Nikon NIKKOR DX 24mm f1.7 prime lens
Image courtesy: Nikon

Nikon has launched its new NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f1.7 prime lens. The new lens is designed for Nikon’s DX series of Z mount APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras.

Wide but not too wide

The NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f1.7 prime lens has an angle of view of 61 degrees. This is equivalent to a 36mm lens on a full-frame camera. It’s a versatile focal length that is wide enough to shoot landscapes. However, you can also move in closer for portraits using the lens’s shallow depth of field to make your subject stand out. In addition, the close focus distance is only 7 inches (180 mm), so you can get great close-ups too.

Fast maximum aperture

Image courtesy: Nikon

The NIKKOR DX 24mm prime lens has a very fast maximum aperture of f1.7. This means that the lens will be great for use in low-light conditions. You will also be able to create shots with a very shallow depth of field when the aperture is wide open. In addition, the lens also has seven aperture blades which will create a smooth, round bokeh in out-of-focus parts of your image.

Construction

The NIKKOR DX 24mm prime lens is a compact lens, measuring only 1.6 inches (40 mm) in length and 2.8 inches (70 mm) in diameter. It’s also lightweight, weighing only 4.8 ounces (135 g). Optically, the lens is constructed with nine elements in eight groups, including two aspherical lens elements. In addition, Nikon says that the autofocus is very quiet and that focus breathing is suppressed to prevent angle-of-view shifts during recording. This makes the lens ideal for video use.

What we think

The NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f1.7 prime lens gives you a useful focal length when combined with an APS-C sensor camera. It’s the sort of lens you could cover a range of events with, capturing wide shots and close-ups equally well. In addition, the wide maximum aperture means you can achieve a shallow depth of field when you need it, even with such a relatively wide lens. Even better, it’s a very affordable lens that won’t break the bank. If you shoot with a Nikon DX camera, then this new 24 mm prime lens is worth considering.

Image courtesy: Nikon

Pricing and availability

The NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f1.7 prime lens will be available from mid-June. It retails at $279.

Pete Tomkies is a freelance cinematographer and camera operator from Manchester, UK. He also produces and directs short films as Duck66 Films. Pete's latest short Once Bitten... won 15 awards and was selected for 105 film festivals around the world.