Nikon 24-105mm f/4-7.1 Review: Hey, This Kit Lens Is Good!

Apr 30, 2026

Chris Niccolls

The Nikon Z system needed a new kit lens. The 24-120mm f/4 is one of the best lenses I’ve ever used, but it isn’t exactly affordable and is understandably beyond the budget of many beginner photographers. The 24-50mm is a decent optic, but it has a slow aperture range and a limited focal range for general-purpose photography. Even the Nikon 24-200mm and Tamron 25-200mm is a bit too expensive for a beginner.

Buy the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 new on B&H Buy the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 used on KEH.com

I haven’t tested a kit lens in a long time, so when we got our hands on the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1, I entered this particular review with a sense of whimsical discovery. You can buy this lens on its own for about $500, but it is kitted with the Z5 II for an even better price. But being cheap is great only if the compromises are not too steep. So, is this lens any good?

Buy the Nikon Z5 II Kit new on B&H Buy the Nikon Z5 II Kit used on KEH.com

A black NIKKOR 24-105mm f/4-7.1 camera lens is standing upright against a solid bright yellow background. The lens markings and texture details are clearly visible. — It might not look like much, but the latest kit lens from Nikon is surprisingly good.

Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 Review: How It Feels

We have to talk about the aperture range in this lens: f/4 at the wide-angle range is perfectly acceptable, but f/7.1 is pretty slow as 24-105mm lenses go. Many kit lenses in this range have historically had brighter f/5.6 ranges at the telephoto lenses, especially in the DSLR days. However, the latest crop of mirrorless 24-105mm lenses tend to have this slower f/7.1 aperture, or go immediately to an upgraded f/4 aperture throughout the focal range. So, on paper at least, it’s not a particularly encouraging start.

Close-up of a NIKKOR camera lens with markings "24-105/4-7.1" against a bright yellow background. The lens details and focus ring are clearly visible. — The aperture at the telephoto end is disappointingly slow.

At just 12.4 ounces (340 grams), this kit lens is definitely easy to carry around for the day. The secret to the lightweight nature of this lens is to make it completely out of plastic. I get why the lens mount is plastic as well. I don’t like it, but I get it. To be fair, these rarely break or fail unless the whole camera is dropped.

A close-up of a camera lens placed on its side with the lens mount facing forward, resting on a lens cap against a bright yellow background. — The Nikon 24-105mm is plastic, and the polycarbonate lens mount is not ideal.

The barrel extends a fair way out when you zoom the lens, but at least it has an internal focusing mechanism. The zoom feels pretty cheap, but it has a decent amount of resistance to smooth out the action. There is only one control on the lens, which is a customizable ring, probably best used for manual focusing. You can also throw 67mm filters on the front of the lens. Don’t expect any serious weather-sealing at this price, however.

A Nikon NIKKOR 24-105mm f/4-7.1 camera lens stands upright on a matching lens cap against a bright yellow background. — The extension of the lens at maximum telephoto is significant.

Focusing is driven by a simple STM (stepping) motor, but the focusing speed is smooth and fast. This lens also has an incredibly versatile macro capability for such a basic lens. At the 105mm range, you can focus to just under eight inches and still get a 1:2 life-size reproduction ratio. I have to mention, though, that the f/7.1 aperture at 105mm will be difficult to work with when doing macro shots. Expect higher ISO settings on a regular basis. It’s also important to note that the lens doesn’t offer any VR, but most Nikon bodies that you would find as a kit have IBIS.

A Nikon camera lens with a 24-105mm focal length rests on its side with the lens cap placed underneath, set against a bright yellow background. — 67mm filters go on the front, and the lens has a smooth zoom ring.

A Nikon Z series camera with a NIKKOR lens is positioned upright against a bright yellow background, facing directly forward. — This exciting new lens will be kitted with the Z5 II body in the near future.

Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 Review: How It Shoots

The flare is incredibly well-controlled on this lens. I didn’t see any loss of contrast and the ghosting is incredibly minor. For such an affordable lens, the 24-105mm f/4-7.1 is ready for bright days and sunny conditions.

The bokeh is not terribly exciting on this lens. Of course, at the telephoto range, you aren’t going to get much of a choice in terms of depth of field anyway. The 24mm range, though, does offer some aperture choices, and I still wanted to see what the overall bokeh quality would be like. At f/4, the bokeh has a truncated look to the cat’s eye effect. There is some schmutz in the specular highlights and a slight soap bubble effect as well, but the bokeh looks quite smooth. I didn’t find the backgrounds to be overly harsh-looking despite the fact that most affordable lenses suffer from this.

A close-up of a ceramic Daruma doll with a red body and black eyebrows on a store shelf, surrounded by other mugs and pottery, with a blurred background and price tags visible. — Bokeh quality is not exceptional, but it does the job.

A clear box labeled “Salmon Fly Selection” displays colorful, hand-tied fishing flies. The box rests on a wooden surface with blurred fishing gear in the background and a green $5 price tag attached.

Rows of colorful book spines with vibrant floral and geometric patterns, including sunflowers, daisies, and leaves, are arranged vertically, showcasing a variety of decorative designs and textures.

A person with a colorful backpack and red jacket stands next to a bicycle, framed by a large wooden frame decorated with flowers on a city sidewalk, while another person walks by on the street.

Black and white photo of a stairwell viewed through a chain-link fence; a door marked "EXIT" is open at the bottom of the stairs, with sunlight streaming inside.

This is a sharp lens for sure, even if it is not a fast lens at all. At the wide angle, the 24-105mm is excellent in the center at f/4. Stopping the lens down does not require or deliver any improvement. The corners have a minor level of vignetting, but the detail is very well retained, and stopping down the lens just tightens everything up a bit. Very impressive sharpness at the 24mm end, overall.

Side-by-side comparison of camera test charts labeled “24mm @ f/4” (left) and “24mm @ f/8” (right), featuring color bars, grayscale, resolution patterns, and currency illustrations. — Sharpness at the 24mm end will not disappoint.

Two comparison charts labeled “24mm @ f/4” and “24mm @ f/8” feature a Canadian one-dollar bill, a letter chart, and black triangles and arrows on a white background for lens sharpness testing. — The corners show some vignetting wide open, but things improve quickly.

Side-by-side comparison of two camera test charts at 105mm, one at f/7.1 (left) and the other at f/8 (right), showing color and sharpness differences with text, patterns, and images of currency and a woman's portrait. — The 105mm range is sharp too, but the aperture is already quite tight.

Two side-by-side images show a Canadian one-dollar bill above test charts marked "105mm @ f/7.1" (left) and "105mm @ f/8" (right), used to compare sharpness at different camera aperture settings. — Corners hold up pretty well at the telephoto end.

I was happy to see similar results at the 105mm range. However, this is to be expected because the aperture range is so slow. The lens is very sharp at f/7.1 in the center and will essentially be identical at f/8. There is minimal vignetting, and the corners are consistently sharp as well. This is a great result, but also an expected one because this lens isn’t pushing any envelopes or taking any optical risks.

A man in black clothing and a cap stands outside a building with a phone in hand. His reflection appears on a glass wall. Behind him is graffiti on a corrugated metal wall and empty bike racks.

A plastic bottle lies on a rough, sunlit patch of ground, with dark shadows and scattered debris in the background.

A person in a hooded jacket walks past a glass door at 110 10 St NW, their reflection visible in the glass as they look down at their phone; city buildings and a street are seen in the background.

A corrugated metal wall with a large sign reading "134" on the left, a small box with tape and stickers in the center, and a weathered blue and red base along the sidewalk.

A tattered, weathered poster with blue and orange details is attached to a rusty brown surface. The poster shows torn sections revealing glimpses of text, including "ALL AGES," "$20," and "ART CEN.

Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 Review: You Never Forget Your First Lens

There is no denying that the Nikkor 24-105mm f/4-7.1 is a good value and delivers high optical performance for the price. I don’t see many people buying it on its own, but it makes a ton of fiscal sense when coupled with a new body purchase. But is it an exciting lens? No. Is it a lens that you will be eager to show off? No. Is it a lens that you will want to replace as soon as you are able? Perhaps.

It is a starter lens in the truest sense, but to its credit, it will deliver excellent photos that you can be proud of, and it may even stay in your camera bag longer than you think, even if the lens itself does not exactly shout prestige.

Two construction workers in safety gear walk side by side, framed by a large oval metal sculpture. The background shows urban buildings and vehicles. The photo is in black and white.

The image shows the words "JAPANESE DENIM" in bold white letters on a window, with the reflection of leafless tree branches and some building features visible in the glass.

Rows of colorful book spines with vibrant floral and geometric patterns, including sunflowers, daisies, and leaves, are arranged vertically, showcasing a variety of decorative designs and textures.

A window with the words "WINE BAR" reflected in it, showing the branches of a leafless tree and a street sign outside; the image is in black and white and taken at an angle.

A man and woman walk on a sidewalk, reflected in the glass windows to their right. The scene is in black and white, with a patterned fence and a "Park Open" sign in the background.

A colorful mural featuring geometric shapes and bold stripes decorates a fence along a sidewalk, with a red-and-white train passing by in the background.

Are There Alternatives?

The other kit lens that Nikon offers, is the 24-50mm f/4-6.3. This is a fine lens but the zoom range is too limited for any family portraiture, and the slow aperture suffers for the same reason as the 24-105mm. I would absolutely get the 24-105mm if given the choice. You can go to a Tamron or Nikon 24-200mm or 25-200mm super-zoom lens which definitely adds versatility for a family vacation or travel photography. If the budget allows, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 is a supreme all-around lens with a faster aperture all the way through.

Buy the Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 new on B&H Buy the Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 used on KEH.com

Buy the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 new on B&H Buy the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 used on KEH.com

Should You Buy It?

Yes. Given the excellent price when kitted with a camera body, this lens offers more versatility for the money. I would probably look to a more expensive alternative if I wasn’t getting the discount of the kit pricing.

Buy the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 new on B&H Buy the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 used on KEH.com