Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon
56 Overall Score
vs
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic
96 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

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 22 reviews

The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its excellent optical performance, sturdy yet lightweight build, and fast autofocus. Users highlight its versatility as a workhorse zoom for both photo and video, with particular appreciation for the linear focus mode on compatible cameras. A few note the shallow depth of field is limited due to the Micro Four Thirds system, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.

Pros
  • Excellent optical performance
  • Sturdy yet lightweight build
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Versatile zoom range
  • Linear focus mode for video
Cons
  • Limited shallow depth of field
  • Focus-by-wire system not linear
  • No built-in gear ring for cine use
  • Slight chromatic aberration in high contrast
👍 Optical performance 7
👍 Build quality 6
👍 Autofocus speed 5
👍 Versatility 4
👍 Video features 3
👎 Depth of field 2

Scores

Video Cinema
Nikon
63
Panasonic
98
Landscape
Nikon
50
Panasonic
95
Professional
Nikon
61
Panasonic
92
Portrait
Nikon
64
Panasonic
89
Travel
Nikon
40
Panasonic
86
Budget
Nikon
55
Panasonic
86
Street
Nikon
55
Panasonic
84
Wildlife Sports
Nikon
51
Panasonic
78
Macro
Nikon
45
Panasonic
76

Specifications

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mmPanasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Optics
Typeprimezoom
Focal Length Min85 mm12 mm
Focal Length Max85 mm35 mm
Elements1514
Groups109
Aspherical Elements24★
ED Elements11
CoatingNano Crystal CoatNano Surface Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/16f/2.8
Min Aperturef/1.2f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades11★7
Build
MountNikon ZMicro Four Thirds
Formatfull-frame★micro-four-thirds
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight1.16 kg0.31 kg★
Filter Thread82 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeDual STM★Autofocus
Stabilization✗✓★
Stabilization Stops—5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm150 mm★
Max Magnification0.11x0.21x★

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)

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

  • Strong stabilization (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile

Pricing

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm is $1,899 cheaper (3.1x less).

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm0.020score per dollar
vs
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm0.107score per dollar

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm offers 5.4x better value for money

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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