Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S
- The Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S is a prime lens for Full Frame (FF) format, compatible with Nikon Z FF and APS-C mirrorless cameras.
- This lens is available exclusively in the Nikon Z mount.
- The lens is filterable with 82mm filters, there is not the image stabilization and the focus takes place via 2 AF Motors (Stepper Motor STM).
- The lens is in production (since 2020 - today).
- Price range*: $$$$
- Equivalences**: a 50mm f/1,2 mounted on a Full Frame camera will remain so, mounted on a Nikon APS-C camera it will have a field of view, a Depth of Field and a "out of focus portion" of the image roughly equivalent to that of a 77mm f/1,8 lens on Full Frame.
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*Price range - legend: $: <400$ | $$: 400$ - 1000$ | $$$: 1000$ - 2000$ | $$$$: +2000$
**Equivalences - explanation: the concepts of "equivalent focal length" and "equivalent aperture" were born with the aim of allowing similar photos to be taken (in terms of framing and Depth of Field) with two cameras with sensors of different sizes without changing the distance from the subject (otherwise the perspective would also change) and placing the Full Frame format as a reference in the equivalence. The "equivalent focal length" helps the photographer to understand what field of view it will have (i.e. what the lens + camera combination can see and capture) and consequently what is the equivalent angle of view. The "equivalent aperture" helps the photographer to understand the equivalent Depth of Field (DoF) and how much "out of focus portion" the image will have. The equivalent "mm" are obtained by multiplying the focal length by the crop factor of the camera used [NIKON APS-C: 1.53x] and in a similar way the equivalent "f/" aperture is calculated. It is important to remember that a lens NEVER changes its physical characteristics, a 50mm f/1.2 always remains a 50mm f/1.2, regardless of whether it is mounted on Full Frame, APS-C, Medium Format and so on. ONLY the field of view changes. Exposure is also independent of the sensor format, so regardless of the sensor format of the camera on which the lens is mounted (as long as the lens can be mounted on multiple formats), with the same aperture, the shutter speed and ISO will also be the same.
Specifications
COMPATIBLE MOUNT
Nikon Z
Focal length | Angle of view
50mm | 46°
Format
FF
Maximum aperture | Minimum aperture
f/1.2 | f/16
Aperture
9 blades
Minimum focusing distance
0,45 m (17.71″)
Maximum magnification | Reproduction Ratio
0,15x | RR 1:6,7
Image stabilizer
No
Focus
2 AF Motors (Stepper Motor STM)
Filter diameter
Ø82mm
Optical construction
17 elements in 15 groups
Type
Prime lens
Weather sealing
Yes
Lens hood
Supplied
Tripod ring
No
Extenders
Not supported
Weight | Dimensions (diameter x length)
2.40 lb | Ø3.52″ x 5,91″
Other features
- Dedicated control (No Clicks) ring (if activated, can be customized to change quickly: Lens aperture | Exposure compensation | ISO). In manual focus mode, the control ring can only be used to adjust focus
- 'DISP' button, press it to select between the various displays on the OLED (focusing distance with indication of the depth of field; focal length; aperture)
- Focus mode switch to change the focus mode from Manual (M) to Autofocus (A)
- Full-time manual focus: the lens can be manually focused even when in autofocus mode (AF), make sure that the "Manual Focus Ring in AF Mode" option is enabled in the camera menu. [Manual focus via a focus-by-wire system, to work the camera must be turned on]
- 1 programmable lens function button (L-FN), button's default function is the AF Lock. It can be reprogrammed to other functions from the camera MENU
MTF chart
The MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) chart is useful for having an objective representation of the contrast and resolution of a lens from the center to the edges compared to an ideal system. Click on the link to view it:
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(remember that the MTF curves are calculated at full aperture, by closing the aperture basically all lenses are fine)
Video-reviews and Reviews
For obvious reasons this is just a selection of the main and most significant video reviews and reviews available online for the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S.
If you are interested in this lens, I invite you to find out more by reading the reviews in full / watching the video reviews on the websites / YouTube channels of the respective creators linked here:
Review 1
(Well-structured and technical analysis, with samples, of the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S that examines many aspects: sharpness; chromatic aberration; vignetting; distortion;...)
Review 2
(Technical review, with samples, even at full resolution, that analyzes the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S in all its aspects: image resolution; chromatic aberration; distortion; coma, astigmatism and bokeh; vignetting; ghosting and flares)
Review 3
(Hands-on review of the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S with samples, even at full resolution)
Review 4
(Well-structured analysis with samples, even at full resolution, of the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S)
Notes:
- Always view / read reviews with a critical attitude, remembering that the various evaluations must be parameterized with each other by the date the lens was tested and with which camera the lens was reviewed. A 20-year-old lens considered excellent on today's dense sensors will probably still be very good, but it is equally likely that in terms of contrast and resolution it has now been surpassed by more modern lenses.
- Reviews, although really useful for getting a general idea of a lens without ever having tried it directly, are not an exact science. If you just look at the numbers and the negatives there are some lenses that with all their flaws appear to be pure rubbish. Some are actually really poor, but for others there may be precise design choices behind them to obtain a certain rendering of the blur or performance / size ratio otherwise impossible to have if the lens were perfectly corrected for vignetting, distortion, Chromatic Aberration, Spherical Aberration, astigmatism and so on.
- The good intention is to keep all the links working, but if that is not the case I thank those who will report the broken ones. Everything on the web is by its nature not lasting. Modifications and deletions of contents are not rare and especially for the older lenses, a lot of history is being lost. Thanks for the collaboration! :)
PROS and CONS
Brief summary of the main PROS (✅) and the related CONS (❌) for the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S highlighted in the various video-reviews and online reviews:
✅ PROS
Excellent / really excellent build quality and overall image quality, especially in the center, with a quick autofocus motor
❌ CONS
Demanding weight and price, edges not good as the center, especially at the maximum relative aperture f/1.2 (where overall image quality is very good anyway), vignetting*
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*Important note: most mirrorless lenses are designed to be "helped" via software with "lens corrections" (applicable directly in the camera and/or post-production software, e.g. Adobe Lightroom), it is not really a cons, but it's good to know. The function completely corrects or, if it is not possible, only partially: vignetting, distortion, CA (Chromatic Aberration), ...