Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-02-29)

AWARD

WINNER

2020

STANDARD

ZOOM LENS

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 29 February 2020 49

Nominees

■CanonRF70-200mm

F2.8LISUSM

■Sigma70-200mmF2.8 DG

OS HSM | Sports

Nominees

■NikonNikkorZ 24-70mm

F2.8S

■Olympus12-200mm

f/3.5-6.3

Canon RF 70-200mm

F2.8L IS USM

Nikon Nikkor Z

24-70mm F2.8 S

Telephoto Zoom Lens of the Year

Standard Zoom Lens of the Year

NIKON’Spremiumstandardzoomforitsfull-framemirrorlesscamerasis

a top-qualityprofessionalworkhorse.It takesadvantageof theZ mountto

reducesizeandweightwithoutcompromisingopticalquality,being25%

lighterand18%shorterthanNikon’sequivalentforF-mountDSLRs.

Thebuildandoverallfinishis deservingof thedemanding

photographersthatit’sdesignedfor,withextensiveweather

sealing.A controlringpositionedclosetothecamerabody

allowsadjustmentof theaperture,exposurecompensation

orISO,whilea displaypanelontopof thebarreltoggles

throughfocallength,apertureandfocusdistance.

Justaswe’dexpectfroma pro-speclens,the

Z 24-70mmf/2.8S employsadvancedoptics

tomeetthedemandsof high-resolution

sensors.It putsin a mightyfineperformance,

withtrulyexcellentlevelsof detaildelivered

betweenf/5.6andf/8at allfocallengths.

AdopttheZ 24-70mmf/2.8S andyou’ll

reaptherewardof thesizeandweight

advantagesit offers.It’sa lensthatproduces

excellentsharpness,is builttothedemandsof

professionaluseandbalancesbeautifullyon

full-frameZ-seriescameras.It’snotcheap,but

it’s the best Z-mount zoom we’ve tested so far.

THEADVENTof full-framemirrorlesshasallowedmanufacturers
torethinkallaspectsof cameraandlensdesign,andthissuperb
fasttelezoomis a greatexample.Byusinganextendingbarrel
design,Canonhasmadeit considerablysmallerandlighterthan
other70-200mmf/2.8lenses,withoutanyconcessionsin terms
buildqualityoroptics.
In keepingwiththedistinctivelookof manyCanonprofessional
L-seriesEFlenses,thisis thefirstRFlenstobegivena white
heat-shieldcoatingtohelpkeeptheopticscoolin hot
temperatures.Canonhasincorporatedanelectronicfloating
focus-controlmechanismwithdualnanoultrasonicmotors,
makingfocusingsmootherandquieterforstillsandvideo
shooting.Thelatestopticalimagestabilisationdoesa fa t ti j b
of combatingblurfromcamerashake.
Opticallythislensis a seriouslyimpressiveperformer
deliveringthekindof imagequalityyou’dexpectfrom
anL-serieslensthatsetsyoubacka prettypenny.The
resultsfromourtestsareveryimpressiveindeed,with
quiteastonishingsharpnessrightacrosstheframe
fromcornertocorner.OverallCanonhasgoodreason
tobeproudof thislarge-aperture,high-performance
RF lens. It’s a quite brilliant telezoom!

Whywelike it

●Compactdesign

●Incrediblysharpoptics

●Effectivestabilisation

●Fast,smoothfocusingfor

bothstillsandvideo

●Dustandwater-resistant

construction

Whywelikeit

●Stunninglysharpoptics

●Pro-level weather-sealed
build

●Rapid,silentautofocus

●Usefulcustomisable
controlring

● Handy information display

‘Itemploys

advancedoptics

tomeetthe

demandsof

high-resolution

sensors’

‘Canonhas

madeit smaller

andlighter

thanother

70-200mm

f/2. 8 len s e s’

AWARD

WINNER

2020

TELEPHOTO

ZOOM LENS