Get the best from Nikon’s new video power zoom lens

Try a dolly zoom

In Jaws, Roy Schieder is on the beach realising that the shark has attacked, and the background seems to distort and swim around him. It’s one of the most famous shots in cinema history, and you can recreate it for yourself with the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ. The trick is to zoom out while moving forward at the same rate, keeping the subject the same size in the frame while everything around it changes. Using the power zoom means you can be sure the zoom is constant and at the speed of your choice, and with VR switched on in the camera you can even get good results handheld. Used sparingly, the dolly zoom can really pack an emotional punch.

Make good use of filters

An ND (neutral density) filter, either fixed or variable, and a CPL (circular polarising filter) are great additions to the videographer’s kit bag. The ND or VND allows you more control over depth of field by allowing you to shoot wider open in bright light, while the CPL will give you enhanced saturation and contrast. With the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ, you can change filters with the hood on, and the access can be either on top or at the side, depending on how you’re shooting.

Read more: The essential guide to filters: what to use for snow, water and effects

Shoot 8K for flexibility

The optical design and resolving power of the NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ means you have the capability to shoot 8K video, giving you confidence that you can crop in when the story demands it and still output the best quality 4K footage. Editing cropped footage into interviews can be particularly powerful, concentrating tight on a face at certain moments to show emotion.

Take advantage of hi-res zoom

The NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ covers a great range of focal lengths for video, from wide establishing shots to tight portraits and close-up detail (especially with the minimum focus distance of 0.34-0.57m). But when you need extra reach, you can engage hi-res zoom to go to an equivalent of 270mm (shooting 4K with a Nikon Z8 or Z9). Transitions between optical and hi-res zoom are seamless when using synchro integration, with no loss of resolution and keeping the same depth of field, which is not something you can do in post-production.