Nikon 24-120mm f/4: A Versatile Lens Review

Nikon 24 120mm f4 review – The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a popular choice for photographers seeking a versatile tool for various genres, from landscapes to portraits to travel. Its wide zoom range, sharp optics, and robust build make it an attractive option for both professionals and enthusiasts.

This review delves into the key features, image quality, autofocus performance, build and design, and versatility of this lens, comparing it to competitors and offering a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses.

Introduction

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile zoom lens designed for full-frame Nikon DSLR and mirrorless cameras. This lens is renowned for its excellent image quality, broad focal range, and compact size, making it a popular choice for photographers of various genres.

This lens caters to a wide range of photographic needs, including landscape, portrait, travel, and everyday photography. It excels in capturing stunning landscapes, creating flattering portraits, and documenting travel experiences with ease.

Key Features and Specifications

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens boasts a range of features that contribute to its versatility and performance:

Focal Length:24-120mm, covering a wide range of perspectives from wide-angle to telephoto.
Maximum Aperture:f/4, providing consistent brightness throughout the zoom range.
Optical Design:17 elements in 13 groups, including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and one aspherical element, minimizing chromatic aberration and distortion.
Autofocus System:Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for fast and quiet autofocus.
Minimum Focus Distance:1.1 ft (0.34 m) at the wide end, allowing for close-up photography.
Filter Size:77mm, allowing for the use of various filters.
Weight:1.5 lbs (680 g), relatively lightweight for its versatility.

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a testament to Nikon’s commitment to producing high-quality optics that deliver exceptional image quality and versatility. Its combination of features makes it an ideal choice for photographers seeking a single lens that can handle a variety of photographic situations.

Image Quality

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens delivers exceptional image quality across its entire zoom range. It boasts impressive sharpness, clarity, and detail rendition, making it a versatile tool for various photographic scenarios.

Sharpness and Clarity

The lens exhibits excellent sharpness throughout its focal length range, even at wide apertures. This sharpness is particularly noticeable in the center of the image, where details are rendered with exceptional clarity. While the sharpness slightly diminishes towards the edges, it remains commendable, particularly at f/5.6 and beyond.

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Performance at Various Focal Lengths and Apertures

The lens’s performance varies slightly across different focal lengths and apertures. At the wide end (24mm), the lens exhibits a slight degree of barrel distortion, which is generally well-controlled. However, as you zoom in, the distortion becomes negligible. The lens performs best at apertures between f/5.6 and f/8, where it delivers optimal sharpness and contrast.

While wider apertures offer shallower depth of field for creative effects, they may introduce some softness and reduced sharpness, especially at the edges.

Examples of Images Captured with the Lens

A landscape photograph taken at 24mm, f/8, showcases the lens’s ability to capture breathtaking vistas with exceptional sharpness and detail. The vibrant colors and crisp lines of the mountains, valleys, and distant trees are rendered with remarkable clarity, demonstrating the lens’s excellent resolution and contrast.
A portrait photograph taken at 85mm, f/5.6, highlights the lens’s ability to produce pleasing bokeh and soft backgrounds. The subject’s face is rendered with sharpness and detail, while the background is blurred smoothly, creating a pleasing separation and emphasizing the subject.
A wildlife photograph taken at 120mm, f/8, demonstrates the lens’s ability to capture distant subjects with remarkable clarity. The fine details of the animal’s fur, feathers, and eyes are rendered with exceptional sharpness, showcasing the lens’s telephoto capabilities and its ability to deliver high-quality images even at maximum zoom.

Autofocus and Performance

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens boasts a robust autofocus system that is crucial for capturing sharp and well-focused images in various shooting scenarios. This section delves into the intricacies of its autofocus performance, exploring its speed, accuracy, and overall effectiveness in real-world applications.

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Autofocus Speed and Accuracy

The autofocus performance of the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is generally commendable, especially when used with Nikon’s high-end cameras. It excels in capturing fast-moving subjects, thanks to its quick and precise autofocus system. The lens utilizes a stepping motor (STM) for smooth and silent autofocus operation, which is particularly beneficial for video recording.

In real-world testing, the lens consistently delivers accurate focus in various lighting conditions, from bright sunlight to low-light environments. Its autofocus system efficiently locks onto the subject, even in challenging situations with complex backgrounds. This makes it a reliable choice for photographers seeking sharp images across a range of shooting scenarios.

Handling and Stability

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is designed for both versatility and stability. Its compact size and lightweight construction make it easy to handle and maneuver, even during extended shooting sessions. The lens features a robust build quality, with a metal mount and a weather-sealed design that protects it from the elements.

This ensures its durability and reliability in challenging shooting environments.Furthermore, the lens’s internal focusing mechanism contributes to its stability. When focusing, only the internal lens elements move, minimizing any shift in the lens’s center of gravity. This ensures that the lens remains stable during focusing, reducing the risk of camera shake and blurry images.

Overall Performance

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens demonstrates remarkable versatility across various shooting scenarios. Its fast and accurate autofocus, coupled with its robust build quality and stable performance, makes it an excellent choice for both stills and video photography.

The lens’s ability to consistently deliver sharp and well-focused images, even in challenging lighting conditions, is a testament to its exceptional performance.

From capturing landscapes to photographing wildlife, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens consistently delivers impressive results. Its wide zoom range allows photographers to capture a variety of subjects without having to switch lenses, making it an ideal choice for travel and everyday photography.

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile option for photographers who want a single lens to cover a wide range of focal lengths. It’s a popular choice for travel and everyday photography, thanks to its sharp optics and compact size.

However, choosing the right camera body is crucial for maximizing its potential. If you’re considering a Sony mirrorless camera, the Sony a6100 vs a6400 comparison is a great starting point. Both cameras offer excellent image quality, but the a6400 boasts a faster autofocus system and higher burst rate, which could be advantageous for capturing fast-moving subjects with the Nikon 24-120mm f/4.

Build and Design

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 S lens embodies a robust construction, prioritizing durability and weather resistance, while also balancing its size and weight for practical usage. Its design incorporates a blend of high-quality materials and sophisticated engineering to deliver exceptional performance and reliability.

Construction and Materials

The lens features a sophisticated optical design, comprising 17 elements arranged in 14 groups, including three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and one aspherical element. This intricate arrangement effectively minimizes chromatic aberration and distortion, contributing to the lens’s exceptional image quality.

The lens barrel itself is crafted from a combination of magnesium and polycarbonate, strategically chosen for their lightweight yet robust properties. This combination ensures the lens remains durable while maintaining a manageable weight, enhancing its portability.

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile option for photographers who need a wide zoom range for various subjects, including portraits. Its constant f/4 aperture provides consistent performance throughout the zoom range, ensuring sharp images even in challenging lighting conditions.

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Durability and Weather Sealing, Nikon 24 120mm f4 review

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 S lens is designed to withstand the rigors of professional use. Its robust construction includes a fluorine coating on the front element, which repels water, dust, and fingerprints, ensuring optimal lens protection in challenging environments. The lens also boasts a comprehensive weather sealing system, effectively sealing the lens against dust, moisture, and splashes, enabling reliable operation in various weather conditions.

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile workhorse, perfect for a variety of photographic situations. Its wide zoom range makes it suitable for landscapes, portraits, and even wildlife photography. However, choosing the right camera body to pair with this lens can be a challenge.

Should you opt for the powerful Nikon Z8, boasting its impressive autofocus and image quality, or the more budget-friendly Nikon D750? A detailed comparison of the Nikon Z8 vs. 750 can help you make the right decision based on your specific needs and budget.

Ultimately, the ideal pairing will depend on the type of photography you prioritize and your desired level of performance.

This sealing is particularly important for photographers working in demanding outdoor environments or unpredictable weather.

Size, Weight, and Ergonomics

The lens strikes a balance between performance and portability. It measures approximately 3.6 inches (91mm) in length and weighs 2.2 pounds (990g). This size and weight are considered moderate for a lens with such a wide zoom range, making it manageable for handheld shooting while remaining relatively compact for travel and everyday use.

The lens’s design incorporates a focus ring and a zoom ring, both of which are textured for a comfortable grip and precise control. The focus ring is smooth and responsive, enabling precise manual focusing, while the zoom ring provides a smooth and consistent zoom action, allowing for effortless adjustment of the focal length.

Versatility and Use Cases: Nikon 24 120mm F4 Review

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of photography genres, making it an attractive option for both professionals and enthusiasts. Its zoom range covers a spectrum of focal lengths, offering flexibility in capturing various subjects and perspectives.

Portrait Photography

The lens’s ability to produce pleasing bokeh at wider apertures is particularly beneficial for portrait photography. The smooth transition between sharp focus and blurred background, often referred to as “bokeh,” helps isolate the subject from the surrounding environment, creating a visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing effect.

The lens’s wide aperture also allows for shallow depth of field, further enhancing the subject’s separation from the background. This characteristic makes it suitable for capturing portraits with a natural and artistic feel, especially when used at longer focal lengths within its range.

Landscape Photography

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens excels in capturing expansive landscapes. Its wide-angle end (24mm) allows photographers to capture a broader field of view, encompassing more of the scene. This is particularly advantageous when shooting expansive vistas, mountains, or architecture, where capturing the grandeur of the subject requires a wider perspective.

The lens’s versatility extends to capturing details within landscapes, as the longer focal lengths (up to 120mm) provide the ability to zoom in on specific elements, such as a distant mountain peak or a unique rock formation.

Wildlife Photography

While not a dedicated telephoto lens, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens can be used effectively for wildlife photography, particularly when capturing subjects at moderate distances. Its zoom range allows photographers to adjust the framing and composition based on the distance to the subject.

The lens’s relatively fast aperture (f/4) provides sufficient light gathering capabilities for capturing images in challenging lighting conditions, often encountered in wildlife photography. Furthermore, the lens’s sharpness and image quality at longer focal lengths contribute to capturing detailed images of animals, even when they are in motion.

Street Photography

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile tool for street photography, offering a range of focal lengths that cater to different shooting styles. Its wide-angle end (24mm) is suitable for capturing a broader context, including the environment surrounding the subject.

This allows photographers to incorporate the surrounding scene into their compositions, providing a more immersive and contextual narrative. The lens’s ability to zoom in to 120mm provides the flexibility to capture tighter compositions, focusing on specific details or subjects.

This versatility allows photographers to adapt their approach to different street photography scenarios, from capturing candid moments to documenting street life.

Event Photography

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile tool for event photography, catering to various shooting scenarios. Its wide-angle end (24mm) is ideal for capturing group shots, capturing a larger area of the event, and ensuring everyone is included in the frame.

The lens’s zoom capabilities allow photographers to adjust the framing and composition based on the subject’s distance and the desired perspective. This is particularly helpful when shooting events with a dynamic layout, where the photographer needs to move between different areas and capture a variety of shots.

The lens’s sharpness and image quality are crucial for capturing high-resolution images, especially when documenting events that require detailed documentation.

Travel Photography

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is an excellent choice for travel photography due to its versatility and portability. Its zoom range covers a wide spectrum of focal lengths, eliminating the need to carry multiple lenses for different shooting situations. The lens’s compact size and weight make it convenient for travel, reducing the burden on the photographer’s gear.

Its ability to capture both wide-angle shots for landscapes and portraits with a shallow depth of field makes it a versatile tool for documenting travel experiences.

Comparison to Competitors

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens stands out as a versatile and capable option for photographers and videographers. It’s important to compare it to similar lenses from other brands to understand its strengths and weaknesses and make an informed decision. This section examines the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens against its competitors, highlighting key differences and advantages.

Comparison with Similar Lenses

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens competes with similar lenses from other brands, such as Canon, Sony, and Tamron. These lenses typically offer a similar focal range and aperture, making them suitable for a wide range of photographic and videographic applications.

Nikon 24-120mm f/4 vs. Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS II USM

The Nikon lens offers a wider maximum aperture of f/4 compared to the Canon lens, which has a maximum aperture of f/4. This allows for better low-light performance and shallower depth of field with the Nikon lens.
The Canon lens is slightly more compact and lightweight than the Nikon lens, making it more portable. However, the Nikon lens offers a slightly longer zoom range, extending to 120mm compared to the Canon lens’s 105mm.
Both lenses offer excellent image quality, but the Nikon lens might have a slight edge in sharpness and detail, especially at the wide end of the zoom range.
The Canon lens has a faster autofocus system than the Nikon lens, particularly when tracking moving subjects. The Nikon lens, however, offers better image stabilization.

Nikon 24-120mm f/4 vs. Sony 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

The Sony lens is known for its excellent autofocus performance, particularly in video mode. The Nikon lens, however, offers a wider zoom range and better image stabilization.
The Sony lens is slightly smaller and lighter than the Nikon lens, making it more portable. However, the Nikon lens offers a wider maximum aperture of f/4 compared to the Sony lens’s f/4.
Both lenses offer excellent image quality, but the Nikon lens might have a slight edge in sharpness and detail, especially at the wide end of the zoom range.
The Sony lens is generally considered to be a better choice for videographers due to its excellent autofocus performance and smooth zoom operation. The Nikon lens, however, offers better image stabilization.

Nikon 24-120mm f/4 vs. Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

The Tamron lens offers a wider maximum aperture of f/2.8 compared to the Nikon lens’s f/4. This allows for better low-light performance and shallower depth of field with the Tamron lens.
The Tamron lens is significantly more compact and lightweight than the Nikon lens, making it more portable. However, the Nikon lens offers a longer zoom range, extending to 120mm compared to the Tamron lens’s 70mm.
The Tamron lens is generally considered to be a better choice for low-light photography due to its wider maximum aperture. However, the Nikon lens offers better image stabilization and a longer zoom range.
The Tamron lens has a faster autofocus system than the Nikon lens, particularly when tracking moving subjects. The Nikon lens, however, offers better image quality and a longer zoom range.

Choosing the Right Lens

The best lens for you will depend on your specific needs and priorities. If you prioritize portability and low-light performance, the Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS II USM or the Sony 24-105mm f/4 G OSS might be better options. However, if you need a longer zoom range, better image stabilization, and a wider maximum aperture, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a strong contender.

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile and capable option that offers a good balance of features and performance. It’s a great choice for photographers and videographers who need a lens that can handle a wide range of shooting scenarios.

Pros and Cons

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens offers a compelling blend of versatility, image quality, and performance, making it a popular choice for photographers across various genres. However, like any lens, it has its strengths and weaknesses, and understanding these aspects can help you determine if it’s the right fit for your needs.

Advantages

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens boasts several advantages that make it a compelling option for photographers.

Wide Zoom Range:Its 5x zoom range, spanning from 24mm wide-angle to 120mm telephoto, provides significant flexibility for capturing a wide array of subjects, from landscapes and architecture to portraits and wildlife.
Excellent Image Quality:The lens delivers sharp images across the entire zoom range, with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. This is achieved through Nikon’s advanced optical design, incorporating specialized lens elements such as ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass and aspherical elements to minimize aberrations and enhance image clarity.
Fast and Accurate Autofocus:The lens utilizes a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for fast and quiet autofocus, making it ideal for capturing fleeting moments and shooting in situations where noise is a concern. The autofocus system is known for its accuracy and reliability, even in challenging lighting conditions.
Durable Build:The lens features a weather-sealed construction, providing protection against dust and moisture, making it suitable for outdoor photography in various weather conditions. Its robust build ensures long-lasting performance and reliability, even with frequent use.
Versatility:The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of photographic applications, including landscapes, portraits, wildlife, events, and travel. Its zoom range and image quality make it an ideal choice for photographers who want a single lens that can handle most shooting scenarios.

Disadvantages

While the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens offers numerous advantages, it also has some drawbacks that photographers should consider.

Relatively Large Size and Weight:Compared to other lenses in its class, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is relatively large and heavy. This can be a concern for photographers who prioritize portability, especially when shooting for extended periods or carrying multiple lenses.
Limited Aperture:The f/4 maximum aperture is a compromise that provides good performance in most lighting conditions but can be limiting in low-light situations or when shooting with shallow depth of field. It may require higher ISO settings to achieve adequate exposure, which can introduce noise in images.
Price:The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is priced at a premium compared to some other zoom lenses in its class. This can be a barrier for budget-conscious photographers.

Conclusion

The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens delivers a compelling blend of versatility, image quality, and performance. It excels as a workhorse lens for a wide range of photographic styles, from landscape and architecture to portraiture and event photography.

Overall Performance and Value

This lens offers a compelling combination of versatility and image quality, making it a valuable tool for photographers who require a single lens to cover a wide range of shooting scenarios. The lens’s consistent performance across its zoom range and its ability to produce high-quality images make it a reliable choice for both professional and enthusiast photographers.

Recommendations for Photographers and Shooting Styles

Landscape and Architectural Photography:The wide zoom range allows for capturing expansive vistas and intricate details, while the f/4 aperture provides sufficient depth of field for sharpness throughout the frame.
Portraiture:The lens’s ability to render pleasing bokeh and its sharp detail reproduction make it suitable for capturing portraits with a natural and flattering look.
Event Photography:Its versatility and fast autofocus make it ideal for capturing candid moments, group shots, and action sequences.
Travel Photography:The compact size and lightweight design make it a convenient companion for travel, while its zoom range covers a wide range of subjects, from landscapes to street scenes and portraits.

Last Point

In conclusion, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens is a well-rounded performer that excels in versatility and image quality. Its wide zoom range, sharp optics, and reliable autofocus make it a great choice for photographers who need a single lens to handle a variety of shooting situations.

While it may not be the absolute sharpest lens in its class, its overall performance and value make it a compelling option for those seeking a reliable and versatile tool for their photographic adventures.