This is a new addition to my Z-lens arsenal.I also own the 50mm 1.8 S. The 1.2’s bokeh is exceptional and it seems to nail eye focus even when the subject is wearing glasses. The depth of field is not as narrow as an 85mm portrait lens and so is a little more forgiving of focus errors and tends to isolate a bit less, which is good under certain circumstances. My origins though was to sell the 50mm 1.8 S when inquired the 1.2. I have decided that because of the heft (the one negative) of the 1.2, I’ll be keeping the 1.8 as they are really complimentary lenses. If you like prime lenses and dabble in portraiture, I’d recommend the 1.2. On the other hand the 1.8 is certainly sharp and is likely a better lens if one is into landscape photography. I’f you can only afford one, the 50mm f/1.2S is a clear winner and highly recommended.

This has quickly become a favorite lens that rarely makes it off of the Z9. The low light capabilities have been impressive. What is more unique though is the sharpness stopped down compared to other lenses. There has always been this gap between 35 and 105 that the 50 f/1.2 meets where the 58 f/1.4 and 50 f/1.4 just could not reach.

This lens is great for portraits. Wide open at f1.2 the bokeh is unbelievable.

This lens is out of this world. I also own the 50 1.8 Z lens which is fantastic, but the 50 1.2 Z lens is on a different level. The sharpness on the subject is amazing and the background bokeh and separation are superb. This has definitely convinced me that I the 85 1.2 Z lens will be future purchase.

Amazingly sharp with great bokeh, this lens is hefty, but for me easy to hand-hold, especially with the camera's image stabilization. I took a few pictures at 1/15 second and was surprised by the quality of sharpness. This lens allows great available light photos with only the quality that gives shadow and highlight detail unprecedented. I expected softness at f1.2, but that did not show up. The price may be hefty, but the quality (as expected from Nikon) far exceeded my expectations. Can strongly recommend this lens for your Z camera.

I've used several 50mm lenses over the years, including the 50 1.4G and the exceptional Sigmar Art. Investing in a Z9 convinced me to make the jump to Nikon's flagship mirrorless 50. It's worth every penny. The Z9 and this lens were just made for each other.

Excellent lens for low light. A little heavy but the quality of the lens makes up for it.

I upgraded from the Z 50mm 1.8 to the 1.2. I can't believe how beautiful and crisp this lens is. It has taken a bit of getting used to because it is very heavy but it is so worth it to receive such beautiful pictures.

I held off buying the 50mm f/1.8 z-lens to wait for this one. i have used for years the most recent Nikon f-mount 50mm f/1.4. That lens has seen somewhat limited use due to being fairly soft and having no stabilization on my D-SLR bodies. This new 1.2 z lens is only slightly shorter than my 70-200, and it's heavy. It also dwarfs my Nikon f-mount 105 f/1.4--although less so when taking into account having to add the FTZ adapter to the 105.


Optical performance is spectacular. Maximum in-body image stabilization with this native z-glass is fantastic. I had no trouble getting tack sharp results down to 1/5 second handheld. 1/5 second at f/1.2 equates to a setup that can practically see in the dark.

Detailed side-by-side comparison reviews of this to the Z-mount 50mm f/1.8 confirm that both are extraordinarily sharp, even wide open. The f/1.2 is slightly sharper toward the edges of the frame. As is true for most of the z-mount f/1.8 primes, they tend to be more useful than their f-mount f/1.4 counterparts, since they are all considerably sharper wide open AND get better in-body image stabilization. That is, a 1.8 z-lens is typically sharper wide open than a comparable f-mount 1.4 lens that is stopped down to f/1.8 or f/2.0. All that is to say that you have to really want the extra stop of light to pay 3x more for optical performance that is only ever so slightly better than the z-mount 50mm f/1.8. And you'll pay a price in weight and precious real estate in your camera bag if you pack this lens.

My initial experience with this lens is very positive, and the image quality is spectacular--as it should be at this price.

Beautiful images from a technically brilliant lens. Sharp, buckets of microcontrast, beautiful background blur and highlight control.