Conclusion

The AF-S DX Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8 is a sharp, compact and lightweight lens that is optimised for macro work. Delivering great resolution, good contrast and superior bokeh, all with very little distortion and chromatic aberration, the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G is an excellent performer in the optical department. The only major difficulty you are likely to encounter while doing macro work is an excess amount of focus breathing, which can make framing your shots more difficult than it ought to be. Also note that the lens offers a very short working distance at maximum magnification, which means you are likely to run into issues with lighting your subject in certain circumstances.

Apart from that, the Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G represents excellent value to any Nikon DX DSLR user who's about to enter the realm of macro photography, especially considering that it also doubles as a general-purpose walk-about lens. Those undecided about whether to pick this lens over the cheaper and faster AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G should ask themselves if they intend to do any “true” macro shooting. If the answer is yes, the 40mm f/2.8G is definitely the lens to get, as the 35mm f/1.8G does not offer anything near a 1:1 reproduction ratio. On the other hand if you can't see yourself doing any close-up work other than, say, photographing medium-sized flowers, the 35mm DX lens is probably the better choice because of its faster maximum aperture and lower price.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	5
Image quality	4.5
Value for money	4.5