The launch of the new Nikon Z50 II seems to have gone pretty well for Nikon. It’s a camera which packs some of the full-frame flagship Z9’s punch into a crop-sensor body, and it might even keep those photographers waiting patiently for a proper D500 successor happy for a little while.
But there’s a question more and more photographers are asking: where are all the decent Z DX APS-C lenses?
Okay, there’s nothing strictly wrong with the Z DX (APS-C) models that have been launched so far. The Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR, Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, and Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR zooms all deliver good to very good results and in terms of framing you’ve users have got full-frame equivalents from 18mm to 375mm. The Z DX 24mm f/1.7 meanwhile is a nice little prime with reasonable low-light credentials. All are lightweight, compact and suit the cameras they’re built for.
But none of them are sexy, are they? They’re not particularly fast and nor are they S-Line lenses, which Nikon itself calls the pinnacle of its optical engineering and quality.
Nikon has made excellent headway in populating its Z FX full-frame lens range, but when you realise there are only five first-party models for DX bodies that have been around since 2019… Yes, it’s okay to be aghast.
You might think: why would they bother? Why produce faster, higher quality, more expensive lenses when the logical step for photographers who want those is to upgrade to full-frame bodies? Maybe that’s the marketing strategy, and of course Z FX lenses can be used on Z DX bodies, albeit with cropping. But that’s to ignore the excellent pedigree of DX format DSLR lenses we used to see, as well as the fact that, as already mentioned, many photographers pine for professional level APC mirrorless cameras and lenses.
Looking back, even though it’s long in the tooth, many photographers have fond memories of the AF-S DX 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED, a powerhouse of a standard zoom that was a brilliant partner to cameras like the D300. Even with its variable aperture, the AF-S DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR is a brighter option than what we have now.
And an evolution of the much-loved AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G would be a very welcome upgrade, giving a close-to-standard framing on DX format bodies, at far less weight, smaller size and less outlay compared to fitting the recent Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4. Why not the AF-S DX Micro 85mm f/3.5G and AF-S DX 40mm Micro f/2.8G, as well?
Of course, the Nikon Z DX market is much better served by third-party suppliers, but even then, a reworking of Sigma’s 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art would be much admired, even if it comes at a hike in size and weight. That’s a lens which was regularly cited as a perfect partner for cameras like the D500.
The 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 DX VR AF-P might still be a variable aperture lens, but it squeezes a very important 2mm out of the short end for landscapers, equating to a 15-30mm model
Right now, Nikon Z DX users’ best option might be to look at Sigma’s quartet of fast primes, including the 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, which have been available for Z mount cameras for some time. The supposition is that, in allowing them on Z mount, Nikon has no plans for fast DX primes of its own. But hopefully we’ll get something to smile about when the Nikon Z500 breaks cover in Spring 2025, hint hint.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk
