In the present day, I’ll share a couple of ideas on the Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 vast angle zoom after attending to attempt it arms on for a little bit of testing.
First issues first. Let me begin out this specific essay by mentioning that I’m not somebody who makes use of vast angle lenses lots. There are a number of sensible causes for this. One, I primarily shoot individuals. And, whereas you should use a large angle lens to shoot individuals to nice impact, there’s a level in my style profile the place a lens could be too vast. As somebody who can usually get misplaced within the second throughout a photoshoot and neglect what actual focus size I’m zoomed in/out to, I’ve, on multiple event, gotten again house and checked out my pictures solely to appreciate that my completely proportioned mannequin one way or the other now appears like a personality from Avatar. So, for security and my very own sanity, I usually keep on with a 24-70mm lens for many of my work. I’m often on the broader finish of that mid-range zoom. But it surely does stop me from going full fisheye whereas giving me a large sufficient area of view to go well with most of my tastes.
However there are events when that’s simply not vast sufficient. You’ll want to soak up extra of the atmosphere. You need to deliberately add a little bit of distortion for dynamism in your picture. Or perhaps you’re a marriage/occasion photographer trying to get in shut with the gang. There are one million and one explanation why one would possibly need to get vast. Thus, the explanation why the 14-24mm vary is usually thought of the start line of the holy trinity.
As a very long time Nikon shooter, I had the AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED for the F mount. As a matter of truth, desirous to shoot with that lens was one of many foremost motivators for me to go full body again after I purchased my D700 years in the past. On the time, it was the most costly lens I had ever purchased. And it was incredible. However, over time, I discovered that it spent loads of time in my bag, as a result of causes I discussed above, and so, I offered it upfront of creating the shift to mirrorless throughout the Nikon ecosystem. Since making the Z9 my undisputed every day driver for the foreseeable future, I’ve traded as much as the Z variations of the 24-70mm and 70-200mm glass. The one open roster spot remaining is a large zoom. However, given my specific use case, I’m taking a while earlier than making my buying resolution as I need to pattern all that Nikon has to supply.
This resolution has been made all of the extra enjoyable by the truth that Nikon now haven’t one, not two, however three choices for vast angle zooms within the Z household. The highest finish NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, the NIKKOR 14mm to 30mm f/4 S, and now, the center youngster, the NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8. I haven’t shot with all three aspect by aspect. So, this gained’t be a technical comparability. I am not a “shoot a brick wall and punch approach in” form of purchaser. I am a “does this lens really feel proper within the hand and achieve what I would like” form of man. So, fairly than escape my lab coat, I’d wish to spend a while with every individually and work out how, or if, they’d be an excellent match for my specific wants. And, within the course of, I assumed it is perhaps useful to share a few of these ideas with you in case you’re additionally deciding which of the vast zoom is best for you.
Proper out of the field, I seen one factor that I actually favored concerning the 17-28mm. It was an inner zoom, that means that the entrance barrel doesn’t develop and contract if you zoom. This has nothing to do with picture high quality. However from an ergonomics and climate resistance standpoint, it’s a lot appreciated. Moreover, because the lens weight lends itself to gimbal operation, having the ability to zoom out and in with out unbalancing your rig is a significant profit.
I additionally actually loved the stability of the lens. My outdated 14-24mm f/2.8mm for the F mount was a tank of a lens. It was fabulous. However, at 1,000 grams, you knew you had been carrying it. This 17-28mm f/2.8 solely is available in at 450 grams (versus 650 grams for the Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S). Connected to the entrance of a Z 7II, your entire bundle made for a really snug carry. So snug, in actual fact, that I discovered the mixture to be a superb dimension for enjoyable walkabout images. Broad angle lenses are often go-to lenses for landscapes. And I’ll get to that. However within the first weeks of me having the lens, when my beloved Southern California was below assault by a deluge of unusual rain, I primarily used the 17-28mm as a walkabout lens for every day photographs round the home or occasional breaks within the downpour. Because the climate cleared, it grew to become evident that this lens, paired with the Z 7II, would possibly make for a considerably excellent walkabout digital camera bundle. 28mm being a typical walkabout focal size. Then, utilizing the DX crop on the digital camera, punching in to roughly 42mm would convey me near my favored 40mm focal size for common road images. Whereas, on the identical time, providing you with a 17mm full body choice for when you end up in a tightly packed museum or historic location when on trip.
For vloggers within the viewers, I discovered that the 17-28mm vary is extremely helpful for arms-length self-recording. This is able to be actually helpful for a journey content material creator who wants to absorb the wonders of town whereas additionally flipping the digital camera round on themselves.
In fact, the principle use of this lens can be for taking pictures landscapes. I’m not a devoted panorama photographer. However after I do placed on a large angle zoom, what I’m personally on the lookout for is a little bit of dynamism that the focal vary gives to the atmosphere, whether or not that be a panorama or an environmental portrait. How does the inherent curvature of a large angle area of view improve a body? Past merely whether or not or not you possibly can bodily match the scene into the body, judging probably the most fascinating focal size is a subjective factor for every photographer. 17mm simply feels completely different than 28mm, which feels completely different than 50mm or 200mm and so forth. After I go for a large angle zoom, it’s often much less as a result of I can’t get far sufficient again and extra seemingly as a result of I’m actively making an attempt to convey a sure temper. So, the query I requested was whether or not or not the 17-28mm vary can be vast sufficient to present me that wow issue when the event referred to as for it. Whereas many photographers will completely want the additional width that comes with a standard 14-24mm (you understand who you’re), I wasn’t delay in any respect by the 17-28mm coming in 3mm narrower, particularly on condition that the lens is available in at half the fee. Once more, I haven’t shot with the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S but, so I don’t imply that as a suggestion of superiority. Reasonably, I discovered that 17mm was lots vast sufficient for my specific wants and thus posed an intriguing worth for my use case.
As a result of I’m each a filmmaker and a photographer. The subsequent query I needed to resolve was whether or not or not the lens would show focus respiration when racking focus from close to to far. With the lens’ small dimension and weight, I can see this as being a really helpful lens for video work, particularly when mounted to a gimbal, so minimized focus respiration can be an absolute should. I used to be completely happy to see that Nikon appears to have continued their newfound custom within the Z household of manufacturing lenses with very minimal respiration. My assessments had been hardly scientific, however when repeatedly racking from objects within the close to foreground to these within the deep background, I used to be unable to search out any situations of jarring shifts in body dimension. And I discovered the main focus respiration on this lens completely appropriate for video work. Maybe a wee bit greater than my prime finish, however 24-70mm f/2.8, however nothing that required me to change my taking pictures strategy. This may also be an excellent second to level out that the lens has a minimal focusing distance of seven.5 inches, which supplies you focusing choices close to to far.
By way of lens sharpness, I’ll return to that matter as soon as I’ve gone by way of an identical train with the opposite two wide-zoom choices from Nikon. However, I can say that there have been no photographs that I took with the 17-28mm that I discovered missing for sharpness. Once more, there are labs experiences which I am positive can provide you a much more numeric reply to the sharpness query. However, in precise apply, I used to be lots proud of picture high quality. I’d really feel greater than snug utilizing this lens with one of many larger decision Nikon our bodies with out concern of shedding element.
Total, I’ve actually loved my time with the lens. Some fundamental findings:
Professionals
- Inner zoom
- Ergonomics
- Light-weight
- Good cost-value proposition
- Minimal focus respiration
Cons
- 17mm versus 14mm on the vast finish
As I proceed my journey to determine which of the Nikon vast zooms is correct for me, I’ll test in once more in a future article. Within the meantime, for individuals who have shot with the 17-28mm, let me know your ideas. How have you ever discovered that the lens suits into your workflow?
