Is the 1st Z lens Now the Worst? Nikon Zf Lens Buying Guide for Street Photography
The 35mm f1.8 S was the first Z lens Nikon announced, so is it still the best option? Is the First Z lens now the worst value? If you’re new to Nikon and the Zf, lenses can be an overwhelming decision, so today I’ll walk through all my favourite Z lenses for street photography in one video. I’ll compare my pick for street - the 35mm f1.8 S - against 7 Nikon lenses - all first party full-frame autofocusing primes. Street photographers usually only go as wide as 28, and as tight as 50, but today we’ll stretch the boundaries slightly. I’ll rank each lens by optical performance as well as suitability for street.
My Go-To Lens for Travel: Dreamy Vs Reality? Nikon 85mm f1.8 S vs Sirui 85mm f1.4 Aurora
It took 100,000 frames on my last Japan trip, before I realised the Nikon 85mm f1.8 S had become my go-to travel lens for the Nikon Zf. 85mm is common, f1.8 nothing special, but to date none of the other options beat Nikon at anything other than price. Sirui’s 85mm 1.4 is the first third party 85 offering something more than just a bargain, but is dreamy rendering the best choice for travel photography? I want to capture the surroundings in a way that best matches my memories, because once the trip ends I’m forced to come back down to reality.
The Best Adapter for Zf Manual Focus isn’t made by Nikon?
In the ZF Nikon created arguably the best manual focus experience, so why is it so hard to find the right adapter for their own vintage lenses? With Nikon’s FTZii you lose almost all of the Zf’s special focus assist tools, and and I had to test 10 different adapter combinations til I found the best solution. Not one, but two stacked third party adapters, surely not how Nikon intended us to use the Zf? I hope I’m wrong, I have a wishlist for FTZiii, but it’s never coming out.
Nikon Zf Manual Focus: Steal Like an Artist?
There’s no such thing as a new idea. Nikon’s secret plan to launch the Zf had all the benefits of second mover advantage. Vintage design like Fujifilm? Yes but make it full frame. Reap the R&D benefits from your pro lineup like Sony? Z9, Z8, Zf, along with massive firmware upgrades. These moves are somewhat predictable, but Nikon also tried to “out-Leica” Leica in manual focus? Nikon may have just pulled it off - all because they stole like an artist.
Can’t Decide? The Best Lens for Travel | Sony 40mm f2.5
Sony’s 40mm f2.5 on the A7C pushes the limit of how small a full-frame camera can be. The lens is only 173 grams - practically invisible - sticks out less than two inches from the camera. Aperture ring, custom controls, dust and moisture resistance. Stylish, retro exterior, and included lens hood, metallic, cold to the touch. The catch - it costs $600 US Dollars, a thousand Australian bucks, and it’s only f2.5?
I flew to Japan to find the Best Nikon Zf Grip.
I flew to Japan to find the best grip for the Nikon Zf, but first I had to try every other grip on the market. Some were good - one was terrible - but I didn’t want to settle. The mythical ZF-GR1 - the official Japan Exclusive Nikon grip was my last hope and I looked in10 camera stores across 5 districts amidst the chaos of tourist-season Tokyo before I found it, which begs two questions. One Is this the best grip for the Nikon Zf and two - am I obsessed?
21 Photography Lessons I wish I knew in my 30s | Nikon Z6III
It’s great, but I don’t “need” the Nikon Z6III. It’s technically “better” almost any camera in its price range, but I’m trying not to get blinded by the specs. While the Z6III comes with 6 headline grabbing features, it’s still missing 3 things that Nikon shooters have been demanding, for YEARS. After shooting with 31 cameras from the major brands for both photo and video over the past 10 years, I’ve learnt 21 photography lessons - things I wish I knew in my 30s - which will hopefully help with this decision. Is the Z6III the right camera for me and for you?
The Price of Nostalgia? | Fujifilm X100VI
With its retro design and throwback film look, Fujifilm’s X100VI is the internet’s trendiest camera. It might be one of the best looking cameras of all time, BUT I was here before the hype. I bought the X100T on my first trip to Japan, upgraded to the X100F on the next trip, then graduated to the V before yet another trip to Nippon. Across the span of three separate Japan adventures, the X100 cameras taught me three street photography philosophies that I still use every day. But these cameras aren’t mine, not anymore. Turns out I’ve been chasing a ghost, a fleeting memory of that first shooting experience. So here I am, back at the start.
Am I, and are you - over-romanticising these cameras? How much are you willing to pay for nostalgia?
Photo Packing Panic? | Wotancraft Pilot Sling 7L
In Japan there is great premium placed on empty or negative space - “Ma”. this gap in the physical world should be filled not with objects but instead left empty to maximise your creative possibilities. Wotancraft’s camera bags are designed for this exact purpose.
Rugged mil-spec aesthetic. Single magnetic fidlock that opens and closes in one satisfying click. The main selling point for me is that Wotancraft bags make some of the lightest street photography bags on the market courtesy of the lightweight weather resistant waxed cordura fabric. The Pilot bags do come in 18L, 10L, 7L, 3.5L, 2.5L… how do you choose between all these sizes?
Bored by your Photos? Try 40mm | Ricoh GRIIIX
Do all of your photos look the same? Similar subjects, same angle, wide open, every time? Orange and teal, black and white, the same edit and presets, time and again? If this supposed to be fun, then why do I feel so bored?
Turns out boredom is nothing more than a clue of what’s yet to come, and having an EDC camera like the Ricoh GRIIIX can help unlock that boredom.