Nikon’s latest announcement show that it does care about its DX format shooters, after all. The f/1.7 Nikkor Z DX is a compact, versatile prime lens that should pair well with the Nikon Z30, Zfc, and Z50 APS-C camera bodies for an all-rounder setup, thanks to its 36 mm full-frame equivalent focal length.
Nikon recently announced the Nikkor Z DX 24 mm f/1.7 as the first prime lens for its DX-format APS-C cameras (via Fstoppers). One of the biggest advantages of having a prime lens designed for the APS-C system is that the smaller image circle allows for lighter and more compact lens designs that are more appropriate for the compact DX-format camera bodies.
The Nikkor Z DX 24 mm f/1.7 lens fits the bill as a compact, lightweight lens option for the almost-pocketable Nikon DX cameras, protruding only 40 mm (1.6 inches) off the front of the camera body. It also weighs in at just 138 g (4.8 oz), making it easy to carry about as a versatile everyday lens for street, landscape, and even portrait photography.
Nikon has equipped the Z DX 24 mm f/1.7 lens with silent stepper motors, while the lens consists of nine lens elements in eight groups, with two aspherical elements and 7 aperture diaphragm blades. It has a minimal focus distance of 0.18 m (0.59 ft), while the maximum aperture is f/11. The lens barrel itself is weather-sealed and features the typical customisable control ring for aperture, focus, and compensation controls.
Nikon is launching the Nikkor 24 mm f/1.7 at just US$279.95, making it a pretty convincing option for a walk-around lens that just lives on the camera. Nikon’s closest alternatives to the Nikkor Z DX 24 mm f/1.7 are the diminutive US$499.95 Nikkor Z 26 mm f/2.8 and US$279.95 Nikkor Z 28 mm f/2.8, as well as the massive US$899.95 Nikkor Z 24 mm f/1.8 S, all of which are slower, much bigger, or much more expensive than the new Nikkor Z DX 24 mm f/1.7. Nikon has managed to strike an impressive balance between price, compactness, and speed, for this new Nikkor lens.
Although the other Nikon Z mount prime lenses around the same focal length are certainly competent lenses, none of them are quite as compact, cheap, or fast as the Nikkor Z DX 24 mm f/1.7. As such, Nikon is billing the lens as a content creator lens that will serve for both video and stills work without breaking a sweat. Although, the versatile 36-mm full-frame-equivalent focal length does make it an attractive all-rounder, you might want to consider a lens with Nikon’s VR stabilisation instead, considering none of Nikon’s DX-format cameras come with IBIS.
Buy a Nikon Z50 mirrorless APS-C camera kit with Nikkor Z DX 16-50 mm f/4.5-6.3 lens on Amazon.
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Julian van der Merwe – Magazine Writer – 187 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022
My interest in tech started in high school, rooting and flashing my Motorola Defy, but I really fell down the rabbit hole when I realised I could overclock the i7 930 in my Gigabyte pre-built PC. This tinkering addiction eventually lead me to study product design in university. I think tech should improve the lives of the people using it, no matter the field. I like to read and write about laptops, smartphones, software and trends in technology.
Julian van der Merwe, 2023-06- 1 (Update: 2023-06- 1)
