The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S and the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S is the longer of the two lenses at 118mm. The Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW with a length of 117mm, is 1mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 84mm.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S weighs 630g, which means it is 82g (11%) lighter than the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW which has a weight of 712g.
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S and the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF4 Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S has a focal range of 24-120mm and
5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
36 - 180mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
