NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8

Testers find it very sharp in the centre from f/2.8 and excellent across the frame by f/5.6, with low distortion and well-controlled colour fringing, which is what flat copy work and product shots need. At normal distances it is a perfectly good 50mm, if not as fast as the f/1.8 S.

The main criticisms are practical. Working distance at 1:1 is very short, so the extended barrel can shade the subject and spook insects, and autofocus at close range is slow and prone to hunting. There is no optical VR, which matters on Z bodies without IBIS.

Owners like how small and light it is, and many use it as a travel standard that also handles food, flowers and detail shots. The price, typically well under the 105mm MC, is a frequent reason for buying it.

Common complaints are the extending inner barrel, which feels less robust than an internal-focus design, the cramped working distance for live subjects, and slow close-range AF. Several owners say the 105mm is the better pure macro lens and treat this one as a compact all-rounder.