Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ Lens Officially Announced
Nikon has officially announced the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ, the company’s first full-frame power zoom lens, marking a significant step in its growing emphasis on professional video production. This release follows Nikon’s acquisition of RED Digital Cinema in March 2024, further signaling its commitment to video-focused innovations.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ Lens at B&H, Adorama.
Key Features
- Full-Frame | f/4 Maximum Aperture
- Wide-Angle to Telephoto Zoom
- Stepping Motor AF System
- Power Zoom Functionality
- Programmable Control Ring & L-Fn Buttons
- Meso Amorphous Coating
- Internal Zoom Mechanism
- 13.4″ Minimum Focusing Distance
- Rotatable Tripod Collar
- Rectangular Lens Hood w/ Filter Window
Designed for Professional Video Shooters
The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ is purpose-built for videographers, offering a versatile focal range that covers wide-angle to telephoto needs without requiring lens changes. Designed to pair seamlessly with Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, such as the flagship Z9, the Z8, and the Z6 III, this lens is particularly well-suited for documentary filmmaking, news coverage, and commercial video production. Its internal focusing mechanism and short minimum focusing distance make it ideal for solo videographers and small crews working on location.
Power Zoom for Precision Control
A defining feature of this lens is its power zoom functionality, which allows for smooth, precise, and remote-controlled zoom adjustments—an essential capability for professional video work. The 28-135mm f/4 PZ employs a stepping motor (STM) for quiet, seamless zoom transitions while minimizing focus breathing. Users can select from 11 different zoom speeds, controllable via the zoom lever or two programmable L-Fn buttons. Additionally, zoom adjustments can be made remotely through Nikon’s NX Tether software, SnapBridge, or NX Field apps, offering greater flexibility for multi-camera setups.
Optical Excellence and Video-Optimized Features
The optical design of the 28-135mm f/4 PZ includes 18 elements in 13 groups, incorporating three ED elements, four aspherical elements, and one aspherical ED element. These elements, combined with Nikon’s “Meso Amorphous” coating, effectively reduce ghosting and flare, ensuring superior image quality. A fluorine coating on the front element repels oil and water, making it more durable in challenging shooting conditions. While not optically parfocal, the lens utilizes autofocus to maintain focus during zooming, and the focus ring is compatible with follow-focus systems for manual focus adjustments.
Ergonomic and Practical Design
The lens features a customizable zoom ring, allowing users to adjust the angle and rotation direction to their preference. It supports 95mm screw-on filters but is also compatible with matte box-mounted filters, catering to professional cinematographers. Weighing 1,210g (2.67 lbs) with its removable tripod foot, the lens is designed to maintain a stable center of gravity while zooming, making it highly suitable for gimbal use.
A Clear Step Toward Nikon’s Video Future
Nikon is positioning the 28-135mm f/4 PZ as a crucial tool for professionals working in documentaries, sports, news, and commercial video production. Its announcement coincides with the launch of Nikon Z-mount RED cinema cameras, reinforcing Nikon’s strategic expansion into the high-end video market. Features like the Z9’s ability to shoot using shutter angle instead of traditional shutter speed further align with the lens’s professional video capabilities, making it a compelling option for serious filmmakers.
Pricing and Availability
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ will be available starting in April 2025 at a retail price of $2,599. With its advanced video-first design, Nikon is making a strong statement about its commitment to the professional videography industry, providing content creators with a powerful new tool tailored for cinematic production.
Press Release:
One lens, infinite possibilities: Nikon releases the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ power zoom lens for professional videographers
Cinematic NIKKOR Quality Plus All of Your Most Commonly Used Focal Lengths in a Single Versatile Lens
MELVILLE, NY (February 12, 2025)- Today Nikon Inc. announced the release of the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ, a full-frame power zoom lens for the Nikon Z mount made especially for video professionals. Featuring a truly versatile focal range, a customizable power zoom function1, precise manual controls and agile handling, this is the first dedicated NIKKOR Z lens that is designed to empower small-footprint productions and solo videographers with a lightweight cinematic tool that fulfills numerous roles.
The first thing that grabs your attention is the appearance of this lens– the pronounced yellow ring around the bayonet and the bold typography on the barrel stand out, indicating its rightful place in a production environment. The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ looks different than other NIKKOR Z lenses, incorporating an updated design and precise controls made to augment the workflow of cinematographers and videographers, with maximum flexibility.
“There is a long history of professional cinematographers in Hollywood and beyond using NIKKOR lenses to bring their vision to life, and the new NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ builds upon this legacy, going a step further to provide exceptional versatility meeting the needs for today’s solo filmmakers,” said Fumiko Kawabata, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc.
The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ is a power zoom lens that spans many of the most commonly used focal lengths, from a wide 28mm for establishing shots, to 135mm for close-up/telephoto coverage. It also covers everything in between, from interviews to events, live or spot news, sports and more. The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ gives videographers superior operability and functionality in situations that require agility, such as when shooting corporate content, documentaries, or on-location coverage, when reshoots just aren’t an option.
The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ offers precise control, letting the user smoothly zoom throughout the focal range, but also offers a choice of 11 different zoom speeds2 to match a specific creative style and vision. The lens is superbly balanced, minimizing shifts in the center of gravity that occur with zooming. This lets the user shoot with confidence, even when constantly using the power zoom feature on a gimbal. The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ also supports a variety of video accessories such as follow-focus controllers, matte boxes and more to help videographers capture the footage they want on location, as well as offering remote control capabilities using a computer or smartphone.
Thanks to the superior NIKKOR Z optical performance, this lens enables users to capture beautiful full-frame, high-resolution 8K video. The lens uses Nikon’s best anti-reflection coating, a Meso Amorphous Coat, to significantly reduce ghosting and flares, while the optical formula is optimized for video with a design that minimizes focus breathing. Additionally, the inclusion of a stepping motor (STM) ensures fast and accurate autofocusing.
Primary Features of the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ
- The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ supports a convenient 28-135mm range of focal lengths, allowing for a variety of compositions without changing lenses.
- When used with the Nikon Z8/Z9, Hi-Res Zoom can be used for an angle of view equivalent to that of the 270mm focal length with 4K video recording. Additionally, from 135mm-270mm, the zoom is effectively parfocal.
- The lens supports dynamic close-ups with a minimum focus distance of just 13.3 in (0.34 m) in the 28mm to 50mm range and 22.4 in (0.57 m) in the telephoto range.
- Zooming speed can be selected from 11 speeds and assigned to the zoom lever or one of the camera’s Fn buttons.
- Zoom ring angle and direction of rotation can be customized to suit individual preferences.2
- Synchro mode enables simultaneous optical zoom and Hi-Res Zoom using a single control with video recording.3
- Professional video accessories, including matte boxes and follow focus systems are supported.
- Adoption of an internal zoom mechanism allows for comfortable zooming without concern for shifts in the center of gravity that may upset the balance of the camera-lens setup, especially useful when using a gimbal.
- Adoption of Meso Amorphous Coat, Nikon’s best anti-reflection coating, significantly reduces ghosts and flares.
- Adoption of a stepping motor (STM) ensures fast and accurate autofocusing.
- Optimized for video recording with a design that suppresses focus breathing.
- Support for linear MF drive enables smooth focusing.
- Comes with a rectangular HB-116 lens hood that helps users control the amount of light entering the lens for less ghosting and flares. A filter adjustment window allows users to adjust circular polarizing and variable ND filters while the hood is attached.
- Zooming can be controlled remotely from a computer, smartphone, or tablet using NX Tether, SnapBridge, or NX Field.
- Customizable L-Fn buttons are positioned on the side and top of the lens for convenient operation of assigned functions, even when shooting in vertical (portrait) orientation.
- Nikon’s fluorine coat applied to the front lens element effectively repels dust, water droplets, grease, and dirt.
- Designed with consideration for dust and drip-resistance.4
Price and Availability
The new NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ lens will be available in April 2025 for a suggested retail price of $2599.95* .The lens will also be available as part of a bundle with the new RED KOMODO-X Z Mount camera. For more information on these products, please visit RED.com. For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the vast collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit nikonusa.com.
For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the vast collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit nikonusa.com.
Specifications, equipment, and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
1. The camera must be running the latest firmware to use some functions.
2. Firmware may require updating before using this feature. See the product page for compatible cameras. We plan to add support for some models with a future firmware update.
3. Control ring operation is not supported.
4. Thorough dust and drip-resistance is not guaranteed in all situations or under all conditions.
*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.
