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I believe that the breadth and energy of any digicam system is extra concerning the supporting solid of its lenses, somewhat than the precise digicam our bodies themselves. It may appear somewhat stunning then that Nikon has to date made 4 completely different DX (APS-C) format Z-system digicam our bodies however just one DX format prime lens. That’ll be the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7. Naturally, you should use Z FX (full-frame) lenses on DX format our bodies and a few are an particularly good match. I pair my Nikon Z fc with a Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 SE more often than not, which is a good match in dimension, weight and retro styling. Nonetheless, most full-frame suitable lenses are larger, weightier and costlier than they should be for DX cameras, as they should produce an even bigger picture circle to cowl a full-frame sensor.
The arrival of this Z MC 35mm prime goes some strategy to redressing the steadiness. Just like the equally new Z 16-50mm f/2.8 VR constant-aperture zoom, it additionally represents a step up in construct high quality, having a ‘correct’ metallic mounting plate, whereas all different Z DX (and a few Z FX) lenses to date have had plastic mounting plates. Combining the pure perspective of a typical prime with a good quantity of macro potential, the Z MC 35mm goals to be probably the greatest of the greatest Nikon Z lenses for DX format cameras, in addition to one of many greatest macro lenses.
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Specs
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Mount choices |
Nikon Z (DX) |
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Lens building |
8 parts in 7 teams |
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Angle of view |
44 levels |
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Diaphragm blades |
9 |
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Minimal aperture |
f/16 (f/22 macro) |
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Minimal focus distance |
0.16m |
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Most magnification |
0.67x |
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Filter dimension |
52mm |
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Dimensions |
70x72mm / 2.8×2.9in |
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Weight |
220g / 7.8oz |
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Worth
The obvious lens for value comparability is the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7. In spite of everything, they’re each Z DX prime lenses and each have the identical aperture score of f/1.7. Reducing straight to the underside line, the 24mm prices $277 / £289 / AU$500, whereas the Z DX MC 35mm is significantly pricier at $447 / £399 / AU$699. In its favor, the 35mm feels extra strong and substantial, and contains a metallic somewhat than plastic mounting plate. The flipside is that the 24mm lens is equipped full with a lens hood, whereas you need to pay additional for that privilege with the 35mm, and the official Nikon HN-43 hood is a dear ‘non-obligatory additional’ at $40 / £18 / AU$49.
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Design & Dealing with
When is a macro lens not a macro lens? Opinion differs. It’s typically mentioned {that a} ‘true’ macro lens can ship a 1.0x or 1:1 replica ratio at its minimal focus distance. In a nutshell, or for another suitably small subject material, that signifies that an object is reproduced on the digicam’s picture sensor at full life dimension. And naturally, when you’re filling your entire picture sensor with one thing the dimensions of a postage stamp, the potential for enlargement on the viewing stage, both on-screen or in print, is completely monumental. Some macro lenses go even additional, with 2.0x or extra magnification. Others don’t. You’ll typically see lenses bearing a ‘Macro’ badge that solely supply 0.5x most magnification and even much less. That’s true for each prime in addition to zoom macro lenses.
So, the place does the Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 match into the macro image? Technically, it has a most macro magnification of 0.67x, so it’s not a ‘true’ or ‘full’ macro lens, regardless of its MC credentials. Nonetheless, in addition to being an MC lens, it’s additionally a DX lens, thus designed for Z-system cameras with an APS-C format picture sensor. It’s typically mentioned that the 1.5x crop issue (in contrast with full-frame sensors) provides a focal size multiplier of the identical quantity. That has two attention-grabbing outcomes for this specific lens.
First up, the lens’s ‘efficient’ focal size is boosted from 35mm to 52.5mm in full-frame phrases. That’s not precisely a pleasant spherical quantity, however the viewing angle of 44 levels is nearly precisely the identical as capturing with a 50mm lens on a full-frame digicam. That’s excellent news in that the lens provides a really pure perspective, which has been significantly favored by many photographers down the years. What you see via the lens appears very very like what you see with the bare eye.
Secondly, as with all different crop-sensor digicam and lens partnership, the crop issue has a direct bearing on the ‘efficient’ most magnification ratio. Once more, multiply the 0.67x native magnification by 1.5x and also you get nearly precisely a full 1.0x magnification in full-frame phrases. As such, if a small object will fill the entire picture sensor of a full-frame digicam when utilizing a 1.0x lens, it’ll additionally fill the sensor of an APS-C digicam with this 0.67x macro lens. You possibly can argue that it, subsequently, is a ‘full’ macro lens in any case, however keep in mind that when you had been to make use of a 1.0x macro lens, the magnification can be successfully bumped as much as 1.5x.
I’m not making an attempt to labor the purpose, however I really feel that the majority of what this lens has to supply is for basic capturing somewhat than for macro images. That ‘efficient’ 50mm focal size and quick f/1.7 aperture mix to nice impact. I’ve recognized skilled wedding ceremony photographers who shoot the whole occasion with only a 50mm lens on a full-frame digicam. Suffice it to say, the focal size is nice for portraits, landscapes, nonetheless life, meals, trend and nearly anything you’ll be able to consider.
After which there’s the aperture. Some say an aperture of f/2.8 is ‘quick’. Possibly it’s in zoom lens world however on planet prime, f/2.8 is distinctly pedestrian. This lens has an aperture that’s a complete 1.5 f/stops quicker than an f/2.8 lens. The end result? You’ll get a tighter depth of subject for isolating a foremost topic inside a scene, together with quicker shutter speeds to freeze the motion below uninteresting lighting. It’s a win-win, particularly when you’re hungry for bokeh or taking indoor motion photographs.
Preferrred as a go-anywhere, do-anything lens, this one measures simply 70x72mm / 2.8×2.9in and weighs a mere 220g / 7.8oz. It’s positively one for the highway, being compact and really light-weight. The optical design relies on 8 parts organized in 7 teams, and options one aspherical ED (Further-low Dispersion) factor. The aperture diaphragm is properly rounded, based mostly on 9 curved blades. For basic capturing, the whole aperture vary runs from f/1.7 vast open to f/16 at its narrowest setting. Keep in mind, although that, as with different macro lenses, much less mild is transmitted at or close to the minimal focus distance, so the minimal efficient aperture drops to f/22 in macro mode.
Plus factors when it comes to construct high quality embrace a metallic somewhat than plastic mounting plate and a strong, strong really feel to the lens basically. There’s no point out from Nikon concerning the extent of weather-seals, nor about high-tech coatings on the weather, however a fast have a look at the metallic mounting plate confirms {that a} weather-seal gasket is current and proper. A particular minus level, so far as I’m involved, is that the HN-43 hood is offered individually as an non-obligatory additional, somewhat than being equipped with the lens. That’s typically the case with ‘budget-friendly’ Nikon lenses, however I really feel it’s a little bit of a uncooked deal having to fork out an extra $40 / £18 / AU$49 for the official Nikon hood.
One other niggle when it comes to dealing with is that there’s no A/M focus mode swap on the barrel. You subsequently must delve into comparatively time-consuming digicam menus to make the change. On the plus facet, and in contrast to some macro lenses (particularly compact ones) dealing with advantages from a completely inside focusing mechanism. In consequence, the bodily size of the lens doesn’t prolong at shorter focus distances, which might in any other case impinge on the macro working distance. Extra on that in a second.
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Efficiency
Taking pictures with this lens’s sibling, cease down somewhat and the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 can muster wonderful sharpness on the middle of the picture body but it surely’s somewhat much less spectacular away from the pretty small central zone. By stark distinction, this 35mm lens is pin-sharp on the middle even wide-open at f/1.7, and the perimeters and corners catch up properly at f/2.8 and narrower apertures. Shade fringing is negligible at medium to slender apertures and there’s additionally just about no distortion.
Right here’s one other factor… Macro lenses are sometimes fairly ponderous within the autofocus division, being sluggish and susceptible to looking. The high-speed linear stepping motor featured on this lens drives autofocus at a really quick tempo and there’s no want for an autofocus vary limiter swap. It’ll additionally ship clean and just about silent autofocus transitions when capturing video. And with video in thoughts, the lens additionally has minimal focus respiratory and a customizable management ring that’s supreme for silent and stepless aperture changes.
So sure, it really works simply nice as a general-purpose customary prime. However let’s get again to its ‘MC’ macro skills. There’s truly an upside within the comparatively modest 0.67x most magnification ratio. Once I use a full macro lens, I are likely to favor a focal size of round 90-105mm. The primary purpose is that it permits a snug working distance between the entrance of the lens and the topic that I’m capturing. Full 1.0x macro lenses with shorter focal lengths (like this one) are infamous for supplying you with horribly brief working distances which are tough to handle, and you may as well find yourself blocking ambient mild from reaching the topic and casting a shadow over it.
Talking of inconvenient closeness, Nikon’s personal AF-S DX Micro 40mm f/2.8G is a traditional living proof, with its minimal working distance of simply 3.5cm or 1.4 inches. The minimal focus distance of this 35mm lens is a extra relaxed 16cm or 6.3 inches, as measured from the focal aircraft. That ends in a working distance of 6cm or 2.4 inches from the entrance of the lens to the topic, which is sort of twice as a lot and rather more manageable.
It’s important to be cautious of camera-shake spoiling sharpness. Positive, the f/1.7 aperture permits comparatively quick shutter speeds even below uninteresting lighting circumstances however that’s not the entire story. You’ll typically wish to use a narrower aperture to increase your depth of subject, or to get any depth of subject in any respect in macro capturing. Whereas some macro lenses characteristic ‘hybrid’ optical stabilization that corrects for X/Y shift in addition to the same old angular vibration or wobble, this lens has no optical stabilization in any respect. And to make issues worse, there’s no IBIS (In-Physique Optical Stabilization) in any of Nikon’s DX format Z-system cameras up to now. It’s a trick missed so far as I’m involved.
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Pattern Pictures
The next gallery of instance pictures was shot within the cathedral and surrounding metropolis of Wells, which occurs to be the smallest metropolis in England – supreme for a macro lens. I took a set of close-ups in addition to regular-distance photographs, to display the lens’s usefulness in each contexts. There are additionally some wide-aperture pictures to indicate the tight depth of subject that’s obtainable, and the standard of the bokeh. Have a flick through and also you’ll get a really feel for the beautiful pictorial high quality of which this lens is succesful.
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Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Lab Outcomes
We run a variety of lab assessments below managed circumstances, utilizing the Imatest Grasp testing suite. Images of take a look at charts are taken throughout the vary of apertures and zooms (the place obtainable), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and evaluation software program to plot lens decision on the middle of the picture body, corners and mid-point distances, throughout the vary of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at 4 completely different focal lengths. The assessments additionally measure distortion and coloration fringing (chromatic aberration).
Sharpness:
Middle-sharpness is greater than enough wide-open at f/1.7 and completely wonderful from f/2 proper via to f/8. It stays superb at f/11 and drops off somewhat at f/16 because of the common phenomenon of diffraction. Sharpness can be maintained very properly from the middle proper out to the acute edges and corners of the body.
Fringing:
There’s somewhat coloration fringing on the edges and corners of the picture body at vast apertures of f/1.7 to f/2. It’s much less noticeable at f/2.8 and just about non-existent at apertures of f/4 and narrower. In follow, the elimination of coloration fringing in any respect apertures is well throughout the remit of computerized correction, featured in all Nikon Z-system cameras.
Distortion: 0.22
There’s the merest trace of pincushion distortion but it surely’ll usually go unnoticed in real-world capturing, even when you’re capturing the likes of postage stamps with completely straight sides, in macro images. And that’s with computerized in-camera correction switched off. Allow auto correction and it basically turns into a zero-distortion lens.
Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: Verdict
Folks typically say that zoom lenses are extra versatile than primes, however I believe that the Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 serves up an excellent counter-argument. I discovered it splendidly versatile throughout my testing and properly capable of tackle all types of capturing situations. Positive, it has a set focal size, however being roughly equal to a 50mm in full-frame phrases, it has a really pure subject of view. That makes it very properly suited to basic capturing, whereas the quick f/1.7 aperture permits a decent depth of subject for artistic impact, and permits you to freeze movement in its tracks.
Then there’s the macro facility, and whereas it’s not a ‘full macro’ lens, you do get a full 1.0x magnification as soon as you’re taking the DX crop issue into consideration. Many macro lenses have sluggish autofocus methods which are susceptible to looking and have an autofocus vary limiter swap. I discovered that this lens delivers quick, snappy autofocus for basic capturing and excessive close-ups alike, including additional to its all-round versatility. All in all, it’s a really fascinating prime lens that’s well-made and keenly priced. Nonetheless, I’d desire it to have an A/M focus mode swap, and I really feel a bit short-changed that the hood is offered individually.
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Options ★★★★☆ |
Prime options are the quick f/1.7 aperture score and macro facility, however there’s no picture stabilization and the hood is offered individually. |
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Design ★★★★☆ |
The design is straightforward however efficient. The lens is definitely streamlined however I’d have most popular an A/M focus mode swap to be fitted. |
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Efficiency ★★★★★ |
Picture high quality is very spectacular in all respects, and autofocus is quick and persistently correct for close-ups in addition to basic capturing. |
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Worth ★★★★☆ |
It’s rather a lot pricier than its sibling Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 lens however higher constructed and extra versatile, making it fairly good worth. |
