DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

 

A beautiful photo of Le Gouffre in Brittany by EveLine1 has been chosen as our latest 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) winner.

Taken at sunset, the image has a calm, quiet feel that draws you in. The house stands alone, with the land and rocks around it edited out to make it look like it’s floating. This clever touch adds a soft, peaceful mood to the scene. It’s a lovely piece of work, well put together and very deserving of this week’s award.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2026, we’ll crown our 2025 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards!

We are only a few days away from this year’s Bonfire Night and we couldn’t really kick November off without mentioning a few tips that’ll help you capture spectacular firework photos.

Photos by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk

 

Gear Suggestions

As long exposures are a must you will need to take a support with you. A tripod’s great but at busy events you may be better off with a monopod that takes up less room and is easy to move around with.

If you’re a compact user, it can be harder to capture firework themed images but it's not impossible as most compacts have a range of scene modes and a firework mode can often be found among them. Plus, the longer zooms that are available on some compacts will now get you closer to the action too.

Wider lenses will capture more of the sky, increasing your chances of capturing a burst. You may want to try shooting a few in a portrait orientation, though, to capture the long trails left by the firework as it climbs to the spot where it explodes.

Finally, pack a torch as it’ll be dark and you may need it when making changes to your settings and for putting your kit away.

  Focus And Aperture

Switch to manual focus and turn your focus to infinity (check your manual if you’re unsure how to do this). This is to ensure the firework explosions stay sharp as they can be further than the maximum focus setting on your camera. Setting an aperture of f/8 or f/11 will increase your depth of field, further increasing the chances of capturing a sharp shot of a colourful explosion. Make sure your flash is switched off too.

 

RAW Or Jpeg?

If you shoot in RAW you’ll be able to tweak colours and brightness levels when you’re back in front of your computer once the display has finished.

 

Exposure Times

For shots filled with bursts of colourful explosions you’ll need to switch to Bulb mode. This mode allows you to keep the shutter open for longer but as you need to keep the shutter button pressed, it’s a good idea to use a cable release to prevent shake. If your camera allows it, you could fire the shutter wirelessly via a smart device. 

In Bulb mode, you basically need to keep the lens covered (a dark piece of card will work) until a burst erupts. At this point you need to uncover the lens. Replace the card until another burst occurs and continue to do this with however many bursts as you like. It can take a while to get right as timing is key but you can create some great shots when you’ve perfected the technique.

If you don’t have a bulb mode you can capture single explosions with exposure times between 1-4 seconds. This should give you shots that show a light trail as the firework climbs as well as the final burst of colour at the end.

 

Photo by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk

Watch The Display

As displays don’t tend to be short affairs it pays to watch a few bursts so you can see where the fireworks are being launched into the sky and you’ll also be able to see how long it takes them to climb, plus how long the explosions last for. This will make framing easier, although you can’t obviously guarantee every burst will appear where you need it to. It’s worth doing a few test shots to make sure you’re happy with the composition too before the big display begins.

 

Add Interest

Buildings and other structures can add an extra level of interest to your shots but if they are illuminated it can mean they end up looking ‘blown out’ so adjust your exposure accordingly.

   

 

Nikon now turns their attention to the DX format (APS-C or crop sensor) Z series mirrorless cameras. This stocky but relatively small 35mm f/1.7 gives a “35mm format equivalent” 50mm field of view, is fast and also focuses to macro distances. It is also relatively inexpensive, but as we have seen before this is no obstacle to Nikon producing some very fine lenses that perform impeccably. Have they hit the spot again? Let's find out, using the delightful 20MP retro designed Nikon Zfc camera body, in its stylish black version.

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Handling and Features

The initial impression is of a fairly light (weighing in at 220g) and compact (70mm x 72mm) largely plastic lens. Construction quality seems solid and all the controls operate smoothly and efficiently. It is claimed to be dust and drip resistant, which is largely expected these days, but the camera body supplied is not, so the advantage is somewhat lost. That is a shame, as being able to continue shooting in the rain is quite liberating for the photographer.

Also, a shame is the absence of a lens hood. There is a dedicated hood, HN-43, and its purchase could well be advantageous. Hoods not only reduce flare, but also act as protection against impacts to the front of the lens. There is a conventional 52mm filter thread, but no bayonet fit for a hood.

 

 

The one “silent control ring” can be set as a focusing ring, in which case by default, it is active whilst AF is in use or not. This can also be set to aperture or exposure compensation on the Zfc. Other camera bodies may vary as to what options are available. 

Closest focus is 0.16m, or 0.53 feet, for a maximum magnification of 0.67x (35mm-equivalent 1x). AF is driven by a stepping motor, which is virtually silent, fast and accurate.

Optical construction is 8 elements in 7 groups, including 1 Aspheric ED. The diaphragm comprises 9 blades to improve the bokeh. The lens is also designed to reduce focus breathing, a feature that will be appreciated by videographers. There is no VR (Vibration Reduction) provided, and unfortunately, this feature is not available on the Zfc body either. 

 

 

Finally, the metal bayonet mount is well machined and finished and the lens locks smoothly and positively into place.

35mm on APS-C format has a “35mm-equivalent” of 50mm. In other words, it has a field of view similar to the well accepted standard lens. There is little doubt that this is an effective and versatile focal length, with a view very similar to that perceived by the human eye. For macro photography, the slightly closer view than the popular 100mm-equivalent optics makes the lens more manageable for document copying and small objects. It also makes a more universally useful lens for more general shots.

 

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Performance

Central sharpness is outstanding from f/1.7 right through to f/11 and is excellent at f/16. The edges are excellent at f/1.7 and f/2, outstanding from f/2.8 to f/11 and excellent at f/16. An outstandingly sharp lens.

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon Zfc using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is well under control. It is unlikely that colour fringing will need any further correction.

Distortion is just -0.10% barrel, which is as close to rectilinear as makes no difference.

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon Zfc using Imatest.

 

Bokeh is a more aesthetic response and cannot be directly measured, but we know the best results when we see them. This is a very sharp lens, but the downside is that busy backgrounds seem to result in slightly ragged bokeh. 

Flare control is fine for normal subject matter, but when bright lights enter the image field, the lens flares quite significantly. Buying the optional HN-43 lens hood would seem to be a good idea.

Vignetting is minimal, the actual figures being:

 

Aperture   f/1.7 -1.3 f/2 -1.1 f/2.8 -0.6 f/4 -0.6 f/5.6 -0.5 f8 -0.5 f/11 -0.5 f/16 -0.5

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7|Nikkor+Z+DX+MC+35mm+f/1.7[/AMUK] lens is priced at £399, a modest price for a quality macro.

There are no real competitors for crop sensor Z mount, the nearest being:

[AMUK]Voigtlander D 25mm f/2 Macro APO-Ultron|Voigtlander+D+25mm+f/2+Macro+APO-Ultron[/AMUK], £649. 

The Nikkor Z lens looks excellent VFM.

 

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Verdict

Nikon continues with its range of modestly priced and optically excellent lenses. This cost reduction may be achieved through use of plastics in the construction, but there is no apparent downside to this. In any event, a dropped plastic lens may well bounce and survive unscathed, whereas a heavy metal one is much more likely to be dented and break.

The lens is compact and light, focuses very quickly and virtually silently and, most importantly, accurately. There is no tendency to hunt, even at macro distances. Whether it is used as a standard lens or as a macro lens, it delivers. The sharpness is indeed outstanding, and consistently so across the aperture range and also across the frame. 

The only downsides are the slightly ragged bokeh and a tendency to flare when bright light sources creep into the image area. The HN-43 hood would be a sensible purchase, it's just a pity that it is not included with the lens. The lack of Vibration Reduction means we depend upon the camera body to provide this. The supplied Zfc does not have this feature unfortunately. Whether or not these negatives are deal-breakers depends on the sort of photography to be undertaken.

Considering the plus points of the lens, that is, the outstanding sharpness, low CA, low distortion and modest vignetting, this is a very fine optic at an excellent price and has to be Highly Recommended.

 

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Pros

• Outstanding and even sharpness
• Low distortion
• Low CA
• Fast, accurate and virtually silent AF
• Dust and drip resistant construction
• Minimal vignetting
• Excellent handling
• Excellent VFM

Nikon Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 Cons

• Some flare
• Slightly ragged bokeh
• Hood not provided with lens
• No Vibration Reduction

 

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Every photographer is taught that sharpness is important and we won't argue that it's not, however learning how to control depth of field so you can make the most of out of focus areas of a photo will give you a portfolio that's full of much more interesting and creative shots.
 

Shoot Wider Views

When you think of landscapes, using a shallow depth of field isn't probably something that fist springs to mind. The traditional landscape has front to back sharpness, however having something in your foreground that's perfectly sharp while the scene in the background is thrown out of focus gives the more common landscape shot a creative twist.

 

Make The Mundane Interesting

With a shallow depth of field a simple blade of grass can look amazing! A blade of grass? We hear you cry. Yes, if you use a shallow enough depth-of-field a blade of grass can look pin-sharp and picture-perfect against a very blurry background.

You need to use a wide f stop to get the right effect. The aim is to get as much of the subject in focus as possible without losing the nice blurry feel but don't over blur the shot as this will distract from the subject. Try f/5.6 or f/8 and use the camera's depth-of-field preview button to check the aperture's effect on the background. It works great on blades of grass, insects and small flowers. During the summer, if you live near a rapeseed field try isolating a specific flower or part of the field out to draw attention to it. You could try blurring part of the foreground as well as the background to create a frame for the subject.

 

 

Landmarks

The problem with landmarks is they are popular photographic subjects but by introducing blur, you can create a shot that not many other people will have taken. Make your chosen landmark completely blur out of focus and find some foreground detail that will stay in focus and provide enough information to explain to the viewer what the background object is. Take a look at Ben Boswell's article for more tips on how to do this successfully.

 

Go Long

The Bokeh effect of shooting on a long lens with a wide aperture will turn background lights on city streets into circles of glowing colour, making them a perfect background for portraits. You'll need to stand a few feet away from your subject and do check your white balance to help ensure the lights in the background are glowing the colour they're meant to be.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 
 

Change The Shape

You don't just have to settle for circular out of focus highlights as you can use black card and a pair of scissors to change the shapes that appear. You need to decide on a shape, cut it out of the card then fast the card around your lens like you would a lens hood. Try to not make your shapes too small or complicated as they won't stand out very well in your final shot but ensure they are not bigger than your aperture either.