Nikon Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ

Nikon released the Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ in 2025, and it remains in production. This full-frame zoom fits Nikon Z cameras and covers a broad span, from 28mm wide views to 135mm portraits. That range makes it a natural fit for video work, events and travel, where one lens has to follow changing scenes.

The PZ in the name stands for power zoom, a video-friendly feature covered later. The main trade-off is light gathering and steadiness. The f/4 maximum aperture is modest for dim interiors, and there is no stabilisation in the lens.

This is a heavy lens at 2 lb 10.7 oz (1210 g), and it measures 6.99 in (177.5 mm) long. It accepts screw-in filters, and any polariser or ND attached directly to the thread must be 95mm. For long handheld sessions, that weight points toward a rig or monopod.

The 28–135mm span covers most of a working day. At 28mm it frames interiors, groups and establishing views. At 135mm it makes the subject larger, tightens a portrait or isolates a speaker across a room. The middle of the range suits straightforward views of people. That breadth means fewer lens swaps during an event.

The maximum aperture stays at f/4 across the whole range. Exposure therefore holds steady as you zoom, which helps when filming a continuous take. In dim rooms, f/4 admits less light than a faster zoom would, so expect higher ISO or added light. At 135mm, f/4 still softens a portrait background, just not as strongly as f/2.8 glass.

Minimum focus sits at 1.1 ft (34 cm), close enough for food, documents and small props on a table. Maximum magnification reaches 0.25x, enough for modest close framing of flowers or gear. Both figures suit the detail shots that fill out a video sequence. Our specification scoring rates the optics at 71.

PZ stands for power zoom. An electric motor drives the zoom, and a rotating ring sets the speed. That helps zooming stay smooth on camera, which suits run-and-gun filming and live events. Powered zoom is this lens's headline feature.

There is no stabilisation built into the lens. For handheld video, plan on a camera with in-body stabilisation or a gimbal. The lens also lacks a zoom lock.

Weather sealing guards the interior against dust and moisture, which supports outdoor shoots in changeable conditions. A fluorine coating on the front element repels water and oil, so rain spots and fingerprints wipe away more easily. Our features score for this lens is 52.

Five aspherical elements use specially shaped surfaces to help correct distortion and spherical aberration. Interior walls and doorframes at 28mm are the sort of straight-edged subject that benefits from that correction. Four low-dispersion elements help reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges such as a window behind a portrait subject.