I recently got to experience the TTArtisan AF 40mm F2, and it feels different from previous models. Although I already have lenses of 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, and 50mm, I find that adding this one isn't at all redundant; instead, it's quite a pleasant surprise.

There are mainly a few reasons for this:

- First, this lens is compact and easy to carry.
- Second, its metal body gives a strong sense of ritual.
- Additionally, it has the advantage of its focal length. There's no need to bring both 35mm and 50mm lenses. With a little movement, the 40mm lens can handle both landscapes and still lifes.

This lens comes with complete accessories, including a metal lens hood and a base with contacts, all included.

The Nikon version weighs over 171 grams. Of course, you'll also need to add the lens hood and UV filter, but it's still very lightweight.

The lens hood has a certain anti-glare capability, and more importantly, it also protects the lens.

Although the original Nikon 40 F2 is a retro version, its texture is definitely not as good-looking as this TTArtisan model. Especially the protruding front without a lens hood ruins the overall beauty of the Z f.

I also compared it with my previous TTArtisan lens, the 75mm F2. A major advantage of the 40mm F2 is that the aperture ring is tighter, greatly reducing the probability of accidental adjustment when excited.

The 75mm F2 is known as a conscientious lens, and this 40mm F2 is expected to carry on this title. For the next one, I'm looking forward to a 105mm F2, and if it comes out, I'll definitely buy it.

Although this lens has a maximum aperture of F2, using F2.8 to F4 for shooting while walking around is very comfortable.

You can see that the image quality at the center of the photo is quite impressive.

The minimum focusing distance is 0.4 meters, allowing for a variety of shooting subjects.

On a DX format, it's equivalent to a 60mm perspective, enabling close-up shots.

Its convenience lies in the fact that it can take both partial close-ups and landscapes.

For example, this perspective is very comfortable, allowing direct composition without cropping.

For this photo, a wide-angle lens might be better, but the 40mm lens can basically handle it.

At the same time, you can combine it with Nikon's Creative Filters to shoot various small toys, which is a great pleasure.

In fact, with the Creative Filters, a single prime lens can bring a lot of shooting fun, cope with different lighting situations, and the F2 aperture provides a practical bokeh effect.

Next, let's talk about some issues that everyone is concerned about.

First, purple fringing. For the new generation of lenses, this is generally not a problem, but it's reassuring to see it with your own eyes.

At the boundary between light and dark, we didn't see any purple fringing. It's said that it may occur in a few cases.

Second, anti-glare ability. Overall, you still need to keep the lens away from direct sunlight. The lens hood can help, but its effect is limited, which is also a characteristic of 40mm lenses.

In terms of vignetting, if using a large aperture along with Nikon's intense color schemes, there will be some vignetting.

However, adjusting to Nikon's original color style and reducing the aperture will alleviate it a lot. Moreover, it only appears in landscapes with the sky. If you don't like it, you can crop slightly.

For night scenes, due to the convenience of the 40mm focal length, it's indeed suitable for shooting. With the Z f's own image stabilization, an aperture of F4 or F5.6 is sufficient.

Of course, in low-light conditions, F2 can also capture what you want in night scenes.

For portraits, it supports eye focus, and it can easily focus even from a distance.

Using a flash with ceiling bounce, you can take good portraits indoors, and the composition feels easier than with a 35mm lens.

If the venue is large enough, you can also step back to take half-body or full-body portraits.

Finally, talking about the overall effect of the lens, its handling performance and appearance are higher than those of the original Nikon 40 F2, 28 F2.8, and 50 F2.8. It's lightweight, and the image quality during shooting is up to par.

It's so good that once you mount it, you don't want to take it off; it has a great texture.

With the Godox TT350 and SmallRig handle, you can form a sturdy and lightweight system.

In general, the 40mm lens is still a fun lens, suitable for street photography and as a daily carry. Even if you have 35mm and 50mm lenses, this TTArtisan 40 F2 can still bring you a fresh experience.

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