A Look at the Insane Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens is extreme in every conceivable measurement — from optics to price. Does that crazy price deliver image quality to match? This fun first look video takes a peek at the monster lens and just what it is capable of.

Coming to you from Kai W, this first look video examines the Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens. The 58mm f/0.95 both captured the imaginations of photographers and earned some criticism for its stratospheric design and price when it first came out, with some saying it was entirely impractical and others interested in what could be accomplished with it. This certainly is not the first lens of its kind on paper; there have been 50mm f/0.95 designs for decades, and Canon even made a 50mm f/1.0L lens with autofocus in the 1980s and 1990s (the Nikon 58mm is manual focus only), but aside from Leica's $11,000 50mm f/0.95 lens, Nikon's lens is the only one that aspires not just to have an extreme aperture, but to have top-notch image quality wide open, thus the crazy price tag. Check out the video above for Kai's full thoughts on the lens. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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2 Comments

At least it comes in a well padded case, so if your delivery guy throws it on your porch, it will *probably* not be damaged...

Leica's 0.95 most definitely does not aspire to great image quality wide open. It's shockingly bad in fact.