The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S and the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL 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 50mm F1.8 S is the longer of the two lenses at 87mm. The Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL with a length of 84mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S's 76mm diameter.
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 50mm F1.8 S weighs 415g, which means it is 15g (3%) lighter than the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL which has a weight of 430g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL has the Pentax KAF 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 KAF Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL has a focal range of 12-24mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18-36mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
