Nikon Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR Lens

The NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR is a fast, versatile standard zoom lens designed for APS-C format Nikon Z-mount cameras, delivering a 24–75mm equivalent focal length range. Ideal for landscapes, portraits, and everyday shooting, this lens combines portability with high-end performance.

Featuring a constant f/2.8 aperture, it maintains bright exposure and consistent depth of field control throughout the zoom range. The built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) offers up to 4.5 stops of image stabilization, helping you capture sharper handheld images and smoother videos.

Its STM autofocus system provides fast, quiet, and accurate focusing—perfect for both stills and video—while the user-assignable control ring allows intuitive adjustment of key settings such as aperture or ISO. With a minimum focus distance of just 5.9 inches, you can get close to your subject for detailed close-up shots.

Compact and lightweight at just 3.5 inches long, this lens is built for travel and everyday use without compromising image quality.

Product Features in Detail

Serious performance for photo and video.
Versatile focal length range is ideal for everything from landscapes and intimate interiors to distant details and closeups. The fast constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 unlocks new creative possibilities in low light, while delivering beautifully blurred backgrounds for impactful portraiture.

Shines in low light.
Creativity shouldn't stop when the sun goes down. Fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 unlocks new creative possibilities for low-light portraiture, atmospheric interiors, nighttime cityscapes and more.

Beautiful backgrounds.
Depict subjects perfectly against a smooth, blurred background thanks to a constant bright maximum aperture and nine rounded aperture blades.

Essential zoom range.
Use the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR lens to switch quickly from immersive interiors, landscapes and group photos at wide-angle to portraits, closeups and details at longer focal lengths.

Smooth, stable shooting.
Capture sharp, detailed long exposures handheld with up to 5 stops1 of built-in optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization.

Ready for adventure.
The NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR lens is our most portable f/2.8 standard zoom ever2—light enough to carry all day at 11.6 oz.

High-quality optics.
Advanced optical design includes one ED (extra-low dispersion) and two aspherical lens elements, ensuring excellent edge-to-edge sharpness at smaller apertures and exceptional suppression of color aberrations.

Focus on the details.
Get dynamic closeup shots of flowers, food, products and more with close minimum focus at every focal length.

Video friendly.
All the creative advantages of a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8, plus video-centric features including built-in stabilization and a customizable, clickless control ring.

Suppressed focus breathing.
Helps to maintain a near consistent angle of view as you pull focus or track a moving subject.

Customizable control ring.
Smooth, silent adjustment of ISO, aperture, exposure compensation and manual focus.

Hi-Res Zoom.
Double the maximum focal length when shooting Full HD video with Hi-Res Zoom3 on compatible Nikon mirrorless cameras.4

Durable.
Designed carefully considering dust and drip-resistant performance,5 plus a durable metal mount.

Included HB-118 lens hood.
Petal-shaped lens hood shades the front element and provides additional protection from bumps and impact.

Part of a growing collection of versatile, compact DX lenses.
Optimized for the APS-C size sensor format, the lineup of high-performance NIKKOR Z DX lenses deliver exceptional quality for content creation of all kinds.

Internal Focus
A NIKKOR lens in which only the internal lens group shifts during focusing. These lenses will be designated with the abbreviation IF on the lens barrel.

ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) Glass
An optical glass developed by Nikon that is used with normal optical glass in telephoto lenses to obtain optimum correction of chromatic aberrations.

AS
AS stands for Aspherical lens elements. This type of lens utilizes non-spherical surfaces on either one or both sides of the glass in order to eliminate certain types of lens aberration.

Electromagnetic Diaphragm Mechanism
An electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism in the lens barrel provides highly accurate electronic diaphragm or aperture blade control when using auto exposure during continuous shooting. With conventional D/G type lenses, the diaphragm blades are operated by mechanical linkage levers.

1 Based on CIPA 2024 Standard; this value is achieved when attached to the Z50II (telephoto end, NORMAL mode).
2 According to Nikon research as of October 16, 2025.
3 Available when [Resolution/frame rate] is set to [1920×1080 30p], [1920×1080 25p], or [1920×1080 24p]. AF-area mode is fixed to [Wide-area AF (L)], and the focus point is not displayed. Additionally, [Electronic VR] in the movie shooting menu is set to [OFF].
4 Compatible with Nikon Z50II, as of October 16, 2025.
5 Thorough dust and drip resistance is not guaranteed in all situations or under all conditions.