Our Recommendation
The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S is optically excellent, not only with great sharpness and a paper-thin depth of field at f/1.2, but also with surprisingly little vignetting – a bane of many f/1.2 lenses. Combine that with the lens’s impeccable build quality and handling, and there really is little to complain about with the performance of the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S.
That said, it’s easy to latch onto the lens’s size, weight, and price as potential drawbacks. I’m going to quote my friend and fellow Photography Life writer Libor when I asked him about that, because he really has a way with words: “My only reservation is that the lens is huge. My reporter’s photo bag is not built for such monsters. Even on the Z9, it’s a piece of a lens.”
I think it’s worth mentioning that the venerable Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is actually smaller and lighter than this lens (though still very bulky) and less expensive at $2500. Given the different focal lengths and aperture values of these two lenses, they’re not quite meant for the same photographers. Still, I can’t help but think that the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is a little more compelling if you’re on the fence about which focal length you prefer. Its optics are somehow a hair better – including no vignetting or cat’s-eye bokeh – and the Plena even has a slightly larger entrance pupil, allowing for a little shallower depth of field.
Another promising alternative is the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S. Of course, the maximum aperture is narrower (by a little more than one stop), but the image quality in every other respect is surprisingly similar. At $800, it’s going to be a lot easier to justify for many photographers – with the $2000 you save, you can get a lot of nice lighting equipment or travel to some amazing places for photography.
None of this is a knock on the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S – it’s just a reminder how specialized this lens really is. Within that specialty, it does a fantastic job in almost every way. Just because Nikon has other compelling alternatives does not detract from the innate quality of the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S.
Pros:
- Very strong build quality with tight tolerances and advanced weather sealing
- High-end handling features like an extra control ring and custom function button
- Fast, accurate autofocus that can keep up with moving subjects easily
- Excellent sharpness performance throughout the aperture range
- Surprisingly good vignetting performance even at f/1.2
Cons:
- Large and heavy design, even compared to similar lenses
- Price of $2800 is on the high side; even the Plena is less expensive
- Perhaps not a “con,” but excellent alternatives (Z 85mm f/1.8 S and Z 135mm f/1.8 Plena) make this lens particularly specialized
The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S is a great lens any way you look at it. It has no meaningful optical or performance-based flaws. Although it’s a very specialized lens in many ways, any photographer who has been waiting on a top-notch 85mm f/1.2 from Nikon will not be disappointed, so long as they can afford the price and weight. It excels at what it does and stands as one of Nikon’s strongest lenses yet.
Conclusion
The Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S is available for $2800 (sometimes on sale for $2600) through any of our affiliates:
- Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S at B&H – Check Current Price and Sales
- Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S at Adorama
- Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S at Amazon
- Used/International: Check prices on eBay
Thank you for buying your equipment through the links above, whether it’s this lens or anything else! When you do, Photography Life gets a small percentage of the sale without costing you anything extra. It goes a long way to help us test more equipment.
The next page of this review has some more sample photos from the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S, followed by reader comments on the final page. Use the Table of Contents below the star rating to jump to the section you want.
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S
- Build Quality and Handling
- Size and Weight
- Sharpness Performance
- Other Image Quality
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
Table of Contents