The Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S is so good, I’m pleading with you – stop buying the Z 24-70mm f/4 S!

If ever there was one Nikon lens to rule them all, the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S would be top of my list. It’s not the most versatile Nikon Z lens out there, but I think it offers the best balance between image quality, portability, and versatility.

The Nikon 24-120mm is so sharp that it essentially matches the performance of the Nikon Z 24-70 f/4 S, while offering a further 50mm of headroom. Which begs the question, why would anybody bother with the latter? Extra portability and budget (although prices aren't that different) are the only viable answers.

The Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S isn't particularly compact for its focal length, weighing in at 630g and measuring 84 x 118mm (3.4 x 4.7in), but it’s inherently a lot smaller than the Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR and Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR. And that’s important to me.

The Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR is a fantastic lens that boasts excellent image quality. But versatility isn’t the be-all and end-all. A versatile lens is only worth it if you’re prepared to live with it on a regular basis – and that’s where I think the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S shines.

It’s small enough that it can live on your Z-series camera, whether you’re going on a photo walk, an outing, or travelling.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a pocketable, everyday lens in the same vein as a pancake or a miniature zoom like the Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3. But if you want a versatile zoom range that can cover landscapes, street, architecture, close-ups and portraits – not to mention low-budget videography (there’s next to no focus breathing) – this is an exemplary optic.

If I had to choose one discipline where I think it excels above all else, it’s landscape photography. I’ve known professional landscape photographers to use this lens.

The f/4 aperture is more than wide enough for most landscape applications, bar astrophotography, and the image quality – although not quite what you’d expect from a Z-series trinity standard zoom – is good enough, even for professional use.

Add to that the small footprint and the ability to crop into the scene with that 24-120mm zoom range and this is an outstanding landscape companion. Mind you, so is the Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, if you anticipate yourself needing even more reach.

Oh, and the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S is great value, too. It retails for $1,149.95 / £1,049, and at the time of writing it’s actually on sale for $999.95 / £799, with used prices quite a bit lower. And of course, it can be bundled as a kit lens with many Nikon cameras.

So there you have it, the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S, a lens so good, it made the already fantastic Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S almost redundant.

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