ON THE STREETS - Nikon 26mm vs 28mm f/2.8 pancake lens comparison

We made it out onto the streets of South Kensington to test out two Nikon's two wide pancake lens options:

The 26mm f/2.8 and the 28mm f/2.8

So, is the 26mm worth the extra £££? Is the 28mm as good as they say?

Watch on to find out!

And if you'd like to order one, visit our store to shop online:

#streetphotography #nikon #photography #lens

[gregcarson]

One thing is, if you shoot the 26mm in 4:3 aspect ratio you get a really nice medium format look due to the aspect ratio and the horizontal FOV crop. It becomes much more manageable for street because it's actually just slightly narrower horizontally than the 28, but it's slightly taller in terms of vertical FOV. Then when you want it to be a little bit wider or for architecture, shoot it in 3:2 and for 16:9 landscapes the 26 can better accentuate that.

[malekith]

both lenses are great for what you can expect at their price point :
- The 28 have faster AF with lower focus breathing ( it's really bad when shooting videos with the 26 ! ), have a "good enough" IQ an remains small and light.
- The 26 is even shorter/lighter with better IQ ( not S lense lvl but not that far either ! ), metal mount ( with rubber gasket giving it a better weather sealing ) but for a higher cost.

In short :
- if you are low budget go for the 28
- you want the best IQ go for the 26
- if you do mostly video ( except maybe for vlogging ) go for the 28, the faster, quieter and lower focus breathing will help !

[MrHillboxx]

Maybe it is the camera settings, but to me the 3d pop of the 26mm shines and makes it the winner… minute 1:45 video for example. Thanks for your work!

[HaiTomVlog]

I’ve been using the 28mm for a little over a year and I absolutely love it. No worries about the plastic mount - it’s so light that there’s no stress on it. It’s just a fun lens to use

[vincevinnyp]

I replaced the 28 with the 26. I find the slightly wider view, pairs better with the 40 and prefer the smaller size. I think if one lens for street, was my main use, the 28 would be my choice. The AF noise on the 26 is irksome. I have no issues with plastic mounts or the image quality of either for my use. I am interested in the upcoming Laowa 15mm F5 FX "cookie" lens and I have their 10mm F4 DX cookie lens, for the ZFc, on the way.

[christianpetersen]

I splashed out on the Z 26mm on my (45mpx) Z7 and just love it for a walkabout lens. Even on the Z7 it fits into a large jacket pocket or bum bag. I can always crop closer in Lightroom if needed and of course in DX mode it’s 39mm. The pancake lens is so inconspicuous I can walk around privately-owned Canary Wharf without any trouble from the security guards. It produces amazingly good quality photographs, colour or black and white. It’s such fun to use and that for me is the best selling point. Thanks for the videos. You guys are getting a bit good at this!

[carolyn]

Thanks for doing this comparison. This is exactly my wonder and now I feel better about my decision. Thank you!

[ericrinehardt]

The new Zf + the 28 f2.8 SE or 40 f2 SE are (for me) the ideal street and travel setup. Very compact and light (but still substantial), and importantly, the setup looks like an old film SLR rig. This makes it a theft deterrent, as it’s very discrete and unassuming.

[pascalhibon]

For street I would use an APC camera such as the Z50. It is small and lightweight. Coupled with the 28mm lens which becomes a 42mm lens on the Z50 is for me the ideal street combo. Don't mind the plastic mount; it is a very light lens so it doesn't matter.

[ScottJWaldron]

Nice overview! I've got the 28mm. It is pretty good, though I wish the optical performance was a bit better and it was f/2 maximum aperture. I might eventually get the 40mm to see if that focal length will work for what I do. With the diameter of the Z mount I personally don't see the point of the 26mm. The shifting inner focus barrel, no built-in filter thread, thinner focus ring, and higher cost don't feel worth it to get a somewhat smaller size when the camera is off compared to the 28 and 40mm lenses which are already a compact size that fit well with Z cameras.

[joshuaconti]

i think the hidden use for the 26mm is on a second body for a wedding/event shooter who prefers using an 50, 85 or 70-200 but needs those quick wide shots - something that small and compact hidden in a bag or strap that can be used in a flash but not get in the way of a primary body/lens feels just right to me

[jimwlouavl]

Your field trips trying gear are always great.

[stephenspiteri_zunkus]

Love my z 28mm. It’s the only lens I take on holiday. I do need something smaller than my z9 though. Ergonomically fine actually but I do wish I could be less conspicuous.

[johnhjic]

Hello both, I have not got either of these lenses, but a good friend has the 26mm and what a smashing little work horse it is. Sharp with good contrast. Thanks for all work work. keep well, keep safe and stay happy.

[Yong-JuneChang]

Both Z lenses are fantastic, taking advantages of the latest optical design in Nikon.

Even the cheaper Z 28mm
outperforms F mount 28mm in terms of sharpness, color fringing and flare resistance.

Z 26mm showed huge improvements in a wide open situation and close-up photographs. Eventually, I sold Z 28mm and now I use Z 26mm :)

[KeenAesthetic]

Cool vid, and hype free description of the trade offs and uses for the lenses - loved your capture tips on speed and aperture too!

[hans]

Would love to know how the video stabilization goes on both cameras with both lenses. Cheers guys!

[Gualdo]

Nice review as always. Would be good to test it also on the Z50 or Zfc, maybe along with the z 24f1.7?

[nancyk]

Great channel and content. Very helpful info. I’m on the fence between the 26mm and 28mm for my Z6ii. Seems like the 26 is sharper? Would like it for low night, nighttime street, travel. Any suggestions TY

[xavidub]

I originally bought the 28mm as a stop-gap to getting the 26mm. But it's so good I've just stayed with it. I also recommend the Viltrox 20mm 2.8