Just bought the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE? Read this for maximum results
With either a full-frame FX or crop-sensor DX camera, this street-perfect lens gives sensational results
1. Pair it with a Z fc or Z f
While we’re not for a moment suggesting you buy a new camera just for this lens (we really are), the retro stylings of the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE (which stands for Special Edition) are a perfect match for either of Nikon’s ‘retro on the outside, cutting edge on the inside’ cameras. Of course, you can use it on any Nikon Z camera, but a Z f or Z fc will really give you the ‘look’.
2. Go DX for a new viewpoint
With a DX camera, such as the Nikon Z 30, Z 50 or Z fc, the 40mm focal length becomes an equivalent 60mm due to crop factor. This is a fantastic focal length for things such as food, still life and flat lay photography. Kitchen equipment is great for practising flat lay photography. Get items of various sizes and lay them out in different ways within your frame to see how placement can affect the final result.
3. Open wide for luscious bokeh
With a maximum aperture of f/2, you’ll get some serious bokeh with the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE. That bokeh is accentuated when you get up close to a subject. And with a minimum focus distance of just 29cm, you can create incredibly artful images. Great for food photography, try the bokeh effects with still life shots of fruit and vegetables or simply the next time you’re out for dinner!
4. Take a day trip
The NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE is a classic ‘all-day’ lens on an outing. Small, light and unobtrusive, with a focal length that can take in a wide range of subjects, from landscapes and street scenes to food images and full-length portraits, there’s not much it can’t handle. Take it out for a day and see how many styles you can do in a few short hours (and don’t forget to try it vertically, too!).
5. Be cinematic on a budget
You don’t have to have Hollywood equipment to make your videos look like cinema classics with the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE. Directors such as Spielberg and Scorsese often say that their 28mm lens is the one they use the most. But they’re shooting to super 35mm film, and on a full-frame camera sensor, the equivalent to that 28mm focal length is… 40mm. The focal length is great for storytelling, as you can concentrate on a subject and get enough other information in the shot when you need it without cluttering it up as you would with a wider angle of view.
The key stats: NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE
Type: Nikon Z mount
Format: FX
Focal length: 40mm
Maximum aperture: f/2
Minimum aperture: f/16
No. of diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded aperture opening)
Minimum focus distance: 0.29m (0.96ft) from focal plane
Weight: approx. 170g
Want to see it in action? Check out our 90-Second NIKKOR video below.
90-Second NIKKOR: NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE in action
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