Nikon's standard NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 is already small, but the "SE" version exists purely for looks — a Special Edition with a knurled metal grip ring and vintage-style badge lifted straight from Nikon's manual-focus FM-series lenses of the 1970s and '80s. Optically it's identical to the standard version; the SE simply costs a bit more to wear the retro costume, and it was built to pair visually with Nikon's own retro-bodied Zf camera.
At just 170g and 45.5mm long, it's easy to forget it's mounted at all — which is the point. One reviewer, testing it specifically as a companion to the Zf, put it plainly: "for a lightweight everyday lens for the Zf that's good enough for real life, the 40mm f/2 SE is a worthwhile choice." A fast f/2 aperture and a 9-blade iris round out a lens built for walkaround shooting rather than spec-sheet bragging rights.
