I’m trying to pick one “do-it-all” lens for my Nikon Z full-frame body (Z6 II), and I’m getting a bit overwhelmed by the options. I mostly shoot travel and everyday life—street photos, landscapes, family stuff indoors, and the occasional portrait. I don’t want to build a whole lens kit right now; I’d rather buy one solid all-around lens and learn it well.
Right now I’m torn between a few common choices like the Z 24-70mm f/4 S (great size/price), the Z 24-120mm f/4 S (extra reach sounds super useful), and even something like a 24-70mm f/2.8 if it’s really worth the cost/weight. I do shoot in lower light sometimes, so I’m wondering how much I’ll miss the faster aperture versus relying on Z6 II IBIS and higher ISO. Size matters too—I want something I’ll actually carry.
If you had to recommend one best all-around lens for Nikon Z full-frame, what would you pick (and why) for travel + everyday shooting?
TL;DR: I’d *start* with the constant‑f/4 midrange zoom with extra reach… unless ur indoors a lot, then constant‑f/2.8 standard zoom might be worth it.
Ok so, just catching up — ngl the market kinda says “one-lens travel” = more range wins. Nikon’s ecosystem is pretty strong here, but Canon/Sony folks do the same thing: they lean on a sharp f/4 travel zoom and just crank ISO/IBIS. The f/2.8 is AMAZING for low light + subject separation, but it’s also the one you stop carrying cuz weight.
Quick Qs: are your indoor/family shots mostly people moving (kids), or more chill scenes? And what’s your max comfy carry weight for a whole day? cheers
> I’m torn between the 24-70 f/4, 24-120 f/4, and maybe a 24-70 f/2.8… low light… size matters
Ok so… i’d pick Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S and just live there. The extra reach is seriously safer for travel (less lens swaps = less dust on the sensor… learned that the hard way, unfortunately). f/4 + Z6 II IBIS is usually fine—just keep shutter speed sane for people. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is awesome but… heavy, pricey, and i ended up leaving it home, you know? gl!
Story time: I went through this exact spiral on a Z body and i was trying hard to stay value-focused. I started with a smaller constant‑aperture midrange zoom (Nikon’s “S-line” stuff), loved how compact it was for travel, but i kept cropping cuz I wanted just a bit more reach for street candids and family moments indoors. Later I switched to a longer-range constant‑aperture zoom (still Nikon, still S-line), and honestly it became my “leave it on” lens.
Low light wise, i thought I’d NEED a fast f/2.8… but in real life i leaned on IBIS + bumped ISO and got more keepers than i expected. The bigger lens mostly lost points on weight, not image quality. So yeah, IMO: pick a Nikon constant‑aperture zoom that you’ll actually carry, you know?
For your situation, I’d suggest going with a solid midrange zoom with a bit of extra reach (the kind of lens that starts wide and stretches past “normal”). I went through the same spiral on my Z body… first I used a smaller “standard” zoom and loved how easy it was to carry, but honestly I kept bumping into the “ugh I wish I had more reach” thing on trips and with family stuff.
Once I switched to an all-around zoom with more tele on the long end, I shot way more and swapped lenses way less (aka never lol). Low light? I still leaned on IBIS + ISO and just tried to keep people near windows indoors. If you’re mostly travel/everyday, the extra reach is sooo handy. What do you shoot more: indoor people or outdoor walking-around stuff?
> I’m trying to pick one “do-it-all” lens for my Nikon Z full-frame body (Z6 II)… travel + everyday… low light… size matters
For your situation, I’d suggest Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S and call it done. Ngl it’s the best “one lens” I’ve used on Z—wide enough for streets/landscapes, and that extra 70→120mm reach is HUGE for travel details + quick portraits without swapping. f/4 + Z6 II IBIS is honestly fine; I shoot indoor family stuff at ISO 3200–6400 and it’s totally usable.
Budget-wise: used it’s often like ~$800–$1,000 vs ~$450–$650 for Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S. The f/4 24-70 is great… but I missed the reach constantly. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is amazing, but $$$ + heavy, and you’ll still want more tele. so yeah… 24-120 f/4 S. cheers
> I’m trying to pick one “do-it-all” lens for my Nikon Z full-frame body (Z6 II)… travel + everyday… low light… size matters
For your situation, I’d suggest Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S and call it done. Ngl it’s the best “one lens” I’ve used on Z—wide enough for streets/landscapes, and that extra 70→120mm reach is HUGE for travel details + quick portraits without swapping. f/4 + Z6 II IBIS is honestly fine; I shoot indoor family stuff at ISO 3200–6400 and it’s totally usable.
Budget-wise: used it’s often like ~$800–$1,000 vs ~$450–$650 for Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S. The f/4 24-70 is great… but I missed the reach constantly. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is amazing, but $$$ + heavy, and you’ll still want more tele. so yeah… 24-120 f/4 S. cheers
Been using this for years, no complaints
Helpful thread 👍
