Nikon To Release The Long Anticipated NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S Prime Lens

Nikon’s line of prime lenses just got a lot stronger with a professional lens that promises to be a staple in many a photographer’s kit for years to come: the brand-new NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S.

Okay, I’ll be honest. The 35mm focal range has never been my favorite. I tend to like going wider and embracing some of the distortion that comes with it or going telephoto and swimming in the compression and shallow depth of field afforded by a longer lens. The 35mm focal length, on the other hand, has always felt, well, normal. Now, it might seem as though I am starting this announcement by stating a negative. But the truth is that “normal,” for me at least, is kind of the point of 35mm.

It’s a great all-around focal length that allows you to capture a wide range of subjects, from environmental portraiture to street photography, events to weddings. A staple of photojournalism, this is the kind of focal length you can mount to your camera and forget about when you want to travel light. In fact, despite my earlier protestations, I pretty much only shot with a 35mm lens for the first few years of my career. Part practicality, part discipline, it was a great lesson in learning to focus only on what is in front of the camera, not the gear. With 35mm making almost every concept in my head obtainable, I could stay at that focal length and pay more attention to lighting, composition, and directing my subjects, all of which had a greater impact on my final image than changing my lens every 30 seconds.

Completely unrelated, I’m actually in the process of writing a piece about Nikon’s already excellent Z 35mm f/1.4. And that article will come soon. But, before I had a chance to finish my review, Nikon has decided to announce a new king of its 35mm line, the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S.

Usually, the term “holy trinity” refers to a brand's three main zoom focal ranges—the 14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mm f/2.8 workhorses that fill so many photographers' bags (including my own). I’m not sure that the same term can be used to apply to prime lenses. But if it could, it would no doubt be applied to the 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Realistically, many a photographer could make their entire career on these three focal lengths alone. And now, with the release of the Z 35mm f/1.2 S, Nikon may have the three best in the business.

I say “may” only because I haven’t gotten my hands on the new Z 35mm f/1.2 S yet. But if it’s anything like the Z 50mm f/1.2 S or the Z 85mm f/1.2 S, the new trio is going to be hard to beat.

Here’s a little of what you need to know about the new Z 35mm f/1.2 S.

At f/1.2, the lens is incredibly fast. It should have you covered in the absolute lowest of low-light scenarios and offer plenty of bokeh—perfect for a focal length that is likely to be the primary driver for many professional photographers in the field day to day. The lens consists of three ED glass elements and one aspherical ED element, which should reduce false color aberrations. It comes with a proprietary Meso Amorphous Coat, Nano Crystal Coat, and ARNEO Coat to minimize ghosting and flare.

For video shooters, the lens offers a clickless control ring, suppressed focus breathing, and a silent STM focusing system for fast and accurate autofocus. The lens is dust- and drip-resistant and has two customizable function buttons that users can assign to various functions.

The new NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S will hit shelves in late February for a retail price of $2,799.95. I’d expect this to be a staple for many Nikon shooters for years to come. So, what do you think? Will you be adding this new piece of glass to your kit?