Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Full Frame Ultrawide (2022-)

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

Z9   Z8   Z7 II   Z6 II   Zf   Z7   Z6   Z5   Z fc   Z50   Z30

Z System   Z Lenses   All Nikon Lenses   Flash

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 (67mm filters, 15.9 oz./450g, 0.62'/7½"/0.19m close focus, 0.19× macro ratio, $1,197). bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

 

December 2022   Better Pictures   Nikon   Mirrorless   Mirrorless Lenses   All Nikon Lenses   Nikon Flash   All Reviews

How to Use Ultrawide Lenses

Nikon Z Ultrawides Compared

 

Sample Images       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

More samples throughout this review at Bokeh, Falloff, Macro, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.

These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.

These are all shot hand-held as BASIC ★ JPGs; no tripods, NORMAL or FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed.

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sample Image File

Canary Palm, 11:21 AM, Thursday, 29 November 2022. Z7 II, Z 17-28mm f/2.8 at 24mm wide-open at f/2.8 at 1/640 at Auto 64 (LV 12.9), Radiant Photo software. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

This is shot at f/2.8, where lenses are their softest, and this lens is already ultra sharp corner-to-corner. Of course at f/2.8 very little, like the bottom of the trunk and the more distant fronds, are in focus, but what is in focus is ultra sharp.

 

Please help KenRockwell.com

Introduction       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

LifePixel

The Z 17-28mm f/2.8 is a brilliant lens, very similar to the midrange Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8. They're both a fast f/2.8, cover a useful zoom range, focus super-close, are very light weight and very reasonably priced. They're both winners!

They are light and inexpensive because each covers a less broad zoom range than other f/2.8 lenses. Therefore the optical design becomes much simpler, and thus smaller, lighter and less expensive while preserving the same high sharpness as a 14-24mm f/2.8 or 24-70mm f/2.8. Limiting the wide end of each is the trick; this makes everything much easier for lens designers than trying to make a 14-24mm f/2.8 or 24-70mm f/2.8.

This 17-28mm and the Z 28-75mm f/2.8 are built lighter, with less glass and metal and more plastic than the other more-expensive lenses.

Just turn the focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

What's not to to like? The only downside is that the 17-28mm zoom range is very limited. It almost doesn't feel as if it's zooming at all; even a 20-35mm lens has a larger zoom ratio.

None of Nikon's Z ultrawides have stabilization (VR); they depend on it being in-camera.

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New       intro       top

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Nikon's first lightweight, reasonably priced f/2.8 ultrawide zoom, ever.

 

Good       intro       top

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Internal zooming; nothing external moves as zoomed (the front and rear groups move around, but the outer barrel doesn't move).

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Sharp.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Super-close focusing: 0.62' (7½" or 19 cm) gives a 0.19× macro ratio.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Fast, professional f/2.8.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Stops down to f/22.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Great Sunstars.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Light.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Full-time manual-focus override.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Very reasonably priced.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com HB-107 hood & CL-C1 sack included.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Weather gasketing:

Nikon Z 17-28mm gaskets

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8. bigger.

 

Bad       intro       top

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com No AF/MF switch.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization, but works with in-camera stabilization if you have it.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization switch for in-camera stabilization.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Plastic filter threads and plastic exterior (metal mount).

 

Missing       intro       top

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No AF/MF switch.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization, but works with in-camera stabilization if you have it.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No switch for in-camera Image Stabilization.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No high price.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No regrets, no problems and nothing but great pictures!

 

Compatibility       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

 

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

This lens works only on Nikon's Z-series mirrorless cameras.

It does not so much as even mount on any other camera.

 

Specifications       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

 

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Name       specifications       top

Nikon calls this the NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8:

    NIKKOR: Nikon's brand name for all their lenses.

    Z: For Nikon's mirrorless cameras.

 

It also has:

    AF-P: Stepper (Pulse) autofocus motor: silent and ultra fast.

    Aspherical: Specially curved glass elements for sharper pictures.

    D: Couples distance information to the 3D Matrix Meter.

    ED and Super ED: Magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced secondary chromatic aberration.

    IF: Internal focusing; nothing moves externally as focused.

    ∅67: 67mm filter thread.

 

Optics       specifications       top

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Internal Optical Construction

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 internal optical construction. Aspherical, ED and Super ED elements. bigger.

13 elements in 11 groups.

2 ED extra-low dispersion elements, which helps reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

1 Super ED extra-low dispersion element, which helps reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

3 aspherical elements.

Internal zooming; nothing external moves as zoomed, however the front and rear groups do move around inside the barrel. You can see that looking at the front of the lens: the front elements move about 6 mm (1/8") forward or back as you zoom while the barrel and filter threads don't move. This is a very sturdy design, and with a 67mm filter on the front as I always shoot it keeps the dust out.

Internal focussing; nothing external moves as focused.

Nikon Super Integrated multicoating (SIC).

 

Diaphragm       specifications       top

9 rounded blades.

Electronically actuated.

Stops down to f/22.

 

Filters       specifications       top

Plastic 67mm filter thread.

 

Angle of View       specifications       top

On Full Frame FX

104º ~ 75º diagonal.

 

On APC-S DX

79º ~ 53º diagonal.

See also Crop Factor.

 

Autofocus       specifications       top

Internal focussing.

No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.

 

Focus Scale       specifications       top

No.

Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.

 

Infinity Focus Stop       specifications       top

No.

You have to focus somehow to get precise focus at infinity, just like at every other distance.

 

Depth of Field Scale       specifications       top

No.

Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.

 

Infrared Focus Index       specifications       top

No.

 

Close Focus (distance from subject to image plane)       specifications       top

0.62' (7½" or 0.19 meters) at 17mm.

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio       specifications       top

1:5.3 (0.19 ×).

 

Reproduction Ratio Scale       specifications       top

No.

 

Image Stabilizer       specifications       top

NONE, but works with in-camera stabilization if you have it.

 

Caps       specifications       top

LC-67B 67 mm snap-on front cap and LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap included.

 

Hood       specifications       top

Nikon HB-107 hood

Nikon HB-107 hood. bigger.

HB-107 hood, included.

 

"Case"       specifications       top

Nikon CL-C1 Lens Case

Nikon CL-C1 Lens "Case". bigger.

Nikon claims it includes a case, but it's only a CL-C1 cloth bag.

A tube sock works better.

I love my Think Tank Retrospective bags for carrying this lens with my Z system: the Z 24-200mm, this lens and my SB-400 flash.

 

Size       specifications       top

2.95" ø maximum diameter × 3.98" extension from flange.

75 mm ø maximum diameter × 101 mm extension from flange.

 

Weight       specifications       top

15.9 oz. (450 g).

 

Quality       specifications       top

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Made in China. bigger.

 

Announced       specifications       top

Tuesday, 20 September 2022 at 12:07 AM NYC time.

 

Promised for       specifications       top

Late October 2022.

 

Included       specifications       top

LC-67B 67 mm snap-on front cap.

LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap.

HB-107 hood.

CL-C1 sack.

 

Nikon's Model Number       specifications       top

20115.

 

Price, U. S. A.       specifications       top

December 2022

$1,197 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.

 

September 2022

$1,197 at B&H and at Adorama.

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 box

Box, Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8. bigger.

 

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 box

Box, Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8. bigger.

 

Performance       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Breathing   Bokeh

Distortion   Ergonomics   Falloff   Filters   Flare & Ghosts

Lateral Color Fringes   Lens Corrections   Macro

Mechanics   Sharpness   Spherochromatism

Stabilization   Sunstars

 

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

 

Overall       performance       top

The Z 17-28mm f/2.8 is fast, focusses quickly, is sharp, has little to no distortion, flare or ghosts as shot, has great bokeh and very good sunstars, focuses super-close, is very light weight and reasonably priced. It's a winner!

 

Autofocus       performance       top

Autofocus is fast, as it is in most ultrawides.

The biggest limitation is that Nikon's mirrorless cameras don't autofocus very well, but that's not the lens' fault.

 

Manual Focus       performance       top

Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.

There is no AF/MF switch; you have to set this in a menu.

Just grab the rear focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

Better than any other brand, even if you're in AF-C and grab the manual-focus ring, it just swaps to manual focus instantly and stays in manual focus. Other brands will try to fight you for focus if you're in continuous AF, while this lens just does what you tell it to do. Bravo!

 

Focus Breathing       performance       top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

The image from this lens grows as focussed more closely.

 

Bokeh       performance       top

Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is reasonably good. Backgrounds don't usually distract, but with a lens this wide they rarely get that far out of focus either.

Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the DAVIS logo. Click either for the © camera-original file:

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Bokeh

Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6250 weather station, 11:20 AM, Tuesday, 29 November 2022. Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 at 1/2,500 and 1/3,200at Auto ISO 64 (LV 14.9 and 15.3), Radiant Imaging Software. Click either for the 45 MP camera-original © JPG file (about 4 MB each).

 

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/2.8 at 28mm and get as close as possible. Good luck!

 

Distortion       performance       top

The Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 has no visible distortion as shot with distortion correction activated.

If you turn the correction off, or if you shoot raw data rather than JPG images and whatever software you use to create visible images from raw data doesn't correct the distortion as the camera does, it has the usual moderate barrel distortion at 17mm, no distortion at 20mm and moderate pincushion distortion at 24mm and 28mm

Use these corrections in Photoshop's lens correction filter.

These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.

On Full-Frame at 30' (10m)

Correction factor to use with images made with correction ON in Z7 II

Correction factor with uncorrected images

17mm
+0.40 +3.10**
20mm
+0.40 ±0.00*
24mm
+0.40 -1.80
28mm
+0.40 -2.00

© 2022 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

* Slight waviness remains after this correction.

** More waviness remains after this correction.

 

Ergonomics       performance      

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8.

There's no AF/MF switch; you have to set this in a menu or with a function button and a dial. Boo!!!

There's no switch for in-camera Image Stabilization; you have to set this in a menu if your camera has this.

Otherwise, ergonomics are easy.

The mechanical zoom ring is half the lens, and works great.

The focus ring is electronic and always active, bravo!

 

Falloff       performance       top

Falloff on full frame is invisible.

It won't be an issue at all on DX (see crop factor).

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:

 

Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction at its default of NORMAL.

 
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
17mm
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
28mm
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff

 

© 2022 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

If you go out of your way to turn off the correction and then go looking for it (or if you shoot raw data rather than actual (JPG) images and use software to turn this data into images later and your software doesn't correct this as the camera does), at 17mm there's falloff wide-open and at f/4, some wide-open at 28mm, and pretty much goes away at smaller apertures. These gray-on-gray images exaggerate it:

 

Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction turned OFF.

 
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
17mm
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
28mm
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 falloff

 

© 2022 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Filters, use with       performance       top

Be careful at 17mm; if you have a really thick filter there could be a tiny bit of vignetting; but if so, zoom to 18mm and it goes away. It's no problem at longer focal lengths.

There's no need for extra-thin filters. Standard rotating polarizers and grads should work fine on full frame; just be careful at 17mm.

Avoid polarizers at 17mm; the sky's natural polarization can appear as a dark band in the sky.

 

Flare & Ghosts       performance       top

Flare and ghosts aren't a problem.

See examples at Sunstars.

 

Lateral Color Fringes       performance       top

There are no lateral color fringes as shot on Nikon cameras as JPG, which by default correct for any that may be there.

If you shoot raw data and then use non-manufacturer software to process that data into images then there is the possibility that there might be some.

There is some spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus at large apertures. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.

 

Lens Corrections       performance       top

The Z9, Z7 II, Z6 II, Z7, Z6, and Z5 always correct for lateral color fringes (lateral chromatic aberration). This is part of Nikon's secret sauce and never appears in any menu.

The Z9, Z7 II, Z6 II, Z7, Z6, and Z5 correct for any or all of distortion, diffraction and falloff (vignette control), any of which you may turn ON or OFF.

 

Macro Performance       performance       top

The Z 17-28mm f/2.8 gets very close.

Because it's so wide it may not look that way.

It focuses to within a few inches of the front of the lens, which is as close as you can use because even at a few inches away it's hard not to block your own light.

 

Wide-open at f/2.8

It gets close, and it's reasonably sharp even wide-open:

Nikon Z 17-28mm Macro Performance Sample Image File

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, Tuesday, 29 November 2022. Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z 17-28mm at 28mm at f/2.8 at 1/2,500 at Auto ISO 64 (LV 14.9). bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.2 MB).

 

Nikon Z 17-28mm Macro Performance Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (6.8× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.3 MB).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a large 14 × 21″ (35 × 55 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a huge 27½ × 41¼″ (70 × 105 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a mammoth 55 × 82½″ (1.4 × 2.1 meters) at this same extremely high magnification!

 

At f/8

It's super-sharp at f/8:

Nikon Z 17-28mm Macro Performance Sample Image File

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance,Tuesday, 29 November 2022. Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z 17-28mm at 28mm at f/8 at 1/320 at Auto ISO 64 (LV 15.0). bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.5 MB).

 

Nikon Z 17-28mm Macro Performance Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (6.8× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.5 MB).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a large 14 × 21″ (35 × 55 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a huge 27½ × 41¼″ (70 × 105 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a mammoth 55 × 82½″ (1.4 × 2.1 meters) at this same extremely high magnification!

 

Mechanical Quality       performance       top

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 box

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8. bigger.

It has a metal mount and glass glass, and is otherwise all plastic.

 

Finish

Black plastic.

 

Hood

Plastic bayonet.

 

Front Bumper

None.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Bayonet Mount

Plastic.

 

Gold ED Band

None.

 

Front Barrel Exterior

Plastic.

 

Zoom Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Mid Barrel Exterior

Plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Plastic.

 

Rear Barrel Exterior

Plastic.

 

Identity

Printed around front of lens between zoom ring and filter thread, also "17-28/2.8" printed on top of barrel.

 

Internals

Probably mostly plastic.

 

Dust Gasket at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Dull chromed metal.

 

Markings

Paint.

 

Serial Number

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Serial Number. bigger.

Laser engraved in black-on-black on bottom of barrel.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Minor rattling.

 

Made in

Made in China.

 

Sharpness       performance       top

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sample Image File

Canary Palm, 11:21 AM, Thursday, 29 November 2022. Z7 II, Z 17-28mm f/2.8 at 24mm wide-open at f/2.8 at 1/640 at Auto 64 (LV 12.9), Radiant Photo software. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

As you can see, it's ultra sharp corner to corner. Of course at f/2.8 very little, like the bottom of the trunk and the more distant fronds, are in focus, but what is in focus is ultra sharp.

Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.

If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 or smaller at ISO 1,600 or above at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.

People worry waaaaay too much about lens sharpness. It's not 1968 anymore when lenses often weren't that sharp and there could be significant differences among them; ever since about 2010 all new lenses are all pretty much equally fantastic.

This lens especially is ultra sharp. Use it properly and you'll love the results.

MTF
MTF
MTF at 17mm wide-open at f/2.8.
MTF at 28mm wide-open at f/2.8.

Nikon's MTF charts at 10 cyc/mm and 30 cyc/mm.

 

 

Spherochromatism       performance       top

Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration. It happens mostly in fast normal and tele lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum. Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.

It has moderate cyan/red spherochromatism, but I never saw it anyplace other than this torture test:

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Spherochromatism Sample Image File

Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance at 28mm, Tuesday, 29 November 2022. Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z 17-28mm at 28mm wide-open at f/2.8 at 1/4,000 at Auto ISO 64 (LV 15.6). bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.2 MB JPG).

 

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Spherochromatism Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (6.8× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © file (4.2 MB JPG).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a large 14 × 21″ (35 × 55 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a huge 27½ × 41¼″ (70 × 105 cm) at this same high magnification.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a mammoth 55 × 82½″ (1.4 × 2.1 meters) at this same extremely high magnification!

 

Image Stabilization (VR)       performance       top

This lens has no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS, IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)), but does work with any in-camera stabilization your camera may have.

Be careful; while in-camera stabilization works great in the center, geometry is such that the sides of the sensor would have to move much more than the center as the angle-of-view increases — which of course they can't. Be sure to check your corner sharpness as well as the center if you're trying to shoot at slow shutter speeds handheld.

 

Sunstars       performance       top

With a 9-bladed rounded diaphragm, I get great 18-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light moderate and small apertures.

Ignore the crazy rainbow dots at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by taking a picture directly of the sun and exposing for the dark underside of a huge palm tree, and using that same palm tree to hide the sky to accentuate the stars.

Click any to enlarge:

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Sunstar sample image file

Click any to enlarge.

 

Compared       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

 

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Versus Nikon

See Nikon Z Ultrawides Compared.

 

Versus the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8

This Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 seems like the same lens as the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony E, which sells for just $799!

So what if it's the same lens? Maybe Nikon is producing the design under licence, or maybe Tamron is making them for Nikon. It doesn't matter because:

1.) The Tamron only comes in Sony E mount, so in no way can it replace this Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8.

2.) Even of there was a Nikon mount version of this Tamron lens, off-brand lenses aren't long-term investments. When I buy a camera-brand lens I know it will work on the new cameras (like my Z9) whenever those new cameras come out. It's a crapshoot with off-brands as to whether or not they'll work properly on new camera models in the future. In other words, I doubt Nikon is disclosing to Tamron its plans for future cameras for them to make off-brand lenses, however if it's sold by Nikon, it should be reasonably future proof.

 

Recommendations       top

Sample Images  Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Compatibility   Specifications   Performance

Compared   Recommendations

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

What's not to to like? The only downside is that the 17-28mm zoom range is very limited. It almost doesn't feel as if it's zooming at all; even a 20-35mm lens has a larger zoom ratio.

You may also want to consider the fixed Z 20mm f/1.8, which costs even less and is even faster, but with even less zoom range. Honestly when you shoot with the 17-28mm versus the fixed 20mm, the 17-28 doesn't zoom that far away from 20mm. If you need speed, go for the Z 20mm f/1.8, and if you want speed in a lightweight zoom, God bless Nikon for giving us this choice as well. Bravo!

The real question is do you need f/2.8? I don't, so I prefer the Z 14-30mm f/4 which has a much wider zoom range for about the same price. I rarely use f/2.8, but I do use the 14-17mm range absent on this 17-28mm, but that's just me. It's great that Nikon has so many options to make us all happy.

I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.

The very best protective filter is the nearly indestructible Hoya multicoated HD3 67mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.

For less money, the B+W 67mm XS-PRO MRC-nano 010M, Nikon 67mm NC (No Color/Neutral Clear), Hoya 67mm NXT Plus UV and Hoya 67mm UV MC are all excellent filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.

If I was working in nasty, dirty areas, I'd use an uncoated 67mm Tiffen UV filter instead. Uncoated filters are much easier to clean, but more prone to ghosting.

All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. Since filters last a lifetime or more, there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 50 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s! The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt, and you'll be using it long after you've thrown this lens away in 50 years.

I got my 17-28mm f/2.8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken.

 

© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Alla rättigheter förbehållna. Toate drepturile rezervate. Ken Rockwell® is a registered trademark.

 

Help Me Help You       top

I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Ken.

 

 

 

01-02, 05 December 2022, 20 September 2022