If you've bought a Nikon interchangeable lens camera – whether it's a Z-mount mirrorless or an F-mount DSLR – you may well have already picked up a kit lens that covers the standard zoom range. But could you be using something better? After all, a standard zoom is the lens that most of use for most of our photography.
The kit lenses you get with a new camera tend to be light and compact and deliver decent image quality, covering all your basic needs when you start taking photos. Indeed, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S is one of my all-time favorite standard zooms, period. However, you might hanker after a faster aperture rating, or additional features and handling extras. That's when it's time to start shopping around.
Some of the best standard zooms have a relatively fast f/2.8 aperture rating, often referred to as 'trinity' zooms, expanding your options in low light and enabling a shallower depth of field, so you can isolate subjects in images by blurring the background. This can be critical in genres like portraiture and still life, where 'faster' lenses come to the fore.
Faster apertures as well as handling exotica like lens-function buttons and additional control rings naturally come at a cost – and not just a financial one. Lenses with wider apertures will be bulkier and heavier than kit lenses, which can be an issue if you're a travel photographer. I've picked standard zoom lenses from across Nikon's entire stable, for Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras and DSLRs. Let's get started!
Best Nikon standard zoom lenses
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Best Z FX
A constant-aperture 24-70mm f/2.8 standard zoom has become a standard fixture in any premium camera manufacturer's lens range. The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens is a spectacular upgrade over the original Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, boasting reduced weight, a fully internal zoom mechanism, a new 'Silky Swift Voice Coil Motor' for incredibly fast and quiet autofocus, and an aperture ring with a 'Click on/off' switch to allow for tactile feedback when shooting stills and smooth transitions in video. While it lacks the OLED display of the first-gen lens, it compensates with two customizable function buttons.
But this lens and its predecessor are not the only options. Nikon's Z-mount cameras first arrived with the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S, which is a lot smaller, around half the price, and a lens I still rate very highly. And if you don't need such a wide angle of view, the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 offers the same constant maximum aperture but in a lighter, cheaper package and the very similar Tamron Z 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD GII if you're happy to buy a non-Nikon-branded lens. For outright optical performance, however, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II reigns supreme.
Read more: Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II review
Best compact Z FX
Tying in perfectly with the slim, lightweight design ethos of Nikon mirrorless cameras from the Z5, Z6 and Z7 series, this standard zoom tips the scales at a mere 500g. It's also nice and small for stowing away, thanks to its retractable design. It certainly doesn’t come up short in terms of image quality, with fabulous sharpness across the entire image frame, throughout the whole zoom range.
Indeed, I was so impressed with the sample of this lens that I got as part of a kit with my original Z6 camera, that I've kept hold of it despite upgrading my camera body three times since then.
Naturally, the widest aperture of f/4 doesn’t deliver such a tight depth of field as a more up-market f/2.8 lens, but defocused areas in scenes look pleasantly soft. In fact, you can focus right down to 0.3m, enabling a 0.3x magnification factor and creating plenty of background blur. Onboard controls are fairly rudimentary but you can alter the action of the manual focus ring for other functions, like stepless aperture control during movie capture.
Read our full Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S review
Budget trinity Z FX
Nikon liked the original version of this lens so much that it made its own version with a Nikon badge on it, the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8. However, the original Tamron lens was never made in Nikon Z-mount, only in Sony E-mount. The ‘Generation 2’ Tamron comes in both flavors and is a significant upgrade. A new optical layout increases resolution and all-around image quality, the autofocus system is twice as fast, there’s more tactile feedback from the zoom and focus rings, and a customizable function button has been added.
That’s all great news, but what made the original Tamron (and Nikon) lens such a hit remains just as attractive in the G2 edition. The fast and constant f/2.8 aperture rating makes this a viable alternative to a ‘trinity’ standard zoom, and while it doesn’t go quite as wide-angle as a 24-70mm lens, you gain marginally more telephoto reach. And the best bit is that it’s comparatively compact, lightweight, and affordable, compared with typical trinity standard zooms.
Read more: Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD G2 review
Long zoom Z FX
Building on bygone popularity, the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S is a mirrorless version of a somewhat classic 5x standard zoom for F-mount DSLRs. It 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-around image quality across the whole frame and throughout the entire zoom range, along with a reasonably compact and lightweight build.
It's the best of the bunch if you prioritize a big zoom range coupled with a fairly fast constant aperture. If not, you’re better off with the retractable, compact, and lightweight 24-70mm f/4 S, which is less expensive to buy.
Read our full Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 review
Best small Z FX
To an extent, making a good lens is all about trade-offs. Making a full-frame lens that's as amazingly light and compact as the Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 is bound to incur some drawbacks in other areas, namely in zoom range and maximum aperture. So, while it makes for an amazingly light travel lens, its 2x zoom range is more restrictive than others in this guide, and the maximum aperture of f/4-6.3 reduces your options in low light, as well as limiting your control over depth of field.
It's an optically solid lens, available at a good price, though whether you need what it's selling is really up to you. If you can see a use for a lens with these vital statistics, then the Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 will not let you down. However, many photographers may find themselves chafing against its limitations.
Read our full Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 review
Best budget Z FX
Nikon has a fair few standard zooms in its roster, but I reckon the Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 budget-friendly alternative to Nikon’s more expensive S-line zooms offers great bang-for-buck. Weighing just 350g (12.4oz) and measuring 107mm when retracted, it is the ideal everyday lens for day-long excursions or travel where weight is a primary concern.
The compact design comes with a couple of trade-offs: it lacks an AF/M physical switch and has a slow f/7.1 maximum aperture at the telephoto end. Despite the pedestrian aperture rating, the lens offers a unique 0.5x 'half-macro' magnification ratio that is particularly effective between the 70mm and 105mm focal lengths, allowing for creative close-up photography that typical kit lenses cannot achieve. The autofocus, powered by a linear stepping motor (STM), is quick and nearly silent, making it suitable for both stills and video.
At roughly half the price of the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S, it makes full-frame photography more accessible. While it struggles in low light due to the f/7.1 aperture, its sharpness, macro capabilities, and extreme portability make it a compelling choice for hikers, travelers, and entry-level full-frame users. Ultimately, it is a lens that sacrifices speed for convenience and cost without compromising on essential image quality.
Read more: Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 review
Best Z DX
I’ve been using the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR kit zoom lens for a few years now and loving it… mostly. It’s unfeasibly small and lightweight, but there are two very good reasons for that. It has a retractable design and a slow aperture of f/6.3 at the long end of its zoom range. This newer, more up-market lens has the same zoom range but a constant f/2.8 aperture, while still retaining VR (Vibration Reduction). That’s good news, as at the time of writing this buying guide, there were no DX-format Nikon Z system cameras on the horizon.
The f/2.8 lens is naturally bigger and heavier than its f/3.5-6.3 counterpart, but it’s still pretty compact and lightweight, while being relatively robust with a metal, weather-sealed mounting plate and premium quality feel. It lacks quick-access switches for A/M focus modes and VR on/off, but overall, it’s the best standard zoom for Nikon Z DX cameras. Image quality and all-round performance are highly impressive, with good sharpness right out to the edges and corners.
Read our full Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR review
Best compact Z DX
Developed specifically for DX-sensor APS-C format Z-series mirrorless cameras, this lens is suitably compact and lightweight, weighing in at just 135g. It has a retractable design, enabling it to shrink down to just 32mm in length for stowage, so it’s eminently travel-friendly. One of the weight-saving measures is that the lens has a plastic rather than a metal mounting plate, and there are no weather seals, but the build quality feels pretty solid overall.
Given that the aperture rating narrows to a ‘slow’ f/6.3 at the long end of the zoom range, and that all Nikon DX Z-series cameras to date have no in-body stabilization, the 4.5-stop optical VR is a very welcome inclusion. This little lens punches above its weight for image quality, with impressive sharpness throughout the entire zoom range, even when shooting wide-open.
Read our full Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR review
Best F FX
This ‘f/2.8E’ edition of Nikon's original 24-70mm f/2.8G lens is a major revamp. It has an all-new optical layout, even tougher build, and the added attraction of VR, rated at four stops. There are four ED elements in total, plus an HRI (High Refractive Index) element, Nano Crystal Coatings, fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements, and, best of all, an electromagnetically controlled diaphragm. As such, the lens features a host of Nikon’s latest technical innovations, along with quick and whisper-quiet ring-type ultrasonic autofocus.
The electromagnetically controlled diaphragm enables very consistent exposures in rapid-fire continuous shooting. Sharpness and contrast are both excellent, and there’s particularly good resistance to ghosting and flare. However, vignetting is pronounced at wide apertures, and color fringing and distortion can be noticeable.
Read our full Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR review
Long zoom F FX
An upgrade of Nikon’s original 24-120mm VR lens, this has a more effective, later-generation optical stabilizer (rated at up to four stops), and a constant f/4 aperture, instead of it shrinking from f/3.5 to f/5.6 towards the long end of the zoom range. Like most other Nikon F-mount FX lenses, it feels reassuringly well-built and features a rubber weather-seal ring on the mounting plate. Handling is excellent, with smooth operation of the zoom and focus rings.
Optical highlights include two ED elements and Nano Crystal Coating. The autofocus and Mk II VR systems work well, but center-sharpness could be a little better in the longer half of the zoom range. The flip side is that the drop-off in corner sharpness is minimal. Overall image quality is very satisfying.
Read our full Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR review
Lab data and comparisons
The graph below shows the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. Living up to the hype that’s surrounded this lens since before it was even launched, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II rules the roost for sharpness with an incredibly impressive overall score. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is also pretty amazing in terms of sharpness, especially for such a relatively budget-friendly lens.
Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at four different marked focal lengths, from shortest to longest. The same applies to distortion.
Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths, respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.
How we test lenses
We test lenses using both real world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.
