Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Review: Internal Zoom and 130 Grams Lighter
The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II replaces one of the first S-line lenses, and it changes the design more than most second versions do. Nikon announced it on August 22, 2025 at $2,799.95. It weighs 675 grams, against 805 grams for the original, and it zooms internally, staying at 142mm long through the whole range.
The filter thread drops from 82mm to 77mm, which matches more of Nikon’s other lenses. Autofocus uses Silky Swift VCM motors in a multi-focus design, and Nikon claims five times faster focusing than before.
A 24-70mm is the lens most working photographers leave on the camera. It covers a crowded square at 24mm and a single face at 70mm, and that range handles most of a day at an event or in a city.
Photo: Media Instances
Dustin Abbott’s review goes through sharpness, flare and focus in detail.
Video review: Dustin Abbott
Design and handling
The optical formula is 14 elements in 10 groups, with two ED and three aspherical elements and Nikon’s Meso Amorphous and ARNEO coatings. The front element has a fluorine coating, and the barrel is sealed against dust and drips.
Close focus is 0.24 meters at the wide end and 0.33 meters at 70mm, for 0.32x magnification. There’s no optical VR, so the lens relies on in-body stabilization, which every current full-frame Z body has.
Controls include a control ring you can switch between clicked and smooth, a function button, an A/M switch and a focus limiter. The original’s OLED display is gone. The hood has a filter window for adjusting a polarizer.
How it performs
TechRadar, PetaPixel and Camera Labs all found it very sharp with fast autofocus. Camera Labs found focus breathing effectively zero and the lens parfocal, so focus holds while you zoom. With internal zoom, that makes it an excellent video lens on a gimbal. Flare control was strong in both PetaPixel’s and Camera Labs’ tests.
The weaknesses are small. Camera Labs saw soft corners in close-ups and some inconsistent focus at 70mm. PetaPixel noted corner vignetting at f/2.8 and slightly busy backgrounds, and found that the control ring’s clicks don’t line up with third-stop aperture steps.
Should you buy it?
Price again is the main complaint, though TechRadar later saw it discounted to $2,599. If you own the original, TechRadar didn’t think the upgrade was worth it for stills alone. The weight saving and internal zoom are the reasons to switch, particularly if you shoot video.
The original Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is still excellent, about 20 to 25% cheaper, and worth buying used. If f/2.8 isn’t essential, the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S covers more range for less. The Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is about 70% cheaper on Nikon Z. Sigma’s 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II Art is the strongest third-party rival on other mounts.
Pair it with the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II for a matched internal-zoom kit. Bodies that suit it include the Nikon Z6III and Z8.