The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 and the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S 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 24-70mm F4 S is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 with a length of 32mm, is 57mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3's 70mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 and Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 weighs 135g, which means it is 365g (73%) lighter than the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S which has a weight of 500g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 and the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S has the same Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Z lenses are Nikon Z30, Nikon Z fc and Nikon Z50.
Focal Range
Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 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.
On the other hand, the Nikon Z 24-70mm F4 S has a focal range of 24-70mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 105mm.