NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S

Testers rate it very sharp in the centre at every focal length and impressively even across the frame for an ultra-wide zoom, with the extreme corners at 14mm improving by f/5.6–f/8. Chromatic aberration is low, and the in-camera profile handles the substantial uncorrected distortion and vignetting.

Reviewers note that the 7-blade aperture makes uneven sunstars and that strong backlight can still produce some ghosting. f/4 is limiting for astrophotography. Most rate it among the best-value S-Line lenses.

Owners value the filter thread, the low weight and the compact retracted size, and many say it is the wide zoom they hike and travel with. They describe it as a dependable landscape lens that rarely needs stopping down far.

The common complaints are the extend-before-shooting step (the camera shows an error until the barrel is unlocked) and f/4 for night skies. Some also mention mediocre sunstars and a few flare artefacts against the sun.