Specifications#
Equivalent focal length on different cameras#
Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).
| Camera format | At 12 mm | At 18 mm | At 28 mm | Equiv. aperture (DoF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APS-C | 18 mm · 99° | 27 mm · 76° | 42 mm · 53° | f/5.2 |
| APS-C (Canon) | 19 mm · 96° | 29 mm · 73° | 45 mm · 51° | f/5.6 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 24 mm · 84° | 36 mm · 62° | 56 mm · 42° | f/7.0 |
Depth of field & background blur#
Computed on its native APS-C format (CoC 20 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index. Full table: 14 mm f/4 on aps-c.
| Focal | Aperture | at 1 m | at 2 m | at 5 m | at 10 m | Hyperfocal | Blur @2 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | f/3.5 | 1.21 m | 35.3 m | ∞ | ∞ | 2.12 m | 0.1% |
| 12 mm | f/4 | 1.51 m | ∞ | ∞ | ∞ | 1.85 m | 0.1% |
| 12 mm | f/8 | ∞ | ∞ | ∞ | ∞ | 93.2 cm | 0.0% |
| 18 mm | f/3.5 | 43.4 cm | 2.03 m | ∞ | ∞ | 4.75 m | 0.2% |
| 18 mm | f/4 | 50.2 cm | 2.48 m | ∞ | ∞ | 4.16 m | 0.2% |
| 18 mm | f/8 | 1.22 m | 45.6 m | ∞ | ∞ | 2.09 m | 0.1% |
| 28 mm | f/3.5 | 17.1 cm | 71.0 cm | 5.35 m | 72.0 m | 11.5 m | 0.5% |
| 28 mm | f/4 | 19.6 cm | 81.9 cm | 6.58 m | 2.0 km | 10.0 m | 0.4% |
| 28 mm | f/8 | 40.3 cm | 1.86 m | 643 m | ∞ | 5.04 m | 0.2% |
Handheld & night-sky limits#
NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).
| Body | Min. handheld shutter (longest focal) | 500 rule at 12 mm | NPF at 12 mm, f/3.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| APS-C | 1/40 s | 28 s | 20 s |
| APS-C (Canon) | 1/50 s | 26 s | 19 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 1/60 s | 21 s | 18 s |
Compatible cameras#
Bodies in our database with a native Nikon Z mount. Full-frame bodies switch to an APS-C crop with this lens.
- Nikon Z5II crop mode
- Nikon ZR crop mode
- Nikon Z50II 2024
- Nikon Z6III crop mode
- Nikon Z8 crop mode
- Nikon Zf crop mode
- Nikon Z30 2022
- Nikon Z9 crop mode
- Nikon Zfc 2021
- Nikon Z5 crop mode
- Nikon Z7II crop mode
- Nikon Z6II crop mode
- Nikon Z50 2019
- Nikon Z6 crop mode
- Nikon Z7 crop mode
- Nikon Z5IIC crop mode
Adapt it to other systems#
Similar lenses#
- Nikon Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR f/2.8
- Nikon Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR f/3.5–6.3
- Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD f/2.8
- Nikon Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 f/4–7.1
- Nikon Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S f/4
- Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S f/2.8
- Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S f/4
- Nikon Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8 f/2.8
- Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 (A063) f/2.8
- Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 Di III VXD f/2.8
- Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD f/2–2.8
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Nikon Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR full frame?
No — it is designed for APS-C sensors. On a full-frame body it vignettes or triggers crop mode.
What is the Nikon Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR equivalent to on APS-C?
Its focal length is already the real value for APS-C: 12–28 mm frames like 18–43 mm on full frame.
What is the Nikon Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR good for?
As a standard zoom it suits everyday shooting, travel, events and walkaround use.
Sources & licences#
- Lensfun lens database — CC BY-SA 3.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources