The 85mm focal length is a staple in photography, with many portrait photographers drawn to it. Is this new 85mm f/1.2 the new king of portrait lenses?
Nikon recently released their latest 85mm, Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 Lens for the Z mount and to say it has been well received is an understatement. 85mm is a focal length on a full frame camera that offers the perfect mix of enough frames to capture some context, but also enough telephoto to offer the ability to separate the subject from the background dramatically. excellent. An early Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 was my first experience with this focal length and for portraiture and portraiture in general, I was quickly hooked.
In this video, Manny Ortiz uses the new NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 lens to take a lap. Now, Ortiz is an expert at portraiture, so throw your wallets and bags out of reach, as the results he showed in his test shoot were amazing; clarity, depth of field, bokeh — it’s all great. What’s more interesting, however, is Ortiz’s comparison with his previous 85mm lens from Canon, which was also f/1.2, and his favorite lens before this new Nikon option. I have to say, I was amazed at the difference in focus noise, although I suspect I wouldn’t have noticed or cared if it hadn’t been pointed out!
