Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens

The lightweight and thin Z 26mm f/2.8 is a joy to use on any Nikon Z camera.

Not too long ago I had a chance to use Nikon’s latest lens, the Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens. I took it with me to Niagara Falls and to some local parks, so you’ll be able to see some of the photos from it. All photos have been resized and adjusted for proper exposure in Lightroom, however, they have not been edited for colour.

You can scroll to the bottom, or click here to view my YouTube video on this lens.

Bridal Veil Falls and Peace Bridge. Nikon Z 9 with 26mm f/2.8 at f/7.1, 1/800sec., ISO100

Specifications

The full specifications for the lens can be found on Nikon Canada’s website.

Max. Aperture: 2.8
Min. Aperture: 16
Format: FX
Min. Focus Distance: 0.2m
Dimensions: 70mm x 23.5mm
Weight: 125g
Filter size: 52mm

Because of its small size, it’s a great lens for travelling or simply walking about in the city. The focal length is wide enough to capture the subject in its environment, and the large aperture of f/2.8 makes it ideal in low-light situations. Nikon Canada’s dedicated website for this lens heavily focuses on street photography, which it is well suited for.

As I don’t do a lot of street photography, I found more use for it in landscape areas though.

Nikon Z 9 with Z 26mm f/2.8 at 1/640sec., f/9.0, ISO 100

Lens Hood

The Z 26mm f/2.8 has a filter size of 52mm, however the lens hood is necessary if you want to put a filter on it. The lens hood easily attaches to the lens itself by twisting it on.

The Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 lens without the lens hood.
The Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 lens with the lens hood on.

Unfortunately, there’s no lock on the lens hood, so it simply “sits” on the lens. For everyday use this should be fine, but if you’re a little rough with the lens or brush it against your body a few too many times, be careful that it doesn’t come off while you carry it.

Originally I thought there wasn’t a safety “click” when putting on the lens hood—as stated in my YouTube video—but a commenter noted that there is indeed a click if you turn it all the way. This safety click take a fair amount of force though, so just be aware of this.

Photos

Here’s two photos taken at the same time but with two different lenses: Z 26mm f/2.8 and the Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. You can compare the two to see if you can spot any differences.

Photo 1:

Swipe up to see the Z 26mm f/2.8 version. Swipe down to see the Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm.

Photo 2:

Swipe right to see the 24-120mm f/4 S version. Swipe left to see the 26mm f/2.8 version.

Here’s a photo taken with the Z 26mm f/2.8 lens followed by 100% crops at 1350×900 so you can take a look at what it looks like.

Nikon Z 9 with Z 26mm f/2.8 at 1/250sec., f/6.3, ISO400
The focal point is near the top centre of the image; the end of the thick branch that is coming from the top left corner.

Video

The 26mm focal length is well suited for videos as it covers a wide enough angle to frame your subject in its surroundings. You can check the end of my YouTube video for some footage I shot with the lens. It performs well, apart from the autofocus sound that may interfere with your audio.

Nikon Z 9 with Z 26mm f/2.8 at 20sec., f/16, ISO200

Overall

The compact and lightweight Z 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens is a great addition to any Z camera owner. Full frame users will love the focal length it provides under low-light conditions, and crop sensor users can still enjoy the lens at one of the more popular focal lengths for street photography and video uses. The convenience of the lens paired with great image quality and equally great construction makes this a lens you should consider.

YouTube

Check out my YouTube video on the Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 lens!


Have you used this lens before? Do you like the 26mm focal length? Let me know in the comments below.

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