Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S

It may be the ultimate portrait lens for Nikon Z shooters, but this heavyweight lens comes with a huge price tag. Amy Davies finds out more

- Amy Davies

Widely regarded as the ideal focal length for portrait photography, this beast of a lens from Nikon is part of its f/1.2 S series of optics. These promise to deliver the absolute best in image quality, but come with a seriously hefty price tag to match their seriously hefty weight. This Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S weighs in at over 1.2kg, and costs £2,999. At the time of writing, the only other f/1.2 Nikon Z optic available is the 50mm f/1.2 S, but a 35mm f/1.2 lens is likely to appear at some point.

Nikon already has an 85mm f/1.8 lens, which has been in the Z line-up since 2019. At £799, it's significantly cheaper than the f/1.2 version and much lighter too. But that ultra-large aperture should give even creamier out-of-focus areas, with Nikon claiming that special attention was given to the rendering of bokeh during development.

Nikon DSLR users never had the opportunity to shoot at 85mm f/1.2, since it wasn't possible to make one for the smaller F mount. The increased size of the Z mount makes this kind of optic possible, while mirrorless technology is far better-suited to making sure that relevant subject details are in focus - which is crucial when you're shooting at such a shallow depth of field.

As well as being highly sought after by portrait photographers, those who shoot weddings, still life, events, fashion and so on are also likely to be tempted by the 85mm f/1.2. Having that extra-large aperture comes in handy when shooting in the low-light scenarios common with weddings and events. But whether most ordinary photographers can justify the outlay is another matter. That said, it could be a lens that you choose to hire for a specific occasion, or one to dream about should your lottery numbers finally come up.

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