Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 Review: A Tiny, Cheap Everyday Prime for Nikon APS-C
For years Nikon’s APS-C mirrorless bodies had zooms and nothing else. The Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7, announced on May 30, 2023 at $276.95, was the first DX prime for Z mount. It weighs 135 grams and is 40mm long.
On a DX body it frames like a 36mm lens on full frame. That’s a natural everyday view, close to how you see a scene, and f/1.7 gives you background blur and low-light ability that the kit zooms can’t.
This is the lens for ordinary days: a walk through a park at lunchtime, a café, a quiet corner of the city. It’s small enough that you stop thinking about carrying a camera.
Photo: Pixel Effects
Christopher Frost’s full review covers sharpness, bokeh and focusing.
Video review: Christopher Frost
Design
The optical formula is 9 elements in 8 groups with two aspherical elements. The aperture has seven rounded blades and the filter thread is 46mm. Close focus is 18cm, for 0.19x magnification. Autofocus uses a stepping motor.
There’s one ring, which works as a focus ring or as a control ring for aperture, ISO or exposure compensation. There are no switches; you set AF or MF in the camera. Nikon calls it dust and drip resistant with a mount seal, though Digital Camera World and Amateur Photographer describe the sealing as limited. The mount is plastic. A small hood comes in the box.
How it performs
TechRadar, Amateur Photographer and SLR Lounge found it sharp for the price, with the best results at f/2.8 to f/4. It’s slightly soft at f/1.7. Color fringing is low, and the camera corrects distortion automatically. SLR Lounge and Fstoppers found the stepping motor quiet with low focus breathing, which helps for video.
The compromises match the price. The build is plastic, there’s no stabilization, and vignetting is heavy wide open, as TechRadar noted. Amateur Photographer found autofocus a little hesitant in low light and audible on a camera microphone. Close-up ability is modest.
Who should buy it
Owners of the Nikon Z50II, Z30 or Zfc who want one small, fast prime. The Z50II has no in-body stabilization, so keep shutter speeds sensible, but f/1.7 helps a lot there. It’s also a good first step into prime lenses for anyone who’s only used a kit zoom.
Nikon’s own alternatives are the full-frame Z 28mm f/2.8 and the pancake Z 26mm f/2.8, both slower. Third-party options on Z mount include the Viltrox AF 23mm f/1.4 and Sigma’s f/1.4 DC DN primes, which are brighter but larger. For a wider view, the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 also comes in Z mount.
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