Verdict

The Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 performed very well in almost all of my tests regarding contrast (even under adverse contra-light situations), focus speed and reliability, colour aberrations, and coma. Up to 70mm focal length sharpness of the zoom lens is good to very good with very even performance across the full-frame at 70mm. Further towards the long end the lens loses a bit of acuity.

What’s not to like, apart from the lens hood being sold separately rather than being included in the box? Well, a major drawback is the slow focal ratio: The lens might start with f4.0 at the short end, but quickly becomes darker when zoomed in, losing almost two stops at 105mm. This also results in a meagre Bokeh. Close-up shots are soft outside the center and need a lot of stopping down to expand the area of good resolution. And the lens is not parfocal, but this is not a problem when you focus at the intended focal length or use continuous AF.

Let’s put this into perspective and have a closer look at how the Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 compares to other mid-range zoom lenses.

Three mid-range zoom lenses

Above (from left to right): Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 S, Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1, Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III

Compared to Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 S

Nikon’s Z 24-120mm f4 S has the advantage of a constant f4.0 focal ratio resulting in almost two stops better light gathering power at the long end – and a better Bokeh. Then there is the slightly longer reach of 120mm vs. 105mm, but this is certainly not a decisive difference. The lens also comes with a dedicated focus ring, a lens function button, and has the lens hood included in the box. Optically the Z 24-120mm f4 S is sharper at the long end. But the constant f4.0 focal ratio has to be paid for: The Z 24-120mm f4 S is 280g heavier and around 400 EUR/USD/300 GBP more expensive than the Z 24-105mm f4-7.1.

For more details see my Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 S review where the lens came Highly Recommended.

Compared to Nikon Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR

The Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR offers a huge 8.3x zoom range and renders subjects almost 2x larger at the long end than the Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 when shot from the same distance. So it’s much more flexible when you want to capture far away scenes or details of subjects you can’t get closer. And the VR offers a very effective image stabilization at the long end. Optical performance is very decent but falls behind the Z 24-105mm f4-7.1. And the huge zoom range makes the Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR 215g heavier and around 200 EUR/USD/100 GBP more expensive than the Z 24-105mm f4-7.1.

For more details see my Nikon Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR review where the lens came Recommended.

Compared to Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD

With a constant focal ratio of f2.0 the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD offers two to (almost) four times the light gathering power than the Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1. Which lets you shoot under low-light conditions at say ISO 800 instead of ISO 10000 at the long end – and produce much better background isolation plus a nice Bokeh. Its biggest disadvantage is the wide end starting at 35mm instead of 24mm. This results in a 21 degrees narrower angle of view at the short end (63 vs. 84 degrees) which makes a marked difference and cannot always be compensated for by stepping further back. The Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III is also 221g heavier and around 400 EUR/USD/300 GBP more expensive than the Z 24-105mm f4-7.1.

For more details see my Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III review where the lens came Recommended.

Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 final verdict

Nikon added a compact and very lightweight alternativ to their line of convenience zooms: The Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 is a lens with good to very good optical properties which covers a good range from wide angle to moderate telephoto with its 4.4x zoom. It’s fully weather sealed and offers a very nice 1:1.9 magnification for close-ups. Its major limitation is the slow focal ratio encountered when zooming in, which restricts low-light shooting capabilities and results in a meagre Bokeh. And there might be the issue that 105mm is not long enough for your purposes. Still, the new lens is a very interesting alternative for customers looking for a small and very light all-round zoom lens. And its very good price/performance ratio clearly earns it a recommendation.

Good points:

• Good to very good sharpness across the full-frame sensor with a slight softening at 105mm.
• Low price.
• Very light weight.
• Fast and reliable autofocus.
• Good resistance against flare, (veiling) glare, and ghosting.
• Practically no color aberrations or purple fringing.
• Minimal distortions (through lens profile).
• Maximum magnification of 1:1.9.
• Extensive weather sealing.

Bad points:

• Slow focal ratio when zooming in.
• Meagre Bokeh.
• No image stabilization on DX-camera bodies.
• Lens hood sold separately.
• Close-up shots are soft outside the center.
• Lens is not parfocal.

Check prices on the Nikon Z 24-105mm f4-7.1 at B&H, Adorama, WEX UK or Calumet.de. Buy used gear from MPB. Sell your used gear to MPB. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book, an official Cameralabs T-shirt or mug, or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!