Nikon 14-30mm Z
f/4 Full-Frame Mirrorless Ultrawide
Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
Z9 Z8 Z7 II Z6 II Zf Z7 Z6 Z5 Z fc Z50 Z30
Z System Z Lenses All Nikon Lenses Flash
Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S (82mm filters, 16.9 oz./479 g, 0.9'/0.28m close focus, $1,147 new, or about $900 used if you know How to Win at eBay). bigger. I got mine at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
July 2023 Nikon Mirrorless Mirrorless Lenses All Nikon Lenses Nikon Flash All Reviews
Sample Images
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
More samples throughout this review at Falloff, Macro, Sharpness, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot as BASIC ★ JPGs; no NORMAL or FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed.
Staircase, Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California, 8:35 P.M., 09 June 2023. Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14 mm at f/4 handheld at 1/8 at Auto ISO 1,000, +1 stop exposure compensation (LV 3⅔), perspective correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). More tech details. bigger or fit-to-screen.
The Copper Cafe, Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California, 8:24 P.M., 09 June 2023. Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 17 mm at f/4 hand held at 1/10 at Auto ISO 640, +0.3 stops exposure compensation (LV 4⅔), perspective correction and burning and dodging with adjustment layer masks in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo), split-toned the print. More tech details. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Alex Madonna's Gold Rush Steak House, Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California, 8:30 P.M., 09 June 2023. Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14 mm at f/4 hand held at 1/8 at Auto ISO 1,000, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 3⅔), AUTO 2 white balance (3,030K), curves adjustment layer in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012) to correct crazy color from the red lighting, burning and dodging as curves adjustment layer masks, Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). More tech details. bigger or fit-to-screen.
I cropped this to a square, the equivalent of a ZEISS 38mm f/4.5 BIOGON on HASSELBLAD 6×6.
Spring Sprung under the Tree Bridge, Irish Hills, San Luis Obispo, California, 9:32 A.M., Friday, 22 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 24.5mm at f/8 hand-held at 1/25 at AUTO ISO 220 (LV 9½), Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo). bigger or fit-to-screen.
Inside the Octagon Barn, San Luis Obispo, California, 1:52 P.M., Friday, 22 April 2022. Nikon Z9 on Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm at f/8 for 3 seconds at ISO 64 (LV 5.1), as shot. bigger or camera-original 45MP © 18 MB JPG.
Montaña de Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo County, California, 3:23 P.M., Friday, 22 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 22mm at f/8 at 1/250 at AUTO ISO 64 (LV 14.6), Perfectly Clear. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Kayaks on Morro Bay, Baywood Park, Los Osos, California, 5:36 P.M., Friday, 22 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 16.5mm at f/11 at 1/100 at AUTO ISO 64 (LV 14.2), Perfectly Clear. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Best Western Casa Grande Lobby, Arroyo Grande, California, 9:48 P.M., Friday, 22 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 16.5mm wide-open at f/4 hand-held at 1/15 at AUTO ISO 1,600, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 3.9), Perfectly Clear, perspective correction in Photoshop CS6. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © 11 MB JPG.
Mossy Oak, Oak Preserve, Los Osos, California, 10:24 A.M., Saturday, 23 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head so I could get a precise composition, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 30mm at f/11 at 1/15 at ISO 64 (LV 11½), Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo) to bring out all the detail in the shadows and control the highlights, all from my one JPG file. bigger or full 45 MP resolution.
Oak Preserve, Los Osos, California, 11:04 A.M., Saturday, 23 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head so I could get a precise composition, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm at f/8 at 1/25 at ISO 64 (LV 11.3), Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo) to bring out all the detail in the shadows and control the highlights, all from my one JPG file, then flipped horizontally to read properly from left to right. bigger or full 45 MP resolution (not flipped).
California Desert Home, 22 June 2019, 8:50-8:52 PM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm at f/11 at ISO 64 with 104 second time exposure at ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7 "landscapes" mode. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.
The short lines in the sky are star trails in this nearly two-minute time exposure, and of course with the wind blowing the palm fronds are blowing all over the place.
Under the Pier, Pismo Beach, California, 9:25 A.M., Thursday, 21 April 2022. Cropped a little from Nikon Z9, Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm at f/8 at 1/8 at ISO 64 (LV 9⅔), Perfectly Clear and Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo), split-toned-print. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Orange Bars, 22 June 2019, 11:50 AM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm at f/11 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7 "landscapes" mode. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.
Introduction
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
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This 14-30mm is magnificent ultra-ultrawide lens for Nikon's full-frame mirrorless system.
It's optically superb, has no distortion as shot, makes pretty good sunstars and it's super light and compact at a reasonable price. It's exactly what we want in an ultrawide for mirrorless. It's less to carry out in the field and brings back fantastic images.
It's the world's first 14mm full-frame lens that uses regular screw-in filters, it collapses just like the 24-70mm, and it's tiny for an ultra-ultrawide lens.
It's half the weight of the 14-24mm f/2.8, sharper and much less expensive.
It's the sharpest 14mm lens I've ever used for Nikon, and the least expensive. 14mm lenses, which are much wider than common 16mm lenses, are notoriously soft in the corners. This 14-30mm is still very sharp in the far corners at 14mm at 45MP, bravo!
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
New
World's first Nikon mirrorless ultrawide.
World's first full-frame 14mm ultrawide that uses regular screw-in filters.
World's first collapsible ultrawide lens.
Good
Super sharp.
Distortion always corrected for perfectly straight lines, at least so long as you shoot JPGs or use raw software that reads the built-in corrections.
The focus ring provides instant manual-focus override by default, or can be set to control Aperture, Exposure Compensation or ISO — or be disabled entirely — at Z7/Z6 MENU > CUSTOM SETTING MENU (pencil icon) > f Controls > f2 Custom control assignment > click right and down to Lens Control Ring > and chose what you want it to do: Focus, Aperture, Exposure Compensation, ISO or NONE.
Front filter thread.
Small.
Llight weight; less than half the weight of the 14-24mm.
Weighs even a little less than specified.
Fast and silent autofocus.
Bad
Offshored to Thailand; not made domestically in Japan.
Missing
No built-in VR; uses the camera's built-in VR instead
Nikon 14-30mm f/4 Z. bigger.
Compatibility
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H 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 Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Name
Bottom, Nikon 14-30mm Z. bigger.
Nikon calls this the Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S:
NIKKOR: Nikon's brand name for all their lenses.
Z: For Nikon's mirrorless cameras.
S: Subliminally suggests sexual satisfaction. The "S" designation has no other purpose than subliminal seduction; Nikon and electronics and automobile and every kind of marketer have been using letters like "S" and "X" in model numbers since the 1940s for this same reason. Nikon called their first 1946 rangefinder lens mount the "S" mount, then went whole-hog to the "F" SLR mount in 1959, used "S" again when they updated their AI lenses to AI-"S" in 1983, created AF-"S" SWM lenses in 1998 and here it is again.
Also has:
AF-P: Stepper (Pulse) autofocus motor: silent and ultra fast.
D: Couples distance information to the 3D Matrix Meter.
IF: Internal focusing; nothing moves externally as focused.
Aspherical: Specially curved glass elements for sharper pictures.
Nano Crystal Coat (N): Magic anti-reflection coating that has a variable index of refraction that's far more effective against ghosts and internal reflections than traditional multicoating.
∅82: 82mm filter thread.
Optics specifications top
Internal optical construction. Aspherical and ED elements. bigger.
14 elements in 12 groups.
4 ED extra-low dispersion elements, which help reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.
4 Aspherical elements.
Fluorine front coating to resist dirt and smudges.
Diaphragm specifications top
Nikon 14-30mm f/4 Z at f/8. bigger.
7 rounded blades.
Electronically actuated.
Stops down to f/22.
Angle of View specifications top
114º ～ 72º diagonal on FX.
90º ～ 50º diagonal on DX.
Autofocus specifications top
Internal focus.
No external movement as focused, so no air or dust is sucked in.
Focus Scale specifications top
No.
Infinity Focus Stop specifications top
No.
Depth of Field Scale specifications top
No.
Reproduction Ratio Scale specifications top
No.
Infrared Focus Index specifications top
No.
Close Focus specifications top
0.92 feet (0.28 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio specifications top
1:6.25 (0.16×).
Image Stabilizer specifications top
None; designed to work well with in-camera stabilization.
Filters specifications top
82 mm filter thread.
Hood specifications top
HB-86 Hood. bigger.
HB-86 Bayonet Hood, included.
Case specifications top
CL-C1 lens sack included.
Size specifications top
3.50" ø maximum diameter × 3.35" extension from flange.
89.0 mm ø maximum diameter × 85.0 mm extension from flange.
Weight specifications top
16.895 oz. (478.9 g) actual measured weight.
Rated 17.1 oz. (485 g).
Announced specifications top
9:07 PM Monday, 07 January 2019, NYC time.
Promised for & Shipping Since specifications top
Spring 2019.
Included specifications top
Lens.
LC-82B 82mm snap-in front lens cap.
LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap.
HB-86 bayonet hood.
CL-C1 lens sack.
Nikon's Model Number specifications top
20070.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
July 2023
$1,147 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $900 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
June 2023
$1,147 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $800 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
December 2022
$1,147 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $850 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
August 2022
$1,347 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $850 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
July 2021
$1,297 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $900 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
June 2021
$1,097 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $900 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
January ~ June 2019
Unboxing
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Nikon Z 14-30mm box. bigger.
The box and lens are completely unsealed. There is no way to know if anyone else has been fiddling with your lens, swapping parts and accessories, or even if it's a used, dropped, returned or damaged lens. See more at USA Version.
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H, at Crutchfield, or used at eBay (How to Win at eBay).
That's why it's critical only to buy from an approved online source, since they ship from automated warehouses where no shifty salesmen or customers ever get to touch your new camera before it ships. While new $5 CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and bottles of milk and drinking water are sealed and quite obvious if anyone's opened them, paradoxically Nikon doesn't bother sealing anything, so your only insurance is to buy only from a trusted online source.
Open the unsealed microcorrugated cardboard box, and you'll see a clear plastic bag with the black sack covering the USA warranty card and big folded sheet of instructions in a zillion languages.
Open box. bigger.
Lift up the inner cardboard flap and you'll see everything packed in corrugami (folded corrugated cardboard). The capped lens is nestled on the left in a thin closed-cell foam bag inside a larger bubble-wrap bag. The hood is in a plastic bag on the right side hidden behind another folded cardboard flap.
Getting a Legal U. S. A. Version
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This section applies in the U. S. A. only.
In the U. S. A. you need to have a U. S. A. Warranty card similar to this inside your box (Nikon dropped 5-year warrabties as of 2021, now we only get one year):
Nikon USA Warranty Card. bigger.
The card and warranty is only valid if the serial number matches the one on your lens exactly. If not, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. (The serial number on the box doesn't have to match, but if it doesn't it means you bought from a shady dealer who took lenses out of boxes and then resold them as new.) This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-U. S. A. versions have no warranty in the U. S. A., and you won't even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!
Nikon U. S. A. enforces its trademarks strictly. It's unlikely, but possible that US customs won't let your camera back in the country if you bought a gray-market version in the U. S. A., carried it overseas, and try to bring it back in. (If you take the chance of buying one overseas, be sure you have a receipt to prove you bought it overseas and be prepared to pay duty on it.)
If a gray market version saves you $400 it may be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.
Always be sure to check your box while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.
Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.
Performance
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing
Bokeh Distortion Ergonomics Falloff Filters
Flare & Ghosts Lateral Color Fringes
Lens Corrections Macro Mechanics
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Overall
The 14-30mm has the best ultra-ultrawide optics I've ever tested in a small, lightweight package. I've never used a 14mm lens or zoom this sharp, or this small and light.
It feels and shoots very much like the 24-70mm f/4 S, just that it sees twice as wide an angle.
Optics are superb, setting a benchmark in sharpness, small size and weight for Nikon ultrawide lenses.
Autofocus
Autofocus is fast and silent, however on my Z7, as with all other lenses on my Z7, in Auto-AF-Area select mode it will tend to ignore a close subject in the center of the frame right in front of the camera if the background is already somewhat in focus.
In other words, if you're focused at a distance, hold your hand a foot or two in front of the camera and you have to select the single-AF zone to get the Z7 to focus on the hand. Weird, but that's a Z7 problem with all lenses, not a problem with this great lens.
Manual Focus
Just grab the focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.
Manual focus is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
If you have a problem with a camera not focusing on a close subject, just use the manual focus ring to get to about the right distance and then the AF system will lock in.
Focus Breathing
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 size from the 14-30mm doesn't change at 14mm, and gets slightly larger as focused more closely at 30mm. All in all, this is fantastic performance.
Bokeh
Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, doesn't really matter as it's nearly impossible to get anything out of focus with a lens this slow and this wide.
For the softest backgrounds, shoot at 30mm at f/4 and get as close as possible.
Distortion
My Thai, 22 June 2019, 11:15 AM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 30mm at f/8 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 64. bigger.
Whatever optical distortion it may have is corrected automatically in-camera. My Z7 (firmware 2.00) always has distortion correction active, it can't be turned off.
With this always-active correction, there is no measurable distortion. This correction is always applied to the in-finder image, so what you see is what you get.
Bravo! This is a Godsend for any sort of real estate and architectural photography.
On Full-Frame at 10' (3m) |
Correction factor with corrected images |
14mm |
±0.00 |
16mm |
±0.00 |
20mm |
±0.00 |
24mm |
±0.00 |
30mm |
±0.00 |
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
Ergonomics
It collapses when the zoom ring is turned past 14mm to the dot.
There is just a click stop when collapsed. To open it for shooting, simply turn the zoom ring back to the 14-30mm range.
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Nikon 14-30mm, collapsed. bigger. |
Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm. bigger. |
Nikon 14-30mm at 30mm. bigger. |
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Nikon 14-30mm, collapsed. bigger. |
Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm. bigger. |
Nikon 14-30mm at 30mm. bigger. |
The zoom ring is half the lens.
The small ring is usually the focus ring, and may be reprogrammed in the camera for other things.
It's easy to focus manually with just a fingertip.
Falloff
Other than some slight falloff wide-open at 14mm, falloff is invisible with Vignette Correction left at its default of NORMAL.
This is as expected; by correcting this electronically lets Nikon make a smaller, sharper and less expensive lens than if they had to eliminate this optically.
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:
Nikon 14-30mm falloff on full frame at infinity, Vignette Correction NORMAL.
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
If you're silly enough to go out of your way to turn Vignette Correction off, you will see some falloff wide-open at 14mm and not much otherwise.
Again 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:
Nikon 14-30mm falloff on full frame at infinity, Vignette Correction OFF.
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Filters, use with
Bravo! Just use ordinary 82mm screw-in filters — a first for any 14mm full-frame lens.
There's no need for thin filters. There's no vignetting even with two stacked regular filters, so one thick rotating grad won't be a problem, even at 14mm.
Don't use polarizers on ultrawide lenses; the sky's natural polarization often appears as a dark band in the sky.
Flare & Ghosts
There aren't any significant ghosts or problems with flare.
See samples at Sunstars.
Lateral Color Fringes
There is a tiny bit of blue-yellow fringe in the corners, and none at 30mm.
You'll never see this; I had to go way out of my way to see it in the laboratory, and remember this lens is sharper than any other Nikon ultrawide and probably has the least lateral color fringes of all Nikon ultrawides.
Lens Corrections
My Nikon Z7 always correct for distortion. Distortion correction cannot be turned off.
My Nikon Z7 also corrects for falloff (Vignette Control) and diffraction. You can turn either of these ON or OFF.
Macro Performance
For an ultrawide lens, this 14-30mm gets very close:
Wide-open at f/4
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance at 30mm, 21 June 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
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
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance at 30mm, 21 June 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
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
14-30mm f/4 Z. bigger.
This is a mostly plastic lens with a metal mount and some metal exterior trim for show.
Hood
Plastic bayonet.
Front Bumper
None.
Filter Threads
Plastic.
Hood Bayonet Mount
Plastic.
Front Barrel
Plastic.
Zoom Ring
Rubber-covered plastic.
Mid Barrel Exterior
Section between focus and zoom rings: plastic.
Focus Ring
Metal.
AF Slide Switch
Plastic.
Rear Barrel Exterior
Metal.
Identity
Engraved and filled with paint on plastic ring between front element and filter threads.
Engraved and filled with paint on top of lens barrel.
Internals
Mostly plastic with some metal.
Zoom cams feel like metal.
Dust Gasket at Mount
Yes.
Mount
Chromed metal.
Markings
All molded engraved and filled with paint.
Serial Number
Laser engraved in dark-brown-on-black on bottom of barrel.
Date Code
None found.
Noises When Shaken
Mild to moderate clicking sounds like the diaphragm mechanism.
Made in
Made in Thailand.
Sharpness
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. 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, 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/22 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight of rapidly moving subjects at differing distances in the same image.
This warning aside, this lens is super sharp in the lab, especially on a 45MP camera. It's super-sharp even wide-open at 14mm.
There is some very minor softening in the far corners wide-open at 14mm, and it's still the sharpest Nikon 14mm I've ever tested. These corners sharpen right up to perfection by f/5.6 to f/8, and in fact this lens is so sharp that throughout most of the image diffraction is already softening the image by f/8! This is magnificent performance and exceptional for an ultrawide.
Mossy Oak, Oak Preserve, Los Osos, California, 10:24 A.M., Saturday, 23 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head so I could get a precise composition, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 30mm at f/11 at 1/15 at ISO 64 (LV 11½), Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo) to bring out all the detail in the shadows and control the highlights, all from my one JPG file. bigger or full 45 MP resolution.
Oak Preserve, Los Osos, California, 11:04 A.M., Saturday, 23 April 2022. Nikon Z9, Oben CT-2491 Carbon-Fibre Tripod and matching Oben BC-139 Ball Head so I could get a precise composition, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm at f/8 at 1/25 at ISO 64 (LV 11.3), Skylum Aurora HDR (now part of Luminar Neo) to bring out all the detail in the shadows and control the highlights, all from my one JPG file, then flipped horizontally to read properly from left to right. bigger or full 45 MP resolution (not flipped).
Desert Palm Forest, 22 June 2019, 10:16 AM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm at f/5.6 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7 "landscapes" mode. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.
This is exceptional sharpness. Yes the lower right corner is a little softer, but that's because it's closer and not in focus.
California Desert Home, 22 June 2019, 8:47 PM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm wide-open at f/4 for 13 seconds at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7 "landscapes" mode. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.
This is wide-open where all lenses are softest, and it's still ultra sharp. While it's a little softer in the corners wide-open at 14mm as shot here, the real reason the bases of the palm trees are softer is because they are closer and out of focus more so than the lens is softer. It was windy; the tops of the palm trees are blowing all around in this long exposure.
Desert Palm Canopy, 22 June 2019, 10:20 AM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm at f/4 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7 "landscapes" mode. bigger or camera-original © file.
I've never seen any 14mm lens be this sharp in the corners.
Desert Home Interior, 22 June 2019, 8:21 PM. Nikon Z7, Nikon 14-30mm at 14mm at f/5.6 for 1.3 seconds at ISO 64, Perfectly Clear v3.7. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.
As in the other shots, not everything is in focus; this isn't the lens' fault.
This lens is so perfect that shooting at f/8 and smaller dulls the image due to diffraction; this lens is mostly performing at the limits of the laws of physics.
Nikon's MTF charts confirm what I see. This is 2019, not 1989. Today just about every lens is far sharper than anyone actually needs.
 |
 |
MTF at 14mm at f/4. bigger. |
MTF at 30mm at f/4. bigger. |
Nikon's MTF charts at 10 cyc/mm and 30 cyc/mm.
Spherochromatism
Spherochromatism, also called "color bokeh" by laymen, is an advanced form of chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral color. It 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.
This lens has only a little bit of spherochromatism, and I doubt that anyone will ever care or notice.
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance at 30mm, 21 June 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
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
This lens has no Image Stabilization (OIS IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)), but is designed to work with the cameras' built-in sensor-shift stabilization.
Nap Time, Mission San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California, 4:14 P.M., 07 June 2023. Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm at f/4 hand-held at 1/2 second at Auto ISO 450 (LV 2.8), perspective correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). More tech details. bigger or fit-to-screen.
While in-camera stabilization works great with ultrawide lenses in the center, geometry makes it unable to do much in the corners. The corners are blurry due to camera motion hand-held at a half second; the Z 14-30mm f/4 is ultrasharp.
In actual use my Nikon Z7 gives me two stops of improvement at 30mm but only about a third of a stop improvement at 14mm.
"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness I get when I'm shooting hand-held while standing with no support. Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed. This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp all the frames are:
At 14mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots | 1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
| VR OFF | 0 |
0 |
50 |
83 |
100 |
100 |
| VR ON | 0 |
0 |
67 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
At 30mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots | 1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
| VR OFF | 0 |
0 |
10 |
25 |
100 |
100 |
| VR ON | 0 |
17 |
83 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
Sunstars
With its 7-bladed rounded diaphragm I get soft 14-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light at middle apertures and sharper ones at small apertures.
As things go with today's lenses that usually have no sunstars, this is better than average performance, and something we especially need in an ultrawide lens as so often the sun appears in our photos.
Click any to enlarge:
Compared
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
See also Nikon Z Ultrawides Compared.
This 14-30mm is by far the smallest 14mm lens ever made that works on Nikon's Z system. Not only is this 14-30mm smaller and lighter than any the other lenses by themselves, by the time you add the mandatory adapters required to use them on the Z system as shown below, the difference is huge.
This 14-30mm is the smallest, lightest and sharpest 14mm lens made — and it's the only lens that goes to 14mm that uses normal filters.
Versus Nikon Z 14-24/2.8
The Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 is much heavier and more than twice as expensive. It can't use filters unless you use the big included hood and whopping 112mm filters.
This 14-30mm is the lens to take for everything, while the 14-24mm f/2.8 is more for if you're a dedicated ultra wide fanatic who relishes all the size and weight and limited zoom range just to get to f/2.8.
Versus other Nikon Lenses that go to 14mm
14mm f/2.8 AF-D on Chinese adapter, 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S on FTZ & 14-30mm f/4 Z. bigger.
| Autofocus on Z system? | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Corner sharpness at 14mm wide-open | Fair |
Very Good |
Excellent |
| Overall sharpness | Very Good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Distortion correction? | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Distortion correction shown live in-finder? | No |
No |
Yes |
| Falloff correction? | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Filters | Rear gel |
None |
82mm screw-in |
| Weight, total measured to shoot on Z system | 28.2 oz. w/FTZ 800 g w/FTZ |
39.0 oz. w/FTZ 1,105 g w/FTZ |
16.9 oz. 479 g |
| Price, 6/2019 | |||
| Price, 6/2021 | |||
| Price, 6/2021 |
* If you know How to Win at eBay.
Versus Nikon Ultrawide Zooms
14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S on FTZ, 16-35mm f/4 VR on Chinese adapter & 14-30mm f/4 Z. bigger.
| Autofocus on Z system? | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Corner sharpness at wide end, wide-open | Very Good |
Very Good |
Excellent |
| Overall sharpness | Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Distortion correction? | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Distortion correction shown live in-finder? | No |
No |
Yes |
| Falloff correction? | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Filters | None |
77mm screw-in |
82mm screw-in |
| Weight, total measured to shoot on Z system | 39.0 oz. w/FTZ 1,105 g w/FTZ |
28.6 oz. w/FTZ 811 g w/FTZ |
16.9 oz. 479 g |
| Price, 6/2019 | |||
| Price, 6/2021 | |||
| Price, 6/2023 |
User's Guide
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
14-30mm f/4 Z. bigger.
A - M Switch
A is autofocus with manual override.
M is manual-focus only.
Collapsing
Just turn the zoom ring past 14mm to collapse.
If you see "F - -" on your camera's display, it means you need to extend it for shooting!
Turn it back to 14mm to extend the lens for shooting.
There are no interlocks, just a detent. Easy!
Recommendations
Top Sample Images Intro Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This is a no-brainer; it's the only native ultrawide lens or zoom for Nikon mirrorless system. It's smaller and lighter than any other similar focal-length range zoom for full frame, too, and at least as sharp.
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap. I only use a cap when I throw this in my bag, otherwise I leave a clear protective filter on my lens at all times so I'm ready to shoot instantly.
The very best protective filter is the 82mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.
For less money, the B+W 82mm 010 is an excellent filter, as is the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filter and the Hoya Alpha filter, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.
Any of these filters protects as well and gives ultrasharp images, but since filters last a lifetime, you may as well get the best since the Hoya HD3 is tougher and stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.
I got my 14-30mm at Adorama. I'd also get it at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. 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, non-USA, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken Rockwell.
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