to the 10 to 24 Nikkor DX lens and the 11 to 16 2.8 Tokina lens. At the longer focal lengths they cover full frame. So it’s like having two lenses in one. DX at the shorter focal range and full frame of the longer one. Regards, Gerry.

[MEPER]

Considering the low 2nd hand price for the 12-24 it probably makes more sense to keep it.
It also has some history. 1st Nikkor wide angle DX-zoom?
I also think I will keep the AFS 17-35/2.8. It is also very good at 24mm. 24mm is in the middle at the zoom range for this lens.
It was much better back then than my AF 24/2.8 which I sold many years ago after I got the 17-35. Quite "clumsy" with adapter on a Z50 body.
Until now I have not used it for real because the Z 16-50 VR is so very nice and handy.

[Birna Rørslett]

The problem with F-mount DX zoom lenses is they usually are prevented from running FX mode on most if not all Z camera models. The camera switches itself to DX mode without any user intervention being possible. This applies to Nikon F lenses and obviously is by design, but apparently not some of the Voigtländers. thus, my Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 will happily show why it is a DX lens on say my Z9, by introducing massive vignetting unless I manually set the camera to DX mode.

[Gerhard2006]

The problem with F-mount DX zoom lenses is they usually are prevented from running FX mode on most if not all Z camera models. The camera switches itself to DX mode without any user intervention being possible. This applies to Nikon F lenses and obviously is by design, but apparently not some of the Voigtländers. thus, my Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 will happily show why it is a DX lens on say my Z9, by introducing massive vignetting unless I manually set the camera to DX mode.

This is totally true about the newer cameras with a Z mount when you put a DX lens on a full frame camera it switches to DX and in the menus the FX option is greyed out. That is why I kept my D700 because these two lenses, the Tokina and the 10 to 24 are just fine on these cameras from 14 mm up. Which makes them very versatile lenses with the older cameras. Don’t sell your old DSLR. They still have advantages over the newer cameras. Regards, Gerry.

[MEPER]

It must be a Nikon political decision rather than a technical to prevent users to get most out of their DX-lenses on Z-bodies.

[Birna Rørslett]

Just the usual Nikon policy of "protecting" the customers.

By the way, my 12-28 arrived. It is bad for IR, as I had expected, but otherwise it performs rather well.

[Birna Rørslett]

An example from this afternoon,