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Review: Nikon Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8

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Introduction

Nikon Z 28/2.8 has the classic focal length for candid street work and is a very compact lens. In fact, it is one of the smallest and lightest Z prime lenses for fullframe cameras. It can be fitted on an APS-C camera as a prime standard lens, which will have the equivalent focal length of 42mm, my favorite standard focal length. It is also one of Nikon’s most affordable Z lenses for fullframe cameras. Note that it is not an S series lens. Let’s see how it performs!

This lens was tested on Nikon Z 7II with its 46 Mp sensor.
Hereafter, for ease of writing, I will use Nikon’s designations for fullframe (FX) and APS-C (DX).

Sample Images

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/6.3
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/9
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/5.6
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/9
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/9
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/9

Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here.

Specifications

Focal Length 28mm
Angle of View 75º (FF)
# of Aperture Blades 7
Max Aperture f/2.8
Min Aperture f/16
Min Focus Distance 0.19 m
Filter Size 52 mm
Lens Mount Nikon Z
Weight 155 g
Size (D x L) 70 x 43 mm
Elements/Group 9/8
Nikon Z 28/2.8 | Lens construction | Aspherical elements in blue
Buy new: B&H, Amazon for $227 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $140 (Affiliate links)

The price is normally about $297, but right now there is a deal from Nikon that has taken the price down with $70 to $227. This is only for the standard version, the SE version is sold for $307.

TTARTISAN Review test TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 f5.6 mirror Reflex M42 Z nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z fNikon Z 7II | TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Mirror | FX
Nikkor 28mm f/2.8

Disclosure

I bought this lens with my own earned money.

Variations

There is a variant of this lens, the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 SE. This variant is identical to the lens under review, but it is styled to resemble Nikon’s manual focus lenses from the 1980s. It was designed specifically for, and introduced alongside, Nikon’s retro-styled APS-C camera, the Nikon Z fc. However, like the lens being reviewed, it is also a full-frame lens.

Handling

The Nikon Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 is primarily made of plastic, including the lens mount, which is not appreciated by many due to its perceived lack of durability. However, it’s important to note that the use of plastic does not necessarily indicate poor quality, as it did in the past. Plastic mounts have not been in use as long as their metal counterparts, leading to some doubts about their longevity.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 | Plastic mount

The Nikkor 28/2.8 is a simple lens. Its only control point is the manual focus ring, which operates smoothly. This control ring can be customized for manual focusing or to adjust aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation. The lens features an accurate, silent, and speedy autofocus, facilitated by dual stepping motors. This lens has been the first Nikon Z lens with dual stepping motors. While the speed is quite impressive, it is not particularly remarkable for a wide-angle lens. It employs an internal focusing mechanism and maintains its size during autofocus operation. As previously mentioned, the lens lacks an aperture ring; aperture settings are controlled from the camera by the electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism in the barrel.

TTARTISAN Review test TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 f5.6 mirror Reflex M42 Z nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z fNikon Z 7II | TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Mirror | FX
Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 on Nikon Z 7II

Nikon claims that the lens is dust and splash-resistant and ready to be used for street photography during rainy days. However, they also state that they cannot guarantee this resistance under all circumstances and situations, and I cannot see any rubber gasket under the lens mount. In other words, the lens is built tightly but does not have built-in weather sealing. It does not come with a lens hood and lacks image stabilization, which is generally not necessary for a lightweight wide-angle lens. Despite its predominantly plastic construction and absence of weather sealing, the lens feels well-built and sturdy.

Optical Features

Nikon Z 28/2.8 | MTF curves

Sharpness (Infinity)

For the infinity sharpness test, we look at three areas of the image, center, mid-frame, and corner, see highlighted areas in the image below!

Infinily Sharpness Points of Inspection

This lens is designed for use on both full-frame and APS-C cameras, so we examine the infinity sharpness on both formats. Given that the pixel density on Nikon’s FX camera sensors is more or less the same as that on the Nikon Z7 II, for the DX test, we analyze the same image, but cropped to the size of a DX sensor.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | infinity sharpness test scene

The lens delivers excellent sharpness and contrast already at the widest aperture of f/2.8 in the center, the corner is very sharp but the contrast could be a little better. Stopping down to f/4 improves the contrast in the corner. There is not much to expect when we further stop down. The peak performance seems to be at f/8, where the sharpness is excellent everywhere. The lens stays excellently sharp until f/16, where just a little softness begins to creep in due to the effect of diffraction.

On an APS-C camera the sharpness is excellent from corner to corner. Stopping down to f/4 makes the corners a little sharper though. The lens keeps its excellent sharpness up to f/11 where the diffraction makes it a little softer, while at f/16 it gets even softer.

Sharpness (Portrait)

Let’s look at the points of interest for portraits at the portrait distance: the very center, the center’s inner periphery  (1/3 rule intersection), and the center’s outer periphery (1/4th intersection).

Portrait Sharpness Points of Interest

Even here we look at both FX and DX cases, with the difference that for DX test, I switched the camera to DX format and adjusted my position to achieve the correct portrait distance for an equivalent 42mm focal length.

Not much to write here, the sharpness at portrait distance is very good at f/2.8 and excellent at f/4 for both FX and DX formats.

Sharpness (Close-up)

We get a surprise here as the image at close up distance is very soft and lacking contrast. Fortunately stopping down to f/4 improves the sharpness and contrast substantially to a very good level. At f/5.6 we get excellent sharpness, which peaks at f/8. We can see a very small and negligible dip in the sharpness at f/11, which becomes more obvious at f/16.

Lens Distortion

With the Nikon Z 7II camera, Nikon has made the in-camera distortion correction feature permanently ‘ON’ for this lens, eliminating the option to switch it off. On the Nikon Z 6/7, it is also ‘ON’ by default, but if I’m not mistaken, it can be switched off if desired. Regardless, I had no choice but to test it with the in-camera correction ‘ON’. Furthermore, Lightroom correct any remaining distortion automatically, and doesn’t even let you see the uncorrected photo. The images are virtually free from distortion, which suggests that either the in-camera correction works fantastically or Lightroom does a great job.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/4

On Z cameras that allow to switch the distortion correction off, the images will get a moderate barrel distortion if you use other raw converters than Lightroom. Although it is possible to correct that in post processing, it is recommended to keep the in-camera correction ON on cameras that allow switching it off.

Vignetting

With the in-camera Vignette Control set to off, the lens exhibits quite high vignetting wide open. It gets better by stopping down but does not disappear.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | Vignetting chart
  • F/2.8: 2.5 EV
  • F/4.0: 2.0 EV
  • F/5.6: 1.7 EV
  • F/8.0:  1.5 EV
  • F/11:  1.5 EV

Focus Shift & Aberrations

  • Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f

  • Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f

  • Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f

  • Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f

There is small amount of Longitudinal chromatic aberration at f/2.8. Stopping down to f/4 removes most of it and at f/5.6 it is completely gone.

When it comes to lateral chromatic aberrations (LaCA) Adobe has done something interesting. They have embedded the chromatic aberrations profiles for Z lenses without showing them in the list of lens profiles. So, it corrects the LaCA for you without you knowing about it. To demonstrate the LaCA, I have made 100% crops of an image corner from a photo I took, processed in Lightroom without me doing anything, that is shown under the first tab in the following. The second tab shows the same crop converted in RawTherapee without me doing anything. The third tab shows the same crop but with chromatic aberration automatically corrected in RawTherapee.

It means that if you use Adboe Lightroom for you RAW conversions you are good to go, otherwise you have to fix it if you want to get rid of the purple fringing on the edges of frame with high contrast images.

Flare Resistance

Not being a Nikon Z S series lens it does not have Nikon’s fancy Nano Crystal coating. However, it has their standard multi-layer coating of the optical elements in Nikkor lenses; Nikon Super Integrated Coating.  Well, let’s put this lens true our normal stress test and challenge it in the most difficult situations.







It seems that when the sun is well inside the frame, the Nikkor Z 28 has huge problems dealing with the flares. You should not expect the same great flare resistance that we have seen from the S lenses, Nikkor Z 24/1.8 S or Nikkor Z 35/1.8 S. However, it is not as bad as it can seem. When I changed the angle just a little, the situation improved significantly. Compare tab A and tab B from the previous series with corresponding tabs in the following series. Furthermore, this lens could resist the flares very well when the sun was in other critical positions in the frame, like near the edges and the corners of the frame.








There are quite a number of photos among the sample images taken in sunlight, most of them backlit. I think the lens has been able to handle the sun quite well in those situations.

Coma

Despite a slight amount of coma, the overall performance is good. It is good enough to use this lens for Milky Way photography at f/2.8 if the 28mm works for the composition. Although, if you are into astrophotography you know that the 28mm is too narrow focal length for the Milky way, you could possibly use it for stitching several photographs but even for that a 24mm would work better. See the following 100% crops from the top-right corner of an image taken with the 28mm f/2.8 on a Nikon Z 7II.

Sunstars

Unfortnately, the Nikkor 28/2.8 does not excel in producing sunstars. In fact, it’s challenging to get any decent sunstars from this lens.

Focus Breathing

A very good performance here as there is almost no focus breathing to be see, or it is minimal and negligible.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | focus breathing

Bokeh

It would be too much to expect a lot of bokeh from a 28mm f/2.8, especially on a DX sensor. Although, if you do get close to your subject you can get some out of focus blur, particularly if you use a fullframe camera. When you get the background blur, it is relatively soft and pleasant.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8

Even with demanding backlit foliage in the background the blur does not get harsh.

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8

 

Conclusion

I LIKE AVERAGE I DON’T LIKE
Size & weight
Price
Sharpness
Focus breathing
Lens Distortion Control		 Chromatic aberrations
Coma
Flare resistance		 Vignetting
Sunstars

The Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 is a solid performer with a very small size and quite reasonable price. The sharpness is very good to excellent, although not quite as good as the S lenses’ sharpness but not far from them either. On the other hand, there is a bigger gap between this lens and S lenses when it comes to the vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and flare resistance. That said, they are not bad at all, and in most practical cases at least completely usable, even good. It is clearly better than an average lens, especially in its price range.  If you want a light and compact travel wide angle lens for landscape or candid street photography this is a better choice than any of the S series zoom lenses as they are both bigger, slower, and more expensive. Optically, some of the S series zoom lenses are better though and some as good as the 28/2.8.

Writing articles like this one is both time-consuming and costs us a lot of money. If you found this article helpful and decided to buy one of these lenses, please consider using one of the affiliate links.

If you are not interested in buying any of the lenses, but you still found this article useful, interesting, or it saved you a lot of money, treat us to a coffee!

Buy new: B&H, Amazon for $227 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $140 (Affiliate links)

The price is normally about $297, but right now there is a deal from Nikon that has taken the price down with $70 to $227. This is only for the standard version, the SE version is sold for $307.

Alternatives

28mm has been one of the more classic and popular focal lengths along with 50mm and 35mm for a very long time. Therefore, there are countless 28mm lenses as alternative. I do not list them all, but mention a few of them, only some (but not all) of the lenses you can get new with either Nikon F or Z mount.

Voigtländer 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar SLII/SLIIs
While The SLII version is a few grams heavier at 180 g, it is a lot smaller 63x25mm, a true pancake lens. Manual focus but with electric contacts, available in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts. Note that there are two versions of this lens, SLII and a newer variant, the SLIIs, which has replaced the SLII. Both have the same optical formula but the SLIIs, as the Nikon Z 28mm SE, is retro styled  to resemble classic Nikon lenses from 1960s. The SLIIs is only available in Nikon F mount and is a few grams heaver and a few milimeters longer than the SLII without “s”.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H, Adorama for about $549 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from about $549 (Affiliate links)

Viltrox 28mm f/1.8
Available for Nikon Z and Sony E. This is the only 28mm alternative with Nikon Z mount and autofocus. It is 1.3 stops faster but a little more expensive, double the size and double the weight.
Buy new: Viltrox Store, Amazon, B&H, Adorama for about $379 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from about $319 (Affiliate links)

Nikon Z Nikkor 26mm f/2.8
While it’s not a 28mm lens, it’s not far off, with the same speed but a much smaller size. With dimensions even smaller than the Voigtländer SLII at 70×23.5 mm and a weight of only 125 g, it’s a true pancake lens and the smallest one you can buy for your Nikon Z full-frame camera. As of now (May/June 2024), Nikon is offering a $100 discount on this lens, which means you can purchase it for $397 instead of the regular price of $497 (Affiliate links)
Buy new: Amazon, B&H,  Adorama for $397 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $350 (Affiliate links)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G
This lens is 1.3 stops faster and with 73×81 m, 330 g more than double the weight and about double the size of the reviewed lens. A DSLR lens that requires an FTZ adapter to be used on Nikon Z cameras. The sharpness is as good as on the reviewed Nikon at shared apertures, Color fringing and the flare resistance are worse.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H, Adorama for about $581  (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from about $350 (Affiliate links)

Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 ZF.2
Zeiss has been one of the most prestigious lens makers for many years, and their Otus line represented Zeiss’ finest, most modern, and advanced lenses made by the end of the DSLR era.  It is two stops faster than the reviewed 28mm lens. This lens, with its weight of 1350 g and size of 109×135 mm, is a beast. It is the heaviest and largest of all 28mm lenses on this list (and possibly ever made), and is available with Nikon F and Canon EF mounts. It is also the most expensive. While the optical qualities of this lens were remarkable in its time, the best mirrorless lenses have since surpassed it.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H, Adorama for about $3990 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from about $1800 (Affiliate links)

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
83×108 mm, 865 g. This is Sigma’s counterpart to the Zeiss Otus 28mm mentioned above. Also big and heavy, but not nearly as big and heavy as the Otus. It has been Sigma’s most advanced 28mm lens also released by the end of the DSLR era for Nikon F and Canon EF cameras. This costs used to cost about $800 but at the time of reading there is a deal for$150 discount and is sold for $650.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H, Adorama for about $650  (Affiliate links)
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More Sample Images

Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/5.6
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/4
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/5
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/5.6
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/4
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/3.2
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/9
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/8
Nikon Nikkor Review test Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 f2.8 Z 28 2.8 nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE Fujifilm Fuji X canon rf m43 review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 28mm f/2.8 | f/2.8

Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here.

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Martin

Martin M.H. lives outside Stockholm, Sweden. He is a M.Sc. in Computer Technology but he has been a passionate photographer for over 45 years. He started his photographic adventures when he was thirteen with an Agfamatic pocket camera, which he soon replaced with a Canon rangefinder camera that his mom gave him in his teenages. After that he has been using Canon SLR, Nikon SLR manual focus and Autofocus, Sony mirrorless crop sensor, Nikon DSLR and Nikon Mirrorless. He has photographed any genre he could throughout the years and you can see all kind of images in his portfolio. During the later years though it has been mostly landscape, nature, travel and some street/documentary photography.

9 thoughts on “Review: Nikon Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8”

  1. I have both the Z 28/2.8 and 40/2 lenses for my Z5, in fact started my lens collection with them. I used them and found them adequate, but a bit flat, especially the 28. I expected more from my upgrade to full frame!

    Thanks to websites like this, I learned about and acquired lenses like the Voigtlander VM 35/1.7, Contax CY 28/2.8, Voigtlander VM 50/3.5, and Contax G 90/2.8. Now my pictures have the depth and tonality I was hoping for! Example from the CY 28/2.8: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cp4Un9HAVNJ6caCD8 (a casually framed and focused snapshot but demonstrates tonality I think)

    Martin, I notice your review doesn’t remark upon colors and contrast. For instance, they’re not mentioned in the concluding table of Like/Don’t Like. With your images from this Z 28/2.8 especially, but even to some extent with your review of the Z 24/1.8S, I’m seeing the same relatively flat colors and contrast as I saw from my own Z 28/2.8. Curious if this is apparent to you.

    Reply

    1. Well, a couple of points: first of all, I do not think the tonality of images has anything to do with the lens. Some lenses render some colors more saturated, though, or have a tint towards a specific color. The ‘flatness’ of the image is a combination of the lighting conditions, the sensor, and the edit. Nowadays, sensors are very close to each other in that sense, but there are some differences. However, the lighting conditions and the edit are the most decisive factors.

      I always take all the images in Raw, and the Raw images are supposed to be flat. Furthermore, I not only do not edit the images much but also make them even flatter by pushing down the highlights and pulling up the shadows. I have reviewed a few lenses here; for some of them, I have edited the images to my taste a little but received criticism, so I have minimized that. I may do some edits to only some of the images though, but those are minimal.

      Just to showcase, I have uploaded one image taken on the same day as most of the other sample images but with two edits: The first one with the same edit as all the other images in the review, In the second I put Fuji Reala preset without any other changes, but you can see huge difference between them. The first one is very flat, but the second one much more dynamic and with greater tonality.

      Reply

      1. I don’t believe it’s simply a matter of processing. If it were I could have saved lots of money! I worked hard in post but was ultimately unsatisfied with my Z 28/2.8. I believe the glass matters (number of elements, type, formula, coatings, etc.). Maybe I’ll put together a comparison among my lenses to demonstrate! Stay tuned…

        Reply

        1. Of course, glass matters, but not in terms of tonality. After replying to your comment, I realized you might be referring to the lack of vibrance when you say images are flat. Some lens characteristics that can affect the vibrance of an image include flare resistance, micro contrast, overall contrast, sharpness, and the quantity/quality of out-of-focus blur. This Nikon 28 lens does not excel in producing a lot of blur or micro contrast and is prone to flares under certain conditions, which can diminish the vibrance in some of the sample images. But in many of them, it is the edit. I edited 7-8 of the sample images that are in the review and added to the sample images with higher resolution site. I moved corresponding review sample images next to the edited versions. Have a look at them at the following address and tell me if you still think the edited images are flat.
          https://images.stockholm360.net/nikon-nikkor-z-28mm-f-2-8/

          Reply

          1. The higher contrast you added in post helps somewhat at first impression but then with longer consideration the colors look a bit off, most noticeably with skin tones looking oversaturated, clipped, and posterized. This is what I meant by “tonality”. I experienced the same tradeoff when post-processing my own images from my Z 28/2.8.

            Microcontrast is the other common term for it, which I avoided using because I think Phillip has questioned the use of the term. But if you’re comfortable with it, yes, I think we’re starting to talk about the same thing especially your description of “vibrance of an image include flare resistance, micro contrast, overall contrast”. In those terms I believe this Z 28/2.8, while good for the price and convenient with AF, lacks somewhat in comparison with lenses like the CY 28/2.8 (which I have direct experience with, in congruence with its review on this website.) Within this focal length range, the Loxia 25 reviewed by Phillip also demonstrates superior qualities in this vein.

            Put in measurable technical terms, it has been suggested that “microcontrast” is a matter of high contrast of lower frequency detail that can be expressed as the MTF10 magnitude score (instead of MTF30 or 40 or the other way of expressing maximum frequency of at least 50% transmission). I suspect this Z 28/2.8 does not have a high MTF10 magnitude, especially in strong lighting conditions, whereas lenses like Zeisses often measure over 95% transmission.

          2. Okay then. As I wrote about this lens in our forum, this is a good lens, especially for the price, without being remarkable in any aspect. There are optically better lenses at higher prices.

    2. The term ‘flat’ needs to be properly defined before we can discuss whether a lens in question is different from other lenses in this respect.
      However, I suspect that two things might lead you to believe that the lens is flat:
      1) The lack of “character”. Lenses with character do not render the out-of-focus parts perfectly neutral, but tend to introduce some irregularities. The Nikkor 28/2.8, like many modern Nikon designs, tends to be more neutral in this respect.
      2) As Martin mentioned, his editing style has a lot to do with how the final colours, shadows and highlights look.

      I have owned the Nikkor Z 28/2.8 and I do not feel that its rendering is flat. Not to my eye.

      Reply

  2. Small correction:
    “It would be too much to expect a lot of bokeh from a 28mm f/2.8, especially on a DX sensor”

    Counterintuitively DX (or APS-C) gives more (background) blur than FX at the same focal length as the circle of confusion is smaller (in other words you enlarge the image more).

    Reply

    1. Sadly in the real world you have to step back to get the same object size with the lens on an APS-C sensor and that tiny potential benefit will be totally overruled by the longer focus distance.

      Reply

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