Nikon has announced a new top-line wide prime for pro photographers. The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S joins the previously released Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S standard prime and Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S short-telephoto prime lenses with a super-fast f/1.2 maximum aperture. The trio of lenses are the fastest Z-mount lenses that Nikon makes, other than the showcase Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct (which was more a demonstration of what the Z-mount was capable of than a lens that the vast majority of photographers would actually use, given it's eyewatering $7,999 / £7,999 / AU$16,999 price tag).
The classic 35mm focal length is equally popular with photographers and filmmakers alike, offering a field of view that is a little wider than the standard view of a 50mm lens that is on par with human vision.
Nikon promises that the phenomenal resolving power of the new lens allows for detailed, accurate reproduction of scenes at any focus distance, with exceptional clarity of color and contrast throughout the frame. Its ultra-fast f/1.2 maximum aperture offers photographers superb aesthetic control no matter the available light, and the slimmest sliver of a scene can be brought into sharp focus against smoothly graded bokeh – even when shooting from close range.
The S-Line lens is constructed from 17 elements arranged in 15 groups, with specialized ED and SR lens elements working together to counter light dispersion and prevent color fringing, distortion and aberrations. It employs Nikon's advanced anti-reflective coatings – Meso Amorphous Coat, ARNEO Coat and Nano Crystal Coat – to virtually eliminate flare and ghosting, even in the most challenging backlit locations.
An 11-bladed rounded aperture, in combination with the advanced optical design, offers beautifully round, soft bokeh with no fringing – even around point light sources. The multi-focusing autofocus system is said to offer incredible precision and speed, even when working with an ultra-shallow depth of field, with the dual stepping motors making swift continuous adjustments to keep the point of focus sharp.
Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S sample images
The lens has been extensively sealed at the barrel joints and buttons, with a rubber gasket preventing dust, dirt, or moisture from entering the lens mount. A pair of L-fn buttons are placed for comfortable reach when shooting in horizontal and vertical orientations, and there's a fully customizable control ring. The large, knurled focus ring actuates smoothly when focusing manually or overriding the AF system. The front filter thread accepts the same wide range of 82mm screw-on filters as both the 50mm and 85mm f/1.2 S-Line lenses.
Zurab Kiknadze, Product Manager, Nikon Europe says “The 35mm focal length has been cherished by photographers and filmmakers since the early days. Now, thanks to the incredible light-gathering capabilities of the Z mount, we’re proud to release the most refined iteration of a 35mm lens yet. With its masterful optical design and extremely bright aperture, this full-frame S-Line lens is designed for visual storytellers who want the very best. I can’t wait to see how masters of the craft will take the Z 35mm f/1.2 S into the next era of beautiful image making.”
We've known that an S-Line Z 35mm lens has been in the works for years, as it's the final lens on Nikon's famed Z-mount lens roadmap. Nikon published its roadmap alongside the original Z-mount announcement as a way to assure photographers that there were plenty of lenses in the works for its fledgling system, but it was last updated in September 2023, as Nikon clearly no longer sees the need to give advance notice of in-development products.
The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S has a retail price of $2,799 / £2,899 / AU$4,799 and is available for pre-order now. But it that's a little too steep for you, the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4 is only one-third of a stop slower but a good deal cheaper!
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