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Nikon

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

Nikon Z Mount

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena — 135mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z, a popular choice in the nikon lineup.

$2,499

Launch price

Released Sep 2023

vs

Nikon

NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2

Nikon Z Mount

NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 — 40mm f/2 for Nikon Z, a popular choice in the nikon lineup.

$279

Launch price

Released Sep 2021

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is 2 years newer.

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Wins

3categories

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

Portrait

Wins

4categories

NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2

Sports & Action

1 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena wins 2 categories·NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 wins 3 categories
  • BNIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 has lower Weight (170 g vs 995 g)
  • BNIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 has lower Min focus distance (30 cm vs 89 cm)
  • BNIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 has lower Length (74 mm vs 140 mm)
  • ANIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena has higher Max magnification (0.2 × vs 0.15 ×)
  • ANIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena has lower Max aperture (Wide) (f/1.8 vs f/2)

Key specs at a glance

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S PlenaNIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Focal Length135 mm40 mm
Max Aperturef/1.8f/2
MountNikon ZNikon Z
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
StabilizationNoNo
Weight995 g170 g
Min Focus89 cm30 cm
Filter Size82 mm77 mm

Size and weight, to scale

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

89 × 140 mm

995 g (2.19 lb / 35.10 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2

81 × 74 mm

170 g (0.37 lb / 6.00 oz)

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is 66mm longer and 8mm wider than NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2.

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is 825 g heavier than NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2.

Diameter (⌀) is the maximum barrel width; length is measured from the mount to the front of the lens.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseNIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S PlenaNIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Portrait
9.0Excellent
4.5Fair
Sports & Action
4.5Fair
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
4.5Fair
2.0Limited
Landscape
4.0Fair
1.0Limited
Travel
2.0Limited
5.0Fair
Wildlife
2.0Limited
1.0Limited
Macro & Close-up
0.0Limited
1.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

  • Special elements

    Adds 3 ED, 1 Aspherical, 1 SR

  • Weather sealing

    Only NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena supports it

  • Control ring

    Only NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena supports it

  • Custom function button

    Only NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena supports it

  • Max aperture (Wide)

    f/1.8 vs f/2 — lower is better

  • Max aperture (Tele)

    f/1.8 vs f/2 — lower is better

  • Max magnification

    0.2 × vs 0.15 × — higher is better

Reasons to choose the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2

  • Special elements

    Adds Aspherical

  • Weight

    170 g vs 995 g — lower is better

  • Min focus distance

    30 cm vs 89 cm — lower is better

  • Length

    74 mm vs 140 mm — lower is better

  • Diameter

    81 mm vs 89 mm — lower is better

Shared specifications

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

Pros

  • Prime design typically delivers strong sharpness and lighter weight
  • Weather-sealed construction for outdoor shooting
  • Native Nikon Z mount compatibility

Cons

  • Premium price point
  • Relatively heavy for extended handheld use

NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2

Pros

  • Prime design typically delivers strong sharpness and lighter weight
  • Lightweight design easy to carry all day
  • Native Nikon Z mount compatibility

Cons

  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena and NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 at major authorized retailers.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

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Full specifications

= category winner

NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Focal length (Min)
135 mm
40 mm
Focal length (Max)
135 mm
40 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/1.8+0.3 stops wider
f/2
Max aperture (Tele)
f/1.8+0.3 stops wider
f/2
Elements
16
14
Groups
13
11
Special elements
3 ED, 1 Aspherical, 1 SR
Aspherical
NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Min focus distance
89 cm
30 cm−59 cm less
Max magnification
0.2 ×+33%
0.15 ×
Autofocus motor
Multi-Focus Stepping Motors
Linear / Stepping Motor
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Optical stabilization
No
No
OIS effectiveness
0 stops
0 stops
NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Weight
995 g
170 g−825 g less
Length
140 mm
74 mm−66 mm less
Diameter
89 mm
81 mm−8 mm less
Filter thread size
82 mm
77 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
No
Diaphragm blades
11
11
NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2
Lens mount
Nikon Z
Nikon Z
Format coverage
Full Frame
Full Frame

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed June 2026.