Following behind the Nikon Z 35mm f1.4 – one of my favorite Nikon lenses today – Nikon continues with this trend and releases another affordable weather-sealed f1.4 prime lens.
What Nikon is doing here is amazing: top-tier f1.8 S lenses for perfection, or close to it, then affordable f1.4 lenses for more creative artistry where a little CA, swirl, or field curvature isn’t really much of a concern.
Having shot on the 35mm f1.4 all summer and loving it, I’m excited to try this new 50mm f1.4 lens.
Nikon Z 50mm f1.4 – Adorama / B&H
I’ll get this added to the Nikon Z Mount Lens List.
Quick note: From the samples Nikon has posted, it’s clear this isn’t an S lens, so don’t expect perfection. However, if it’s anything like the 35mm f1.4, the build quality of these non-S lenses has been impressive, plus it’s weather-sealed.
Regarding the rendering qualities, the sample images from Nikon show some blotchy highlights. But, this could be due to bad lighting in some of the samples, so keep an eye on early reviews, as reviewers might not always notice this kind of rendering characteristic.
Blotchy highlights can be problematic for portrait or wedding photographers, so make sure to understand the characteristics of this lens and compare them with the f/1.8 version before deciding to buy the f/1.4. These f/1.4 lenses often lack the fancy coatings and exotic elements to cut costs, which can lead to more flaws.
Also, I do not see any information about a dual-element or floating-element focus configuration, so it might not maintain sharpness at close distances. However, this will need to be tested.
The 50m f1.8 is amazing already, but with the f1.4 aperture on this new lens, the extra 2/3 stop of light and bokeh effect will be very noticeable. However, the original f1.8 S lenses will still look amazing if you need something a bit cleaner. At least that’s how it is with my 35mm f1.8 S compared to the f1.4. The f1.4 is a tone of fun and produces some nice looks, but it doesn’t replace the stunning rendering of the f1.8 S lens.
Key Features
- Fast f1.4 Aperture: Perfect for low-light conditions and creating beautiful bokeh effects, this wide aperture gives you more control over depth of field.
- 10 Elements in 7 groups – Offers good performance with a 10-element grouping in a lens this size.
- Dust and Moisture Sealed: Engineered with sealing to resist dust and moisture.
- Suppressed Focus Breathing: Built to minimize focus breathing, making it perfect for video recording.
Versatility
When shooting portraits, landscapes, or street photography, the 50mm focal length is incredibly versatile. Here’s how it can fit into your photography:
- Portraits: Achieve stunning background blur that makes your subject pop. Bokeh and focus falloff has a more classic feel than the f1.8 S lens.
- Low-Light Photography: The wide aperture allows for great performance in dimly lit environments.
- Everyday Use: The lightweight design at 14.9 oz / 422 g makes it easy to carry around for everyday shooting.
- 62mm Filter Threads: The 62mm filter threads match the current 50mm f1.8, 35mm f1.8, and 35mm f1.4, so you won’t have to buy all new filters if you’re shooting in this range.
- 14.5″ / 36.8 cm minimum focus: Allowing fairly close focus shooting for a 50mm f1.4 lens. You can photograph your hot girlfriend from across the restaurant table and admire the eye tracking and shallow depth without any distance problems.
Durability
The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens is built to last, with high-quality materials that ensure it can handle the demands of regular use. These lenses are made of thin, lightweight plastic and metal.
The rubber used for the focus ring on these Non-S lenses is also quite different from the aluminum used for the S lenses. This is more similar to what our Nikon or Canon lenses did years ago, which offers better grip.
Just for fun, look at the 35mm f1.8 lens compared to the f1.4 lens.
You can see some subtle differences between how they’ve been made. The f1.8 S lens has quite a bit more metal, including the focus ring and most of the housing, while the f1.4 is mostly plastic with a rubber focus ring. You can also see that the rear element comes to the mount’s base, taking advantage of those Z mount dimensions.
We lose the A-M switch and instead get a control ring.
Availability
The lens is now available for pre-order at Nikon retailers. Check with your local store or visit Nikon’s website for more details on pricing and availability.
