Nikon has announced a new Z-mount lens, the Nikkor Z 35mm F/1.2 S. With its ultra-shallow depth of field, this professional S-line lens is recommended for fashion and editorial photography as well as for shooting documentaries.
The Nikkor Z 35mm F/1.2 S joins the 50mm and 85mm Nikkor Z F/1.2 S-line lenses. It is expected to go on sale on 27 February 2025 for $2,799.95/£2899.
At a glance:
- 35mm focal length.
- F/1.2 maximum aperture.
- 11-blade rounded aperture.
- 17 elements in 15 groups.
- Comes with Meso Amorphous Coat, ARNEO Coat and Nano Crystal Coat.
- Focus breathing is suppressed and linear focusing can be enabled for controlled manual focus pulling via the focus ring.
- Multi-focusing system and dual stepping motors.
- Two L-fn buttons for horizontal and vertical shooting. Control ring is customisable.
- Dust and drip resistant.
- Compatible with 82mm screw-on filters.
From Nikon:
London, United Kingdom, 5th February 2025: Today, Nikon expands its premium range of high-performance f/1.2 lenses with the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S. With its ultra-fast f/1.2 aperture and extraordinary resolving power, this bright professional S-Line lens opens new creative possibilities for visual storytellers working with stills or video. Fashion, editorial, fine art, events, documentaries: light speaks, and this lens listens.
The NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S gives photographers and filmmakers exquisite control over the light and the way they want to shape it. The perfectly balanced optical design combines with powerful rendering and precision focusing to capture scenes in masterful detail. From the subtlest colours to the finest textures, contrast and clarity is superb throughout the frame—even if shooting directly into harsh light sources. Bokeh and sharpness are finely rendered, with backgrounds and foregrounds transitioning so smoothly that subjects can be isolated with an almost three-dimensional sense of depth.
Visual storytellers and cinematographers who want to harness the ultra-shallow depth of field can work confidently with the f/1.2 aperture thanks to Nikon’s fast, meticulous multi-focusing system. The slimmest sliver of a scene can be brought into sharp focus against round, smoothly graded bokeh—even when shooting from close range. Whether shooting in landscape or portrait orientation, intuitive and fully customisable controls are within easy reach, and this robust full-frame lens is fully sealed for work in dusty environments or unpredictable weather conditions.1
Zurab Kiknadze, Product Manager, Nikon Europe says “The 35mm focal length has been cherished by photographers and filmmakers since the early days. Now, thanks to the incredible light-gathering capabilities of the Z mount, we’re proud to release the most refined iteration of a 35mm lens yet. With its masterful optical design and extremely bright aperture, this full-frame S-Line lens is designed for visual storytellers who want the very best. I can’t wait to see how masters of the craft will take the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S into the next era of beautiful image making.”
Summary of key features: NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S
Classic 35mm focal length, masterful rendering: phenomenal resolving power for detailed, accurate reproduction of scenes at any focus distance. The clarity of colour and contrast throughout the frame is exceptional.
Ultra-fast f/1.2 maximum aperture: for superb aesthetic control in any light. The slimmest sliver of a scene can be brought into sharp focus against smoothly graded bokeh—even when shooting from close range.
Sublime bokeh: the 11-blade rounded aperture and advanced optical design result in beautifully round, soft bokeh with no fringing—even around point light sources.
Precision S-Line optics: the optical formula consists of 17 elements in 15 groups. Specialised ED and SR lens elements work together to counter light dispersion and prevent colour fringing, distortion, and aberrations.
Exceptional clarity: Nikon’s most advanced anti-reflective coatings, Meso Amorphous Coat, ARNEO Coat and Nano Crystal Coat, virtually eliminate flare and ghosting even in challenging backlit locations.
A cinematographer’s favourite: the classic 35mm focal length couples with the fast f/1.2 aperture to let filmmakers shape the narrative with fluid precision. Focus breathing is suppressed, and linear focusing can be enabled for controlled manual focus pulling via the focus ring.
Swift, razor-sharp AF: the multi-focusing system offers incredible precision and speed even when working with an ultra-shallow depth of field. Dual stepping motors make swift continuous adjustments to keep the point of focus sharp.
Effortless handling: two L-fn buttons are perfectly placed for horizontal and vertical shooting. The large, knurled focus ring actuates smoothly, and the control ring is fully customisable.
Tough: the solid body is extensively sealed at the barrel joints and buttons—and a rubber gasket prevents dust, dirt, or moisture from entering the lens mount.1
Accepts 82 mm filters: the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S accepts the same wide range of 82 mm screw-on filters as both the 50mm and the 85mm f/1.2 S-Line lenses.
Part of the S-Line f/1.2 trinity: depth of field, colour fidelity, tone, bokeh—shift perspectives while maintaining incredibly consistent image characteristics across the 50mm, 85mm, and 35mm NIKKOR Z f/1.2 S-Line lenses.
FOOTNOTE:
1 The lens is not guaranteed to be dust- and drip- resistant in all situations and under all conditions.
Related content:
Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
