subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 30 November 2019 43
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MPB
Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
●£1,819●www.nikon.co.uk
AFTERreleasinga coupleof f/4
zoomsandf/1.8primes,it’sgood
toseethefirstprofessionalf/2.8
lensesstartingtoarrivefor
Nikon’sfull-frameZ system.
WhereastheZ 24-70mmf/4S is
quitecompact,withitsretracting
zoommechanism,thislensis
significantlylarger.Butit’sstill
265glighterand28.5mm
shorter in length than Nikon’s
AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 E ED VR.
As well as introducing a new
multi-layer ARNEO coating to
maximise contrast and sharpness
when light sources are visible in
the frame, it includes a ring to
take control of exposure
compensation or aperture. The
illuminated panel can be set to
display focal length, aperture or
focus distance information, while
the build and fi nish is deserving of
the serious enthusiast and
professional users it’s
designed for.
Like other camera
manufacturers, Nikon
has taken the direction
of embedding
lens-correction profi les
into raw fi les, which are
applied automatically by
the processing software
to eliminate colour
fringing and distortion.
The gorgeous blur the
lens creates behind
subjectsat wideaperturesis
nothing short of sublime, and if
you insist on the best possible
sharpness at the longer end of
the zoom, it’s advisable to stop
down to at least f/4.
This is a lens that produces
outstanding sharpness and
contrast, is built to withstand the
demands of professional use, and
balances beautifully on Nikon’s
full-frame Z-series bodies.
Advanced features such as the
control ring, L-Fn button and
information panel are
the icing on the
cake. Yes, it’s
expensive, but
it’s also the best
Z-mount zoom lens
we’ve tested so far.Whatwelike
●LighterthanCanonandSony
equivalents
●Presentsbotha focusringand
a controlring
●Featuresa customisablefunction
b u t t o n( L- F n)GOLD
NOTONLYis thisthefirst
600mmzoommadebya major
cameracompany,it’salsothe
firsttofeatureaninternal-zoom
design.Justa quarterturnof the
zoomringis neededtoprogress
from200mmto600mm,and
it’sdifficulttooverstatejusthow
much of an advantage this
becomes when you need to
change focal length quickly.
In essence, the FE 200-
600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS is
an ultra-telephoto zoom that’s
designed for use with Sony’s
full-frame mirrorless cameras. Its
maximum aperture may look
slow, but in practice there’s no
penalty in terms of viewfi nder
brightness or autofocus speed
under most shooting conditions.
The lens can also be used with
APS-C format cameras, on which
it will provide a 300-900mm-
equivalent range.
While this is a sizeable lens,
measuring 31.8cm in length and11.8cmin diameter,at 2,115g
it’s not as heavy as you might
expect, thanks to a liberal use of
magnesium alloy in the barrel
construction. As befi ts a lens that
will overwhelmingly be used
outdoors, it includes an array of
seals protecting against water and
dust from entering the lens. It also
comes complete with a smoothly
rotating tripod collar.
We haven’t reviewed the lens
fully yet, but in our initial shooting
we found it to focus quickly and
accurately, and deliver sharp
images wide open across the full
zoom range. It’s a unique optic
that’s sure to be very popular with
Sony users for subjects such as
sports, wildlife, and airshows.What we like
● Internal zoom mechanism
● Light enough to handhold
● Rapid autofocusSony FE 200-600mm
F5.6-6.3 G OSS
● £1,799 ● http://www.sony.co.ukThe long zoom range is
ideal for wildlife
photographyA new ARNEO coating helps
maximise sharpness when
shooting towards the light