Nikon Nikkor Z 17-28mm F2.8

The Nikon Nikkor Z 17-28mm F2.8 ($1,199.95) wide-angle zoom offers broad appeal for landscapes, architecture, and vlogging. It's light enough to throw in a backpack without worry, features a high degree of weather protection, has a bright maximum aperture for soft backgrounds and sharp results in low light, and handles flare quite well. But its limited zoom range and inconsistent manual focus experience ultimately lead us to recommend the Z 14-30mm F4 S ($1,349.99) more strongly. That lens covers an even more versatile focal range, so it remains our Editors' Choice winner for wide Z-mount zooms.

A Midsize Zoom With Wide Views

As far as zoom lenses go, the Z 17-28mm F2.8 is average-sized. By the numbers, it measures 4.0 by 3.0 inches (HD), supports 67mm front filters, and weighs 15.9 ounces. The lens uses an internal zoom design, a plus for gimbal operations. By contrast, the Z 14-30mm (3.4 by 3.5 inches, 1.1 pounds) requires larger 82mm front filters and has retractable optics: It collapses for travel but extends a little longer than the 17-28mm once you unlock it.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Both are svelte compared with Nikon's other option in the range, the Z 14-24mm F2.8 S (4.9 by 3.5 inches, 1.4 pounds). At $2,400, the 14-24mm is priced for pros and well-funded hobbyists, but it goes wider than the 17-28mm and offers impeccable image quality. Meanwhile, the 14-30mm F4's dimmer optics are still suitable for typical wide-angle applications and its broader zoom range gives you more options for framing.

The 14-30mm and 14-24mm are both part of Nikon's S Line of upper-tier lenses. The 17-28mm falls short of that standard but can still handle the outdoors thanks to its dust and moisture protection, as well as its anti-smudge fluorine glass. Aside from front and rear caps, Nikon includes a petal-style lens hood and a cloth pouch in the box. The lens' finish is understated overall, with a small reflective Nikkor logo, white painted focal length markings at 17, 20, 24, and 28mm, and a discreet lens badge with gray text.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Swift Focus With a Touchy Control Ring

The zoom ring has a ribbed rubber texture, while the hybrid focus/control ring uses diamond-knurled plastic. No other control switches or toggles are on-barrel. The lens turns smoothly, with enough resistance that you don't have to worry about zoom creep.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The knurled control ring supports a few different functions. It handles manual focus whenever you set the body to that mode, of course. But it can also set the EV, aperture, and ISO, or serve as a manual focus override. I found it a little too sensitive at the default High response mode, though the Low sensitivity setting makes things more manageable.

The lens relies on a stepping motor (STM) that drives focus quietly and snaps from distant to close-up subjects in a split-second. It's more than quick enough for a wide-angle lens, so I don't miss not having a faster linear focus motor.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Manual focus is a comparative letdown. The focus throw is exceedingly short, so it's hard to make precise adjustments to the focus point. Repeatable focus racks are simply out of the question. Despite that limitation, the 17-28mm is still a good match for vloggers and others who use autofocus for video. The optics show a slight change in angle along with focus, but the breathing effect is ultimately unlikely to detract from most scenes.

The lens focuses to 7.5 inches, good for a decent 1:5.2 reproduction ratio. Although that result falls outside of macro territory, you can still get close-up shots of objects against a broad, defocused background. The 14-30mm is slightly worse in this regard with 1:6.3 reproductions at 30mm.

Most of Nikon's full-frame camera bodies include stabilized image sensors, so the lack of in-lens stabilization here isn't a major concern. The Nikon 14-30mm doesn't have optical stabilization, either.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Nikkor Z 17-28mm: In the Lab

I matched the 17-28mm with the 45MP Z 9 and Imatest software to check its performance in the lab. The lens is a standout in terms of resolution. Wide-open, it produces excellent results at 17mm (4,500 lines) and very good results at 28mm (3,900 lines). Stopping down gets you photos with outstanding detail even at the edges of the frame, with the sharpest results at f/11. At 17mm, the extreme corners show some smear at all f-stops, but that's the worst I have to say about the resolving power.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Picture quality drops off at f/16-22 due to diffraction, but these are the settings at which sunstars look their best. The lens draws small points of light as sharply defined, 18-point sunstars from f/16-22, an effect that can add some punch to landscapes and cityscapes.

The optics show some distortion and a vignette, but in-camera corrections make short work of both issues for photographers who snap JPGs. For Raw processing, both Adobe and Capture One include a profile for the lens. If you turn the profile off, a modest complex mustache distortion at 17mm gives way to the pincushion effect at 28mm. Corners are also dim at f/2.8-4.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Landscape photographers often set up shots into the rising or setting sun, so flare control is an important quality for a wide zoom. The 17-28mm does a good job with photos in these scenarios; contrast holds up well and the lens doesn't tend to draw ghosts or other unwanted reflections.

Wide-angle lenses aren't the best for bokeh, but you can still get some background blur from the 17-28mm in some situations. Highlights are generally pleasing, with soft edges and transitions that are free of false color (LoCA). The lens avoids the typical cat's eye effect in the corners, too.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Wide Aperture, Short Zoom

The Nikon Nikkor Z 17-28mm F2.8 lens is built for the outdoors and delivers crisp photos even against a backlight, making it an attractive choice for landscapes and similar pursuits. And, for video, the bright aperture makes it easy to blur backgrounds, while the wide starting angle is ideal for establishing shots. We just wish the manual focus experience was more reliable. Overall, the Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S retains our Editors' Choice recommendation for wide Z-mount lenses because it offers even broader coverage for just slightly more money.