Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon
56 Overall Score
vs
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Canon
86 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

85 out of 100 high confidence 37 reviews

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens is highly praised for its exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and fast, accurate autofocus, making it a favorite for portraits and low-light photography. However, its hefty weight and large size are common drawbacks, and some users note it provides only marginal improvement over the more affordable f/1.8 version, though the f/1.2 delivers unique depth-of-field effects.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Professional build quality
Cons
  • Heavy and bulky
  • High price point
  • Plastic front filter ring
  • Marginal improvement over f/1.8 version
  • Requires learning curve for depth-of-field control
👍 Sharpness 12
👍 Bokeh 10
👍 Autofocus performance 8
👎 Weight and size 7
🤔 Value for money 5
👍 Low light performance 5

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

82 out of 100 high confidence 331 reviews

The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens is widely praised for its excellent sharpness, fast and silent autofocus, and lightweight design, making it a fantastic value for amateur photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Many users highlight the impressive image quality at the long end and the effective image stabilization, though some note softness beyond 200mm and noticeable vignetting at full zoom. A few reviewers experienced quality control issues like blurry images or a non-functional focus ring, but the overwhelming consensus is that this lens delivers outstanding performance for its price point.

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness for the price
  • Fast and silent STM autofocus
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Effective image stabilization
  • Great value for money
Cons
  • Softness beyond 200mm
  • Noticeable vignetting at full zoom
  • Plastic build quality
  • Electronic manual focus requires camera power
  • Slow maximum aperture (f/5.6 at 250mm)
👍 Image quality 45
👍 Autofocus performance 30
👍 Value for money 35
🤔 Build quality 20
👍 Image stabilization 18
🤔 Sharpness at long end 25

Scores

Budget
Nikon
55
Canon
90
Travel
Nikon
40
Canon
85
Street
Nikon
55
Canon
81
Portrait
Nikon
64
Canon
80
Wildlife Sports
Nikon
51
Canon
78
Video Cinema
Nikon
63
Canon
77
Landscape
Nikon
50
Canon
74
Professional
Nikon
61
Canon
68
Macro
Nikon
45
Canon
62

Specifications

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mmCanon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Optics
Typeprimezoom
Focal Length Min85 mm55 mm
Focal Length Max85 mm250 mm
Elements1515
Groups1012
Aspherical Elements2★0
ED Elements11
CoatingNano Crystal CoatSuper Spectra coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/16f/4
Min Aperturef/1.24-5.6
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades11★7
Build
MountNikon ZCanon EF-S
Formatfull-frame★APS-C
Weather Sealed✓★✗
Weight1.16 kg0.38 kg★
Filter Thread82 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeDual STMSTM
Stabilization✗✓★
Stabilization Stops—4 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm850 mm
Max Magnification0.11x0.29x★

Pros & Cons

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

  • Strong social proof (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong optical (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (66th percentile)
  • Below average build (23rd percentile)
  • Below average macro (26th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average macro (31st percentile)

Pricing

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

No current pricing available

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Verdict

★ Winner: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Scores 86 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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