I travelled to New Zealand 2 months ago, and decided to take the Zf and the 40mm. Nothing else. It was eye opening (not having multiple lenses), and definitely the right choice. I had the camera in my hand so much more than normal. I really got my head around the 40mm. Highly recommend this for anyone thinking about it.
@@BokehTherapy yeah, metal would have been cool. I’ve always been a fan of the 50mm, but I feel like 40mm is becoming my new favourite. FYI great channel content. Keep it going. Really like the vibe. 👍👍
Brilliant video, narration and editing are great, I love the way you added context to the 35mm vs 40mm debate. Always a special moment when a new underrated channel pops up in the feed.
This is a superb video. Jack's allegorical narrative offers a refreshing and pragmatic take on the real world application of the two lenses, and I found it immensely helpful in framing my own decision on which lens to buy. Thanks!
I would argue Nikon right now (5 months after this video was released) is the camera company who's strategy is making the most sense. Releasing the 35mm f1.4 at a lower price and with a simpler design and more classic character is a stroke of genius, at least to me. They understand that not all is about clinical sharpness, something that has been forgotten by most camera manufacturers long ago. I love my 40mm f2, really great lens.
And there’s the 50mm f1.4! The thing that strikes me most is how quick Nikon have always managed to turn things around, innovated their way out of market pressures. Truly impressive!
Your videos have been really useful to me -- longtime Nikon 35mm SLR/DSLR shooter, went to Fuji for mirrorless, and now I'm looking to pickup a Zf now that Nikon's in the retro mirrorless space
Again, one of the best RUclipsrs out there. Truly quality videos targeting what photographers want most - especially this street photographer! Thank you, Jack. I am wondering if you notice a distinction in terms of character difference. I love what the 40mm feels like ergonomically on my Zf but yearning for something a little less waxy for portraits. I have a three day gig coming up with both day and nighttime events. I plan to shoot street in between events. I was going to bring my Fuji X-H2S with a Sigma 18-50 zoom and 33 1.4 prime but really want to take the Zf for night. Thank you again!
Thank you Juliette! The 35mm is a lot sharper than the 40mm and I find I can add “character” in post without too much fuss these days. Great choice for environmental portraits if you don’t mind the bigger size. If you like the Fuji 33mm f1.4 you might want to consider the Nikon Z 50mm f1.8? Will be reviewing that in the next video, it’s the lens that convinced me to switch systems!
@@BokehTherapy thanks for responding. Yes, the Fuji 27mm f/2 and 33 1.4 are my favorites. I think id like to pick up the Nikon 35 you refer to here to start and add the 50 later. Thanks so much!
I really love the style and content of this channel. I have been a Nikon shooter for 25 years (+ a few Fuji X100s) and just recently moved to mirrorless with the Zf. It is my favorite Nikon camera and has almost been as inspirational for me as the D700 was back in the day. The D750 was good, but I never loved it. The Z mirrorless system seemed B column for so long and didn’t feel like an option, until the Z9 and Z8 came. As an hobbyists I could not justify the Z8’s crazy European price and while I would have loved to have a more modern body design, the Zf is hands down the best low light / street photo camera. I also picked up the Z 40mm 2.0 and love it. It’s not perfect, but I rather have it mounted than my Sigma 35mm 1.4 + FTZ. IQ is not everything, especially when most of us use presets to make the photos “worse” anyway. I started with a FM2 and it feels I have come full circle to the origin of my love for photography.
I had no idea I would love the Zf so much when I first picked it up! So much IQ if you get the right glass, but the 40 is really sharp for street shooting in such a small package. Thanks for taking the time to comment and watching - I have a few more Z lenses to review, and that’s not even getting into old school F mount stuff!
Great video Jack and I understand the dilemma because my all-time favourite lens was the 35 mm focal length F2 in the past and now 1.4 manual focus AIS lens. I bought the 40 with my Z5 and really love it as well. It’s a handy lens to take along anywhere and actually the Bokeh up close is really nice, and even for isolating your subject it works really well like you mentioned. I even recently got the 24 f1.7 lens for my Zfc which mimics the 35mm lens. Nikon did enter the mirrorless world early though with their Nikon one line. It wasn’t as financially successful as other Camera makers, but still talk about on sensor auto focus and they were the first ones to adopt this. Then Sony bought the rights to use it as well. I still have my Nikon V1 and J5 cameras and they worked great especially for traveling. Especially for shooting small subjects with the 2.7 crop factor they work great. Keep up the great vids, I like your style b-roll plus nice images.👏😊
After having both on a loan from local Nikon workshop, having both isn't too bad as well. I might not like the 35 as 40, but I always value weather sealing anytime. If I'm sure the weather isn't sabotaging me, sure let's do 40mm for its compactness.
Hi Jack, thank you for this great video! The idea is ambitious and you mastered it well. The concept mixing the Nikon story and exploring Japan puts me right into the target group. Please keep going, you make me enjoy my Zf even more :-)
Yes each video is a little too ambitious when I start planning it each week! Glad I managed to pull it all together this week. A fellow Zf shooter, I am loving this camera too! More next week!
I have the 24-120mm and the 40mm. The 24-120 lives on the Zf, but the 40 will take its place when I go for walks through town and need a bit more discretion.
i bought both the 28 and the 40. Love them both. 28 when i do more indoor shooting and 40 when i take it outside. Both lenses have a pretty compact form factor. Initially, i bought the megadap FTZ to use my sony lens. After using compact lenses, the 35mm GM lens is just collecting dust at the shelf.
Yup love the form factor of the smaller Z lenses - hope there’s a new f2 retro lineup around the corner. The megadap e mount adapter is great but a bit too expensive. Would rather just use native glass myself. Thanks for watching!
Hi Jack. I own a Zf which is really a beautiful camera. For travel lenses my choices would be : 1/ the 24-70 f4 which is quite good if you are looking for versatility. Of course a 35mm prime is good but when you need wide angle you are a little narrow and when you need a small telescope for portraits for instance you can t crop enough… So for travel this little and well made little zoom is very useful. The last advantage is as it’s regularly sold in pack with Nikon camera you can find on second market a huge number of them between 350/400$ or € which is quite a good bargain. Then if in travel you do a lot of night shots you can add to it a fast 35mm. In this case I would not recommend the 35 f1.8 from Nikon due to its price (if you have to pay already for the zoom) but rather the viltrox 35mm f1.8 twice less expensive and just a little under the quality of the nikkor. Viltrox really delivers these times a lot of quality autofocus lenses for Nikon Z mount and this one got a remarquable ratio quality/price at around 300$ or €. I will not recommend the nikkor 40mm f2 for the Zf because even the SE version feels very plasticky on this body… it s all plastic - including the mount, shame on you nikon! - and feels poor with its small front lens. For your info the viltrox that I spoke just before is all metal (including the mount), gets a sun shade and an… aperture ring for the nostalgics of AI era…. :). Finally if you have money and the look is important for you the best choice for the Zf is probably the voigtlander 40mm f 1.2 ( bokeh equivalent to a 50mm f1.4 but with larger angle). It’s a manual lens but the Zf gets an awesome functionality with manual lenses which prevents you using the useful but horrible focus peaking. For me it s definitely the best option if you like this relatively unused focal… except if you come from Leica world :) and it cost 1/4 of the body which is not non sense. Thx and see you.
I've heard lots of great things about the 24-70 f4 - I wish I could get along with zooms for shooting on the street! I tried hunting down the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Z mount version in Tokyo, all sold out unfortunately. Great tips about the Viltrox, hope to be testing more lenses from them in the future!
Very good video. Internet makes people think that the sharpness of the lens is way more important that it really is. While if it's too heavy, at one time there will be no picture at all.
These are really beautiful videos Jack. I’m doing my PhD in microbiology in Australia and dove into photography, searching for a change of pace from the usual lab/writing work. I save your videos to come back to later whenever I notice my motivation for photography waning ❤
A fellow Australian microbiologist! Thanks for the feedback, it's hard making these videos alongside full-time work. Hope you still make the time to go out shooting!
Another fantastic video. I’m surprised no other manufacturer is making a lens this small at 40mm. It’s one of my favorite focal length and I use my konica 40mm daily!
Thank you so much - 40mm f2 is the sweet spot for an EDC lens with bright aperture. Lots of sample variation though and the build quality is people’s main complaint with this Nikon version
@@BokehTherapy For me personally, I tend to carry my camera around more if the lens is smaller. That's the main reason I will be leaving the L-Mount. Thanks again for your content!
Oh I don’t have much experience with L mount other than Sigma lenses on E mount. One of these days there will be a universal mount and we won’t have to stress so much!
Hrmm I would go 35mm personally. Extra width is good if you are on a tight ledge on a hill and can’t back up anymore to get your composition. Can always pack a longer telephoto lens in case you want something more compressed to go with the 35mm, say a 50mm or 85mm
Lovely video. But I have to disagree a little here. For street, the cost and size of the 35mm is not appropriate at all. The 40mm is ine lens where one would want to carry all the time. Its the lens that justifies going mirrorless. D750 was and excellent camera which was lighweight and could handle all the nikkor glasses, including the 50mm D lens. The appeal of the mirrorless is all about size and weight, and surely AF. But d850 and the d500 were equally great other than their weights. For hobby photographer, who does not make money from his photos, I think prosumers should still stick to the DSLR format. And for videos, iPhones.
Thanks for watching! DSLRs are still great, but hard to beat the video quality on the latest mirrorless cameras. Both lenses are great options, I think enthusiasts are getting even pickier on image quality in this day and age. To each their own, happy shooting!
Nice one - those D700s are built like a tank so should last you for years to come! My Ricoh GRIIIX broke so sadly without one for the time being. Happy shooting!
Jack, Very cleverly constructed video and fun to watch, thanks! I had the chance to live in Hamamatsu prefecture for three months many years back; was an amazing experience I have the 40mm and am generally pleased with it. But i’ve been curious to try the 35mm for all the reasons you note.
Thanks Craig! I have never been to Hamamatsu, will have to add it to the list for next time. The 35 is a great lens, super sharp but not perfect. The 50 though is pretty close to perfect and worth lugging around the weight. That’s next week’s video, thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Jack, I was commenting about Japan in general, not specifically Hamamatsu. It was heavily damaged during the war and is a sort of an unremarkable modern city. But i was able to travel to Kyoto, and up into the mountains, and also along the western coast with the family i lived with. All those spots had some beautiful spots.
Actually 40mm is more common as "kit" lens. Back in the days of fixed lens rangefinder film camera, many of the cameras using 40mm as their focal range. I guess, with ZF approach of classic (and to differentiate), 40mm as the kit lens is a good choice.
A throwback! Interesting, wonder if that’s in Nikon’s history too. 35 is more useful than 40, but less interesting? Or maybe it’s the optical design that makes 40s more compact. Either way we have great choices as shooters. Thanks for watching!
I ordered the Voigtländer 40mm1.2 and 75mm 1.5 MF lenses and was planning to buy the ZF as a second body with the z8. Not sure if I want the Zf since I have the Z8 and don't consider it to be too heavy for travel/street. The ZF needs more AF lenses with autofocus, I might get it with the 35mm1,8 or the 50 1.8.
The Z8 is amazing! I tried it in every camera store I could in Tokyo lol. I love the idea of the voigtlander Z lenses but I already adapt my M mount lenses. Next week’s video is on the 50mm f1.8 - it might be the sharpest lens I have ever used!
@@BokehTherapy I had it with the Z6 II and it is incredible. Then I sold it with the camera when I bought the 50mm 1.2 for the Z8. Now I want to re-buy it for Street or if I do get the ZF. Will be very interested in the video!
The 50mm f1.2 is amazing too - great kit you’ve got! But yes the f1.8 is a bit more sensible for street and travel. I love 50mm more than any other focal length so it makes total sense to me for having both lol. Happy shooting!
I love all these stories about the Zf, for in a different life if I got a great paying job out of university and were a lot more patient in keeping my D7000 I would have gotten a Zf. But instead I fell into the Fujifilm meme, got a first taste of it with the X-T10, then one thing led to another and now I'm all in on the Fujifilm system (maybe with some adapted Nikon glass). I find Fujifilm's strategy very interesting as well with some theories as to why they do things so differently from the rest, and while I don't really want to get into them in detail here, I find that the strategies Fuji took contrast very well with the strategies Nikon has been doing and the pitfalls both have found themselves in as a result of the strategies they have taken, which in turn come from the positions they have started out in.
Fujifilm is my first love in photography - still a huge fan and keen to see where they go next. Right now the X100 series can paper over any perceived weaknesses across their lineup! I am planning next week’s video about this right now - how you can tell a lot about these companies by their 50mm lens offerings of all things. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy There was one thing that I believe you may have missed out when you were talking about how Nikon was too slow to the full frame market, and that was that Nikon never really made their own sensors. The first DSLR Nikon made used a Sony sensor, and while there were some models that used Nikon's own sensors, the vast majority were made by either Sony or Toshiba. Even the Nikon made sensors had to be diffused by other companies like Sony or Matsushita/Panasonic. In effect Nikon was limited by the technology of its partners and getting a full frame sensor out too early could have meant a camera body that would have been too expensive and killed the full frame line before it could even compete with the Canon 5D. The same could be said about Fujifilm, and was probably the reason why they never went into full frame until they had enough experience in building cameras, then they went full weird by just jumping all the way to medium format. Canon had the capability to design and build their own sensors from the ground up so they were able to get their in house designed and built full frame cameras straight to market quicker than a multi-company collaboration could.
I had so much to squeeze into one video already so had to cut a lot out from this video. Thanks for the info! Goes into the research file for the next video. What camera do you mostly shoot on now? XT5?
@@BokehTherapy Yes, an X-T5 that I just bought late last month in Japan. Wasn't easy to find: it was probably the last one in Akihabara for a long while (some shops were even quoting a four month wait list), and even the spare battery took me three days of searching half of Tokyo to get.
Yes camera supplies were super hard to track down for me in Tokyo last month too! Glad you found your XT5, I might grab a copy once it goes on sale/gets back in stock too
Thank you for another great video. I really appreciate your effort in creating the story behind your videos, the parallels with your life or traveling. Regarding the 40mm f2, I love to use it for casual street photography. I think the performance is good enough and I really like its low weight, size and also price. Pity of the plastic mount, I already had one small issue with a piece of plastic on my camera sensor which was visible in some pictures.
Thanks for taking time to comment! Still a small channel so every bit helps the algorithm. Interesting to hear about plastic in your sensor - never heard about this until now. Have you tried sensor cleaning kits? The 40 is just so useable, it’s hard to not want to go out and shoot with it all the time. Video on the 50mm f1.8 Z next week!
@@BokehTherapy Thanks for answering. Taking the little piece of black plastic (maybe 1 mm long) out was quite easy just by blowing some air there. But it was obvious it came from the plastic mount and I only noticed it when processing the pictures, so now I try to be more careful and check the results more often.
I usually travel with a 50 and a 85. Sometimes I’ll add a 135 or 24. The 40 is just a weird focal length. If it was a fast lens then it would at least have that going for it.
The 40 seems perfectly imperfect that gives its images that look/characteristics that I like for street. The small size makes it much better for it also. The 35's images seem a bit too pristine. Just curious, other than the 35 & 40 what other Z lenses you normally use for travel photography?
The 40 is sharp from mid distances and beyond (about 3-5 metres away) so really perfect for street. 35 is a beautiful lens though! I also have the 50 and the 85 for the Z mount. Both super sharp, reviews coming up on the channel next. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Exactly my setup, 35-50-85, along with 40. I can see myself keeping the same setup for more future bodies. The Z mount and S line lenses are really really something.
That’s great to hear - I thought I was the only one shooting the larger f1.8 primes on the Zf. The kit feels very complete, a rare moment of gear zen. Happy shooting!
@@BokehTherapy currently i dont have 35mm, i use now 50mm. But i prefer taking pictures close and its easier for me with a 35mm. Also with 35mm zonefocus is easier.
Currently have some large format lenses but lacking a camera, aero ektar would be interesting, it has in my opinion most beautiful bokeh to me also plus is the lens board shift and tilt. Obviously not for street photography 😅📷
Rumors of a new Panasonic camera are just around the corner! Hopefully the third party makers like Sigma come to the party too with their DGDN line. Thanks for watching!
great history lesson about Nikon. I agree with you, now a days, lighter the set up the better. hopefully canon comes out with a FF retro camera with some pancake lens, i'll be all over that, great video!
How about trying the 28mm SE on the street? Like the channel Jack but you just need to watch your promo interludes as they are too long sometimes - just my 2p worth ;-)
Thanks for the feedback! Tried to shorten the promo section for this video, but they are necessary for the channel’s survival unfortunately. Would you prefer them at the beginning or the end of the video?
Great channel mate, a nice and surprisingly new find, for me! What's your take on Fujifilm cameras? As a long time Fuji shooter, I'm looking into the ZF pretty much lately but the size and the lenses are a hard pill to swallow...
I love Fujifilm but the ZF is a big step up in image quality. If you shoot on the XH series with Fuji’s f1.4 glass (second gen) then that’s about the same size as the ZF with f1.8 glass? Low light and build quality are Fuji’s main “problems” and neither is an issue with the Zf. But switching is a big decision, I wouldn’t do it fully unless you’ve had a play with the camera. Let me know what other questions you have, the next few videos will all be about the Zf
@@BokehTherapy thanks mate! Much appreciated, I would love to know a bit more about ZF lenses, my big dilemma is what lenses would be equal to my beloved 56mm f1.2, 90mm f2, the old 35mm F1.4 , 70-300mm, 50-140 and many more! I also don't like opening screen of the ZF, much prefer the X-T5 way of tilt screen, hope their next iteration of the ZF fixes this, and adds a bit more grip to accommodate bigger FF lenses...
@@Nimargblate to the party, but there is a good argument for owning both systems. I have owned Fuji for 5 years but just recently bought the Zf as a second camera. The X-T5 is truly a dream camera with the right lenses. I am more appreciative of it after buying the Zf. The size, resolution, jpegs, and handling are perfect for travel and have basically left me skipping RAWs altogether. The JPEGs with the right settings are just that good for most scenarios. The Zf with the 40mm is the perfect X100 series alternate. It’s everything I wanted my X100V to be, but I just couldn’t get along with the slowness of the camera and the low light image quality. Maybe the 100VI is that much better, but the Zf is just great in that regard. Yeah it’s big, but the size is worth it depending on your use case, and I genuinely think it will be an all-time collector camera some day.
The 40mm is all the lens you’ll ever need at F2.8 and it’s good enough for video at F2. Sell the 35mm F1.8 and buy the 20mm F1.8 for interior shots / vlogging.
I dont like the way the 40mm renders colors. I did a side by side comparizon with the 35mm. The 40 is great in B&W. It used to be my hiking lens. Now since the 26mm pancake came out, thats my hiking lens. The 40mm just sits on the shelf. I always use the 35mm for everything (even hiking occasionally when i know its gonna be sunset it whatever) but yeah ive never been a fan of the 40. I juat dont like the photos from it.
Great video, thanks! Would love to know your take on the small z 50mm MC 2.8 macro vs Z 50mm 1.8 S and z 40mm f2. I think it's a similar comparison to this one. I already own the z 40mm f2 and the z 50mm f1.8 s, being 40/50mm my favorite focal range. I'm thinking of getting the 50mm MC 2.8 because it's small and light and the macro capability is a welcomed bonus especially when you travel and out and about and you want to take pics of food up close. The Z 50mm 1.8 s is fantastic but it's not that small and light when i mount it on my ZF, plus the mfd is 0,40m. On the z 40mm the mfd is 0,29m. I wonder if the Z 50mm Mc 2.8 macro is any good and would be worth it or would be redundant. Thanks!
Mmm I have not tried the 50mm f2.8 macro - will add it to the list of Z lenses I would like to try! Lots of product photographers swear by the 105 f2.8 but that is a big lens as well. Thanks for the feedback, more to come!
Hi Seamus, I still use my Sony kit for video, but I shoot street almost exclusively on the Nikon Zf now. It is a great system, but I glad I waited this long for them to figure things out. What system do you shoot on?
The A7Cr is a great camera! Sony updates their camera bodies so ruthlessly I’m sure there will be some type of new body soon enough. It is the best Sony camera for street and documentary work I think. Happy shooting!
Lost and found and white cement 1 shoe box while having university blue 1s on your feet, oh the subtle flex lol I feel like Lumix makes a great 1.8 lens, I've been using the Lumix 50mm f1.8 on my Leica SL2 and I've been pretty pleased with the results. Your video has me thinking about needing to go to Japan again soon, haven't been since 2018. Another great vid Jack, looking forward to the next one.
Ohhh the lumix lenses are great from what I hear, for both photo and video. Yes time for another Japan trip! lol no more flexing with Jordan 1s, the market has cratered so lots of great options at retail thankfully!
The idea that the 35 1.8 is an old lens is a bit out of proportion imo. I always travel with the 28 and the 40. sure there are better lenses but for quick and dirty snapping they are perfect bc they are not getting in the way of your vacation.
I hate when Jack comes out with a new video that makes me wait for it. I also hate it when he breaks it down nicely enough for me to understand and even more i hate it when he takes much better pics than i do. No im not a scientist but i love his videos, the sequences and the explanations keep me waiting more. Yes for me who needs to carry light and compact, i would definitely reach for the 40 over the longer and slightly heavier 35. The zf should be able to compensate with better iso for low light photography. Thanks brother i really enjoyed your video. Currently gonna try using my em5mk1 with a 20 1.7 to australia this coming week.
Haha thanks so much! The 20mm f1.7 is a legendary lens - I think it put the whole m4/3 system on the map. Have a great trip, send me a link to your photos/IG to keep track? Happy shooting!
Keep up the good work! Sometimes while watching video I forget how much I enjoy your photos. I guess you are now 3 personas- scientist, street photographer & RUclipsr. How do you have time?? 👍
Interesting summary of Nikon history. Even though they seem to be making strategic mistakes they keep on coming up with giat leaps in technology, which is seen by the more recent Z9 and Zf. Perhaps the like to take their time to get things right, but let's hope they take the current streak furhter and embrace AI and their current apetite for software improvements Also, tackle the new breed of photographers and perhaps bring some life back into DX but with a modern approach.
What I ran out of time to cover in this video is that Nikon has an amazing track record of innovation that can cover up all of these mistakes. It’s truly remarkable, a topic for another video perhaps. Thanks for watching!
I don’t get this video. I have a Zf, 40/2 and 35/1.8 - so what are you trying to tell here? You say Nikon was held back by its old F mount, yet exclaim the D850. In what sense are AFS G lenses held back compared to Ef lenses? It was a “mistake” not taking mirrorless serious, but Canon was also late to the game with their full frame R and RP. The Z6/Z7 were a little behind the curve with AF, but Nikon has caught up. So for all the mistakes Nikon seems to manage. Not a fan boy, I have Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm - DSLR and mirrorless. The 40/2.0 is similar to the 50/1.8 SE for the Df, a convenient standard-ish lens that was easy to transform into a classic looking lens. It is using something that is good enough and giving it a cosmetic overhaul to match the retro esthetic and cheap. Nothing more. Same with the 28/2.8 SE for the earlier Zfc - standard-ish lens on crop that was available, easy to modify and cheap as a kit lens. Neither of these three lenses were new when they were given the SE treatment. Note: I like all of these lenses, including the 35/1.8 Z (I like the AFS 1.8G as well btw).
The most impressive thing is Nikon has overcome all of these setbacks - they were most definitely reported as “mistakes” at the time they happened. Not many companies get the luxury of this many decades worth of ups and downs to observe their ability to always bounce back. Thanks for watching!
Jack you and I seem to share a lot of the same thoughts and opinions :-) I can relate so much to your content regarding the Nikon ZF. Love your channel and content you are putting out. Can't wait for the next one. Hello From South Texas!!!
Hi Eddie, thanks so much for watching! I haven’t spent much time in Texas, only visited Austin very briefly a couple of years back. Would love to visit again. Happy shooting!
yeah sure, nikon made a lot of mistskes. keeping the f mount is so good for long time useres and intoducing the ftz adapter with the z6/z7 is a statement. regarding to the two lenses. the 40mm is so cheap that no other first party manufacturer is having a lens like this in its line. also the 35mm is almost 4 times more expensive and sill much cheper than the canons.
@@BokehTherapy they has great strategy. Make great pro f1.8 (most expensive f1.8 but much less expensive than f1.4 pro) and pro f1.2 for those who actually want f1.2. And make cheapest f1.4 for casuals (more expensive than budget f1.8, but much more cheaper than industry normal pro f1.4)
Zooms and street photography don’t mix for me, I find after a session the indecision of which focal length to use in the zoom range affects the speed of my reactions. If it was a video or commercial shoot when I can stage everything then I prefer zooms. Thanks for watching and happy shooting!
@@BokehTherapy Japan is a photographers dream. Colourful, traditional, moody, nature, food, temples...and most of all packed with people from different walks of life.
I own 24-120 f/4 S and 40 f/2 SE for my Zf. Haven’t removed the 24-120 since months during my travels! It’s so versatile and sharp and kind of defeats the purpose of why I bought the Zf in the first place though (retro looking camera and muffin lens for travel). Haven’t taken any low light/night images yet, but I guess I’d have to switch to the lower aperture lens when time comes.
Oh the 24-120 sounds great - haven’t tried it, but a super versatile focal range. The 40mm is great, but more vintage character than perfect IQ. Happy shooting!
I didn't think the 35 was that good. I've had the 20/35/50/85 1.8 primes but the 35 was the worst performer of those. too close to the 40mm f2 to be honest except right at 1.8-2.8 it will have better corners, central sharpness is about the same, different type of rendering. stopped down past f4 where most street photography takes place, it's about the same. The 50mm 1.8 is on another level, as is the 20mm...but both really hefty size lenses for primes.
Yup I think the close up sharpness of the 35 matters less to me (hence getting a lot more keepers with the 40) but it does matter a lot for portrait and event shooters! Reviewing the 50 this week, what a special lens! Size is manageable compared to f1.4 primes from other brands, but I think its IQ is better!
@@BokehTherapy definitely, which is why I had the 35mm and 50mm previously. But switching to the 40mm in that range. Not saying it's bad, it's good, and better than the 40mm. I'm not really doing events any longer so I don't need the premium glass to carry around.
Travelling lighter is always good, I have heard a fair amount of sample variation across different copies of the 40mm; less so with the 35 and 50. I have all three! Great to have options as a Nikon shooter, they’re slowly building out the Z lens lineup. Happy shooting!
Always fascinated by how you narrate your videos. In this one, I may pick both, the lightweight setup and non intimidating looks of the 40mm f2 sometime gives me confidence boost coming from me who usually shoots with longer compressed lens (105mm f1.4), and if I'm let's say working with paying clients I'd pick the 35mm for the wider look. How my eyes see the street is either 40/50 and one compressed lens and I find my 105 suits best for my case. Thank you for the video!
Yes I have both and will keep both - 40 and 35 both have their use cases for sure. I love 85mm but would love to try a 105! I’m guessing you shoot with a Sigma? Thanks so much for watching!
@@BokehTherapy I do Nikon Z6 with the Nikkor AF-S 105mm f1.4, I found it less expensive in my area 2nd hand, and it weights 700g less than the Sigma, one of the last F mount that I think is on par with the Z glass. Have to try it really, not as boring as 85mm, and not as isolating and far with the 135mm. A good balance since I do Cosplay Portraits, and Stage sometimes.
Excellent video about these lenses my friend! 😊 I always wondered how well the 1.8 lenses perform on the newer bodies like the Zf, specially the 35mm. Unfortunately the 35mm and the 50mm 1.8 from Nikon are too big for my personal taste. The 40mm SE spoiled me and I don’t want a bigger lens on my Zf, since the body is already big and heavy. Have the 28mm SE, although I used that lens mostly to record my videos 😊. Yesterday my Z to M Adapter finally arrived and I will play around with my Leica glas on the Zf and if the children allow it will do a POV shooting. Feels great to have a 50mm on my Zf, which is small 😀
The f1.8 glass is really special - hope Nikon do a f2 retro line that makes them even smaller. Congrats on the Z to M adapter, looking forward to the POV video!
My 40mm was hot, hot trash! I hated that lens and couldn’t sell it fast enough. All the bad things they said about that lens are true. But no, I’m thinking when you have very low budget lenses you get bad quality control. When I got the 35mm I felt relief thinking before it came could it be the camera? Could it be me, I just don’t know how to use full frame after using Olympus for 15 years. But the 26mm 2.8 stays on that camera most of the time and I carry my Olympus om5 with the equivalent 35mm 1.2 as a perfect combo most of the time.
Mmm that’s interesting. My copy of the 40 is fine? Not amazing IQ but certainly enough for everyday use. The 35mm is much more impressive, and the 50mm is on a whole other level again! Next weeks video is on the 50mm f1.8 S, it might be the sharpest lens I’ve ever used
Don’t think size is the argument anymore - Z8 and z9 are DSLR size haha. I think image quality and video features are being touted as the main advantages of mirrorless? Neither is a concern for most street photographers I know though. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy size of the lenses was a clear theme of this video. Z lenses are *bigger* than F mount. But hey I get you that's not what you want it to be about
I didn’t make any comparisons to DSLRs in the video? The only clear theme is picking the best lens for your use case, and only so much I can cover in 1 video. F-mount glass is great, still deciding on which one to test next.
I travelled to New Zealand 2 months ago, and decided to take the Zf and the 40mm. Nothing else. It was eye opening (not having multiple lenses), and definitely the right choice. I had the camera in my hand so much more than normal. I really got my head around the 40mm. Highly recommend this for anyone thinking about it.
Great to hear I’m not alone! Wish it came with a metal mount, but loved the optical quirks and the form factor
@@BokehTherapy yeah, metal would have been cool. I’ve always been a fan of the 50mm, but I feel like 40mm is becoming my new favourite. FYI great channel content. Keep it going. Really like the vibe. 👍👍
Thanks so much, new video goes live later today. Happy shooting!
Metal mount or plastic mount nothing different to me, it's not effective for pictures...
@@thanhnguyen4585 doesn't matter too much to me. I think some users have reported the plastic mount chips easier? Haven't seen any on my copy so far
Brilliant video, narration and editing are great, I love the way you added context to the 35mm vs 40mm debate. Always a special moment when a new underrated channel pops up in the feed.
Great to hear my video found its way into your feed! Thanks for taking time to comment and watch, more content to come!
This is a superb video. Jack's allegorical narrative offers a refreshing and pragmatic take on the real world application of the two lenses, and I found it immensely helpful in framing my own decision on which lens to buy. Thanks!
Thank you John - I really like both lenses. Glad it helped with the decision!
I would argue Nikon right now (5 months after this video was released) is the camera company who's strategy is making the most sense. Releasing the 35mm f1.4 at a lower price and with a simpler design and more classic character is a stroke of genius, at least to me. They understand that not all is about clinical sharpness, something that has been forgotten by most camera manufacturers long ago.
I love my 40mm f2, really great lens.
And there’s the 50mm f1.4! The thing that strikes me most is how quick Nikon have always managed to turn things around, innovated their way out of market pressures. Truly impressive!
Your videos have been really useful to me -- longtime Nikon 35mm SLR/DSLR shooter, went to Fuji for mirrorless, and now I'm looking to pickup a Zf now that Nikon's in the retro mirrorless space
There’s no crop when adapting your old glass for the Nikon Zf right! Great to hear, thanks for watching and happy shooting!
Again, one of the best RUclipsrs out there. Truly quality videos targeting what photographers want most - especially this street photographer! Thank you, Jack. I am wondering if you notice a distinction in terms of character difference. I love what the 40mm feels like ergonomically on my Zf but yearning for something a little less waxy for portraits. I have a three day gig coming up with both day and nighttime events. I plan to shoot street in between events. I was going to bring my Fuji X-H2S with a Sigma 18-50 zoom and 33 1.4 prime but really want to take the Zf for night. Thank you again!
Thank you Juliette! The 35mm is a lot sharper than the 40mm and I find I can add “character” in post without too much fuss these days. Great choice for environmental portraits if you don’t mind the bigger size. If you like the Fuji 33mm f1.4 you might want to consider the Nikon Z 50mm f1.8? Will be reviewing that in the next video, it’s the lens that convinced me to switch systems!
@@BokehTherapy thanks for responding. Yes, the Fuji 27mm f/2 and 33 1.4 are my favorites. I think id like to pick up the Nikon 35 you refer to here to start and add the 50 later. Thanks so much!
You won’t be disappointed in the 35, just watch out for a bit of fringing in overexposed highlights. It’s so sharp up close!
another australian!
you're very good at presenting/talking, this was very therapeutic to watch and the storyboarding is top notch 🙂
Hello thanks so much! Still working on the best video format going forward, starting a new channel is a lot of work! Thanks for the feedback!
I really love the style and content of this channel. I have been a Nikon shooter for 25 years (+ a few Fuji X100s) and just recently moved to mirrorless with the Zf. It is my favorite Nikon camera and has almost been as inspirational for me as the D700 was back in the day. The D750 was good, but I never loved it.
The Z mirrorless system seemed B column for so long and didn’t feel like an option, until the Z9 and Z8 came. As an hobbyists I could not justify the Z8’s crazy European price and while I would have loved to have a more modern body design, the Zf is hands down the best low light / street photo camera. I also picked up the Z 40mm 2.0 and love it. It’s not perfect, but I rather have it mounted than my Sigma 35mm 1.4 + FTZ. IQ is not everything, especially when most of us use presets to make the photos “worse” anyway.
I started with a FM2 and it feels I have come full circle to the origin of my love for photography.
I had no idea I would love the Zf so much when I first picked it up! So much IQ if you get the right glass, but the 40 is really sharp for street shooting in such a small package. Thanks for taking the time to comment and watching - I have a few more Z lenses to review, and that’s not even getting into old school F mount stuff!
Great video Jack and I understand the dilemma because my all-time favourite lens was the 35 mm focal length F2 in the past and now 1.4 manual focus AIS lens. I bought the 40 with my Z5 and really love it as well. It’s a handy lens to take along anywhere and actually the Bokeh up close is really nice, and even for isolating your subject it works really well like you mentioned. I even recently got the 24 f1.7 lens for my Zfc which mimics the 35mm lens. Nikon did enter the mirrorless world early though with their Nikon one line. It wasn’t as financially successful as other Camera makers, but still talk about on sensor auto focus and they were the first ones to adopt this. Then Sony bought the rights to use it as well. I still have my Nikon V1 and J5 cameras and they worked great especially for traveling. Especially for shooting small subjects with the 2.7 crop factor they work great. Keep up the great vids, I like your style b-roll plus nice images.👏😊
Thank you Gerry - Nikon has a long history and deep heritage. Very fun to do the research for videos like this one. More to come soon!
This was really well put together in so many ways. Thanks!
Thank you for watching - more next week!
After having both on a loan from local Nikon workshop, having both isn't too bad as well.
I might not like the 35 as 40, but I always value weather sealing anytime. If I'm sure the weather isn't sabotaging me, sure let's do 40mm for its compactness.
Yes I do have both - different lenses for different situations. Happy shooting!
Hi Jack, thank you for this great video! The idea is ambitious and you mastered it well. The concept mixing the Nikon story and exploring Japan puts me right into the target group. Please keep going, you make me enjoy my Zf even more :-)
Yes each video is a little too ambitious when I start planning it each week! Glad I managed to pull it all together this week. A fellow Zf shooter, I am loving this camera too! More next week!
I have the 24-120mm and the 40mm. The 24-120 lives on the Zf, but the 40 will take its place when I go for walks through town and need a bit more discretion.
Nice! 24-120 is a super versatile focal range. Thanks for watching!
i bought both the 28 and the 40. Love them both. 28 when i do more indoor shooting and 40 when i take it outside.
Both lenses have a pretty compact form factor.
Initially, i bought the megadap FTZ to use my sony lens. After using compact lenses, the 35mm GM lens is just collecting dust at the shelf.
Yup love the form factor of the smaller Z lenses - hope there’s a new f2 retro lineup around the corner. The megadap e mount adapter is great but a bit too expensive. Would rather just use native glass myself. Thanks for watching!
Hi Jack. I own a Zf which is really a beautiful camera. For travel lenses my choices would be : 1/ the 24-70 f4 which is quite good if you are looking for versatility. Of course a 35mm prime is good but when you need wide angle you are a little narrow and when you need a small telescope for portraits for instance you can t crop enough… So for travel this little and well made little zoom is very useful. The last advantage is as it’s regularly sold in pack with Nikon camera you can find on second market a huge number of them between 350/400$ or € which is quite a good bargain. Then if in travel you do a lot of night shots you can add to it a fast 35mm. In this case I would not recommend the 35 f1.8 from Nikon due to its price (if you have to pay already for the zoom) but rather the viltrox 35mm f1.8 twice less expensive and just a little under the quality of the nikkor. Viltrox really delivers these times a lot of quality autofocus lenses for Nikon Z mount and this one got a remarquable ratio quality/price at around 300$ or €. I will not recommend the nikkor 40mm f2 for the Zf because even the SE version feels very plasticky on this body… it s all plastic - including the mount, shame on you nikon! - and feels poor with its small front lens. For your info the viltrox that I spoke just before is all metal (including the mount), gets a sun shade and an… aperture ring for the nostalgics of AI era…. :). Finally if you have money and the look is important for you the best choice for the Zf is probably the voigtlander 40mm f 1.2 ( bokeh equivalent to a 50mm f1.4 but with larger angle). It’s a manual lens but the Zf gets an awesome functionality with manual lenses which prevents you using the useful but horrible focus peaking. For me it s definitely the best option if you like this relatively unused focal… except if you come from Leica world :) and it cost 1/4 of the body which is not non sense. Thx and see you.
I've heard lots of great things about the 24-70 f4 - I wish I could get along with zooms for shooting on the street! I tried hunting down the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Z mount version in Tokyo, all sold out unfortunately. Great tips about the Viltrox, hope to be testing more lenses from them in the future!
Very good video. Internet makes people think that the sharpness of the lens is way more important that it really is. While if it's too heavy, at one time there will be no picture at all.
Thanks so much - both lenses have their use cases. If only the 40 had a metal mount!
My favourite 40mm is the Olympus OM 40mm f/2. (Manual focus only)
40mm is great field of view for manually focusing - not too wide, not too tight. Thanks for watching!
I have the Viltrox 20mm and Z 40mm for a lightweight ZF travel combo
Viltrox are making some really interesting lenses, as is TTArtisan! Some reviews coming up on the channel next, thanks for watching!
These are really beautiful videos Jack. I’m doing my PhD in microbiology in Australia and dove into photography, searching for a change of pace from the usual lab/writing work.
I save your videos to come back to later whenever I notice my motivation for photography waning ❤
A fellow Australian microbiologist! Thanks for the feedback, it's hard making these videos alongside full-time work. Hope you still make the time to go out shooting!
Another fantastic video. I’m surprised no other manufacturer is making a lens this small at 40mm. It’s one of my favorite focal length and I use my konica 40mm daily!
Thank you so much - 40mm f2 is the sweet spot for an EDC lens with bright aperture. Lots of sample variation though and the build quality is people’s main complaint with this Nikon version
@@BokehTherapy For me personally, I tend to carry my camera around more if the lens is smaller. That's the main reason I will be leaving the L-Mount. Thanks again for your content!
Oh I don’t have much experience with L mount other than Sigma lenses on E mount. One of these days there will be a universal mount and we won’t have to stress so much!
35mm or 40mm for landscapes/streets and hiking?
Hrmm I would go 35mm personally. Extra width is good if you are on a tight ledge on a hill and can’t back up anymore to get your composition. Can always pack a longer telephoto lens in case you want something more compressed to go with the 35mm, say a 50mm or 85mm
Great overview and new and old. Well done! Great walk down the history lane.
Thanks so much! Nikon is doing some amazing things, Z6III just around the corner
Lovely video. But I have to disagree a little here.
For street, the cost and size of the 35mm is not appropriate at all.
The 40mm is ine lens where one would want to carry all the time.
Its the lens that justifies going mirrorless.
D750 was and excellent camera which was lighweight and could handle all the nikkor glasses, including the 50mm D lens.
The appeal of the mirrorless is all about size and weight, and surely AF. But d850 and the d500 were equally great other than their weights.
For hobby photographer, who does not make money from his photos, I think prosumers should still stick to the DSLR format.
And for videos, iPhones.
Thanks for watching! DSLRs are still great, but hard to beat the video quality on the latest mirrorless cameras. Both lenses are great options, I think enthusiasts are getting even pickier on image quality in this day and age. To each their own, happy shooting!
Great video, my biggest fear/dilemma is Gear paralysis when packing camera's for travel. 35mm on a D700 and a Ricoh GRIII is my jam.
Nice one - those D700s are built like a tank so should last you for years to come! My Ricoh GRIIIX broke so sadly without one for the time being. Happy shooting!
D700 is better than the zf only in the micro contrast. The sensor SLAYS. Period. ❤
Yup I am very impressed with Nikon’s implementation of their sensors
FINALLY A GOOD NIKON RUclipsR
Haha thanks so much! There are plenty of others around!
The 40mm is just perfect for the ZFs monochrome setting, however Im not too keen on using it in colour, rather prefer my adapted Sigma Arts
Which Sigma arts do you adapt? Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy 35, 40, 50, 85, 135...they all work flawlessly plus I love the colour output, requires very minimal to no editing in Jpegs
Will look into it - hope Sigma start making some DGDN lenses for Z mount!
Jack, Very cleverly constructed video and fun to watch, thanks! I had the chance to live in Hamamatsu prefecture for three months many years back; was an amazing experience I have the 40mm and am generally pleased with it. But i’ve been curious to try the 35mm for all the reasons you note.
Thanks Craig! I have never been to Hamamatsu, will have to add it to the list for next time. The 35 is a great lens, super sharp but not perfect. The 50 though is pretty close to perfect and worth lugging around the weight. That’s next week’s video, thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Jack, I was commenting about Japan in general, not specifically Hamamatsu. It was heavily damaged during the war and is a sort of an unremarkable modern city. But i was able to travel to Kyoto, and up into the mountains, and also along the western coast with the family i lived with. All those spots had some beautiful spots.
Every unremarkable spot in Japan has its own sense of beauty. I love the quieter non touristy spots just as much!
@@BokehTherapy indeed, completely agree.
Phenomenal storytelling in your videos. Thanks!
Wow thanks for the feedback! More to come soon
Actually 40mm is more common as "kit" lens. Back in the days of fixed lens rangefinder film camera, many of the cameras using 40mm as their focal range. I guess, with ZF approach of classic (and to differentiate), 40mm as the kit lens is a good choice.
A throwback! Interesting, wonder if that’s in Nikon’s history too. 35 is more useful than 40, but less interesting? Or maybe it’s the optical design that makes 40s more compact. Either way we have great choices as shooters. Thanks for watching!
I ordered the Voigtländer 40mm1.2 and 75mm 1.5 MF lenses and was planning to buy the ZF as a second body with the z8. Not sure if I want the Zf since I have the Z8 and don't consider it to be too heavy for travel/street. The ZF needs more AF lenses with autofocus, I might get it with the 35mm1,8 or the 50 1.8.
The Z8 is amazing! I tried it in every camera store I could in Tokyo lol. I love the idea of the voigtlander Z lenses but I already adapt my M mount lenses. Next week’s video is on the 50mm f1.8 - it might be the sharpest lens I have ever used!
@@BokehTherapy I had it with the Z6 II and it is incredible. Then I sold it with the camera when I bought the 50mm 1.2 for the Z8. Now I want to re-buy it for Street or if I do get the ZF. Will be very interested in the video!
The 50mm f1.2 is amazing too - great kit you’ve got! But yes the f1.8 is a bit more sensible for street and travel. I love 50mm more than any other focal length so it makes total sense to me for having both lol. Happy shooting!
Thanks for the video, these are all very well done!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I love all these stories about the Zf, for in a different life if I got a great paying job out of university and were a lot more patient in keeping my D7000 I would have gotten a Zf. But instead I fell into the Fujifilm meme, got a first taste of it with the X-T10, then one thing led to another and now I'm all in on the Fujifilm system (maybe with some adapted Nikon glass). I find Fujifilm's strategy very interesting as well with some theories as to why they do things so differently from the rest, and while I don't really want to get into them in detail here, I find that the strategies Fuji took contrast very well with the strategies Nikon has been doing and the pitfalls both have found themselves in as a result of the strategies they have taken, which in turn come from the positions they have started out in.
Fujifilm is my first love in photography - still a huge fan and keen to see where they go next. Right now the X100 series can paper over any perceived weaknesses across their lineup! I am planning next week’s video about this right now - how you can tell a lot about these companies by their 50mm lens offerings of all things. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy There was one thing that I believe you may have missed out when you were talking about how Nikon was too slow to the full frame market, and that was that Nikon never really made their own sensors. The first DSLR Nikon made used a Sony sensor, and while there were some models that used Nikon's own sensors, the vast majority were made by either Sony or Toshiba. Even the Nikon made sensors had to be diffused by other companies like Sony or Matsushita/Panasonic. In effect Nikon was limited by the technology of its partners and getting a full frame sensor out too early could have meant a camera body that would have been too expensive and killed the full frame line before it could even compete with the Canon 5D. The same could be said about Fujifilm, and was probably the reason why they never went into full frame until they had enough experience in building cameras, then they went full weird by just jumping all the way to medium format.
Canon had the capability to design and build their own sensors from the ground up so they were able to get their in house designed and built full frame cameras straight to market quicker than a multi-company collaboration could.
I had so much to squeeze into one video already so had to cut a lot out from this video. Thanks for the info! Goes into the research file for the next video. What camera do you mostly shoot on now? XT5?
@@BokehTherapy Yes, an X-T5 that I just bought late last month in Japan. Wasn't easy to find: it was probably the last one in Akihabara for a long while (some shops were even quoting a four month wait list), and even the spare battery took me three days of searching half of Tokyo to get.
Yes camera supplies were super hard to track down for me in Tokyo last month too! Glad you found your XT5, I might grab a copy once it goes on sale/gets back in stock too
Thank you for another great video. I really appreciate your effort in creating the story behind your videos, the parallels with your life or traveling.
Regarding the 40mm f2, I love to use it for casual street photography. I think the performance is good enough and I really like its low weight, size and also price. Pity of the plastic mount, I already had one small issue with a piece of plastic on my camera sensor which was visible in some pictures.
Thanks for taking time to comment! Still a small channel so every bit helps the algorithm. Interesting to hear about plastic in your sensor - never heard about this until now. Have you tried sensor cleaning kits? The 40 is just so useable, it’s hard to not want to go out and shoot with it all the time. Video on the 50mm f1.8 Z next week!
@@BokehTherapy Thanks for answering. Taking the little piece of black plastic (maybe 1 mm long) out was quite easy just by blowing some air there. But it was obvious it came from the plastic mount and I only noticed it when processing the pictures, so now I try to be more careful and check the results more often.
Argh glad you detected it, I will start checking mine too!
@@LukesMushrooms yes maybe use your blower on the mount prior to mounting too ?
I usually travel with a 50 and a 85. Sometimes I’ll add a 135 or 24. The 40 is just a weird focal length. If it was a fast lens then it would at least have that going for it.
Just a 50 and 85 sounds great. Do you need to take family shots too? I find 50 a bit tight for that but glad it works for you. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy well I do carry my phone.
Can’t beat the convenience
The 40 seems perfectly imperfect that gives its images that look/characteristics that I like for street. The small size makes it much better for it also.
The 35's images seem a bit too pristine.
Just curious, other than the 35 & 40 what other Z lenses you normally use for travel photography?
The 40 is sharp from mid distances and beyond (about 3-5 metres away) so really perfect for street. 35 is a beautiful lens though! I also have the 50 and the 85 for the Z mount. Both super sharp, reviews coming up on the channel next. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Exactly my setup, 35-50-85, along with 40. I can see myself keeping the same setup for more future bodies. The Z mount and S line lenses are really really something.
That’s great to hear - I thought I was the only one shooting the larger f1.8 primes on the Zf. The kit feels very complete, a rare moment of gear zen. Happy shooting!
For me 35mm is the one lens i would have, once spent 3 years of just taking street pictures with 35mm and bw film.
35mm is the classic! I love 50mm more, but always get more keepers on the 35mm. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy currently i dont have 35mm, i use now 50mm. But i prefer taking pictures close and its easier for me with a 35mm. Also with 35mm zonefocus is easier.
What do you shoot with now - film or digital?
@@BokehTherapy i have both but i shoot street photography with digital.
Currently have some large format lenses but lacking a camera, aero ektar would be interesting, it has in my opinion most beautiful bokeh to me also plus is the lens board shift and tilt. Obviously not for street photography 😅📷
Incredibly well put together! Great video - I see your channel going places!
Thanks so much Alan - great to connect with other photographers here on RUclips!
Great video! Can I ask, which hood do you use for your 40 f2? Thanks!
Thanks! Any of the screw in 52mm ones work, the one I use is from Haoge but lots of similar options: amzn.to/3QPGMgX
I hope panasonic makes some low profile L mount primes with metal mount. The 40mm looks awesome but the plastic mount would never survive my lifestyle
Rumors of a new Panasonic camera are just around the corner! Hopefully the third party makers like Sigma come to the party too with their DGDN line. Thanks for watching!
great history lesson about Nikon. I agree with you, now a days, lighter the set up the better. hopefully canon comes out with a FF retro camera with some pancake lens, i'll be all over that, great video!
Canon has amazing heritage and enormous market share. If they release a retro camera it might be over for everyone else haha
How about trying the 28mm SE on the street?
Like the channel Jack but you just need to watch your promo interludes as they are too long sometimes - just my 2p worth ;-)
Thanks for the feedback! Tried to shorten the promo section for this video, but they are necessary for the channel’s survival unfortunately. Would you prefer them at the beginning or the end of the video?
For me I prefer a short promo at the end so I have the opportunity to skip it ! But I guess the compromise is at the start. 😉
Cheers!
Love the video editing, the context and the comparison. Sub and liked.
Hey thanks so much for watching! A lot of work starting a new channel, every comment helps more than you know!
Really loving your videos Jack! Well done!
Thanks so much - more content to come next week!
Great channel mate, a nice and surprisingly new find, for me! What's your take on Fujifilm cameras? As a long time Fuji shooter, I'm looking into the ZF pretty much lately but the size and the lenses are a hard pill to swallow...
I love Fujifilm but the ZF is a big step up in image quality. If you shoot on the XH series with Fuji’s f1.4 glass (second gen) then that’s about the same size as the ZF with f1.8 glass? Low light and build quality are Fuji’s main “problems” and neither is an issue with the Zf. But switching is a big decision, I wouldn’t do it fully unless you’ve had a play with the camera. Let me know what other questions you have, the next few videos will all be about the Zf
@@BokehTherapy thanks mate! Much appreciated, I would love to know a bit more about ZF lenses, my big dilemma is what lenses would be equal to my beloved 56mm f1.2, 90mm f2, the old 35mm F1.4 , 70-300mm, 50-140 and many more! I also don't like opening screen of the ZF, much prefer the X-T5 way of tilt screen, hope their next iteration of the ZF fixes this, and adds a bit more grip to accommodate bigger FF lenses...
Thanks for the tips, will go into an upcoming video on Fujifilm vs Nikon settings for autofocus/lens selection
@@Nimargblate to the party, but there is a good argument for owning both systems. I have owned Fuji for 5 years but just recently bought the Zf as a second camera.
The X-T5 is truly a dream camera with the right lenses. I am more appreciative of it after buying the Zf. The size, resolution, jpegs, and handling are perfect for travel and have basically left me skipping RAWs altogether. The JPEGs with the right settings are just that good for most scenarios.
The Zf with the 40mm is the perfect X100 series alternate. It’s everything I wanted my X100V to be, but I just couldn’t get along with the slowness of the camera and the low light image quality. Maybe the 100VI is that much better, but the Zf is just great in that regard. Yeah it’s big, but the size is worth it depending on your use case, and I genuinely think it will be an all-time collector camera some day.
0:35 nothing personal, just money.
and size.
Haha yup, both are great lenses
The 40mm is all the lens you’ll ever need at F2.8 and it’s good enough for video at F2. Sell the 35mm F1.8 and buy the 20mm F1.8 for interior shots / vlogging.
20mm is a great lens! Thanks for watching
I dont like the way the 40mm renders colors. I did a side by side comparizon with the 35mm. The 40 is great in B&W. It used to be my hiking lens. Now since the 26mm pancake came out, thats my hiking lens. The 40mm just sits on the shelf. I always use the 35mm for everything (even hiking occasionally when i know its gonna be sunset it whatever) but yeah ive never been a fan of the 40. I juat dont like the photos from it.
Interesting - haven’t noticed the color differences myself. The 35 is a great lens!
Great video, thanks! Would love to know your take on the small z 50mm MC 2.8 macro vs Z 50mm 1.8 S and z 40mm f2. I think it's a similar comparison to this one. I already own the z 40mm f2 and the z 50mm f1.8 s, being 40/50mm my favorite focal range. I'm thinking of getting the 50mm MC 2.8 because it's small and light and the macro capability is a welcomed bonus especially when you travel and out and about and you want to take pics of food up close. The Z 50mm 1.8 s is fantastic but it's not that small and light when i mount it on my ZF, plus the mfd is 0,40m. On the z 40mm the mfd is 0,29m. I wonder if the Z 50mm Mc 2.8 macro is any good and would be worth it or would be redundant. Thanks!
Mmm I have not tried the 50mm f2.8 macro - will add it to the list of Z lenses I would like to try! Lots of product photographers swear by the 105 f2.8 but that is a big lens as well. Thanks for the feedback, more to come!
Great vid! Have the 35mm 1.8, keep looking at the 40mm. I think it will happen, but will enjoy the tug and war inside my head for a while longer
Ah you had the opposite problem to me! Had the 40 in the Zf bundle, couldn’t resist the 35 haha
Have you fully transitioned to the Nikon?
Hi Seamus, I still use my Sony kit for video, but I shoot street almost exclusively on the Nikon Zf now. It is a great system, but I glad I waited this long for them to figure things out. What system do you shoot on?
@@BokehTherapy I’m in the Sony ecosystem and I recently purchased the a7cr, largely inspired by your review. Pretty satisfied to date.
The A7Cr is a great camera! Sony updates their camera bodies so ruthlessly I’m sure there will be some type of new body soon enough. It is the best Sony camera for street and documentary work I think. Happy shooting!
Lost and found and white cement 1 shoe box while having university blue 1s on your feet, oh the subtle flex lol
I feel like Lumix makes a great 1.8 lens, I've been using the Lumix 50mm f1.8 on my Leica SL2 and I've been pretty pleased with the results.
Your video has me thinking about needing to go to Japan again soon, haven't been since 2018.
Another great vid Jack, looking forward to the next one.
Ohhh the lumix lenses are great from what I hear, for both photo and video. Yes time for another Japan trip! lol no more flexing with Jordan 1s, the market has cratered so lots of great options at retail thankfully!
The idea that the 35 1.8 is an old lens is a bit out of proportion imo. I always travel with the 28 and the 40. sure there are better lenses but for quick and dirty snapping they are perfect bc they are not getting in the way of your vacation.
The 35mm f1.8 is as old as the whole Z system, which is still kind of young I guess! 28 and 40 are great, thanks for watching!
I hate when Jack comes out with a new video that makes me wait for it. I also hate it when he breaks it down nicely enough for me to understand and even more i hate it when he takes much better pics than i do. No im not a scientist but i love his videos, the sequences and the explanations keep me waiting more. Yes for me who needs to carry light and compact, i would definitely reach for the 40 over the longer and slightly heavier 35. The zf should be able to compensate with better iso for low light photography. Thanks brother i really enjoyed your video. Currently gonna try using my em5mk1 with a 20 1.7 to australia this coming week.
Haha thanks so much! The 20mm f1.7 is a legendary lens - I think it put the whole m4/3 system on the map. Have a great trip, send me a link to your photos/IG to keep track? Happy shooting!
0:49 At this point, it's not a mistake. It's a tradition.
Overcoming a mistake with pure innovation seems to be Nikon’s tradition at this point!
Wonderful video and story telling!
Thanks for watching - more to come this week
Great content, like your street photos. Subscribed👍
Thanks so much, new video goes live later today
I thought you are going to talk about the new 35 1.4, that is cheaper and smaller than the 35 1.8.
This video was made before Nikon announced the new 35mm f1.4. If I get my hands on it (very keen to) will make a follow up video. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy i like your style and the documenting from the past. And congrats also on the photos.
@@BogdanGrigore I love photographing Japan - a beautiful place to test out lenses
Voitlander 40 mm 1.2, you're welcome.
I’ve used it on M mount, not the native Z mount version though. Sold out everywhere in Japan!
Very nice I like the video documentary style, and the music as well.. thanks.
Thanks so much - the music is a bit much for some people, need to use it sparingly even though I love it haha. More to come this week!
Keep up the good work! Sometimes while watching video I forget how much I enjoy your photos. I guess you are now 3 personas- scientist, street photographer & RUclipsr. How do you have time?? 👍
Thanks so much! The balance is fleeting but it’s great when I get it right every now and then lol. Happy shooting!
Interesting summary of Nikon history. Even though they seem to be making strategic mistakes they keep on coming up with giat leaps in technology, which is seen by the more recent Z9 and Zf. Perhaps the like to take their time to get things right, but let's hope they take the current streak furhter and embrace AI and their current apetite for software improvements
Also, tackle the new breed of photographers and perhaps bring some life back into DX but with a modern approach.
What I ran out of time to cover in this video is that Nikon has an amazing track record of innovation that can cover up all of these mistakes. It’s truly remarkable, a topic for another video perhaps. Thanks for watching!
35 is too much. 28 is better. Thanks for posting !
Ohhh yep 28 and 40 are a great kit. Thanks for watching!
I found it to be a fair price for the quality of photos you get and weather sealing.
I think so too - waiting for the retro versions of the other focal lengths to come out. Surely they’re in the works!
I don’t get this video.
I have a Zf, 40/2 and 35/1.8 - so what are you trying to tell here?
You say Nikon was held back by its old F mount, yet exclaim the D850.
In what sense are AFS G lenses held back compared to Ef lenses?
It was a “mistake” not taking mirrorless serious, but Canon was also late to the game with their full frame R and RP. The Z6/Z7 were a little behind the curve with AF, but Nikon has caught up. So for all the mistakes Nikon seems to manage. Not a fan boy, I have Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm - DSLR and mirrorless.
The 40/2.0 is similar to the 50/1.8 SE for the Df, a convenient standard-ish lens that was easy to transform into a classic looking lens. It is using something that is good enough and giving it a cosmetic overhaul to match the retro esthetic and cheap. Nothing more. Same with the 28/2.8 SE for the earlier Zfc - standard-ish lens on crop that was available, easy to modify and cheap as a kit lens.
Neither of these three lenses were new when they were given the SE treatment.
Note: I like all of these lenses, including the 35/1.8 Z (I like the AFS 1.8G as well btw).
The most impressive thing is Nikon has overcome all of these setbacks - they were most definitely reported as “mistakes” at the time they happened. Not many companies get the luxury of this many decades worth of ups and downs to observe their ability to always bounce back. Thanks for watching!
Jack you and I seem to share a lot of the same thoughts and opinions :-) I can relate so much to your content regarding the Nikon ZF. Love your channel and content you are putting out. Can't wait for the next one. Hello From South Texas!!!
Hi Eddie, thanks so much for watching! I haven’t spent much time in Texas, only visited Austin very briefly a couple of years back. Would love to visit again. Happy shooting!
There’s also a 26, 28 and a 40.
Haha yup lots more options to try
Very nice street shots !!
Thank you - hope you are out there shooting too!
WOW! This is pure awesome
Thank you for watching!
yeah sure, nikon made a lot of mistskes. keeping the f mount is so good for long time useres and intoducing the ftz adapter with the z6/z7 is a statement.
regarding to the two lenses. the 40mm is so cheap that no other first party manufacturer is having a lens like this in its line. also the 35mm is almost 4 times more expensive and sill much cheper than the canons.
What’s impressive is how Nikon bounced back in a generation! I love all of the lenses I have tried for the Z system. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy you are right, they come back strong but need to keep it up.
Careful. Those s lens will make every other lens looks bad lol. I got z35/1.8 and z28/2.8 and some times later. I sold my z28/2.8 lol
lol I am saving up for the Plena. Very afraid how it will make me feel about the rest of my lenses once I have it in hand. I love all my S lenses!
@@BokehTherapy i want plena too. Mh first lens always 50. As base. For the portrait its either 105 macro or 135s
The 50 f1.8 S is special too - so many great choices in the Z lineup
@@BokehTherapy they has great strategy. Make great pro f1.8 (most expensive f1.8 but much less expensive than f1.4 pro) and pro f1.2 for those who actually want f1.2. And make cheapest f1.4 for casuals (more expensive than budget f1.8, but much more cheaper than industry normal pro f1.4)
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Thank you!
Why limit yourself to one focal length? I use a zoom.
Zooms and street photography don’t mix for me, I find after a session the indecision of which focal length to use in the zoom range affects the speed of my reactions. If it was a video or commercial shoot when I can stage everything then I prefer zooms. Thanks for watching and happy shooting!
Excellent video 👍
Thanks so much for watching!
What kind of weather is Australia undergoing that you are wearing a hoodie, a jacket, and two sweat pants while indoors. Stay warm. Cheers
lol I live in Sunny Queensland too! I feel the cold more than most but get to stay cool in summer time without much effort. Gift and the curse
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Thanks so much for watching!
Any phottographer worth his camera, should be coming ro Japan ag least once in 2 years.
I totally agree! I am fortunate to live within a 9 hour flight so it’s nice and quick without being too expensive.
@@BokehTherapy Japan is a photographers dream. Colourful, traditional, moody, nature, food, temples...and most of all packed with people from different walks of life.
I need to be at the top of my game the moment I land, otherwise lots of missed opportunities for once in a lifetime shots
I own 24-120 f/4 S and 40 f/2 SE for my Zf.
Haven’t removed the 24-120 since months during my travels! It’s so versatile and sharp and kind of defeats the purpose of why I bought the Zf in the first place though (retro looking camera and muffin lens for travel).
Haven’t taken any low light/night images yet, but I guess I’d have to switch to the lower aperture lens when time comes.
Oh the 24-120 sounds great - haven’t tried it, but a super versatile focal range. The 40mm is great, but more vintage character than perfect IQ. Happy shooting!
I didn't think the 35 was that good. I've had the 20/35/50/85 1.8 primes but the 35 was the worst performer of those. too close to the 40mm f2 to be honest except right at 1.8-2.8 it will have better corners, central sharpness is about the same, different type of rendering. stopped down past f4 where most street photography takes place, it's about the same. The 50mm 1.8 is on another level, as is the 20mm...but both really hefty size lenses for primes.
Yup I think the close up sharpness of the 35 matters less to me (hence getting a lot more keepers with the 40) but it does matter a lot for portrait and event shooters! Reviewing the 50 this week, what a special lens! Size is manageable compared to f1.4 primes from other brands, but I think its IQ is better!
@@BokehTherapy definitely, which is why I had the 35mm and 50mm previously. But switching to the 40mm in that range. Not saying it's bad, it's good, and better than the 40mm. I'm not really doing events any longer so I don't need the premium glass to carry around.
Travelling lighter is always good, I have heard a fair amount of sample variation across different copies of the 40mm; less so with the 35 and 50. I have all three! Great to have options as a Nikon shooter, they’re slowly building out the Z lens lineup. Happy shooting!
Always fascinated by how you narrate your videos. In this one, I may pick both, the lightweight setup and non intimidating looks of the 40mm f2 sometime gives me confidence boost coming from me who usually shoots with longer compressed lens (105mm f1.4), and if I'm let's say working with paying clients I'd pick the 35mm for the wider look. How my eyes see the street is either 40/50 and one compressed lens and I find my 105 suits best for my case. Thank you for the video!
Yes I have both and will keep both - 40 and 35 both have their use cases for sure. I love 85mm but would love to try a 105! I’m guessing you shoot with a Sigma? Thanks so much for watching!
@@BokehTherapy I do Nikon Z6 with the Nikkor AF-S 105mm f1.4, I found it less expensive in my area 2nd hand, and it weights 700g less than the Sigma, one of the last F mount that I think is on par with the Z glass.
Have to try it really, not as boring as 85mm, and not as isolating and far with the 135mm. A good balance since I do Cosplay Portraits, and Stage sometimes.
Oh the F mount 105! I have not yet dived into F mount glass, will need to give it a try next. Thanks for the tip!
Excellent video about these lenses my friend! 😊
I always wondered how well the 1.8 lenses perform on the newer bodies like the Zf, specially the 35mm. Unfortunately the 35mm and the 50mm 1.8 from Nikon are too big for my personal taste. The 40mm SE spoiled me and I don’t want a bigger lens on my Zf, since the body is already big and heavy. Have the 28mm SE, although I used that lens mostly to record my videos 😊.
Yesterday my Z to M Adapter finally arrived and I will play around with my Leica glas on the Zf and if the children allow it will do a POV shooting. Feels great to have a 50mm on my Zf, which is small 😀
The f1.8 glass is really special - hope Nikon do a f2 retro line that makes them even smaller. Congrats on the Z to M adapter, looking forward to the POV video!
for nikon zf... try the 28 with the vintage look...
Thanks for the tip Ben! I have never been a 28mm shooter but lots of people like the 28 Z lens. Will need to try it out!
My 40mm was hot, hot trash! I hated that lens and couldn’t sell it fast enough. All the bad things they said about that lens are true. But no, I’m thinking when you have very low budget lenses you get bad quality control. When I got the 35mm I felt relief thinking before it came could it be the camera? Could it be me, I just don’t know how to use full frame after using Olympus for 15 years. But the 26mm 2.8 stays on that camera most of the time and I carry my Olympus om5 with the equivalent 35mm 1.2 as a perfect combo most of the time.
Mmm that’s interesting. My copy of the 40 is fine? Not amazing IQ but certainly enough for everyday use. The 35mm is much more impressive, and the 50mm is on a whole other level again! Next weeks video is on the 50mm f1.8 S, it might be the sharpest lens I’ve ever used
35 allday
It’s a great lens and focal length. Thanks for watching!
I'm halfway in to this video and I have no idea what you're trying to say or what the purpose of this is. Swing and a miss.
All good thanks for stopping by
Mirrorless cameras are smaller, but camera plus lens, they aren't. My D750 plus 24-120f4 is basically the same size as a Zf plus Z mount 24-120f4.
Don’t think size is the argument anymore - Z8 and z9 are DSLR size haha. I think image quality and video features are being touted as the main advantages of mirrorless? Neither is a concern for most street photographers I know though. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy size of the lenses was a clear theme of this video. Z lenses are *bigger* than F mount. But hey I get you that's not what you want it to be about
I didn’t make any comparisons to DSLRs in the video? The only clear theme is picking the best lens for your use case, and only so much I can cover in 1 video. F-mount glass is great, still deciding on which one to test next.
Great video narration & quality here, very appreciated! 👏Personally for travel or everyday carry I'm definitely team 40 💪
Team 40! I can’t believe how many shots I got with the 40 instead of 35. Great focal length. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Oh no, thank YOU for creating!
Cheers!