The Nikon Z mount now has ultra wide-angle optics. On Monday, January 7, Nikon unveiled the Nikkor Z 14-30mm F/4 S ultra-wide zoom lens. The lens is the first 14mm full-frame lens that allows for a filter at the front, thanks to a nearly flat front element. The lens was announced during CES 2019, alongside a new Nikon Z6 Filmmakers Kit that bundles an external recorder and gimbal with the mirrorless camera, although the lens had already been mentioned in the lens roadmap last year.
Due in part to the larger diameter of the Z mount, the new 14-30mm lens offers a more compact design without the dramatic curved front piece common on ultra-wide angle lenses. Without the curved glass on the front, the zoom lens is able to use 82mm screw-in filters on the front of the lens. The lens is 3.5 inches long when stored and weighs just over a pound, which Nikon says makes the lens about 28.6 percent lighter and 32 percent shorter than the AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens designed for DSLRs.
Nikon says the optical design is suited for high-resolution sensors like the one inside the Z7. The lens uses a new design that also incorporates four extra-low dispersion elements, four aspherical elements, and anti-reflective Nano Crystal Coat. The lens also houses Nikon’s newest stepping motor for autofocus that is quieter and faster than older motors. Nikon says the lens also reduces focus breathing for video.
Like the Z series bodies, the lens is dust and moisture sealed. One of the lens rings can be custom set to control focus, exposure compensation or aperture, similar to earlier Z lenses.
Nikon’s CES announcements also include a new filmmakers kit for the Z6. Along with the mirrorless body, the kit includes the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens, and FTZ lens adapter. An Atomos Ninja V 4K HDR 5-inch Monitor Recorder — which can be used to record maximum video quality in 10-bit N-Log — is also part of the bundle, along with the Rode VideoMic Pro+, MOZA Air 2 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer, an extra camera battery, an HDMI cable, a 12-month Vimeo membership and an online video course, The Art of Making Music Videos Nikon School with Chris Hershman.
“The Nikkor Z 14-30mm lens demonstrates the optical superiority of the Z system, taking advantage of the newest high-performance lens technologies while maximizing compactness and portability,” Jay Vannatter, Nikon executive vice president Nikon said in a statement. “The Nikon Z series is a powerfully capable camera system for all types of video production, and with the Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit, we’re giving videographers and content creators the gear they need to begin capturing high-quality videos with the most compelling hybrid camera on the market.”
The new Z 14-30mm lens will list for about $1,300 beginning this spring. The Z6 Filmmakers Kit will be available at the end of the month, listing for about $4,000.
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