Nikon Z NIKKOR 40mm f/2 Review

Buy this for the vintage vibes, not the benchmark scores. It turns your modern mirrorless into a classic-looking beauty and takes pretty nice pictures along the way.

The Nikon Z 40mm f/2 (SE) is a lens that cares more about how it looks on your camera than how it performs in every situation. That's not a bad thing. If you own a Nikon Zf or just want to give your mirrorless camera a classic film-era vibe, this is the lens you slap on and never take off. It's tiny, light, and the fast f/2 aperture gives you that nice background blur for portraits and street shots. Just know going in: you're buying the aesthetic first, and a competent prime lens second.

Honestly, the performance is exactly what you'd expect from a small, cheap prime lens, and that's fine. The autofocus is middle of the pack—it's not lightning fast, but it gets the job done for still subjects. Where it shines is in its rendering. The bokeh is surprisingly smooth and pleasant for the price, thanks to those nine rounded blades. It's not the sharpest tool in the shed wide open, but stop it down a bit and it cleans up nicely. The lack of stabilization hurts for video, but for photography, it's a non-issue on bodies with in-body stabilization.

At its normal street price around $275, it's a fantastic value for the look and feel alone. The fact that it's also a capable little lens is a bonus. However, our database shows prices are all over the map, from $257 to frankly insane numbers. Stick to the major retailers. At $275, it's a buy. At anything over $300, you're paying for the aesthetic premium.

This lens exists in a weird space. It's not competing with high-end primes like the Sony 40mm f/2.5 G, which is sharper and has better autofocus but costs more and lacks the vintage charm. Its real competition is its own, cheaper sibling: the standard Nikon Z 40mm f/2. They're optically identical. The SE version costs about $50 more for the retro looks. So, the choice is simple: pay less for the black plastic version, or pay a bit more to make your camera look infinitely cooler. For Nikon shooters, it also beats the old 50mm f/1.8G F-mount lens with an adapter in size and autofocus speed.

If you're a pixel-peeping technical shooter who needs critically sharp results and blazing-fast autofocus, this isn't it. Go get the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S instead—it's a clinical masterpiece, but it's also bigger, heavier, and lacks the soul. Also, skip this if you're a vlogger; the lack of stabilization and so-so autofocus make it a poor choice.

If you have a Nikon Z camera and you've ever looked at a classic film SLR with envy, buy this lens. It's the easiest way to get that feeling. It's a joy to use as a walk-around lens because of its size and character. Just don't buy it expecting technical perfection or as your only workhorse lens. Buy it as your fun lens, your everyday carry, the one that makes you want to pick up the camera. For that role, it's nearly perfect.