Nikon's first 35mm f/1.2 looks like my dream prime…

Nikon's first 35mm f/1.2 looks like my dream prime lens – apart from the price tag

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S in the hand in front of gray slatted backdrop.

Nikon reveals its third Z-mount lens with an f/1.2 maximum aperture
The new Z 35mm f/1.2 S follows Nikon's 50mm and 85mm primes
It costs $2,799 / £2,899 / AU$4,899 and sales start on February 27

Nikon has finally unveiled the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.2 S, a professional moderate-wide-angle prime lens and long-time resident of the Z-mount lens road map. It joins two other f/1.2 primes as the widest of the three, designed for storytelling, with the others being the Z 50mm f/1.2 S and Z 85mm f/1.2 S primes.

I'm a big fan of the 35mm focal length, having used it almost exclusively for about three years in East Africa. It's a versatile focal length for including surroundings in your images as part of the story. Naturally, this pro optic has grabbed my attention – it's a dream lens in almost every way. What's less dreamy and more sweat-inducing is its asking price, plus its size and weight – this is a big lens in all those regards.

Yours for a staggering $2,799 / £2,899 / AU$4,899, the Z 35mm f/1.2 weighs a mighty 2lbs 5.4oz / 1,060g too, so it's not the walk-around lens I'd hope it could be. What it appears to be though, is an optically flawless prime, with particularly complex optical construction, 11-blade aperture for dreamy, smooth and round bokeh, plus it's a rugged bit of gear built to withstand harsh terrain.

Make no mistake, this is a proper lens that will wipe the floor optically with Nikon's recent Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 and will rank as one of the best Nikon Z lenses.

The 35mm focal length offers an ideal perspective for environmental portraiture. (Image credit: Nikon)

It's also popular with wedding photographers. (Image credit: Nikon)

And it's a versatile focal length for storytelling. (Image credit: Nikon)

The bright f/1.2 aperture is helpful in low light, and to render a shallow depth of field that makes your subjects stand out. (Image credit: Nikon)

Big in every way

Nikon now has three 35mm Z-mount prime lenses for its mirrorless cameras. The first was the Z 35mm f/1.8, the second the affordable Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 which costs just $599 / £649 / AU$1,099, and now the professional Z 35mm f/1.2 S. Part of a trinity of pro f/1.2 primes, the latest 35mm lens has to be more than just its bright f/1.2 aperture – honestly, there's not enough of a difference based on aperture alone to fork out almost 5x the money.

My Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4 review says it isn't Nikon's best, but I expect the new 35mm f/1.2 S to be an entirely different performer, with a chasm in quality. Those willing to lug the f/1.2 lens around will be rewarded with what appears to be flawless optics; its 11-bladed aperture will give next-level bokeh quality, while its optical construction of 17 elements in 15 groups should ensure pin sharp detail anywhere in your shot, free from distortions. That's a staggeringly complex lens construction for a prime lens.

Its minimum focus distance is 0.99ft / 0.3m, which enables a maximum 0.2x magnification – that's close enough for everyday details without being a close-up lens.

Size-wise, the Z 35mm f/1.2 S will suitably fit best with Nikon's best professional cameras – the Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z9, but will feel like a size mismatch with the smaller Nikon Z6 III. This is a pro lens through and through, and if money is no object, the Z 35mm f/1.2 S looks like a real winner.

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Nikon's first 35mm f/1.2 looks like my dream prime lens – apart from the price tag

Big in every way

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