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The Best Zoom Range
The new Nikkor-Z 24β70mm Ζ/2.8 II
I noticed that Nikon has (pick one) revamped, refreshed, restored, and renewed its mainstream mid-range zoom for the Z System, the bread-and-butter 24β70mm. The main difference is that the new lens has internal zooming, for the first time ever, according to Nikon, in a lens of this spec. Its length is about mid-way between the lengths of the older lens when extended and not extended. The lens has apparently inspired Nikon to poetry: the automatic focusing is effected by a new tech called "Silky Swift" VCM (voice coil motor). Nikon says the SSVCM AF is the fastest in its history. Which is cool. Although I'm not sure how significant that will be if it's only a tiny bit faster than the old lensβI've used several other alleged fastest-evers over the years and generally it wasn't something I would have noticed if they hadn't told me about it. The idea of it is the most attractive part. You'd have to use both to see if you notice it. The internal focusing and zooming, though, has a real practical effectβit means the lens won't suck in dust, and it enables the lens to be better sealed against moisture. Nikon also says the lens won't change its balance as its settings are changed when used in video rigs and so forth, although I don't know how significant that can be either. The new lens is optimized in several ways for video, because that's the age we're in. It costs $2,800, which for a normal zoom of top quality sounds both crazy and is also probably to be expected. Nikon also says it's the lightest lens in its class at a pound and a half.Β
Longtime readers might be getting a mite suspicious at my tone, because they remember that I'm not the world's biggest fan of zoom lenses in general. I admit to that. But I've used a lot of them, of course, over many years. And what this makes me think is, yes, the lens does sound like it's really been improved, even over its excellent predecessor, and that's mighty appealing on its face; who doesn't hanker for the best?
But wait. Do you really want a lens of this range in the first place? I had to think about that for a minute.
I've found that, for myself, a zoom lens is more useful if it goes longer. And, I don't need it to be so wide. One of my early zoom lenses for 35mm film, also a Nikkor, was, if memory serves, a 35β105mm. That was a better range for me. When I bought my first DSLR in 2006, it came with a 28β75mm Tamron-built, Minolta-branded zoom that I used as my only lens until the camera brokeβon "cropped sensor," as they called APS-C sized chips at the time, it was a 42β112mm equivalent. And it was an eye-opener for me, because, even with the near-normal short end, the longer long end was really nice to have, and quite useful even for a guy who's never been that much into telephoto shooting. I of course intended to exchange that lens for a "better" one even as I bought the camera, but in fact I never did. It was a nice-looking lens with good performance, and I was satisfied with the range. You can still buy a descendant of that very lens today.Β
A 70mm focal length on the long end just doesn't do it, IMHO. It makes any zoom lens feel like half a zoom. It's not useful enough for enough things. Yes, you can kinda press it into service as a portrait focal length, replacing an 85mm or 90mm, but even so it's not ideal, and I've usually always had a prime for my short tele because it's an important lens to me.Β
What would be your ideal focal length range for a zoom lens? Definitely taking into account things like probable cost and weight. All in all, I'd rather have a zoom with a longer focal length on both ends, and then fill in with a prime ultrawide at the wide end. Like, say, a 35β110mm zoom with a 21mm prime in the bag. That would do best for me.
Your zooming may vary.
Mike
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