NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S

Testers rate it among the best 85mm lenses on any system. Centre sharpness at f/1.2 is excellent, corners catch up by f/2, and bokeh is smooth and creamy with well-controlled outlining. Longitudinal CA is low for an f/1.2 design, and flare resistance is good.

Autofocus is quick and reliable with Eye-AF on Z8 and Z9 bodies. The usual reservations are the size and weight, a modest 0.11x magnification, some cat's-eye highlights in the corners wide open, and the price against the far lighter 85mm f/1.8 S.

Wedding and portrait shooters say it is the lens they reach for when the image matters, praising the separation and the consistent focus hit rate at f/1.2. Many call the rendering more three-dimensional than the f/1.8 S.

Owners also mention arm fatigue over a long day, a big hood, and that the lens dwarfs smaller Z bodies such as the Z5 and Zf. Some find it hard to justify over the f/1.8 S unless they shoot at f/1.2 most of the time.