Nikon has been busy developing their portrait/travel primes in the Z system. The line up includes the 50mm F1.2, the 85mm F1.2 and the 135mm F1.8. The optics and performance of these lenses are stellar. They just have a look that is hard to quantify in a review. The 135mm 1.8 is so impressive that Nikon gave it a name, the Plena. I can’t get enough of this lens, just beautiful bokeh and fantastic performance for portraits. I even brought the 135mm F1.8 on a bear shoot last summer in Alaska, it just renders backgrounds like a painting, perfect for a brown bear eye level in the river.
Recently Nikon released the 35mm F1.2, rounding out the fast 1.2 lenses. The 35mm is a benchmark journalism and travel lens. The perspective, angle of view and small size make it great for roaming the streets on travel assignments. I already owned the 35mm F1.8, did I really need to get the 35mm 1.2? Is one stop that much different? For many photographers the 35mm F1.8 with its small size and great performance may be the right choice. But I live and breath 35mm in my travels and portraits, and gaining one full stop and that amazing bokeh was worth getting a second version. So I picked one up at my local camera store…
Here is a comparison in size between the 1.8 and 1.2 versions. The 35mm F1.2 is similar in size to the 50mm F1.2, pretty large and heavy. This is a lens you will think about before dropping it into your pack, it adds some weight (unlike the travel friendly 1.8 version). But for me, the images I can create with the 1.2 version are well worth the extra size.
Here is a forest scene using the 35mm 1.8.
And here is the same shot using the 35mm 1.2. Notice the difference in background blur and bokeh, significantly softer background.
The ability of F1.2 to separate subject from busy backgrounds is invaluable. I love shooting portraits with this lens, the busy streets turn into colorful painterly backgrounds at 1.2. Recently I was in the Tetons and shot the famous Moulton barn at 1.2 though some trees, creating a different image of this iconic scene.
Last week I was in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, the most northern town in the United States. I roamed through town using the 35mm F1.2, melting backgrounds into soft blur and creating interesting mood in the image. What is hard to describe is the organic feel and rendering of the F1.2 lenses. They just have a look, color fidelity, contrast and bokeh that is special. But you will pay for it…this lens goes for $2900.
I always base my reviews on field use, not charts and speed tests. Does it work like I want it to on assignments or not, plain and simple. The lens focuses fast, is built like a tank, and performance is fantastic. The lens, similar to other 1.2 lenses, does vignette wide open which is easily corrected in PS or LR. Sharpness wide open looks terrific.
The 35mm F1.2 is a specialty lens. But if you love shooting 35mm, this is a lens you want to consider. I have assignments coming up covering Fourth of July festivals, and the 35mm F1.2 is going to be attached to one of my Z9s, I can’t wait! Have a great Fourth!