NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 · Nikon - Lens review and specs

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Nikon Z Prime full-frame 2021

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40mm

Focal length

f/2

Max aperture

170 g

Weight

14mm35mm85mm200mm600mm

▲ 40mm

Max aperture

f/1.4

f/2

f/4

Constant Aperture

Aperturef/2

f/2f/16

Near focus6' 7"

Far focus7' 8"

Total DOF1' 1"

Hyperfocal91' 2"

Subject distance7' 1"

Focal length40 mm

Aperturef/2

SensorFull Frame

Illustrative scene preview based on this lens's focal length, aperture, and sensor coverage.

This preview uses 40mm, f/2, and Full Frame. Subject distance is estimated to keep lens previews comparable.

Min aperture: f/16
Diaphragm blades: 9

Optics

Optical construction: 6 elements in 4 groups
Special elements: 2 Aspherical elements
Coatings: Super Integrated Coating (SIC)

Focusing

Minimum focus: 29 cm
Max magnification: 0.17×
AF motor: STM

Physical

Weight: 170 g
Dimensions: ⌀70mm × 46mm
Filter thread: 52 mm
Color: Black

Recommended Use

Ideal for: Portraits, Street, Travel, Vlogging, Walkaround / Daily

Release year: 2021
Announced: Sep 14, 2021
Approx price: $230 USD
Optical correction & RAW development: NDPix Photo Editor

The best

Ultra-compact 40mm prime lens with bright f/2 aperture.

Also

Quiet STM stepping motor and 9-blade rounded diaphragm.

Summary

The NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 from Nikon is an ultra-compact, lightweight prime lens designed for Z-mount full-frame and DX-format mirrorless cameras. Bridging the gap between the classic 35mm wide-angle and 50mm standard focal lengths, its 40mm perspective delivers a natural, candid view closely matching human sight. This versatile focal length makes it an ideal walkaround companion for street photography, environmental portraits, travel documentation, spontaneous snapshots, and dynamic video blogging where unobtrusive gear is essential.

Boasting a bright f/2 maximum aperture, the lens excels in available-light situations while granting refined control over depth of field for pleasant subject separation. Its 9-blade rounded electromagnetic diaphragm produces smooth, pleasing out-of-focus highlights and creamy background bokeh. Optically, it employs 6 elements arranged in 4 groups, featuring two aspherical elements to effectively suppress spherical aberrations, field curvature, and coma, yielding impressive sharpness, contrast, and color fidelity across the entire frame.

Autofocus is driven by a swift and whisper-quiet stepping motor (STM) with an internal focusing (IF) mechanism, ensuring that the overall barrel length remains constant during operation. Video shooters will appreciate the suppression of focus breathing and smooth exposure transitions. A customizable control ring allows tactile adjustments for manual focus, aperture, exposure compensation, or ISO directly from the lens barrel. Weighing a mere 170 grams (6.0 oz) and engineered with dust and drip resistance, it is a quintessential grab-and-go prime for creators on the move.