Great to see you on YT! Need to see more than just gear reviews. Some of your best articles are those on FARTing, using UWA lenses and stuff in general.
I just order my for my Z6II. I havent shoot a 50 since the 80s D4 +50 1.4 (my first camera), bud this looks great. Thanks Ken I follow you since the 80s
Never damaged your filter by throwing it in the bag, but have you damaged it other ways? I had my camera on a tripod once and some how manager to catch the tripod with my foot and flip it over. It had a big heavy lens on it so you can imagine which way it went. Onto a concrete floor no less. The UV filter I had on it was destroyed, but that was about it thankfully.
Hi Ken! First of all I want to thank you for all reviews which you've done so far about photography equipment. Since 2016, the time when I purchased my first DSLR, every search of the lens I've made in Google and every time I typed in the lens model, it was followed by your name, because I knew there would be a thorough and honest review of it... Now I need your personal advise and hope you'll answer. Last year I've purchased Nikon Z5 body with FTZ adapter, so far I'm using it with F mount lenses. They are: 80-200mm f/4.5 AI-S, 105mm f/2.5 AI-S, AF 105mm f/2.8 Micro, AF-S 24-120mm f/4 VR, AF-S 50mm f/1.8 G, AF-S 85mm f/1.8 G, AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ED. I've seen reviews and majority of them praise new S lenses, especially 50mm 1.8 S for its sharpness. My 50 G version is also sharp but it doesn't give the same pop of the subject like S version. So I've decided to leave the wide angle area as is at the moment, and focus on upgrading 50mm and 24-120mm. Probably I won't touch 85mm G lens too because I'm really happy with it. Would you recommend to sell my F mount 50mm and purchase a native 50mm lens for Z mount? Also, will I see a significant benefit if I replace my 24-120mm with 24-200mm Z mount? Thanks beforehand and sorry for my English.
Hi! Only significant differences are when shot wide open at f/1.4, where newer lenses can be sharper. At f/8 they’re all the same. The real reason to use Z lenses is they are smaller (the new 24-120 and 24-200 and 28-70/2.8 for instance) and they all the functions, like autofocus, all work. AI-s lenses work poorly on FTZ (no aperture control or data) and non AF-s lenses have no autofocus.
@@KenRockwellTV thanks for your attention. I think that's the primary reason to use prime lenses wide open, and it seems I won't regret if I purchase new 50mm. Now back to the 24-120, if we neglect dimmer aperture of 24-200mm and only compare the sharpness of these two lens, how much better the latter would be to justify spending 800+$ on it?
They’re selling us a pup with mirrorless, whilst the bodies are 30% smaller the lenses are 300% bigger for good fast lenses & 3 x the price Upgrading my d750 to D850 & a nice set of 1.8 Gs, and spending the $4 K difference over mirrorless on some great holidays.😛
I ride in the real world, so spoke reflectors stay. I was ticked when I crashed a different bike a few years ago and destroyed the brand new set of Grand Prix 4000 tires I had - with reflective sidewalls! I haven’t been able to find others to replace those. PS: new rims will be classic silver aluminum with stainless silver spokes!!! Thanks!
Hi Ken from here a little speculation as to why Nikon's 50mm.f.1.2 is so big and heavy because Sony 50mm.f.1.2 it is a completely different size and weight even though it has four motors to move the glass and according to several tests is the best 50mm.f.1.2 from the three big brands, although there is probably so little difference that it means nothing in the real world. It also seems even more strange when we also consider that Canon's is also not as big and heavy as Nikon's monster of a 50mm.f.1.2, otherwise I think all of Nikon's other lenses look very normal compared to the competition.
@@KenRockwellTV my friend (professional) has the Nikon but says the Sony is better and smaller and ligther, but he is still a Nikon-man, but not a Nikon-fanboy ....
I’d go Canon 85/1.4L IS USM www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/85mm-f14.htm on a Canon camera; the Nikon Z 85/1.8 www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/85mm-f18.htm is also very good as is the Nikon AFS 85/1.4 www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/85mm-f14-afs.htm but Not sure i understand your question.
Hey Ken Can you possibly explain why Nikon designed this otherwise superb lens so big and heavy compared to their 1.8 or other similar lenses like Canon?
Simple: allowing it to be this huge gives the designers more freedom to make it even better optically. Size, weight, price and optical performance are all related.
@@KenRockwellTV thanks for the explanation, does that potentially mean it has superior attributes over the similar Canon lens? All the very best, Ron Sydney, Australia
@@ronaldsand3000 it has less focus breathing than the Canon, also less noisy autofocus and internal autofocus, while the Canon’s front element moves out.
Already have, see the complete reviews and sample image files at www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/24-70mm-f4.htm and www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/24-70mm-f28.htm Thanks!
Well... nice... At the time of launching the mirror less cameras, companies claimed that because of the shorter flange distance, they would be able to make lighter, smaller and faster lenses... all these claims have gone with the wind...
Simple engineering: while they can make much smaller ultrawide lenses like the tiny Canon 16/2.8 www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/lenses/16mm.htm , designing ultra speed lenses with ultra high performance still means big lenses. Thanks!
I always wondered about the “case” I thought it was a pouch you put the lens in before you put into a case 😆oh on that little led display, can it display the focal length your in on a zoom? That may be useful in theory, assuming it’s accurate anyway🧐
The internals are built around a magnesium alloy tube.. Whats unforgivable with all these expensive lenses is that the filter threads are plastic too, and the cloth bag..However, I shoot this lens almost daily and it has optical magic...
I’m not sure, but in my experience YT artisan is of much lower optical quality and very primitive mechanically, and not autofocus. This 7artisans 50/1.05 lens is very primitive www.kenrockwell.com/tech/7artisans/50mm-f105.htm
See www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/z/50mm-f12.htm#compared optics are both flawless, Canon is much smaller and made in Japan, but the real question is that each only works on one brand of camera.
Very informative, thank you for all the details. Surprised though that you didn’t mention anything about the smaller lighter cheaper faster Sony 50 1.2
@@KenRockwellTV oh I see, thank you. I thought you were comparing it with other lenses when you mentioned canon but I didn’t catch that you were referring to lenses that could be adapted to Nikon. Awesome review
Is there a way to keep the OLED on at all times? My 85mm Zeiss Batis lets me change the OLED settings if I keep twisting the focus ring in one direction.
Not that I know of. It doesn’t do enough for me to bother spending much time looking for that. You can set brightness etc; maybe there’s a timeout option.
I usually buy them, and then often sell, return or donate them when I’m done - especially for overpriced, oversized lenses like this that were offshored to Thailand. I have to buy these and look at them myself to figure out where they’re made; Nikon never tells us where they’re made before we buy them. I rarely have any cameras other than my iPhone at any given time, and the ones I keep are usually those with lasting quality made domestically in USA, Japan or Germany. Thanks!
Agreed. That’s among the reasons I went to Canon ten years ago. We owe nikon no allegiance if they want to get cheap; metal is why I first chose nikon over Canon in 1984. Things change. Thanks!
Thailand doesn’t bother me, but it would bother me to pay two grand for a Japanese-brand lens whose production was dumped overseas to save the manufacturer money. That’s why I returned this lens and upgraded to Canon, almost all of which is quality made in Japan. www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/index.htm
Honestly, it bothers me that they moved to Thailand for everything. Every single 1.4G lens I have is made in Japan. If I didn't have my 200 F/2, I would jump right to Sony. Nikon may have caught up with the Z9 in terms of their autofocus, but the AFC single point with 3d tracking works the same on my D800, and D850. At 45 megapixels and 300 dpi, I doubt you could optically tell the difference between this lens, and the 35/85mm 1.4G. That 50mm 1.4G piece of crap Nikon made doesn't count as a lens.
They're both essentially perfect. Any differences will be in the fact that they have different focal lengths and mostly the very different brands of camera on which they are shot. Thanks!
Very interesting review. I am still surprised how huge Nikon's lenses are compared to Canon. As long as the Z lenses are so much bigger than F mount lenses, one of the biggest argument for mirrorless cameras becomes obsolete. Normally I would expect a Z lens to be smaller than a F lens. Nikon claims that the Z lenses all have a newly designed optics, but if they all become so large (and expensive), a Nikon Z isn't interesting for me. Plus, I will not see the difference in real life.
This lens has almost no focus breathing, while it is significant on the Canon equivalent. That is a pretty big deal for videographers and explains the increase in size.
@@KenRockwellTV The increase in size is have no focus breathing and perfect optical characteristics. I guess old people who dont shoot video dont know why some lenses are huge and worry about the weight
These Z lenses are OUTSTANDING and this one is probably their 2nd best so far
They’re all optically stunning. They’re set for 100 megapixels and beyond - if Nikon cameras ever make it there. Thanks!
You say that you won’t buy anything that’s not made in Japan, while the build quality on this lens feels superior to the made in Japan RF 50mm f1.2.
Not to me. I prefer Canon, or a real
mans lens like The Eye of God Z 58mm f/0.95. Thanks!
Great to see you on YT! Need to see more than just gear reviews. Some of your best articles are those on FARTing, using UWA lenses and stuff in general.
Working on it. Thanks!
ive got the nikon 50mm 1.4, for my use and practical application, this video was very enlightening and probably saved my noob butt a ton of money.
Yip, this lens is just for Nikon’s profit. Takes the same pictures as your f/1.4.
I just order my for my Z6II. I havent shoot a 50 since the 80s D4 +50 1.4 (my first camera), bud this looks great. Thanks Ken I follow you since the 80s
Love it! Big lens and optically perfect. Thanks!!!!!!
Never damaged your filter by throwing it in the bag, but have you damaged it other ways? I had my camera on a tripod once and some how manager to catch the tripod with my foot and flip it over. It had a big heavy lens on it so you can imagine which way it went. Onto a concrete floor no less. The UV filter I had on it was destroyed, but that was about it thankfully.
Once I banged a lens into a Boulder. Broke filter; lens was fine.
@@KenRockwellTV You see this? I'm a Nikon shooter but it's still funny: ruclips.net/video/qQ79NMpqpJs/видео.html
Ken
Great review as always
Love your 58mm Noct and the orange bike!
All the very best!!
Thanks! To we who know what Nikon used to do back in it’s glory days, these new lenses are so optically superior.
Loved the video review, Ken! They keep on getting better.
Thank you!!!
The RF 50mm f1.2 has noisier AF and is actually slower from point to point. It also externally focuses while the Z lens is internal.
And even the lark in winter flourishes. Thanks!
Hi Ken! First of all I want to thank you for all reviews which you've done so far about photography equipment. Since 2016, the time when I purchased my first DSLR, every search of the lens I've made in Google and every time I typed in the lens model, it was followed by your name, because I knew there would be a thorough and honest review of it...
Now I need your personal advise and hope you'll answer. Last year I've purchased Nikon Z5 body with FTZ adapter, so far I'm using it with F mount lenses. They are: 80-200mm f/4.5 AI-S, 105mm f/2.5 AI-S, AF 105mm f/2.8 Micro, AF-S 24-120mm f/4 VR, AF-S 50mm f/1.8 G, AF-S 85mm f/1.8 G, AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ED. I've seen reviews and majority of them praise new S lenses, especially 50mm 1.8 S for its sharpness. My 50 G version is also sharp but it doesn't give the same pop of the subject like S version. So I've decided to leave the wide angle area as is at the moment, and focus on upgrading 50mm and 24-120mm. Probably I won't touch 85mm G lens too because I'm really happy with it. Would you recommend to sell my F mount 50mm and purchase a native 50mm lens for Z mount? Also, will I see a significant benefit if I replace my 24-120mm with 24-200mm Z mount?
Thanks beforehand and sorry for my English.
Hi! Only significant differences are when shot wide open at f/1.4, where newer lenses can be sharper. At f/8 they’re all the same. The real reason to use Z lenses is they are smaller (the new 24-120 and 24-200 and 28-70/2.8 for instance) and they all the functions, like autofocus, all work. AI-s lenses work poorly on FTZ (no aperture control or data) and non AF-s lenses have no autofocus.
@@KenRockwellTV thanks for your attention. I think that's the primary reason to use prime lenses wide open, and it seems I won't regret if I purchase new 50mm. Now back to the 24-120, if we neglect dimmer aperture of 24-200mm and only compare the sharpness of these two lens, how much better the latter would be to justify spending 800+$ on it?
They’re selling us a pup with mirrorless, whilst the bodies are 30% smaller the lenses are 300% bigger for good fast lenses & 3 x the price
Upgrading my d750 to D850 & a nice set of 1.8 Gs, and spending the $4 K difference over mirrorless on some great holidays.😛
Thanks!
Doesn't the Nikon Z 24 70 have the display screen built in and it came out prior to this.
Yes, many older lenses have the OLED screen. This is the first 50mm with one. Thanks!
Ken… I’m going to need you to get ride of those spoke reflectors and while you’re at it probably get a new set of wheels and tires.
I ride in the real world, so spoke reflectors stay. I was ticked when I crashed a different bike a few years ago and destroyed the brand new set of Grand Prix 4000 tires I had - with reflective sidewalls! I haven’t been able to find others to replace those. PS: new rims will be classic silver aluminum with stainless silver spokes!!! Thanks!
Great lens I use it with my 105 1.4E
Thanks!
I think I've said this before. But it's funny to hear the man himself. I've been reading your blog since I bought my first nikon d5000 back in 2011
Thank you!!!
Hi Ken from here a little speculation as to why Nikon's 50mm.f.1.2 is so big and heavy because Sony 50mm.f.1.2 it is a completely different size and weight even though it has four motors to move the glass and according to several tests is the best 50mm.f.1.2 from the three big brands, although there is probably so little difference that it means nothing in the real world. It also seems even more strange when we also consider that Canon's is also not as big and heavy as Nikon's monster of a 50mm.f.1.2, otherwise I think all of Nikon's other lenses look very normal compared to the competition.
It’s all simple engineering trade offs between optical performance and size and price. It’s been that way for hundreds of years. Thanks!
@@KenRockwellTV my friend (professional) has the Nikon but says the Sony is better and smaller and ligther, but he is still a Nikon-man, but not a Nikon-fanboy ....
Would you prefer this than the 85mm f1.4?
I’d go Canon 85/1.4L IS USM www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/85mm-f14.htm on a Canon camera; the Nikon Z 85/1.8 www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/85mm-f18.htm is also very good as is the Nikon AFS 85/1.4 www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/85mm-f14-afs.htm but Not sure i understand your question.
Hey Ken
Can you possibly explain why Nikon designed this otherwise superb lens so big and heavy compared to their 1.8 or other similar lenses like Canon?
Simple: allowing it to be this huge gives the designers more freedom to make it even better optically. Size, weight, price and optical performance are all related.
@@KenRockwellTV thanks for the explanation, does that potentially mean it has superior attributes over the similar Canon lens?
All the very best, Ron
Sydney, Australia
@@ronaldsand3000 it has less focus breathing than the Canon, also less noisy autofocus and internal autofocus, while the Canon’s front element moves out.
Can you review both Z 24 70 ?
Already have, see the complete reviews and sample image files at www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/24-70mm-f4.htm and www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/24-70mm-f28.htm Thanks!
@@KenRockwellTV thank you!!
Didn't find because I searched for the review in Utube. Request for that!! Lol
Well... nice...
At the time of launching the mirror less cameras, companies claimed that because of the shorter flange distance, they would be able to make lighter, smaller and faster lenses... all these claims have gone with the wind...
Simple engineering: while they can make much smaller ultrawide lenses like the tiny Canon 16/2.8 www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/lenses/16mm.htm , designing ultra speed lenses with ultra high performance still means big lenses. Thanks!
I always wondered about the “case” I thought it was a pouch you put the lens in before you put into a case 😆oh on that little led display, can it display the focal length your in on a zoom? That may be useful in theory, assuming it’s accurate anyway🧐
Might be on a zoom, but this 50 doesn’t zoom. It’s just a fluff feature put in to impress the inexperienced. Thanks!
The internals are built around a magnesium alloy tube.. Whats unforgivable with all these expensive lenses is that the filter threads are plastic too, and the cloth bag..However, I shoot this lens almost daily and it has optical magic...
Thanks!!
Thanks for the review Ken! how about it compares 50mmf1.2 of ttartisan?but tt has much lower price.😂
I’m not sure, but in my experience YT artisan is of much lower optical quality and very primitive mechanically, and not autofocus. This 7artisans 50/1.05 lens is very primitive www.kenrockwell.com/tech/7artisans/50mm-f105.htm
I can't agree more!
Thank you!
Thanks Ken this was a great video.
Thank you!!!
How does it compare to rf 50 1.2
it's the best 50mm f1.2 out there
See www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/z/50mm-f12.htm#compared optics are both flawless, Canon is much smaller and made in Japan, but the real question is that each only works on one brand of camera.
Very informative, thank you for all the details. Surprised though that you didn’t mention anything about the smaller lighter cheaper faster Sony 50 1.2
Sony lenses won’t work on Nikon cameras. Thanks!
@@KenRockwellTV oh I see, thank you. I thought you were comparing it with other lenses when you mentioned canon but I didn’t catch that you were referring to lenses that could be adapted to Nikon. Awesome review
The Canon mention was a freebie. Sony was popular in the 2010s, but today it’s Nikon and Canon again.
Ken, would you say that is still the case for pros today?@@KenRockwellTV
Who cares? Sony lenses only work on Sony cameras. Thanks for asking!
Is there a way to keep the OLED on at all times? My 85mm Zeiss Batis lets me change the OLED settings if I keep twisting the focus ring in one direction.
Not that I know of. It doesn’t do enough for me to bother spending much time looking for that. You can set brightness etc; maybe there’s a timeout option.
I had the old 50mm f1.2 and it wasn't sharp.. sold it.
Correct. The manual focus lens is soft wide open, completely unrelated to this new lens. www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/50mm-f12.htm
Ken do you own all these lenes or are they loaners?
I usually buy them, and then often sell, return or donate them when I’m done - especially for overpriced, oversized lenses like this that were offshored to Thailand. I have to buy these and look at them myself to figure out where they’re made; Nikon never tells us where they’re made before we buy them. I rarely have any cameras other than my iPhone at any given time, and the ones I keep are usually those with lasting quality made domestically in USA, Japan or Germany. Thanks!
@@KenRockwellTV thanks for the reply. You should put out more YT content. I enjoy all that u do!
The build quality of these Z lenses really makes me want to sell my Nikon Z7. Plastic doesn’t belong on such expensive lenses.
Agreed. That’s among the reasons I went to Canon ten years ago. We owe nikon no allegiance if they want to get cheap; metal is why I first chose nikon over Canon in 1984. Things change. Thanks!
@@KenRockwellTV I suppose I’ll need to look into Canon now. 😄
If there's a lens sharper than my 50mm 1.8s I quit!!! I don't need a 1.2 lens but it looks great to me... But not $2k+ great
No sharper; they’re the same.
That thing is...HUGE. Optics are perfect!! Can't stand the ergonomics of it though. No markings or clicked aperture...eeep.
Not my taste, but optics are flawless. I prefer the Z 24-200!!! Thanks!
Why would it bother you that it is made in Thailand? Smh... It is still a great lens.
Thailand doesn’t bother me, but it would bother me to pay two grand for a Japanese-brand lens whose production was dumped overseas to save the manufacturer money. That’s why I returned this lens and upgraded to Canon, almost all of which is quality made in Japan. www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/index.htm
@@KenRockwellTV The Nikkor 50 1.2 S is still the best in the market.
Stickler. 😀
That’s what you guys love. Anyone can just say it’s great, beck, the manufacturer will tell you that.
@@KenRockwellTV 😄😄😄😄
Honestly, it bothers me that they moved to Thailand for everything. Every single 1.4G lens I have is made in Japan. If I didn't have my 200 F/2, I would jump right to Sony. Nikon may have caught up with the Z9 in terms of their autofocus, but the AFC single point with 3d tracking works the same on my D800, and D850. At 45 megapixels and 300 dpi, I doubt you could optically tell the difference between this lens, and the 35/85mm 1.4G. That 50mm 1.4G piece of crap Nikon made doesn't count as a lens.
Agreed. That’s why I upgraded to Canon in 2013. Thanks!
I only have 1 kidney left x(
Heh heh.
I think the Canon 85 mm 1.2 is much sharper…
They're both essentially perfect. Any differences will be in the fact that they have different focal lengths and mostly the very different brands of camera on which they are shot. Thanks!
Its also very cheap..ONLY 2000 euros..What a bargain.
Thanks!
Display on the lens, useless...more cost more bigger. Quality a beast!
And it is! Thanks.
Very interesting review. I am still surprised how huge Nikon's lenses are compared to Canon.
As long as the Z lenses are so much bigger than F mount lenses, one of the biggest argument for mirrorless cameras becomes obsolete. Normally I would expect a Z lens to be smaller than a F lens. Nikon claims that the Z lenses all have a newly designed optics, but if they all become so large (and expensive), a Nikon Z isn't interesting for me. Plus, I will not see the difference in real life.
Nikon is trying to satisfy non-photographers who spend more time worrying about test charts in labs than actually getting out and shooting.
This lens has almost no focus breathing, while it is significant on the Canon equivalent. That is a pretty big deal for videographers and explains the increase in size.
They tried to make the best lens possible, hens the size and price. It seems Canon lenses compromise image quality for size. It's not for everybody.
@@KenRockwellTV The increase in size is have no focus breathing and perfect optical characteristics. I guess old people who dont shoot video dont know why some lenses are huge and worry about the weight