Introduction
This hands-on review covers everything you need to know about the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro, a lightweight macro lens for Nikon’s Z System. As a true macro lens, the 50mm MC is capable of reaching 1:1 magnification, albeit with a short working distance. It was announced alongside the Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 Macro in 2021, and as of this review’s publication in 2025, these are still the only two macro lenses that Nikon makes for the Z System.
I’d like to preface this review by saying that macro photography is very near to my heart. Although I mostly do landscape photography these days, I began my life as a photographer crawling in the dirt photographing the small plants and bugs in my backyard. At the time, as a student, traveling to far-off landscapes wasn’t something I got to do very often, but I could always find some macro subjects to capture. Today, about 15 years later, I still enjoy testing macro lenses because of the new worlds that they open up for photographers.
In that context, how does the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro hold up? On one hand, a 50mm macro lens isn’t ideal on paper. Because the focal length is relatively wide, you won’t have very much working distance in front of the lens at its highest magnifications (5.2 cm / 2.2 inches specifically). On the other hand, this lens is very small and light, making it easier to navigate your camera into difficult spots or awkward angles and still get the shot. And the $650 price – though a little high in my opinion – still makes this a compelling alternative to the $1050 Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 Macro if you’re on a budget.
I tested the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro in the field a few years ago, but I only recently had a chance to put a copy through our lab and measure its optical performance. How does it hold up, and should you consider this lens for macro photography? I’ll answer that question today in my full review of the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro!
Build Quality
The Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro is a small and lightweight lens, weighing just 260 grams (0.57 pounds). It’s not quite as portable as the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 or 40mm f/2, but it’s small enough to fit in a jacket pocket and carry all day without any hassle.
As with most Nikon Z lenses, the 50mm f/2.8 Macro has a plastic construction combined with a metal lens mount. To me, the plastic feels a little different than on some other Nikon Z lenses – I’d almost describe it as feeling thinner – but it works just fine in practice. There are seals throughout the lens to prevent the ingress of dust and moisture. However, the lens does extend as you focus more closely, and there’s just a hint of wobble when the barrel is extended all the way at 1:1 magnification.
Despite the external focusing design, this is a well-built lens that should last for many years of use. Just be careful racking focus in rainy or very dusty environments.
Handling
The Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro handles well. It has a large manual focus ring which works via focus by wire. There is not an additional control ring, but the lens does have an A-M switch and a focus limiter switch. Both of these are rarities for a non-S lens from Nikon, and it’s nice to see them here. Especially for a macro lens, more ways to control focus are always welcome.
Something noteworthy about this lens is the unusual lens hood. For one thing, it has a very small, less effective profile, as you can see in the photo below. And on top of that, instead of snapping into place with a quarter turn, it screws directly into the lens’s 46mm filter threads. The hood includes a filter thread of its own (also 46mm), so you can continue to use filters and a lens hood at the same time. However, any filters screwed into the front of the lens hood will, of course, not be shaded from the sun.
Interestingly, the lens also has a 62mm filter thread within the outer barrel. To my knowledge, this makes the Z MC 50mm f/2.8 the first Nikon lens with two different filter thread sizes! (I’m sure someone will correct me on that; let me know if you know of another lens with this feature.) However, note that you cannot attach filters directly to these outer threads; they’re simply recessed too far. But these threads do allow you to attach other accessories to the lens more easily, such as a screw-in lens hood, a ring light, or Nikon’s ES-2 film digitizing adapter.
Speaking of, if you want to digitize your 35mm film with the highest possible detail and color fidelity, this could be the lens for you. Pair the lens and the ES-2 with the sensor-shift mode on some of the newer Nikon Z cameras, and you can get full color detail at each pixel.
Nikon Z 50mm f/2.8 Macro Specifications
- Full Name: Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8
- Mount Type: Nikon Z Mount
- Focal Length: 50mm prime
- Angle of View (DX): 31°30′
- Angle of View (FX): 47°
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/22
- Diaphragm Blades: 9
- Filter Size: 46mm
- Lens Elements: 10
- Lens Groups: 7
- Special Elements: 1 aspherical, 1 ED glass
- Fluorine Coated Front Element: Yes
- Electronic Diaphragm: Yes
- Vibration Reduction: No
- Internal Focusing: No
- Control Rings: Focus only
- Function Button: No
- Focus Motor: STM (stepping motor)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.53 ft (0.16m) from focal plane
- Maximum Magnification: 1× (1:1)
- Mount Material: Metal
- Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
- Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 66 x 75 mm (2.6 x 3.0 inches)
- Weight: 260 g (0.57 pounds)
- MSRP: $650
- Lowest Sale Seen: $596.95 (check current price)
Here is the construction of the lens, courtesy of Nikon:
The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. So, click the menu below to go to “Optical Performance”:
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