Magical world of household objects with the NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7

The downside I’ve found is that always working as close as possible can strip away the story from a scene. Somewhere around my 90th closeup of a cheese grater, I realised what was missing – my favourite images show moments, not just things. 

So, for Nikon magazine I set out to keep all the ‘macro magic’ of hidden detail, but weave in enough visual context to also tell a tiny story. A lesson I seem to keep relearning in photography is that my favourite frame is usually the last one I make – because that’s when I step back, thinking I’m finished, and see the scene with a little more distance. Which is exactly the point of the focal range of the NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7: it lets you slide effortlessly between fine detail and fuller context without even having to change lenses.

What’s in my kitbag?

• Nikon Z50II
• NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7
• A lightweight tripod (or any stable support)
• A white card and a dark card for shaping light
• An air blower (macro’s best friend)

First impressions

I was lucky enough to get to play with a prototype of this lens last summer and I’m thrilled to have it in my hands again. A fast 50mm has long been a daily favourite of mine, so the idea of a similar wide aperture feel combined with closeup capability sounded like the perfect everyday pairing. At 220g, it’s also light enough to carry around in a bag, which matters a lot to me – if a lens is easy to carry, I find myself using it more.

I hadn’t used a macro lens in years, so rediscovering closeup work was a lot of fun. The macro performance of this lens is impressive: sharp and intuitive, capturing fine detail with remarkable ease. When working at smaller focal distance, I often switched to manual focus, simply because placing the focus plane precisely is so satisfying – and at macro distances, those tiny adjustments can have a big impact.

I also love the character of the bokeh. Backgrounds melt away into something soft and dreamy, which works beautifully for still life, small details or those moments when the background could look messy or distracting. 

Learning to work with distance

At first, I assumed I’d be photographing most things right at the closest distance, chasing the most dramatic blur. In practice, that approach didn’t always serve the image. When you’re extremely close, depth of field becomes incredibly thin and subjects can quickly lose their identity, like those puzzle photos you sometimes see in magazines. 

What worked better was treating distance as a creative tool. By pulling back slightly, I could keep a sense of scale and recognisability in the frame – a ring still felt like a ring, a coffee bean still read as a coffee bean – while the lens continued to reveal textures and details the eye would normally miss. Instead of forcing every image into the same parameters, the lens invited me to be flexible and play.

Low light: winter window edition

Grey winter light can be a challenge, but it’s also incredibly flattering for closeups because it’s soft and controlled. For still-life scenes (tablescapes, paper, ceramics), the combination of a fast maximum aperture and a stable set-up made low light feel completely manageable. There were a few moments where I chose to move a subject closer to the window or change rooms to avoid pushing ISO higher than I wanted, but overall the lens handled dim interior conditions beautifully.

Tried-and-tested tips for interior macro

Switch to manual focus when you’re working close, using the focusing ring

At macro distances, autofocus can sometimes hunt. In manual focus, tiny adjustments let you place sharpness exactly where you want it – especially satisfying for jewellery, paper fibres, salt crystals and fabric.

Use a tripod and a timer

Indoors, stability is the quickest upgrade. A tripod plus the build-in self-timer lets you be hands free (or have your hands in the image), keeps ISO lower in winter light and helps avoid motion blur from the smallest human movements. If I don’t have my tripod to hand (or I’m working at an awkward angle), I’ll stack books and use a folded tea towel to fine-tune the tilt.

Don’t chase the closest distance every time

The strongest macro images aren’t always made at the closest distance. Stepping back slightly can give you cleaner backgrounds, more readable shapes and a more intentional frame – without losing that closeup magic.

Treat scale as part of the composition

Include a familiar reference – a pen nib, the edge of a spoon, a page margin – to give context on the real size of your subject. Adding a needle to an embroidery scene or photographing a tiny toy in the palm of my hand instantly gives compositions a sense of scale.

Shape window light with simple cards

A white card lifts shadows; a dark card adds contrast and mood. It’s the easiest way to make closeups look ‘editorial’ in a normal kitchen. Don’t have a black board? Anything dark works – a cushion, a baking tray, a dark jumper. If you don’t usually play with light in this way, macro is the perfect playground to try. Tiny adjustments have a big impact when you’re working this close.

Use the rear screen to compose at awkward angles

The rear screen of the Nikon Z50II (especially paired with a five-second timer) makes it much easier to compose low, high or close to the table without wobbling the camera at the moment you press the shutter. It also avoids you accidentally breathing on your subject and having it blow away – a problem I encountered with feathers and a dried butterfly!

Dust is the enemy of macro

Even when something looks clean to the naked eye, macro will somehow find a speck. A quick blast with an air blower once you’ve set up your scene takes care of this. Dust is easy enough to remove in post-production, but it’s far more satisfying to get things right in-camera.

Watch the background like it’s part of the subject

Macro makes distractions feel loud. A plain piece of paper or a simple fabric backdrop can transform an image, and it keeps attention on the details you’re trying to celebrate.

Final thoughts

The NIKKOR Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 is exactly the kind of lens I love: versatile, lightweight, and quietly inspiring. It encouraged me to be more intentional – to solve things in-camera with focus, light and composition rather than relying on later fixes. More surprisingly, it made me look at my home differently and pause to appreciate the small details around me. That’s the real test for any lens: does it make you want to pick up the camera and make something? For me, this is a definite yes.