This might be the costliest Z-mount lens yet – and by some margin too – but its performance goes a long way to justifying that price tag. Aside from a couple of aberrations that are relatively easy to rectify, there's impressively little to fault.

Reasonably compact; Smooth; fast and almost silent AF; Stellar sharpness; even at f/2.8; Great build and weather sealing

Vignetting at wider apertures; Barrel and pincushion distortion; Control ring can't be clicked; Built-in raw profile doesn't correct vignetting

Is Nikon’s first professional zoom for the Z-series a success? Michael Topham pairs it with the Nikon Z 7 to find out

We’d still recommend the Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 lens for enthusiasts and travel photographers purely for its size and affordability, but for professionals and experts the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is a no-brainer. It’s a top quality professional lens at the leading edge of optical performance.

Exceptional resolution; Optical performance generally; Customisable controls; Data display panel

Doesn’t focus as close as the f/4 lens; Expensive (obviously); Size and weight

As a photographer who tends to gravitate toward prime lenses, I was genuinely surprised by the performance of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70 f2.8 S. Nikon’s Z mount mirrorless cameras are still playing catch-up with more established mirrorless systems on the market, particularly in terms of autofocus...

This might be the costliest Z-mount lens yet – and by some margin too – but its performance goes a long way to justifying that price tag. Aside from a couple of aberrations that are relatively easy to rectify, there's impressively little to fault. Handling is great, autofocus is beautifully smooth and fast, and detail is exceptional. What a lens!

Reasonably compact; Smooth, fast and almost silent AF; Stellar sharpness, even at f/2.8; Great build and weather sealing;

Vignetting at wider apertures; Barrel and pincushion distortion; Control ring can't be clicked; Built-in raw profile doesn't correct vignetting

Nikon understands that if it wants to get pros excited about its mirrorless system, it needs to have the lenses to match. So it's no surprise that the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S ($2,299.95), a must-have lens for most working photographers, is an early entry. Nikon's most recent take on the design is an exceptional performer, one of the sharpest 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms we've seen for any system, but it also comes with a premium price—it's one of the most expensive lenses of this type on the market. That doesn't stop it from earning Editors' Choice marks—it's the standard zoom you'll want to pair with your Nikon Z camera for sure. A Very Modern Nikkor The Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 is around the same size and weight as similar lenses for other systems. It measures 4.9 by 3.5 inches (HD), weighs 1.8 pounds, and supports 82mm front filters. If you prefer a smaller, lighter zoom, the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S is probably a better fit. It captures half the light at maximum aperture, but is just 3.5...

The Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is a standard zoom with lens outstanding optical performance and a pro-grade build.

Very sharp; Minimal distortion; 1:4.5 macro magnification; Weather protection and fluorine coat; Programmable control button; Quick, silent autofocus

Visible vignette; Sensitive control ring; Telescoping design; Pricey

The Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S is an all-rounder fast zoom for Nikon's mirrorless system. With a versatile focal length range and a fast aperture for low light photography and blurry backgrounds, this lens provides sharp imagery with smooth bokeh and without distracting color fringing from chromatic aberrations. Autofocus isn't as speedy as its peers, and slightly defocused subjects can be a bit busy, but the overall performance can't be argued with.

Landscape, portrait, wedding, low light, travel photographers;

Videographers looking for linear focus response, or action and candid photographers looking for the fastest autofocus performance;

For many serious photographers, the zoom range of 24-70mm f/2.8 is a must-have. Thankfully, this exotic Nikkor is worth every penny, if you need what it offers.

Unparalleled image quality, Flagship-grade durability, Good portability & great handling, Numerous unique features, Reliable autofocus & manual focus performance, Good value, if you need what it offers

Big investment if you don't use 24-70mm often, Uncompromising image quality means slightly larger & heavier than no-frills alternatives

Nikon user for over 45 years. I decided to plunge into a zoom lens, and glad I did. I've had it 4 months now, taken about 800 pictures. Hard to describe the sharpness and detail this lens provides. It's fast, quiet, and super sharp into the corners.

Our summary is going to be exceptionally short because there is nothing to go on at length about. After all, the results of the tested lens are clear enough. Overall it's nice that professionals who have decided to enter the Nikon Z system finally have a tool every self-respecting system should...

solid and sealed barrel,, excellent image quality in the frame centre,, good image quality on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor,, sensible image quality on the edge of full frame,, moderate longitudinal chromatic aberration,, good correction of lateral chromatic aberration,, slight vignetting on the...

high vignetting level on full frame and across the whole range of focal lengths to boot,, some problems with spherical aberration in the middle of the focal lengths range,, distortion could have been lower.