Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm F 1 2 S Review | 54 Data compared

The Nikon 50mm f/1.2 S is a top-tier fast prime lens for the Z-mount system that delivers spectacular optical performance at the cost of extreme size and price. Optically, the lens is a complete knockout, producing exceptional center-to-corner sharpness and contrast even when shot wide open at f/1.2. It features a robust, weather-sealed build, negligible linear distortion, excellent flare control, near non-existent focus breathing, and highly refined, creamy bokeh. Additionally, it beats out older F-mount 50mm lenses across the board and holds up remarkably well against the far more expensive 58mm f/0.95 NOCT while offering the massive advantage of autofocus. However, the lens comes with distinct compromises, primarily its massive footprint and heavy weight. Weighing 38.5 ounces (1090g) and measuring 5.9 inches long, it handles more like a fast telephoto zoom and makes smaller camera bodies feel severely front-heavy. Performance-wise, autofocus speed is somewhat slow and slide-to-focus rather than instantaneous, with noticeable motor noise and focus chatter in low light. Optically, it suffers from strong longitudinal chromatic aberration (magenta and green color fringing) and significant uncorrected vignetting up to f/2....

Optical performance is excellent, with outstanding sharpness and resolution extending right into the corners even when shot wide-open at f/1.2. Other major pros include near-absent chromatic aberration, exceptional control over ghosting, and remarkably smooth foreground and background blur rendering. On the negative side, the lens displays visible vignetting wide-open, though this clears up significantly by f/2.8. It also exhibits flare when bright light sources are inside the frame, and the bokeh can occasionally render details with a touch of roughness. Tactile and performance cons include a customizable control ring that feels a bit too thin, and an autofocus speed that is capable but slower than competitors like the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens.

The ePHOTOzine review describes the Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S as a premium, top-tier lens featuring an intricate 17-element design that delivers spectacular sharpness from f/1.2 through f/8, along with smooth bokeh and high resistance to flare. It is built with extensive weather sealing, an OLED display, and a customizable control ring suitable for video, offering outstanding optical performance. Conversely, the lens is very large and heavy, weighing 1090g, which may lead to handling fatigue, and the focus ring placement can cause accidental adjustments. Additional downsides include a high price point, a reliance on in-body stabilization rather than dual-VR, and a 0.45-meter close-focusing limit.

The Photography Life review of the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S highlights it as a top-performing lens, featuring exceptional center sharpness, smooth bokeh, and fast autofocus, all while being built with excellent weather sealing. However, these premium features come with significant drawbacks, including a heavy 1090-gram weight, high cost, and better practical alternatives like the 50mm f/1.8 S for most users.

The Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S is a premium, flagship prime lens designed for the Z-mount system that delivers exceptional optical performance for professional portrait, fashion, and low-light photography. The reviewer notes that center sharpness is outstanding even wide open at f/1.2, with peak sharpness achieved around f/4. Its standout feature is its breathtaking rendering and ultra-shallow depth of field, which provides incredibly smooth bokeh transitions and excellent subject isolation. Additionally, the lens features robust, fully weather-sealed S-Line build quality, fast and reliable autofocus, virtually nonexistent distortion, well-controlled chromatic aberration, and minimal focus breathing, making it a strong choice for video work. Despite its stellar performance, the lens has notable drawbacks, primarily its large size and hefty weight of approximately 1.09 kg (1090g), which makes it less ideal for lightweight travel setups. There is also mild vignetting at f/1.2, and the corners appear softer wide open before improving significantly by f/1.8 to f/2.8. Priced heavily at around $2,099, it represents a serious investment. However, the reviewer concludes that the exceptional image quality and flawless real-world performance ultimately justify the steep...

However, the lens has several physical and practical drawbacks, being excessively large (150mm long) and quite heavy at 1084g. Despite its steep retail price of $2,100 USD, it shockingly lacks a fluorine coating on the front element to repel dirt and water, and ships with a flimsy, stringless storage pouch that fails to protect the heavy glass. Additionally, it is the loudest Z-Nikkor lens tested to date, emitting an audible whirring noise when forcing fast focus during video recording. Finally, its close-focus magnification is a modest 1:6.1, and its optical sharpness may not noticeably surpass Nikon's f/1.8 alternative, which costs a quarter of the price.

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S as an outstanding, professional-grade optic delivering exceptional, sharp image quality even at f/1.2. Key benefits include virtually no distortion or chromatic aberration, smooth bokeh, robust weather sealing, and useful features like an OLED panel and customizable control ring. Conversely, the lens is described as heavy and bulky, weighing 1090g, with a high price point that makes it a significant investment. The review notes a minor handling issue where the manual focus ring can be accidentally engaged while shooting, although this can be disabled in the camera menu.

The Imaging Resource review characterizes the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S Nikkor as one of the finest standard prime lenses available for the Z mount system, bridging the gap between the budget-friendly f/1.8 variant and the manually focused $8,000 Noct lens. Optically, the lens is a stellar performer, delivering exceptional center and corner resolution even when shooting completely wide open at f/1.2. It is highly praised for its exceptionally soft, pleasing, and circular bokeh, alongside robust professional build quality that includes extensive dust and moisture resistance. Furthermore, the lens incorporates practical handling features, such as a helpful OLED information display screen, a customizable control ring, an assignable L.Fn shortcut button, and a very precise manual focus ring. Despite its optical brilliance, the review highlights several distinct disadvantages, primarily centering on its physical footprint and pricing. Weighing a hefty 1,090g (2.4 lbs) and measuring 150mm (5.9 inches) in length, the lens is notably large and heavy for a standard 50mm prime, which can make it feel poorly balanced and front-heavy on compact bodies like the Nikon Z fc. In terms of...

The Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S is a premium, professional-grade lens with outstanding build quality, excellent color rendering, and beautiful bokeh, though its massive footprint makes it a tiring choice for extended use. Tested on a Nikon Z6 III, this fully weather-sealed lens features an advanced optical formula of 17 elements in 15 groups, a customizable control ring, and an integrated OLED info panel. In the field, its multi-focus stepping motor autofocus system is quiet and reasonably accurate at tracking street subjects, even when managing the hyper-thin depth of field at f/1.2. While vignetting is well-controlled, the reviewer noted that the overall image sharpness and rendering do not dramatically outperform much cheaper options, lacking some of the distinct magic found in lenses like the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II or the Nikkor Z 135mm Plena. The lens’s primary drawback is its enormous size (3.5 x 5.9") and heavy weight (2.4 lb / 1,090 g), which caused distinct finger and shoulder fatigue after just a few short sessions. Retailing at a standard price of $2,096.95, it is considerably bulkier...

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S is a premium, high-performance prime lens designed for Nikon’s mirrorless Z-mount system, serving as an exceptional yet heavy instrument tailored primarily for professional portrait and wedding photographers. Priced at an MSRP of $2,250, this massive lens measures 150mm in length, utilizes large 82mm front filter threads, and weighs a substantial 1090g, making it heavier and larger than its direct competitors from Canon, Sony, and Sigma. Its physical build is outstanding, boasting a robust shell composed of metal alloys and engineered plastics, a customizable clickless control ring, a useful OLED information panel, and thorough weather sealing complemented by a protective fluorine coating. In terms of autofocus, the lens utilizes dual STM focus motors that deliver highly reliable first-party focus confidence and flawless eye-tracking for portraits, while successfully minimizing focus breathing during video capture. The primary optical strength of the lens lies in its ultra-bright F1.2 aperture, which yields unique subject isolation, excellent low-light usability, and beautifully smooth, cream-like background bokeh with clean specular highlights. It also displays excellent lateral chromatic aberration control and strong flare...

On the downside, the lens is exceptionally large, ridiculously long with its lens hood attached, and very heavy at over 1kg (2.5lbs). It is notably bulkier than competitors like the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L, which is 42mm shorter and 140g lighter. Additional drawbacks include an audible autofocus drive, a surprisingly flimsy lens pouch for the premium price tag, and the lack of a protective fluorine coating on the glass elements to resist moisture and dust. Retailing at roughly 2,436 EUR / 2,100 USD / 2,300 GBP, it remains a highly recommended pick primarily for photographers who absolutely require the extra stop of light and maximum wide-open performance.

The Photography Life review describes the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S as a premium, top-tier lens offering exceptional sharpness wide open and velvety, low-distortion bokeh. Key advantages include its 17-element design, advanced weather sealing, accurate autofocus, and a useful OLED display panel, making it a professional-grade performer. Conversely, the lens is very large and heavy, weighing over 1,000 grams and requiring 82mm filters, which limits its usability for extended, handheld shooting. While optically superb, its high price, slower autofocus compared to specialized action lenses, and average close-focusing distance make it a specialized, expensive investment compared to the more portable Z 50mm f/1.8 S.