Nikon Z lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR

12–28 mm, f/3.5–5.6, made for APS-C, stabilised. It mounts natively on 4 of our APS-C cameras; on the Z50II it frames like 18–42 mm.

  • 12–28 mm · 18–42 mm equiv. on Z50II
  • f/3.5–5.6
  • 67 mm filter
  • 205 g
  • Stabilised
63.5 mm long, 72 mm across, to the scale every lens page uses

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63.5 mm long72 mm67 mm filter thread
Drawn from Nikon's published size: 72 × 63.5 mm, at its shortest. Details simplified.

On your camera

The view, the weight with the camera (battery and card included) and what the maker says about each pair.

The 4 cameras this lens fits
CameraView (35 mm equiv.)Weight with cameraFit and maker's notesKit
Nikon Z3018–42 mm610 gFits, with a condition from Nikon
  • Power zoom needs camera firmware C 1.10. Nikon: “Z 30 firmware C 1.10 or later is needed to drive the zoom from the camera: that version added support for the power zoom feature available on some lenses.” Nikon's Z 30 firmware C 1.10 “added support for the power zoom feature available on some lenses”, so the camera drives the zoom of a power-zoom lens. Each later version includes it. Nikon's release notes

Nikon's page for this pair

Nikon Z5018–42 mm655 gFits, with a condition from Nikon
  • Power zoom needs camera firmware C 2.50. Nikon: “Z 50 firmware C 2.50 or later is needed to drive the zoom from the camera: that version added support for the power zoom feature on power zoom lenses.” Nikon's Z 50 firmware C 2.50 “added support for the power zoom feature on power zoom lenses”, so the camera drives the zoom of a power-zoom lens. Each later version includes it. Nikon's release notes

Nikon's page for this pair

Nikon Z50II18–42 mm755 gFits and works
Nikon Z fc18–42 mm650 gFits, with a condition from Nikon
  • Power zoom needs camera firmware C 1.40. Nikon: “Power zoom control from the camera needs Z fc firmware C 1.40 or later.” Nikon's Z fc firmware C 1.40 “added support for the power zoom feature available on some lenses”, so the camera drives the zoom of a power-zoom lens. Each later version includes it. Nikon's release notes

Nikon's page for this pair

What it frames

18 mm21 mm21 mm
Highlighted: this lens on the Z50II, beside the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S and the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, from the same spot. A zoom's dashed frame is its longest view.

From 3 m back it takes in a scene about 5.9 m wide at 12 mm and 2.5 m wide at 28 mm on the Z50II.

At its highest magnification, 0.21x, a subject about 11 cm wide fills the frame of the Z50II. Its closest focus is 19 cm from the sensor; on a zoom that distance and the highest magnification can belong to different zoom settings.

On the Z50II, to scale

Side view drawn from the published depth of the camera and length of the lens. 755 g together. From the back of the camera to the front of the lens: about 130 mm (66.5 + 63.5 mm).

Every lens with a 67 mm thread

Other wide-angle zooms for Nikon Z

The nearest in focal length, and what each changes against the NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR. Specifications only: we have not compared their pictures.

Where it is picked first

Each camera page picks one lens per job by a stated rule, from the numbers alone; the kit guides build on those picks.

In the kit guides

Questions about this lens

Which cameras does the Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR fit?

4 APS-C cameras in our catalogue: Z30, Z50, Z50II, Z fc.

What does it frame like on APS-C?

12–28 mm frames like 18–42 mm on the Z50II (1.5x).

What filter size does it take?

67 mm screw-in filters. Every lens with a 67 mm thread.

Where these facts come from

Facts from the makers' specification pages. How we check

Size, weight, filter thread, close focus and magnification are Nikon's published figures. We have not tested this lens; for image quality, read reviews from people who have.

Specifications

Mount
Nikon Z
Made for
APS-C sensors
Focal length
12–28 mm
Maximum aperture
f/3.5–5.6
Lens stabilisation
Yes
Weather sealing
Not stated by the maker
Filter thread
67 mm
Weight
205 g
Size (diameter × length)
72 × 63.5 mm
Closest focus
19 cm
Maximum magnification
0.21x
Autofocus
Yes
Announced
2023
Note
Power zoom