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Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S Hands-On First Impressions: Optical Excellence

Nikon has created a compelling lineup of prime lenses that feature fast apertures and premium optics. The 135mm f/1.8 Plena anchors the telephoto end and the 85mm and 50mm f/1.2 lenses bring incredibly bright apertures to the normal ranges. It makes sense that the logical foray into the wide-angle is going to start with the new Nikkor 35mm f/1.2 S.

The sticker shock is real but the $2,799 price is somewhat justified by the exceptionally bright optics. I got my hands on a pre-production but very testable sample to try out, and putting my dislike for the 35mm focal length aside, I wandered the streets of downtown Calgary to test it out.

The Nikkor 35mm f/1.2 S is a beast but it is also a beauty.

Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S First-Look: A Big Aperture Requires a Big Lens

This is a hearty lens to carry around all day. At 37.4 ounces (1,060 grams) with an 82mm filter diameter, the 35mm is about the same size and weight as the Nikkor 50mm f.1/2. The controls are pretty simple with a very large and smoothly-turning manual focus ring and some customizable buttons. Like all premium S series lenses, the Nikkor 35mm is fully weather-sealed and feels like a high-quality product. As large as it is, the 35mm f/1.2 felt nicely balanced on the Nikon Z8 that I tested it with. At the end of the day, I didn’t feel overly burdened by the combo but this lens will add some noticeable weight and bulk to an otherwise fully loaded camera bag.

Close-up of a black camera lens featuring the brand "Nikkor" and the letter "S" in white lettering. The lens has a textured grip and a button labeled "L-Fn.
The Nikkor S lenses represent the best of the line.
Graffiti-covered building labeled "Lacey Court, 344 12 Avenue SW." Two tall buildings are in the background with a blue sky. An orange fence is in the foreground.
There is a real beauty to the sense of depth that the f/1.2 lens provides.

Colorful painting of a fish with intricate green and orange scales and a vivid red eye, set against a bright blue aquatic background. Bubbles float around, adding a sense of movement in the water.
A flat surface shot at f/1.2 gives some indication of the excellent sharpness inherent in this lens.

Close-up of several metal chains hanging in front of a bright yellow wooden background, casting distinct shadows. The lighting highlights the texture of the chains and the wood.
I love the look of the focus transitions from near to far.

Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S First Look: You Get What You Pay For

Nikon is throwing every possible coating technology at this lens with Meso Amorphous coatings, ARNEO coatings, and its Nano-Crystal coating. Who knows what that all means but I can tell you what it does: flare is quite well controlled given the large front element on this lens. Wide-open the lens exhibits excellent contrast and minimal ghosting when pointed toward the sun. Stopped down, the ghosting does become a little more apparent but is still not too distracting. The sunstars are also quite pleasant with distinct tines that dramatically stretch across the frame.

Close-up of a camera lens showing the inscription "NIKKOR Z 35mm 1:1.2 S Ø82." The focus is on the lens details, including the grooved texture and engraved text indicating the aperture and filter size specifications.
82mm filters aren’t too difficult to source.
A person walks along a sidewalk in front of a large, ornate brick building with tall, arched windows. The sunlight casts dappled shadows from nearby trees onto the building's facade. The atmosphere is serene and contemplative.
On the streets, a 35mm is at home. It does a good job of capturing the whole story.
Person walking a small dog across a sunlit city intersection. They're wearing a hat and casual clothes. Modern buildings surround the area, and the sun is shining brightly in the clear sky. Traffic signals and a lamppost are visible.
Flare resistance is excellent thanks to the myriad lens coatings.
A person with curly hair stands at a crosswalk, wearing a dark jacket. They face an intersection bordered by modern buildings and are waiting to cross. The scene is lit by the warm glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows.
I like the way an f/1.2 35mm provides separation of the main subject from the scene.

I found the focus to be sprightly and accurate with twin STM motors driving the glass elements. The Nikon Z8 has sophisticated autofocusing and the tracking worked well with the very shallow depth of field that this lens exhibits. Nikon has engineered a well-rounded aperture design with 11 blades to keep the opening as circular as possible. This is a lens capable of very shallow focus so let’s talk about that next.

Close-up of a person adjusting the focus ring on a black Nikon S-series camera lens. The background shows blurred trees and a wooden surface, suggesting an outdoor setting.
The focus ring is large and easy to turn. It has a nice level of resistance to it.
A colorful alleyway features a row of assorted recycling and garbage bins with yellow, green, and blue lids. The wall behind displays vibrant, abstract graffiti art in shades of pink, yellow, blue, and orange.
Sometimes alleyways are gross and sometimes they are colorful.
A brick building with large graffiti tags covering its walls. Adjacent are taller modern buildings with glass windows. The sky is clear, and the lighting suggests a sunny day.
The late-day light of winter is often warm and directional.
Black and white image of a person walking a dog along a city street. They are passing a building with a large shadow cast on a closed garage door. Another person walks in the background. The street is mostly empty.
The focusing speed of the lens is quick and accurate.

Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S First Look: The Beauty is in the Bokeh

As you move toward the wider range of lens design, you get more depth of field for a given aperture. Still, a 35mm lens with an f/1.2 opening can deliver soft backgrounds that show off a subject distinctly. I really enjoyed this stark separation when shooting the lens on the street but is the quality of the bokeh pleasant? The answer is a resounding yes.

Street view of a cafe with large windows displaying the words "MODERN OFFICE of DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE." Inside, a person in a cap sits at a wooden counter on a laptop. Outside, there are metal tables and chairs on the sidewalk.
Sometimes the bokeh can be subtle but it is always pleasant.
A man with a beard and mustache, wearing a black Huf t-shirt, is looking at the camera. The background is blurred, showing a dimly lit indoor setting. The image is in black and white, highlighting his facial features.
Shooting environmental portraits is the forte of the 35mm lens.
A man with short brown hair, a goatee, and blue eyes is wearing a brown jacket with a wool collar. He stands outdoors with tall buildings blurred in the background, under a clear blue sky.
If you want the shallow depth of field look, you can just get closer.
A vintage comic book page lies on the ground among dry leaves. The page depicts several panels with black and white illustrations of a man in a hat talking to others. The comic appears old and worn.
LoCA is very well controlled which is rare in ultra-fast lenses.

Specular highlights form pleasant little cat’s eye shapes at f/1.2 and the backgrounds never look harsh. When the aperture is closed down, the highlights are round and even-looking. There seems to be no soap-bubble effect or onion rings present either, which largely contributes to the creamy-smooth transitions throughout the focus range. You can get that ultra-shallow look to the focus when shooting portraits up close but I also appreciated the more natural look to the backgrounds when shooting f/1.2 at farther ranges. Coupled with the fact that the Nikon Z8 can shoot super-fast shutter speeds with its electronic shutter, I didn’t need to use ND filters on bright and sunny days. I found myself enjoying the experience of using this lens despite my common disdain for this focal range.

A convex mirror and an orange warning light are mounted on a wall above a sign reading "Private Property, No Trespassing, Violators Will Be Prosecuted." The reflection shows a person and an industrial setting.
I didn’t find the weight of the lens to be too heavy to carry.
A close-up of a street sign with a left arrow and the words "EXCEPT BICYCLES." The background is slightly blurred, showing a tall building with a combination of red and blue colors under a clear blue sky.
You can really accentuate the foreground with a fast 35mm lens.
A person in a red jacket walks a small white dog on a city sidewalk. Another person approaches from the opposite direction. The road is busy with vehicles, and bare trees line the street under a clear sky.
I might have finally found a 35mm lens that I enjoy using.

Longitudinal chromatic aberrations often wreck the joy of using fast glass with very bright apertures. These color tones that infect the out-of-focus areas of the image are very hard to remove with software and can look quite distracting. I tested the lens at its widest aperture to see if there was any color fringing and the results turned out to be excellent. I saw only the most minor of color patterns and nothing was visible that would cause stress. It is clear that this lens has been engineered to deliver the utmost in image quality.

Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S First Look: Optical Excellence

Although we couldn’t test sharpness due to the pre-production nature of the lens, I do not doubt that it is sharp. I endeavored to shoot a lot of images at f/1.2 to see what results I would get and from the sample images, I’m confident that the lens is sharp throughout.

Regardless of whether you like the 35mm focal length or not — and I know most of you do — there is no denying that the new 35mm f/1.2 is optically superb. I did not hate this lens even though I generally dislike the focal length. In fact, I kinda loved it. It’s bound to be a very popular lens and is an optical gem to shoot with if you can manage the expensive $2,799 price.


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