Skip to content
Pickoryx

NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 vs 20mm f/1.8 S: Which Fits Your Framing and Carry Needs?

For the smaller listed carry package, the standard 28mm f/2.8 is the clearer fit; for a wider published view or an f/1.8 maximum-aperture specification, the 20mm f/1.8 S is the fit. Nikon lists FX and DX angles separately, so compare the same format on both sides. These specifications do not establish image quality or low-light results.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-17

Source checked 2026-10-17 19:14 UTC

Products compared

Pickoryx may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through the paid Amazon links on this page, at no added cost to you.

The buying question

Should you prioritize the 28mm lens's smaller listed size and weight, or the 20mm lens's wider published angle of view and f/1.8 maximum aperture?

The 28mm is specified as much smaller and lighter, while the 20mm gives a wider published view and a wider maximum aperture; the choice depends on which constraints matter more for the intended setup.

Quick verdict

Choose NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 if

  • You prefer the smaller listed lens dimensions and lower listed weight: about 70 × 43 mm and 155 g.
  • A 75° FX or 53° DX published angle of view suits your framing better than the 20mm's wider values.
View NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 on AmazonPaid link

Choose NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S if

  • You need the wider published angle of view: 94° on FX or 70° on DX.
  • The f/1.8 maximum-aperture specification is a requirement, and you accept the larger listed dimensions and weight.
View NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S on AmazonPaid link
When the recommendation changes
  • Use the angle-of-view values for the camera format you own: Nikon lists separate FX and DX values for both lenses.
  • If neither lens's focal length fits the composition you need, compare other focal lengths instead of treating this pair as a universal choice.

The differences that matter

Format Specific Framing

NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8

28 mm focal length; FX angle of view 75°; DX angle of view 53°.[1, 3]

NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S

20 mm focal length; FX angle of view 94°; DX angle of view 70°.[2]

What this changes: On the same camera format, Nikon's listed values make the 20mm the wider-framing option. Compare FX with FX or DX with DX; do not mix the two formats.[1, 3, 2]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Maximum Aperture And Carry Dimensions

NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8

Maximum aperture f/2.8; approximately 70 mm maximum diameter × 43 mm from the mount flange; approximately 155 g; 52 mm filter size.[1, 3]

NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S

Maximum aperture f/1.8; approximately 84.5 mm maximum diameter × 108.5 mm from the mount flange; approximately 505 g; 77 mm filter size.[2]

What this changes: The 28mm has the smaller published dimensions and lower listed weight; the 20mm has the wider maximum-aperture specification. Treat the dimensions as lens specifications, not a promise about packed-bag volume or carrying comfort.[1, 3, 2]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

Prioritizing lower listed lens weight and shorter dimensions

Best fit: NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Nikon lists the standard 28mm at about 155 g and 70 × 43 mm, compared with about 505 g and 84.5 × 108.5 mm for the 20mm. Whether this difference feels important depends on the user's kit and carry needs.

View NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 on AmazonPaid link

Prioritizing the wider published angle of view on the same camera format

Best fit: NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Nikon lists 94° vs 75° on FX and 70° vs 53° on DX for the 20mm and 28mm, respectively.

View NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

Compare live offers at purchase time. The 20mm's wider framing and f/1.8 specification may matter to a buyer who needs those features, but this page does not establish a price premium or value winner.

There is insufficient price-history evidence for purchase timing advice; current offers can change.

Limitations

  • This is a specification-based comparison; no hands-on or controlled side-by-side test was performed.
  • Maximum aperture is a lens specification, not proof of a particular low-light exposure result, image quality, depth-of-field result, or astrophotography outcome.
  • No relative autofocus, optical-quality, distortion, flare, comfort, durability, or reliability conclusion is supported here.
  • Published dimensions use the manufacturer's diameter × distance-from-mount-flange convention; they do not measure the total packed space with caps, hood, case, or camera attached.
  • Prices remain dynamic. This comparison has no verified long-term price history and does not make a purchase-timing recommendation.

Questions shoppers ask

Is this the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 SE?

No. This comparison covers Nikon's standard NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8. Nikon's page names it without the SE designation; the 20mm option is the NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S.

Do the angle-of-view figures change on a DX camera?

Nikon publishes separate values for each format. On DX, it lists 53° for the 28mm and 70° for the 20mm; on FX, it lists 75° and 94°. Compare the same format when choosing.

Do the listed lens dimensions equal the space each takes in a camera bag?

No. Nikon's values are lens-body dimensions measured from the mount flange, not a packed-kit measurement. They do not include the space taken by the camera or accessories in a particular bag.

Methodology and sources

Compared Nikon's listed FX angle with FX and DX angle with DX, then compared the published maximum aperture, lens-body dimensions, listed weight and filter size. No measured image outcome was inferred.

This comparison organizes Nikon's published specifications into a conditional buying guide. Pickoryx did not conduct hands-on testing.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 | Z mount LensesNikon Consumer · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-17 19:14 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model heading and Specifications: focal length, maximum aperture, FX/DX angle of view, filter size, dimensions and weight.: Identifies the standard NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 (without the SE designation) and publishes the specifications used for product A.
  2. 2.NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S | Z mount LensesNikon Consumer · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-17 19:14 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model heading and Specifications: focal length, maximum aperture, FX/DX angle of view, filter size, dimensions and weight.: Identifies the assigned NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S and publishes the specifications used for product B.
  3. 3.NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 | interchangeable lens for mirrorlessNikon Imaging USA · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-17 19:14 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Tech Specs and Specifications: Nikon Z mount, 28 mm, f/2.8, FX/DX, angles of view, dimensions, weight and filter size.: Nikon USA's standard-model product page corroborates model name, mount, format compatibility and the core specifications for product A.

Continue comparing