NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S

Reviewers agree that resolution is excellent in the centre and very good toward the corners wide open, and that the Z version is a clear step up from the F-mount 20mm f/1.8G in nearly every respect. Flare and ghosting are well controlled, and focus breathing is low for video.

The weak points are pronounced vignetting at f/1.8 that only fades by about f/4, some longitudinal colour fringing, and coma in the far corners. Assessments of coma differ: some testers found it better than most rivals, others saw enough of it on full frame to give astro shooters pause.

Owners use it as a landscape and astro lens and as a compact alternative to a wide zoom. They praise its sharpness, its sunstars stopped down, and quick, silent AF that works for video.

The usual complaints are its size compared with an f/1.8 prime's usual footprint, the large 77mm filters, and the price against the f/2.8 zooms that cover 20mm. A few astro users fix residual corner coma by stopping down to f/2.2–2.8.