Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens

Description

Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Overview

Go Full Size with Nikon’s New Pair of Z-Mount Macro Lenses

Nikon Z Macro Lenses: Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S & Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8 | Hands-on Review By Photo’s Matt Cottom

Set your sights on a world of the smallest details with the NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Lens from Nikon. Ideal for spontaneous snapshots, food photography, or exploring the minute details of everyday life, this normal-length macro lens offers a life-size 1:1 maximum magnification along with a minimum focusing distance of 6.3″ to suit working with close-up subjects. The lens also doubles as an outstanding portrait lens. The combination of its shallow depth of field and life size magnification creates a unique, almost three-dimensional effect in your stills and videos.

A bright f/2.8 maximum aperture lets you confidently work in low light conditions and offers increased control over depth of field for isolating subjects and using selective focus techniques. Edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent, and a rounded nine-blade diaphragm ensures beautiful bokeh and background blur to isolate the subject from the background. ED and aspherical lens elements provide optimal correction of coma and chromatic aberration, and a fluorine coating reduces dirt, water, and smudges from sticking to the surface of the lens. The lens makes use of a stepping motor for fast, precise, smooth, and quiet autofocus with reduced wobbling, and this quiet drive system makes the lens ideal for use when shooting video. Additionally, a unique front-focusing design minimizes the size and weight of the lens for easy and comfortable carrying. Compact, lightweight, and versatile, this stylish and sharp lens is likely to become one of your most prized lenses.

Normal-length prime designed for FX-format Nikon Z-mount cameras, however, can also be used with DX models where it provides a 75mm equivalent focal length. Ideal for macro and portrait shooting, this lens offers a life-size 1:1 maximum magnification along with a minimum focusing distance of 6.3″ to suit working with close-up subjects. Bright f/2.8 maximum aperture suits working in a variety of lighting conditions and also offers increased control over depth of field for isolating subjects and using selective focus techniques. 6.3″ minimum focus distance highlights the smallest textures, shapes, and details in a natural-looking 50mm perspective. Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness with minimal distortion Rounded nine-blade diaphragm provides beautiful bokeh and background blur to isolate subject from the background. Fast, accurate, and virtually silent autofocus system with suppressed hunting and breathing. Includes focus limiter switch for even more speed and accuracy across a smaller distance range. Electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism in the lens barrel provides highly accurate electronic diaphragm or aperture blade control when using auto exposure during continuous shooting. Lens barrel indicator for reproduction ratio and focus distance. Fluorine coating reduces dirt, water, and smudges from sticking to the surface of the lens. Large metal lens mount provides more light capture, sharper details, better colors, and less distortion. Unique front-focusing design minimizes the size and weight of the lens for easy and comfortable carrying. Compatible with ES-2 Film Digitizing Set, lets you turn your full-frame Z-series camera into a high-resolution film digitizer. Bring 35mm film negatives or slides back to life as stunning digital images. Separately purchased step-up ring required. UPC: 018208201037

In the Box

• Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens
• Nikon LC-46B 46mm Snap-On Front Lens Cap
• Nikon LF-N1 Rear Lens Cap
• HN-41 Lens Hood
• Lens Case
• Limited 1-Year Warranty

User Manual

0.5 MB

Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Specs

Packaging Info

Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Reviews

NIKKOR Z MC 50mm F/2.8 Macro Lens

By Daniel Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2022-02-05

Great addition to my optics inventory. Perfect for product shots.

Good Lens

By Edward Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2021-12-14

Very happy with this lens. It works as advertised. I love the light weight and the versatility.

Sharp lens

By Robert Rated 4 out of 5 Date: 2021-12-07

Chose the 50mm instead of the 105 since macro photos are a small part of my photos. Using on a Z5. Very sharp images. Small and light. Autofocus is fine. But if shot macro 50% of the time I would have got the 105mm. It has VR and the 50 doesn’t. But the 50 if fine for me.

A specialty lens for a big project

By Paul Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2021-11-28

I purchased this lens primarily for a large photo digitizing project I am undertaking. Together with the ES-2 Digitizing Adaptor set, I’ve found the combination that works well.

Solid lens; love the macro

By Mac Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2021-10-28

This lens has been sharp as a tack. Smooth, fast focus. The macro feature has been great. To be fair, it is not 2.8 through the macro focal lengths, but the narrow depth of field has been extraordinary.

Does everything I want!

By Kyle Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2021-10-22

I’ve loved the lens so far, it works really well for macro and more standard shots. I haven’t had a chance to try astrophotography with it, as some of the video reviews have indicated it is pretty decent at, but I want to try that soon.

Such Convenience in a Light Package

By Todd Rated 5 out of 5 Date: 2022-01-07

I truly think it’s just the plastic external construction that makes this a non-S lens, as the optics and weather-proofing are topnotch. I’ve found this to be an exceedingly convenient, utilitarian lens and use this alone or coupled with the Z 24-200 as a light, capable travel kit with decent range and lower-light capability. (I feel a little silly admitting this, but I also have the Z 50mm f/1.8, as I wasn’t originally planning to purchase this lens. That faster 50mm lens will be reserved for lower light and will be used with my Z 20mm f/1.8 and/or Z 85mm f/1.8–all great performers.) I wound up purchasing this when considering backing up slides using the accessory ES-2, but that particular item is on backorder; this lens had instant savings when I purchased it. Photos are crisp and beautifully rendered, and the lighter weight and weather-proofing make this lens a wonderful general purpose lens with convenient macro capability–and a great companion to the 24-200. That I can eventually digitize all my remaining slides from the 80’s, 90’s, and early 00’s is icing, pure and sugary.

MC 50mm – The Focus Hunter

By Grant Rated 3 out of 5 Date: 2021-12-17

TLDR; This lens has a long and slow focus range and when it can’t find focus it takes way too long to hunt. If you have the 24-70 f4 kit lens, save your money and skip this one for general use. If you need a 50mm 1:1 macro lens, are willing to pay ~$600, and are willing to manual focus for your images then go for it, it does have great modern optics. My issue is the mechanical implementation. I was so excited for this lens. After a long wait, a native mount micro lens for my Z6. I had watched videos and read some reviews and thought I had a good idea how this lens would perform. Man am I disappointed though. Let me level set with my expectation, I wanted a solid autofocus lens that could get in close but also be a general use lens. While this lens meets my macro expectations it is not a good choice for general use in my opinion. First off, the only place this lens actually has a 2.8 aperture is at infinity, as soon as you focus on something closer you will see that aperture number increase so less light is getting to the sensor. If you are shooting in manual mode then you may need to adjust settings just because you need to focus a bit closer. Alternatively, you could just set the aperture to f5.6 and then you have a constant aperture lens as it is the max aperture at 1:1(joke with truth in it.). This is fine when shooting macro as you will be stopping down anyway but I have a 50 f4 already in my 24-70. As a macro lens I have no problems with it but it is marketed as macro and general purpose. The core issue I have is that I miss general shots (outside the macro range) while it is hunting for focus in the macro range. I was using pinpoint in AF-S and AF-C modes and about half the time it ran the lens through the entire focus range just to arrive back at the focus point. When used with the eye af and tracking I did not have as much of an issue but that is not how I regularly shoot. I think this could have been solved with a third position on the focus limit switch that keeps the lens between infinity to .19m range. It would make the AF hunting less of an issue. Nikon, when this lens gets revised that would be great to see. That and the S line treatment with a quieter focus motor/mechanism. It is not loud but it can be heard in video, at least on my copy. When this lens can get focus it has the ability to takes great images that are sharp edge to edge, see below for an unedited image. For the price tag though I am disappointed in this performance of this lens when I know Nikon can do better. To sum up, If you need a 50mm 1:1 macro lens, are willing to pay $600, and are willing to manual focus for your images then this is the one. Otherwise skip it. Your mileage may vary this is just my experience. *I have a Z6 with the latest firmware available at the time. I am comparing this lenses performance with the 24-70mm f4 Z mount lens for general photography and AF performance and a Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 with M2 extension for macro performance.

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