[mst]

As far as the "best" of the bunch, my money is on the Nikkor Z 24-200.

Maybe, but let's be realistic: they're likely all created following the same recipe: "let's keep it compact and affordable, so let's make some compromises. Let's not put effort in too much correction for example, that's why we have software, don't we?"

It feels like optical distortion correction is more and more seen as something the marketing can use to better sell the expensive stuff to those high-end glass connoisseurs. The consumer folks are not worth the effort, let's rather explain that software correction is the much better approach and the future anyway. Judging from comments we get to some reviews, that's what many do believe.