Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 S II review - Chromatic and spherical aberration

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Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 S II

11 May 2026

Maciej Latałło

5. Chromatic and spherical aberration

Chromatic aberration

For a zoom lens with very demanding parameters, the number of elements made of ED glass is not especially impressive. The tested Nikkor features just two of them. Fortunately, the number of elements is just one factor when it comes to dealing with longitudinal chromatic aberration. There are lenses that doesn't feature them at all and still they can correct this aberration properly well. The Nikkor also doesn't show any problems in this area regardless of what focal length you employ.

Compared to the predecessor, you don't see any significant differences because the older lens also fared very well in this category.

Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 S II - Chromatic and spherical aberration

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Two graphs below, the first for the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor and the second for full frame, show the performance of the lateral chromatic aberration depending on the focal length and aperture value. Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 S II - Chromatic and spherical aberration

Most of the issues you can notice at 24 mm but even there the values are within a low level. As if it wasn't enough, after passing to higher focal lengths, they drop to results that can be called very low. The tested lens deserves to be praised once again.

What about the comparison between the new and the old Nikkor? There are no significant differences. The older model showed slightly lower values at the shortest focal length but also a tad higher in the 45-70 mm range. Overall the performance of these two Nikkors is practically identical.

Nikon Z8, 24 mm, RAW, f/2.8	Nikon Z8, 45 mm, RAW, f/11.0

Spherical aberration

First photos of this chapter feature a slight focus shift and at both focal lengths the 45 mm and the 70 mm. The depth of field moves on stopping down the aperture towards greater distances.

A very slight spherical aberration influence can be noticed also in case of defocused circles of light we got before and behind the focal point. One of the circles shows a gradual loss of brightness as you move towards the edges of the frame and the second one features a slightly brighter rim, but these effects are not especially pronounced.

Both phenomena, described above, suggest that Nikkor optics constructors left deliberately slight spherical aberration, but it doesn't cause any deterioration of image quality and is not reflected by the measurements either.