Nikkor Z 20mm F/1.8 S

Specifications01

MountNIKON Z

Focal length20mm

Max aperturef/1.8

TypeCinema · Wide · Prime

Weight505 g

Filter size77 mm

Physical length108.5 mm

Min focus distance0.2 m

Aperture blades9

Optical elements14

Groups11

Lens hoodpetal-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied)

Additional Info02

Category["Nikon Z (Full Format)"]

Review AuthorMarkus Stamm

Review Rating8.5

Other FeaturesStepping motor (STM), electronic aperture, customizable control ring, dust and moisture sealings

Review VerdictThe Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S is an excellent ultra-wide-angle lens that also illustrates the progress that lens design has made over the last few years. In terms of resolution, the broader center quality is nothing short of outstanding at f/1.8. The borders are also impressively sharp whilst the corners are still very usable for applications such as astrophotography, where good corner sharpness is required. Stopping down boosts the corners to a very good level. Image distortion is on a medium level and CA's are fairly well controlled even in RAW images. The only real weakness of the lens is vignetting which is very high in RAW images at large-aperture settings. Using software correction is advisable here. A really surprising aspect is the high quality of the bokeh which is much smoother than what we have seen from other lenses in this class. The build quality of the lens is on a very high level. There are some plastic parts on the lens body yet it feels sturdy and solid. Controls on the lens are reduced to a minimum with just an AF/M switch and the focus-by-wire control ring. The latter works electronically with variable speed and can be customized to control a (small) selection of other functions. The stepping AF motor is both fast and quiet. While not cheap, it's quite obvious that the Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S deserves our highest praise - highly recommended!

Review Criteria{"Build Quality":9,"Optical Quality":8.5,"Price/Performance":9}

Review Published2025-06-19T00:00:55+00:00

Optical Construction14 elements in 11 groups (inc. 3x ED and 3x aspherical elements, and elements with Nano Crystal Coat)