Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm F/1.2 S vs Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm F/1.8 S — Which Is Better?

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm F/1.2 S and the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm F/1.8 S are both S-Line prime lenses for Nikon Z full-frame cameras, so either one suits the same Z bodies. The F/1.8 S arrived in 2018, and the F/1.2 S followed in 2020.

The F/1.8 S is the clear choice for carrying light, weighing 415 g against 1090 g for the F/1.2 S, roughly 38 percent of its sibling's weight. It is also far more compact at 86.5 mm long and 76 mm across, versus 150 mm and 89.5 mm, so it keeps a walkaround kit much smaller.

Both take front filters, but the direct-fit threads differ at 62 mm on the F/1.8 S and 82 mm on the F/1.2 S. Filters you already own fit only one of the two directly.

The F/1.2 S is the stronger choice for very shallow depth of field and low light, opening to f/1.2 while the F/1.8 S stops at f/1.8. That extra width lets you keep a dim reception or candlelit portrait session at lower ISO and isolate a subject with a visibly thinner plane of focus.

Beyond the aperture, the two match on framing. Both are 50mm primes with 0.15x maximum magnification, and both pair autofocus with a manual focusing ring. The F/1.8 S focuses slightly closer, at 40 cm versus 45 cm, useful for tabletop detail.

Both lenses are weather-sealed for outdoor shoots in dusty or damp conditions. Neither offers in-lens stabilization, so handheld shake control must come from the camera body.

Neither prime supports teleconverters, and neither has a fluorine coating, so cleaning both relies on standard lens care.

The F/1.2 S carries the more elaborate optical design with 17 elements in 15 groups, including three aspherical elements, compared with 12 elements in 9 groups and two asphericals on the F/1.8 S. Both designs use the same count of two low-dispersion elements to control colour fringing.

The F/1.2 S has internal focusing, so the barrel does not extend while you rack focus, which helps when working close to a subject. The F/1.8 S focuses conventionally.