Great image quality, practically silent autofocus and a relatively compact design make this a winning option for Z-series users. The f/4 maximum aperture may rule it out for some, but a fine balance has been struck for those who need something as powerful as it is practical.

Very compact considering its focal range; AF is practically silent; Built-in corrections banish distortions effectively; Flat front element easy to clean;

Collapsible barrel not always ideal; Slightly soft corners wide-open at 14mm; Not possible to click declicked Control Ring; Not cheap for an f/4 lens

Photographers used to hulking ultra-wide zoom lenses for SLRs might be surprised when they pick up the Nikon Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S ($1,299.95). It's almost as small as a basic starter kit lens for an APS-C camera, but it covers a full-frame sensor, and houses premium optics in its svelte barrel. You'll have to reach for adapted lenses to find alternative zooms for your Nikon Z camera, but most photographers shouldn't have to—the 14-30mm is an excellent lens, priced in line with competing models, and an Editors' Choice winner. The Compact Ultra-Wide At just 3.4 by 3.5 inches (HD) when retracted, the Nikkor Z 14-30mm is one of the smallest ultra-wide zooms we've seen for any system. It's more than an inch shorter than the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G (4.6 by 3.4 inches), and much smaller than similar lenses for SLRs, like the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art (5.2 by 4.0 inches). The Sigma is also notably heavier—it's 2.5 pounds, while the Nikon weighs in at 1.1 pound. That's a big disparity...

The Nikon Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens captures epic wide-angle views with crisp details and minimal distortion.

Crisp optics with minimal distortion; Light and compact; Dust, splash, and fluorine protection; Front filter support; Quick, silent autofocus

Sensitive control ring; Noticeable vignette

Our overall assessment is positive because the Nikkor Z 14–30 mm f/4 S performs exactly as it should – in the 14-22 mm focal lenghts range you are able to take photographs which are sharp across the frame.

shapely and handy casing for offered parameters,, good image quality in the frame centre,, sensible image quality on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor,, moderate longitudinal chromatic aberration,, slight vignetting on the APS-C/DX sensor,, lack of any serious coma problems,, good performance against...

a lot of problems with distortion on RAW files,, huge vignetting on full frame,, weaker image quality on the edge of the frame at the 30 mm focal length,, too hight astigmatism,, a bit too high lateral chromatic aberration at the 14 mm focal length.

We review Nikon's ultra-wide-angle zoom for Z-mount cameras

The Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S is not the fastest lens, sure, but it's lightweight, small, gives super image quality, and is just the thing that may tempt new mirrorless users over to Nikon's side. Nikon's lens roadmap for the Z series just got interesting.

Superb image quality in all respects, Compact, lightweight, retractable design, Filters can be attached to front

Modest f/4 aperture rating, No in-lens focus distance scale, No VR, Similar price to f/2.8 Sigma and Tamron wide zooms

Click HERE to view our NIKKOR Z 14-30mm F/4 S Sample Image Gallery! The Nikkor Z 14-30mm F/4 S is a fantastic lens, period. It may have its shortcomings -- softening at the corners, and signs of ghosting, flare and vignetting-- but let’s face it, there’s no such thing as a perfect lens.

Light, compact and retractable Filter-attachable Center sharpness Impressive chromatic aberration correction Dual Detect 5 Axis VR image stabilization Constant aperture Dust and moisture sealing Customizable control ring

Soft corners Ghosting and flare reduction not as good Some vignetting A tad pricey

For reasons that this review hopefully makes clear, the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens is one of the more controversial Z lenses to date. At its best, it’s excellent – somehow cramming a filter thread, a class-leading zoom range, and top-of-the-line performance into a seriously portable package.

If you’ve used the AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S seems like a baby of a lens in comparison. However, it has a greater zoom range and it’s easier to use with filters. Its collapsible design also makes it a little more portable than it might otherwise be.

The Nikon Z 14-30mm f4.0 S is a compact ultra-wide angle zoom designed for Nikon’s full-frame Z-series mirrorless cameras. Like the standard f4.0 Z zoom, the Z 14-30mm f4.0 S employs a retracting mechanism to reduce its size when not in use and also features weather-sealing.

Small and light., Good to very good resolution., Takes 82mm filters., No longitudinal color aberrations., Very good resistance against flare, glare, and ghosting., Low vignetting and minimal distortions (through lens profile)., Extensive weather sealing plus fluorine coating against moist and dust.

‘Only’ f4.0 focal ratio and limited Bokeh., FX-corner at 14mm a bit soft., Both of my copies showed varying degrees of decentering., On both of my copies: DX-corner at 24mm and 30mm less sharp than MTF chart suggests, On my 2nd copy: More focus misses than I had with other Z lenses.

There’s a huge amount to like about the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens, and we can see it being extremely popular with Nikon Z owners. The fact that the comparable lenses from the existing Nikon F mount line-up are so much larger makes it even more appealing - saving users from having to use a huge and...