Summary
Without a doubt, the Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 is a very special and truly legendary lens. Over forty years have passed since Nikon first invented the Noct and to date we have only seen Nikon make such fast-aperture lenses for the Z mount, and they are all much larger in comparison. The F mount Nikon 58mm f/1.4G cannot be considered as a replacement, because it lacks the sharpness the Noct is able to produce, particularly at the maximum aperture, as shown in this review. As I have previously explained, it would be incredibly difficult to make an f/1.2 lens with AF capabilities for Nikon, due to the smaller diameter of the Nikon F mount, incredibly shallow depth of field and the complex formula required to reach such optical excellence. Because of this, we will likely never see a Noct f/1.2 equivalent in the F-mount, which makes this lens even more unique.
At $3K and higher prices we see today in the used market for a relatively good copy, the Noct is surely not something most people can afford to own. Being a manual focus lens, precise focusing with a DSLR can surely be frustrating, particularly for someone without much experience. At the same time, if one is willing to put some extra effort and take things slower than usual, the results can be rewarding. Personally, I have been really enjoying the Noct for this reason alone.
If you have never tried a Noct and you have the means to do so, I would highly recommend to give it a try – it will surely leave you with a unique experience.
Where to Buy
The Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 is only available in the second hand market. I personally purchased mine from eBay, and you can look at the current listings of the Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 to see what’s available (eBay Partner Program affiliate link). From past history, don’t expect to pay anything less than $3K for a good copy – I bought mine for a good price, but it took quite a bit of time to find what I wanted.
Nikon Noct-NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2
- Optical Performance
- Features
- Bokeh Quality
- Build Quality
- Handling
- Size and Weight
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
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