The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II and the Nikon Z 24-120mm 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. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 196mm. The Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S with a length of 118mm, is 78mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S's 84mm 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 24-120mm F4 S weighs 630g, 58% (870g) lighter than the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II's weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
Both the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II and the Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S 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 Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has the Sony Alpha lens mount whereas the Nikon Z 24-120mm F4 S has the Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount and Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount.
Focal Range
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-400mm and
5.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the 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.
