Nikon has developed several small, light, and relatively inexpensive prime lenses for their mirrorless Z cameras. I’ve been shooting with several of them.
The smallest is the 26mm f/2.8, a tiny, take-anywhere pancake lens. It’s priced at around $500.
The lens I’m focusing on here is the 28mm f/2.8. It’s another small, light, take-anywhere everyday shooting lens designed for Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras.
I’ve posted a detailed hands-on review separately, but here’s the short version: it’s not quite as wide and not quite as small as the 26mm, but it’s priced at a significantly lower price, at around $300. So it’s one of the cheapest lenses in Nikon’s range.1
On the left is the Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8. On the right is the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8.
The purpose of this post is to share some sample images that I’ve taken with the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8. These were shot on a Nikon Zf and a Nikon Z8. Those cameras have basic corrections for issues like lens distortion and vignetting in-camera, and I’ve left those settings on their default ON positions.
Nikon Z 28mm sample photos
You can click on each image to open a full-size version for a closer look. The purpose here is to include a range of scenes under different conditions that might show up strengths and weaknesses of the lens visually.
Many of these were shot wide open, in part because that’s how I often shoot, and in part because if I’m using a fast lens, I want to take maximum advantage of that.
Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/1250 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/4, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 90.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 800.Taken with a Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 1000.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 720.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/8 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 2800.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/50 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/800 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 720.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/3.5, shutter speed of 1/800 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 280.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/80 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/4.5, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 900.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/1250 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 900.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 2200.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/250 sec, and at ISO 7200.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 450.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 3600.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 2000.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, and at ISO 100.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/2.8, shutter speed of 1/30 sec, and at ISO 2500.Taken with a Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens at 28mm with an aperture of f/3.2, shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, and at ISO 100.
Price & availability of the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8
Nikon has set the MSRP of the 28mm f/2.8 at $299. There’s also a special edition with retro styling on the exterior this is priced around $10 higher.
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I take photos for a living. Now based in Washington, D.C., I have spent the last 30+ years shooting across seven continents — from underwater environments to mountain peaks. My images and time-lapses have appeared in major newspapers, magazines, museums, professional sports stadiums, and even on massive architectural scrims covering world-famous buildings.
I started this site in 2009 to field-test gear, share problem-solving solutions, and share what I've learned in shooting around the world. I only review gear and services I have personally used. No armchair opinions — just real-world experience. Because, for me, the fun is in the making of the photo.
