Meike 35mm f/2 AF STM full frame lens for Nikon Z-mount review by John Hall (product page):
Since I recently upgraded to a full-frame Z camera, I am upgrading lenses too. This Meike 35mm f2 autofocus lens is inexpensive, and the specs look good. I ordered it, and it arrived a day earlier than promised.
Meike packs their lenses well in foam, and this lens arrived in perfect condition. It came with two lens caps and a hood. It has a USB port for firmware updates, which is a great feature. You do not need a separate dock like some lenses have to have. You update the firmware by connecting a USB-C cable to a computer where it appears as a drive. Copy the firmware file to the lens and disconnect it. It’s that easy.
This lens is lightweight. Build quality is good. It mounted fine, firm, but not hard. There is a focus ring and a switch AF/MF, so you can disable autofocus if necessary. The autofocus is fast and accurate. The focus ring is smooth and stays where you put it for manual focus.
I shoot wildlife and macros a lot, so one thing I wanted to test is how it would work with extension rings. It did great, as you can see in the sample images. Since a nice f2 is good for low light and for bokeh, I tried some night shots. The starburst around bright lights is sweet. Since 35mm isn’t wide, I took several images and stitched them into a detailed panorama. Of course, I took photos while walking my dog.
This lens is suitable for several different photographic specialties as well as general photography. It’s good quality and works well. I don’t look at lab test reports, I look at results. This lens gives good results.
Sample photos:
Meike 35mm f/2 full-frame autofocus lens for E/Z/L mount released
