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Nikon Nikkor Z 50 mm f/1.2 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 50 mm f/1.2 S
1 June 2021
Maciej Latałło

1. Introduction

When a company launches a new full frame system they always face a dilemma – what lenses to present as first and how to develop the line afterwards. Of course no system can manage without universal 16–35, 24–70, 24–105 or 70–200 mm instruments and they should come with different aperture fastness. With regard to fixed focal length lenses, in my opinion it would be ideal to show devices with focal lengths from 35 to 105 mm at three different aperture variations. The first group would consist of top-of-the-range, premium f/1.2 instruments, the second would contain f/1.8 lenses with an excellent price-performance index, and finally there should be small, lightweight, and moderately priced f/2.5 lenses in the third group.

Of course going outside that focal range would need some modification of aperture fastness, after all it would be difficult to imagine such lenses as a 1.2/24 or a 1.2/135. But in both cases you can always offer a series with aperture speeds such as f/1.4, f/2.0, or f/2.5.

Still in some systems you can find focal lengths close to the my dream ones. For example after the latest launches Sony has the following lenses in their line-up: 1.2/50, 1.8/50, and 2.5/50. Also Nikon has been following a strategy close to my personal expectations. In the first years of their Z system they showed an impressive series of f/1.8 aperture primes. Now time has come to enlarge that group and Nikon did it with the standard 50 mm focal length, presenting the Nikkor Z 50 mm f/1.2 S. I don't forget the manual Nikkor Z 58 mm f/0.95 S Noct either, but, to be honest, I consider to to be rather a curiosity and the company's show of force, not a regular system lens.


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Courtesy of the Nikon company we have been sent one specimen of that lens for testing purposes and now we can invite you, dear Readers, to find out how it fared in our tests – enjoy your reading!

You are also invited to get acquainted with our test procedure, described in the article "How do we test lenses?" If you feel it’s still not enough, please go to our FAQ section where you can find some further explanation.

Nikon Nikkor Z 50 mm f/1.2 S - Introduction

Nikon Nikkor Z 50 mm f/1.2 S - Introduction



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