Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena vs Other Nikon Z Portrait Lenses
Usually, the Lens Comparisons page of our reviews will focus on sharpness rather than anything else. However, with a lens like the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, I believe that background blur and perspective are even more important considerations. So, let’s start with that.
We tested four Nikon Z portrait lenses side-by-side for this comparison: the Z 50mm f/1.2 S, 85mm f/1.2 S, 85mm f/1.8 S, and of course the 135mm f/1.8 S Plena. We separated the testing into two stages in order to vary the camera-to-subject distance. The images from these tests are shown below.
Test #1: Constant Tripod Position
First, let us look at the background blur and compositions when shooting from a fixed tripod position approximately 5 meters / 16 feet away from the subject. This is a very common distance to take portrait photos because it is considered a “natural” perspective that does not distort the subject’s face in an unpleasant way. Here, the photos were taken at the maximum aperture value for each lens.
I invite you to draw your own conclusions, but to me, the difference in this comparison is more about the perspective than anything else – and that’s a question of which story you are trying to tell. Personally, I like the 135mm f/1.8 Plena photo the best of the series, but it’s a subjective judgement.
Test #2: Constant Subject Size
This test will shine a light on how shallow your depth of field can be with each lens and how much subject distortion or compression takes place at the various focal lengths. (The subject’s size in the frame was kept constant by standing farther back when using longer lenses).
This time, it’s clear that the blurriest backgrounds are from the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S and the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 Plena. The Plena has the least “cat’s eye” look to any out-of-focus specular highlights in the corners. It also has the least vignetting.
However, to my eye, the 85mm perspective feels the most natural at this distance. The longer 135mm perspective feels a bit too compressed, while the 50mm perspective is a little exaggerated. These are all small differences, but there’s a reason why 85mm has long been considered the king of portrait focal lengths. I still give the bokeh prize to the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 Plena, but my favorite image of the set is from the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2.
Sharpness Comparisons
As I said on the previous page of this review, the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is one of the sharpest lenses that we’ve ever tested in the lab. (In the corners, it is the sharpest lens). Considering that, a sharpness comparison will only serve to affirm the situation. Even so, here are a few of our charts for comparison.
As you can see, the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is the sharpest of all these lenses both in the center and in the corners. Also, this is extremely tough competition – all the lenses shown above are among Nikon’s best-in-class for sharpness. Yet the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is ahead of them all. What more is there to say?
The next page of this review sums up everything and explains the pros and cons of the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 Plena. So, click the menu below to go to “Verdict”: