A 50mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most versatile lenses a photographer can own, offering a relatively neutral focal length suitable for everything from portraits to landscapes and the ability to shoot in low light or leverage subject-isolating narrow depth of field. If you are a Nikon shooter looking for the right 50mm lens, check out this great video comparison that looks at three options at a range of price points.
Coming to you from Matt Irwin Photography, this comprehensive video review compares three 50mm lens options for Nikon photographers: the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S, Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S, and the Meike 50mm f/1.2. With prices anywhere from $400 to well over $2,000, there is no shortage of options at the focal length, and it really comes down to your price and performance needs. In particular, while the Nikon 50mm f/1.2 is about a stop faster than the 50mm f/1.8, given the high-ISO capabilities of modern bodies and the quite decent performance out of the latter lens, it is well worth considering if you want to spend almost four times as much for the f/1.2 version. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Irwin.
Never seen much benefit in the Nikon f1.2 over the f1.4 certainly given the elevated price. Nor was it such a good performer at "normal" apertures.
Frankly with digital able to perform superbly even at iso6400...and above, there is very little requirement for a lens with no depth of field particularly given how digital camera bodies can vary in their plane of focus...
Basically it was a lens designed for film bodies. I have both the f1.4 as for the f2as and the f1.4afd for digital...my preferred..the brass and glass of the manual focus. Super smooth with zero slack. Beautiful!
I use the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.8 Z and so far love the images I'm getting, yes it's not a fancy brand however if Sigma pulled their finger out I'd have bought an Art z lens.
Carl Gorton