Whenever I read of a 35mm lens, the phrase “street photography” flashes across my eyes. And why not; 35mm is widely accepted as the quintessential focal length for capturing photographs of outdoor life around you. But in an era when cameras and lenses are getting smaller and lighter, one does have to ask the question – who is the, undoubtedly large and heavy, upcoming Nikon Z 35mm f1.2 S lens meant for?
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Nikon’s 35mm f1.8 S Lens Is Already Quite Good
It’s a little pricier than most, but the Nikon Z 35mm f1.8 S was one of the earliest lenses to really showcase all the benefits of Nikon’s new Z-mount camera technology. Supremely sharp, incredibly quick to autofocus, and lightweight to boost, it was the first lens that was mentioned when Nikon announced their mirrorless Z system to the world. I’ve used it on occasion and it’s one of the few lenses that made me marvel at what mirrorless tech could do, back when I was a diehard DSLR fan. Here was a 35mm lens with everything you could want from it. And soon after, the equally excellent Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 S lens was launched. With the kind of bokeh these lenses delivered at f1.8, Nikon really didn’t make you crave the f1.4 aperture you were used to associating with creamy bokeh in the past.
Nikon Shows You How Much More f1.2 Can Do
Even before its launch, we knew the Z 50mm f1.2 would be a fascinating lens. But we hardly expected it to be this good. Images popped with sharpness without being so sharp that they hurt your eyes. The seamless transition from sharp edges to soft, shallow, out-of-focus areas is so visually pleasing. It’s more pleasant than what the already fantastic 50mm f1.8 S lens produces. Every click of the shutter with this lens invites you to explore the dreamy depths of your imagination. You can excel in whatever challenging lighting conditions are thrown at you. Creating captivating photos, whether candid or posed, becomes just a little extra artistic when you use this lens. But, there’s one little (actually more than one, and not so little) drawback.
Size Always Matters
Z-mount lenses released so far seem bigger (not always heavier) than their F-mount counterparts. While not quite as chunky as the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f1.4 lens, the Nikon Z 35mm f1.8 S was almost exactly the same length. Nikon’s Z-mount 50mm f1.8S lens was noticeably larger than the F-Mount AF-S 50mm f1.8 version. And seeing how massive the Nikon Z 50mm f1.2 lens is, the upcoming Nikon Z 35mm f1.2 S lens is bound to be a monster. It’ll probably weigh more than most Z-mount cameras. That’ll take some balancing to use when out on the streets.
Remember The Gargantuan Sigma 35mm f1.2?
This was one lens that really put Editor-In-Chief Chris off the Sony E-mount for a while. And that’s because it felt incredibly imbalanced on any Sony camera. This is quite possibly what the Nikon S 35mm f1.2 lens will also be like on Nikon cameras, with the exception of their Z8 and Z9. That becomes a lens that you would love to use but would often leave behind because of the ergonomic juggling you’d be involved in. Nikon’s 35mm f1.2 will be bigger and heavier than any 35mm lens you’ve ever seen them bring out. If the 50mm f1.2 performance is anything to go by, the 35mm f1.2 will be an incredible lens optically. But you’d probably have to sacrifice a lot of comfort to use it handheld for even short periods of time.
What Would The Nikon 35mm f1.2 S lens Be Best For?
You’d be tempted to say this lens would be most used for street photography, but let’s be honest. Even if the focal length screams it, it isn’t exactly a street photography lens. You’d stick out like a sore thumb if you used this lens with a Nikon Zf or Nikon Z7 series camera on the streets. Use it with a Nikon Z9, and you’ll be attracting even more attention. Good street photography requires you to blend unobtrusively to capture the best moments. This hunk of a lens will get stared at wherever you go. There’s no denying that it could take incredible street photos, but how often would you want to walk outdoors, lugging this across your shoulders?
The f.12 series of Nikon lenses will most likely be more utilized in commercial shoots than elsewhere. I mean, imagine a trinity of those lenses in your travel backpack. You wouldn’t get too far without feeling fatigued. Nikon’s 50mm f1.2 lens alone weighs 2.4lb/1090g. Do you think you could carry that attached to your Nikon Z9 all day long? You’d be reconsidering your perceived impression of the weight benefits of mirrorless camera systems. Can the Nikon 35mm f1.2 lens be much lighter? I hope the engineers at their R&D team have designed it to be so; every ounce counts.
Would I Use One?
If I were doing a series of planned outdoor portraits, I’d very well consider using the 35mm f1.2 on one of my cameras. Especially for night portraits, the kind of background separation you’d get with this lens would be visually delightful. I have no doubts whatsoever that this lens will be an optically astounding one. I just worry the weight and ergonomic aspects of using one of those might put off many people from investing in it.
The lead image for this article is a screenshot from Nikonusa.com