Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm

Nikon
56 Overall Score
vs
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic
89 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 Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

88 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 lens is highly praised for its excellent image quality, sharpness, and build. Users appreciate its compact size, light weight, and the ability to use screw-on filters, which is a key advantage over some competitors. While a few users noted it is pricey and one had sharpness issues on an Olympus body, the overwhelming majority recommend it for landscapes, interiors, and travel photography.

Pros
  • Excellent image quality
  • Sharp and crisp
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Accepts screw-on filters
  • Weather-sealed
Cons
  • Pricey
  • Variable aperture
  • No OIS
  • Sharpness issues on some Olympus bodies
  • Slight distortion at 8mm
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 6
👍 Portability 5
👍 Filter compatibility 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3

Scores

Portrait
Nikon
64
Panasonic
89
Video Cinema
Nikon
63
Panasonic
85
Street
Nikon
55
Panasonic
84
Landscape
Nikon
50
Panasonic
83
Budget
Nikon
55
Panasonic
82
Travel
Nikon
40
Panasonic
82
Professional
Nikon
61
Panasonic
82
Wildlife Sports
Nikon
51
Panasonic
75
Macro
Nikon
45
Panasonic
69

Specifications

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mmPanasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
Optics
Typeprimezoom
Focal Length Min85 mm8 mm
Focal Length Max85 mm18 mm
Elements1515
Groups1010
Aspherical Elements24★
ED Elements13★
CoatingNano Crystal CoatNano Surface Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/16f/2.8
Min Aperturef/1.22.8-4
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades11★7
Build
MountNikon ZMicro Four Thirds
Formatfull-frame★micro-four-thirds
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight1.16 kg0.31 kg★
Filter Thread82 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeDual STM★240-fps autofocus drive
Stabilization✗✓★
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm230 mm★
Max Magnification0.11x0.12x★

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 Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

  • Strong optical (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile

Pricing

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 is $1,699 cheaper (2.5x less).

Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S 85mm0.020score per dollar
vs
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-40.081score per dollar

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 offers 4.1x better value for money

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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