Im trying to figure out which prime lens is actually the best choice for my Nikon Z mirrorless setup and honestly Im getting super overwhelmed by all the choices out there. I mostly shoot street photography and some low light portraits around Chicago so Im looking for something sharp that doesnt weigh a ton. My budget is around 600 to 900 bucks max since Im trying not to break the bank before my trip next month. I looked at the Z 40mm f2 because its cheap and tiny, but then I read reviews saying the corner sharpness isnt great wide open. I also checked out the 50mm f1.8 S which everyone online calls optically insane, but honestly 50mm can feel a little tight sometimes for city stuff compared to a 35mm. Some folks on reddit swear by the viltrox or sigma third party stuff now too which just adds to the confusion. Is it really worth spending the extra cash on the S line glass or should I just grab the cheaper plastic pancake lens and call it a day...
In my experience shooting street and low light in the city, skip the pancake and get the Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f1.8 S. It hits the sweet spot for focal length.
- The Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f1.8 S is optically sharper, but way too tight for cramped Chicago alleys.
- The Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f2 is light, but corner sharpness suffers badly wide open. Save up a bit more and grab the 35mm S-line. You wont regret it.