I ordered this lens the day after it was announced. I am not a vlooger, and I don't do video, but I need this wide angle zoom to compliment my Z 18-140 mm DX lens for long trips. Having built-in VR was the selling point. I am past the days of lugging around heavy full frame gear for distant trips for shooting stills. My Zfc, my 18-140, this 12-mm zoom with perhaps a fast DX prime is all that I need. I am very pleased with Nikon now!
I love my Z30 for a walking around camera... I don't do video but this lens gives me the landscape lens I want with the "12mm"... Can't wait to order this!
Hi Matt, good intro thanks, I’ve already pre-ordered one here in the UK. I have a motorcycle based RUclips channel and been using the z30 for some b-roll and vlogging PTC work. This wider fov is better, the vr will be a godsend and I can definitely see me using the power zoom. Nice work Nikon
Already pre-ordered one because of the internal zoom & focus, hoping the stills quality is as good or better than the 16-50mm, but the video pz is a nice bonus. Will be interesting to compare it between my Zfc (pocket & street camera) with my Z9 (everything else camera).
I will definitely be ordering this for my Z30 as a walk around ultra wide. I have been using the 10-20 f mount with the ftz. I'll be interested to see how the powerzoom functionality feels.
This lens looks perfect for shooting video interviews and more general production. I use an old Tamron 10-20 with FTZ on my Z50 on a rig, gimbal or monopod - it looks great but is big and clunky. Clients love the image quality. Planned to add a Z30 for that use, not it will be a Z30 and this lens. Thanks for the demo Matt, and thanks Nikon for this great new combo.
I hope they release a new DX camera. I'd love a Zfc with IBIS, 4k60. It'll be the perfect camera system for me on my motorcycle travels with the release of this lens and the kit 16-55 lens.
I think its a nice edition. My fun family Z camera is my Zfc. While I have an optically excellent 14-30mm S Line lens, its a bit more bulky and heavy than I want. I have gravitated to the 26mm f 2.8, 28mm f2.8, 40mm f2 lenses to have light walk around kits. However, on the DX sensor, I was really missing a wide zoom. This lens is the answer. It would give me light options with a range of 18mm to 60mm equivalents. Add an FTZ and 85mm, 100mm, or 105mm ai MF lenses, and it all still fits comfortably in an over the shoulder peak design bag. I guess I start saving again!
I (surprisingly) love my little Z30 with the kit lens as a secondary, edc to my Z6 II. This lens is super appealing. Good to see Nikon continuing to invest in entry level, DX hardware.
I have the 28-75mm F/2.8 and love it. it is cheaper than the 24-70mm S and now you have convinced me with this video it is worth getting the 17-28mm F/2.8. Those two are going to be my vacation/traveling lenses. Cheers!
Great Nikon have made a power zoom. I’m looking forward to seeing where they go with this. Hopefully some full frame versions to come. This is a great addition to the Nikon ecosystem. And super cheap for what you get. Thanks for the video Matt. 👍🏻🙏
I'm so happy with this release as mirrorless DX is getting some love with a much needed wide optic! Great review, Matt! A question though, is there a possibility to control the zoom speed somewhere on the menus when you remotely control the zoom?
Love your Vids Mate. This room you have that you often shoot in is a great space, lots of light very nice space for a Melb house. I just bought this lens for my ZFC, what a great little number, didn't even need power zoom until I tried it, wowsers its effortless!
Thanks for the first look video. I plan to have the lens to use with my Z9 for video as well. Look forward to hear from Nikon on how to operate e-zoom on camera (not zoom ring), or any compatibility with gimbal like DJI RS3 Pro.
Nice little lens and I'll probably add one to my expensive and under-used accumulation of lord only knows how many Nikkor lenses. I'm 75 and my income these days is my pension but, this lens is for peanuts. I don't do video but I do enjoy street and landscape. At that projected price why would anyone not have one. I would really like to see you do a bit of landscape or street stills if you can find time. Thanks for this video Matt, and I will be ordering one asap.
I'm going to buy this for my Z6ii as a video-only lens. Nothing like it for full frame video. Disappointed that this camera doesn't have all the zoom options in the menu, but it's a perfect lens for a gimbal. No weight shift at different focal lengths so the gimbal always stays balanced, virtually free of focus breathing and fringing, plus very sharp, a perfect focal range, and of course ridiculously light. I just wish Nikon would add zoom options. I am happy they finally added the red box though. I hope it works in conjunction with the in-camera VR for handheld work. Now that it's been more than 8 months, do you know any more about how the VR syncs up?
Yaaaaawwn. I understand Nikon is trying to break into the vlogger market, but I'm mostly a still shooter who is still waiting on the 200-600mm and 800mm f/6.3 S.
i like this little lens. I own a Z50 camera with the 16-50 and 50-250 kit plus the F 10-20 DX and FTZ which has served me well. I was focused on the Z 18-140 as my main all-around but this lens may hold me back from purchasing it to stick to my Z 50-250 + Z16-50 kit. The F 10-20 will def go.
As an owner of the Z50, I may add this lens to my lens collection. Also I was thinking of getting the Nikon ML-L7 for remote control, but issue with this remote control it will not refocus with the shutter button. Nikon needs to add the feature on the ML-L7. I wonder if Nikon will had this lens to the snapbridge software?
Hi Matt, following up from your earlier video about "do we need video in our cameras" ...well clearly Nikon think so if they're going to produce powerzoom lenses.
You can program the buttons for this function, actually makes more sense for live shooting since your fingers stay on the camera body rather than having to reach out to touch the lens.
i think the mirrorless system creates a great deal of new plays for camera world; Nikon apparently woke up not too late but currently is much thrown behind by Sony on variety of new plays, as well as types of lenses. Nikon needs their feet deeper on throttle!
Having more lenses to choose from is in theory a good thing. However, it's about having the right lenses to choose from as well, and Nikon does very well here in my opinion. This PZ is one such lens - comes with VR, has a very useful and wide range AND very affordable. A z30 plus this lens will be less than US$ 1000 in the USA (B&H prices) while the Sony PZ 10-20 and a ZV-E10 stets you back almost US$1500 - and that's without VR. As an entry level vlogging setup the z30 seems a much better proposition to me. And yes, I'm very likely to get that PZ 12-28mm for my secondary stills setup, simply because it's so affordable and makes for a great two-lens 'gap' setup combined with a tele lens. Highly versatile, compact, inexpensive.
Dear Mr NIKON.... if you release this as a kit including a Z30, the 12-28 PZ lens, the Small Rig tripod with the Nikon remote for around $1500AUD I'll buy one as soon as they are available !!!
Matt, you may not respond to old videos, aged more than a few hours,, let alone year(s), but, do you (still) use this lens in your YT videos or elsewhere? I don't remember seeing "zooming" in your videos, actually. The cine world, like stills, started with fixed focal lengths, and early-tech "TV " came up with revolver heads with different primes on them. During live TV programmes, a camera man got asked to switch focal length when they were "off air" but this occasionally went wrong so as a viewer we got served at a fraction of a second of black-out in lens swaps. And then zoom-lenses got introduced and ad nauseam we got served with zooming in and out all the time. All sorts of developments have taken the "zoom" urge away - fixed focal length smartphones or GoPros, rails/tracks to change viewpoint rather than zoom. Nevertheless, in the film days, cine-cameras in smaller formats would have zoomlenses by default, and as small formats like Super/Single 8 (mm wide, with perforation) didn't have a lot of resolution we saw, say 12x zoom and pretty wide angles. The zoom-pandemic seems under control, but I'd say doesn't have to be avoided like the proverbial plague. Where are you with this and this lens? Or did you standardise to full frame and totally ignore DX (mode)?
Power zooms that would really be useful for video creators, but out of reach for my budget would be a PZ version of the 70-200 2.8 and the 24-70 2.8 ... A release of that together with a full frame camera Z9-ish without viewfinder ... and mainly focused on video. A new body design is needed, that can fit the same battery as Z9. But since a lot of video creators are also creating vertical video nowadays that camera should have a tripod connection for both landscape and vertical without the need of a L-bracket or cage. Also it would be cool if they ad mini-XLR for audio with phantom power and provide adapters to XLR. Internal RAW video, I hope RED loses their case in this area ... Full size HDMI out and SDI TC in/out and video out (I think there is a mini socket for this one to save space...)
I have yet to see any filmmaker zoom in or out while filming, it’s just cheesy. That said, it’s good to have an ultra wide zoom for the mostly ignored DX format and the price, not including the $41 lens hood, is affordable.
As a videographer who has been shooting for decades with actual pro cameras, a slow zoom in or out is something I miss now that I shoot DSLR. Use Z50 with an ultra wide Tamron/FTZ combo to shoot interviews and Broll and wished I had power zoom - now plan to add the Z30 and this lens as soon as it comes out. Small, lightweight, great image quality.
Sorry not for me. I take photographs and video is just there because of how the market has to be these days. I own a Z9 and DSLR cameras, I use Nikon because they are ideal for me and have used one module or another since my 2 Fed in 1989. Still got them, they work well too. All said for the new generation ahead this small combo is very good. Regards TH
I’d rather have the metal or aluminum lens mount. Under $300 the plastic mount would be ok, but at $356.95 U.S. dollars, I don’t see any reason for why this lens didn’t receive a metal lens mount.
It would be great to have Power Zoom on my Z 100-400 what cost around 8-9 times this DX Lens, but it seems Nikon decided to move to Videography market and want us Photographers to move to Canon or Sony??? we are waiting to Full Frame new Cameras but getting Z30 and DX PZ Lens.
I agree. It all looks very low resolution, all blurry and mushy. I wonder if it would look better shot at 60 fps and a shutter speed over 1/120sec. I'm also questioning the effectiveness of the lens stabilisation. This footage wouldn't convince anyone to upgrade from a phone.
![Eminem - Fuel (feat. JID) [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t5H_CewqpKA/mqdefault.jpg)
I ordered this lens the day after it was announced. I am not a vlooger, and I don't do video, but I need this wide angle zoom to compliment my Z 18-140 mm DX lens for long trips. Having built-in VR was the selling point. I am past the days of lugging around heavy full frame gear for distant trips for shooting stills. My Zfc, my 18-140, this 12-mm zoom with perhaps a fast DX prime is all that I need. I am very pleased with Nikon now!
I love my Z30 for a walking around camera... I don't do video but this lens gives me the landscape lens I want with the "12mm"... Can't wait to order this!
Hi Matt, good intro thanks, I’ve already pre-ordered one here in the UK. I have a motorcycle based RUclips channel and been using the z30 for some b-roll and vlogging PTC work. This wider fov is better, the vr will be a godsend and I can definitely see me using the power zoom. Nice work Nikon
Light light light and portable 4K! Great review of what Nikon is doing for vloggers and the camera-you-have-with-you crowd! Cheers Matt!
Already pre-ordered one because of the internal zoom & focus, hoping the stills quality is as good or better than the 16-50mm, but the video pz is a nice bonus. Will be interesting to compare it between my Zfc (pocket & street camera) with my Z9 (everything else camera).
I will definitely be ordering this for my Z30 as a walk around ultra wide. I have been using the 10-20 f mount with the ftz. I'll be interested to see how the powerzoom functionality feels.
This lens looks perfect for shooting video interviews and more general production. I use an old Tamron 10-20 with FTZ on my Z50 on a rig, gimbal or monopod - it looks great but is big and clunky. Clients love the image quality. Planned to add a Z30 for that use, not it will be a Z30 and this lens. Thanks for the demo Matt, and thanks Nikon for this great new combo.
Nice review. Actually makes the z30 the best of the affordable vlogging cameras. Nice one Nikon. Also works well for studio work with the power zoom
I hope they release a new DX camera. I'd love a Zfc with IBIS, 4k60. It'll be the perfect camera system for me on my motorcycle travels with the release of this lens and the kit 16-55 lens.
I think its a nice edition. My fun family Z camera is my Zfc. While I have an optically excellent 14-30mm S Line lens, its a bit more bulky and heavy than I want. I have gravitated to the 26mm f 2.8, 28mm f2.8, 40mm f2 lenses to have light walk around kits. However, on the DX sensor, I was really missing a wide zoom. This lens is the answer. It would give me light options with a range of 18mm to 60mm equivalents. Add an FTZ and 85mm, 100mm, or 105mm ai MF lenses, and it all still fits comfortably in an over the shoulder peak design bag. I guess I start saving again!
I (surprisingly) love my little Z30 with the kit lens as a secondary, edc to my Z6 II. This lens is super appealing. Good to see Nikon continuing to invest in entry level, DX hardware.
Great little lens at an attractive price. Seems like a perfect match for the Z30!
This and the 18-140mm make a great pair for travel with the Z30,50 and fc!
I have the 28-75mm F/2.8 and love it. it is cheaper than the 24-70mm S and now you have convinced me with this video it is worth getting the 17-28mm F/2.8. Those two are going to be my vacation/traveling lenses. Cheers!
Great Nikon have made a power zoom. I’m looking forward to seeing where they go with this. Hopefully some full frame versions to come.
This is a great addition to the Nikon ecosystem. And super cheap for what you get. Thanks for the video Matt. 👍🏻🙏
Internal zoom, yes! I wish my 80-400 was internal zoom - but I think it might also be $4K if it was!
Hi Matt... Pre-Ordered mine yesterday! I cannot wait to get it on my Z30.
Fantastic release suits aps-c cameras , a very good lens for a zfc & anyone wanting smaller gear
This was a much needed lens for the Z30. Nikon has said Video is important to them going forward. So well here we go.
What I love about the lens is when shooting square ("1:1 Aspect") 28mm is 53mm equivalent. So the lens is truly a super-wide to standard zoom.
Looks like an awesome little lens.
I'm so happy with this release as mirrorless DX is getting some love with a much needed wide optic! Great review, Matt! A question though, is there a possibility to control the zoom speed somewhere on the menus when you remotely control the zoom?
It looks that way from when Matt showed the menu functions.
Yes for sure there are 11 different speeds 😀
@@MattIrwinPhotography Awesome! Thanks😃
Love your Vids Mate. This room you have that you often shoot in is a great space, lots of light very nice space for a Melb house. I just bought this lens for my ZFC, what a great little number, didn't even need power zoom until I tried it, wowsers its effortless!
Matt I think you’re the only one with a hands in video with the Nikkor 12-28 lens. 💪🏾🤝🏾
Cheers Ryan :)
Own one since day one. Use mostly for video and only at 12mm focal length. Good lens. Recommend
Thanks for the first look video. I plan to have the lens to use with my Z9 for video as well. Look forward to hear from Nikon on how to operate e-zoom on camera (not zoom ring), or any compatibility with gimbal like DJI RS3 Pro.
Check ricci's video for some information on that
Nice little lens and I'll probably add one to my expensive and under-used accumulation of lord only knows how many Nikkor lenses. I'm 75 and my income these days is my pension but, this lens is for peanuts. I don't do video but I do enjoy street and landscape. At that projected price why would anyone not have one. I would really like to see you do a bit of landscape or street stills if you can find time. Thanks for this video Matt, and I will be ordering one asap.
I'm going to buy this for my Z6ii as a video-only lens. Nothing like it for full frame video. Disappointed that this camera doesn't have all the zoom options in the menu, but it's a perfect lens for a gimbal. No weight shift at different focal lengths so the gimbal always stays balanced, virtually free of focus breathing and fringing, plus very sharp, a perfect focal range, and of course ridiculously light. I just wish Nikon would add zoom options. I am happy they finally added the red box though. I hope it works in conjunction with the in-camera VR for handheld work. Now that it's been more than 8 months, do you know any more about how the VR syncs up?
Yaaaaawwn. I understand Nikon is trying to break into the vlogger market, but I'm mostly a still shooter who is still waiting on the 200-600mm and 800mm f/6.3 S.
i like this little lens. I own a Z50 camera with the 16-50 and 50-250 kit plus the F 10-20 DX and FTZ which has served me well. I was focused on the Z 18-140 as my main all-around but this lens may hold me back from purchasing it to stick to my Z 50-250 + Z16-50 kit. The F 10-20 will def go.
I'd get this for the Z9 but wouldn't make sense if I couldn't control the PZ with the mc-n10.
Looks good - thanks for the preview Matt!
-PD
I have a Zfc that I bought for out and about and for my g/f to use if she ever gets round to vlogging. So I am thinking about getting this lens.
awesome for vlogging
Hey Matt, maybe you can show us some still landscape abilities of this lens?
For sure. Next vid. 😀
I was waiting for your announcement of the 12-28 PZ
As an owner of the Z50, I may add this lens to my lens collection. Also I was thinking of getting the Nikon ML-L7 for remote control, but issue with this remote control it will not refocus with the shutter button. Nikon needs to add the feature on the ML-L7. I wonder if Nikon will had this lens to the snapbridge software?
Hi Matt, following up from your earlier video about "do we need video in our cameras" ...well clearly Nikon think so if they're going to produce powerzoom lenses.
7:44 love that
Would have been nice if Nikon included a touch zoom option.
You can program the buttons for this function, actually makes more sense for live shooting since your fingers stay on the camera body rather than having to reach out to touch the lens.
Will the ML-L7 also work with the Z9, so I could it instead of the fiddly WR system for short range applications?
really cool lens, dont think it's for me. but I'm glad nikon is actually releasing new products at attractive prices.
Very cool lens!!!!
Matt gets up one school holiday morning and says kids I have a great project for you today.......
You can help daddy make some you tube content😊😂
Need a full frame version!!
Does it work on the first gen z system?
Why would Z6ii+ users not be interested in this lens? On can shoot 4K video in DX mode just fine.
For sure. All users can make use of it. 😀
Amazing lens
Awesome video! I will plan to get one also.
Can Nikon integrate the PZ control into their Snapbridge App?
I believe it is / will be once shipping. Lens and firmware are pre-production right now. 😀 But US site shows six different controls for zooming.
i think the mirrorless system creates a great deal of new plays for camera world; Nikon apparently woke up not too late but currently is much thrown behind by Sony on variety of new plays, as well as types of lenses. Nikon needs their feet deeper on throttle!
Having more lenses to choose from is in theory a good thing. However, it's about having the right lenses to choose from as well, and Nikon does very well here in my opinion. This PZ is one such lens - comes with VR, has a very useful and wide range AND very affordable.
A z30 plus this lens will be less than US$ 1000 in the USA (B&H prices) while the Sony PZ 10-20 and a ZV-E10 stets you back almost US$1500 - and that's without VR.
As an entry level vlogging setup the z30 seems a much better proposition to me.
And yes, I'm very likely to get that PZ 12-28mm for my secondary stills setup, simply because it's so affordable and makes for a great two-lens 'gap' setup combined with a tele lens. Highly versatile, compact, inexpensive.
Dear Mr NIKON.... if you release this as a kit including a Z30, the 12-28 PZ lens, the Small Rig tripod with the Nikon remote for around $1500AUD I'll buy one as soon as they are available !!!
I wanted this lens, but Sigma beat Nikon to the punch with their trilogy and I spent my annual budget on that - maybe next year?
can be used with z6 and use the power zoom?
wait, so if i buy this for my Z-F i wont be able to use it with the power-zoom? i was thinking of running 4k60 with it
I would buy this lens for my Zfc great zoom length!
Is it just me or this lens seems to be fully loaded of CA/purple fringing? Also noticed that on Ricci’s sample photos.
Yes it’s a great lens
Already preordered it...
The lens appears to be around AUD $599 which is an absolute bargain.
Matt, you may not respond to old videos, aged more than a few hours,, let alone year(s), but, do you (still) use this lens in your YT videos or elsewhere?
I don't remember seeing "zooming" in your videos, actually. The cine world, like stills, started with fixed focal lengths, and early-tech "TV " came up with revolver heads with different primes on them. During live TV programmes, a camera man got asked to switch focal length when they were "off air" but this occasionally went wrong so as a viewer we got served at a fraction of a second of black-out in lens swaps.
And then zoom-lenses got introduced and ad nauseam we got served with zooming in and out all the time.
All sorts of developments have taken the "zoom" urge away - fixed focal length smartphones or GoPros, rails/tracks to change viewpoint rather than zoom.
Nevertheless, in the film days, cine-cameras in smaller formats would have zoomlenses by default, and as small formats like Super/Single 8 (mm wide, with perforation) didn't have a lot of resolution we saw, say 12x zoom and pretty wide angles.
The zoom-pandemic seems under control, but I'd say doesn't have to be avoided like the proverbial plague.
Where are you with this and this lens? Or did you standardise to full frame and totally ignore DX (mode)?
Power zooms that would really be useful for video creators, but out of reach for my budget would be a PZ version of the 70-200 2.8 and the 24-70 2.8 ... A release of that together with a full frame camera Z9-ish without viewfinder ... and mainly focused on video. A new body design is needed, that can fit the same battery as Z9. But since a lot of video creators are also creating vertical video nowadays that camera should have a tripod connection for both landscape and vertical without the need of a L-bracket or cage. Also it would be cool if they ad mini-XLR for audio with phantom power and provide adapters to XLR. Internal RAW video, I hope RED loses their case in this area ... Full size HDMI out and SDI TC in/out and video out (I think there is a mini socket for this one to save space...)
Replacing my Sony A7siii with this combination of Z30 and 12-28 mm
Very cool! I want to get Z30 now :)
Does anyone have a picture of how this lens’s sunstar looks like?
I have yet to see any filmmaker zoom in or out while filming, it’s just cheesy. That said, it’s good to have an ultra wide zoom for the mostly ignored DX format and the price, not including the $41 lens hood, is affordable.
As a videographer who has been shooting for decades with actual pro cameras, a slow zoom in or out is something I miss now that I shoot DSLR. Use Z50 with an ultra wide Tamron/FTZ combo to shoot interviews and Broll and wished I had power zoom - now plan to add the Z30 and this lens as soon as it comes out. Small, lightweight, great image quality.
But is it still a "zoom" lens when you don't hear it?
Sorry not for me. I take photographs and video is just there because of how the market has to be these days. I own a Z9 and DSLR cameras, I use Nikon because they are ideal for me and have used one module or another since my 2 Fed in 1989. Still got them, they work well too. All said for the new generation ahead this small combo is very good. Regards TH
I’d rather have the metal or aluminum lens mount. Under $300 the plastic mount would be ok, but at $356.95 U.S. dollars, I don’t see any reason for why this lens didn’t receive a metal lens mount.
It would be great to have Power Zoom on my Z 100-400 what cost around 8-9 times this DX Lens, but it seems Nikon decided to move to Videography market and want us Photographers to move to Canon or Sony??? we are waiting to Full Frame new Cameras but getting Z30 and DX PZ Lens.
12-35mm or 40mm would have been a bit more handy
06:03 sample footage looks poor.
I agree. It all looks very low resolution, all blurry and mushy. I wonder if it would look better shot at 60 fps and a shutter speed over 1/120sec. I'm also questioning the effectiveness of the lens stabilisation. This footage wouldn't convince anyone to upgrade from a phone.
Cool little lens but not up my alley.
Nice talking.
Cheers.