Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S.
Compact S-line wide that punches above its f/1.8 spec. The 24mm Z shooters reach for when the f/1.2 S is overkill.
The Verdict.
Gavler Meta-Score
“The Z system's sensible 24mm: center-sharp wide open, fast and near-silent to focus, fully weather-sealed, and light at 450g — the wide-angle to buy when the f/1.2 S is more lens (and money) than you need. Lab tests flag soft corners at f/1.8 that only firm up by f/4–f/8, so edge-obsessed landscape and astro shooters should stop down or step up; for everyday wide work it punches at its price.”
The Gavler Verdict
Where to Buy.
Prices checked regularly
90-day price history
Price History
Steady at $996 for the entire 90-day tracking window — no increases, no discounts, across 67 tracked days.
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Precision Engineering
Center-Sharp Wide Open
Digital Camera World measured "spectacular sharpness and contrast even at f/1.8," peaking f/2.8–f/5.6; 12 elements in 10 groups with 4 aspherical and 1 ED element.
Smooth, Near-Silent STM AF
Amateur Photographer found the stepping-motor focus "precise and assured," with only a faint whir audible when recording video in quiet rooms.
Weather-Sealed 450g Body
Sealed at every joint and the mount — tested by DCW "during a mighty hailstorm" — yet lighter than half the 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom it can stand in for at 24mm.
Technical Specifications
The Scoreboard
Expert consensus (91) sits just below the community score (92): field reviewers (Digital Camera World, Amateur Photographer) praise the cross-frame sharpness, quiet AF, and weather-sealed handling, while lab-focused OpticalLimits rates it the weakest of the Z f/1.8 primes — soft corners and heavy vignetting wide open until stopped down — and questions the ~$1,000 price. The score reflects a strong real-world lens with a measurable corner caveat.
Cast Your Vote
Do you think Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S deserves the #8 spot in Best Wide-Angle Prime Lenses?
Global Critique
“To its credit, the Nikon Z 24mm delivers spectacular sharpness and contrast even at f/1.8, right across the frame.”
“Just as Nikon promises, the stepping motor delivers smooth, near silent focusing that is precise and assured.”
“Every joint and moving part of the lens's exterior is fitted with a weather-seal... We were glad of these while testing the lens during a mighty hailstorm.”
“Of all the current Nikkor Z f/1.8 primes, this is the weakest... the borders and corners are fairly soft at large apertures. If you want very good sharpness across the whole frame, you need to stop the lens down to the range of f/4 to f/8.”
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