@Nimi wrote that the higher quality 50&85 f/1.2 (not the traditional f/1.8) are also offered by other manufacturers vs. the 135 which is only made my Nikon.
Last edited:
Have you used the z 135mm f1.8 Plena? What do you think of it?
- Thread starter wotan1
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
I’m perfectly fine! We use the 50&85/1.2 as a daily driver, and we did some crazy f/1.2 outdoors shots for customers.
I am just curious if the Plena advantage is only in its perfect round bokeh balls edge to edge.
Before we bought the 50/1.2 we were using the 50/1.8 I wanted to know what the 1.2 would offer in the f/4-f/8 apertures, and we were blown away! We bought the 85/1.2 via NPS priority.
Now I’m eyeing the 135… I want to know that we are not losing out on artistic shots when using the 85/1.2 in DX for headshots.
Then there is the aspect of enjoying a lens-as-a-tool. For example, landscape photography. I love the rendering of the 50&85/1.2’s or shallow Dof for close up shots.
I think Nimi stated that the 50 and 85 are comparable with the Nikon 50 and 85. That is Nimi's opinion and that does not make him right or wrong and the word comparable it does not make them better and it all depends on what you or anyone else considers comparable. In some aspects they may be comparable in others not so.
Next to the 200 f/2 it's the best lens I have ever held. I'll put some images up someday soon. They are both remarkable tools. I bought a 200 because I was so amazed by the images plena produces. rent one and shoot it. You won't send it back.
Joel, I have not shot with the 50 or 85 1.2. I have read up on comparative ratings by people I trust.
I am not a portrait photographer and am not interested in the Plena for that purpose. What I have seen that is special about the Plena is that at 135mm it can get far enough from the subject to do some remarkable creative things with its shallow depth of field and state of the art creamy dreaamy backgrounds and smooth transitions. It is the zen master of subject separation for dramatic and artistic inteent.
I really like photographing flowers and interesting foliage in addition to wildlife. I have the 85mm f1.8 and it is remarkably sharp. I have not been able to achieve the separation with that lens that I am looking for in that kind of photography. Not so with the Plena. In short the Plena has what I am looking for in spades. the creative potential for this one lens amazes me and I am just learning to train my vision to take advantage of its potential.
This lens is also unbelievably sharp. I have viewed some of the images I took just hacking around and using NX Studio have enlarged the image as high as 400%. Just amazing how much fine detail that lens can capture.
My suggestion is rent it and see what you think of it. Would be interesst9ng to hear your impressions.
You mention creative potential. How about 1/32000s at 1.8 for creative potential. Keep in mind that this is also an incredible video lens even if you never shot stills. It has a lot going for it.
I’m scared to rent it… 
It is probably the right thing to do.
It is probably the right thing to do.
I feel right now that if fate limited me to just one lens and one camera body I could be perfectly happy with the Z9 and Plena. Sure my photographic range would be relatively narrowly defined by the 135mm focal length but I could reallly study, learn and grow with this lens. There is so much creative potential here. This lens is humbling and challenges me to do better. I would certainly not be bored.
I mentioned flowers and interesting foliage. This lens also seems to be ideal for pet photography. Wildlife works if you can get close which means blinds and auto capture or the zoo. This even works for street/event photography although you will not be shooting candid.
I mentioned flowers and interesting foliage. This lens also seems to be ideal for pet photography. Wildlife works if you can get close which means blinds and auto capture or the zoo. This even works for street/event photography although you will not be shooting candid.
Dave Stargazer
Well-known member
In this video series, Nikon Engineers talk about their goals in the design of the Plena, and the major refinements they went through to get it as small as it is - the original design was 112mm instead of 82mm filter thread size. They say that the Plena is the first lens design that "fully" utiizes the advantages of the wide Z mount (I thought the NOCT was that, but apparently not).
Here is one of the top engineers talking about the design goals (there are several segments in this short vid of him - all have good info):
The third vid in the series has some more info, but not as in depth:
If I were a professional portrait photographer, I would first have the 85mm f/1.2 - I think the optical perspective of human faces is closer to what we see when talking to people in conversation - a major reason why 85mm is *the* portrait lens focal length. The 135mm distance is a bit far away - not a typical conversational distance, so the face appears a bit thinner. Additionally, when working with your subject, you are closer to them, which often in portrait shooting situations is desireable. You have to be a bit further away with the 135mm to get a good head, or upper body shot. Take a look at photographylife's comparison of 50mm, 85mm and 135mm (I wish they had included the 105mm f/1.4 too, but that's not yet a Z lens):
https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-z-135mm-f-1-8-s-plena/3
For me, the 135mm focal length has more applications for my various work. For my landscape work, the entirety of the frame is important - not just a single subject (or a few people) in the middle of the frame, with the edges being not that important to the work. That edge to edge smoothness, lack of aberrations, circular bokeh comes more into play with landscape compositions. I'm trying to convey a feeling of the whole environment.
Are other Plena lenses coming? I would think so, but not soon. It's only particular types of applications that are aided by its rendering capabilities.
I will be using the Plena for some portrait work in the coming weeks/months, so I'll see how I feel about that then - am I too far away? But so far the Plena has been glued to my walkaround Z7
Cheers!
Here is one of the top engineers talking about the design goals (there are several segments in this short vid of him - all have good info):
The third vid in the series has some more info, but not as in depth:
If I were a professional portrait photographer, I would first have the 85mm f/1.2 - I think the optical perspective of human faces is closer to what we see when talking to people in conversation - a major reason why 85mm is *the* portrait lens focal length. The 135mm distance is a bit far away - not a typical conversational distance, so the face appears a bit thinner. Additionally, when working with your subject, you are closer to them, which often in portrait shooting situations is desireable. You have to be a bit further away with the 135mm to get a good head, or upper body shot. Take a look at photographylife's comparison of 50mm, 85mm and 135mm (I wish they had included the 105mm f/1.4 too, but that's not yet a Z lens):
https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-z-135mm-f-1-8-s-plena/3
For me, the 135mm focal length has more applications for my various work. For my landscape work, the entirety of the frame is important - not just a single subject (or a few people) in the middle of the frame, with the edges being not that important to the work. That edge to edge smoothness, lack of aberrations, circular bokeh comes more into play with landscape compositions. I'm trying to convey a feeling of the whole environment.
Are other Plena lenses coming? I would think so, but not soon. It's only particular types of applications that are aided by its rendering capabilities.
I will be using the Plena for some portrait work in the coming weeks/months, so I'll see how I feel about that then - am I too far away? But so far the Plena has been glued to my walkaround Z7
Cheers!
Last edited:
I can’t find it at the moment, but there was an interview published with a member of the Plena development team in which one of the prototypes was shown. I was an unusually bulky lens, quite unattractive in my view, but it was what team could come up with to meet the design and performance specifications. They were directed to keep at it and try again. Fortunately, they succeeded in making it smaller and likely more expensive, while meeting the original performance goals.
Update: Thanks to @Dave Stargazer! In the second video he posted (at the 2:50 mark), a prototype lens and the final lens are shown.
Dave Stargazer
Well-known member
It's here in the Part II vid I posted above:
If you just click play, you'll see the image of the two lenses: prototype and release
I bought a Plena recently, getting to know it, but love the images.
It looks to me like the Nikon lens hood for the Z 14-24 that holds 112 mm filters will fit the Plena. It also fits the Z 24-70 f2.8 and Z 70-200. I tried the Nisi version of the hood and it fits. Haven’t used it yet for a photo with the hood and a 112 mm filter in. I have a couple of Nisi NDs and a polarizer.
Has anyone else tried this?
Of course the Plena also takes 82 mm filters. But this would allow a set of 112 mm filters to be shared among the Z 14-24, Z 24-70 f2.8, Plena, and Z 70-200. Which might be convenient in some cases. The hoods also bayonet on, which can be quicker than screwing in a filter.
It looks to me like the Nikon lens hood for the Z 14-24 that holds 112 mm filters will fit the Plena. It also fits the Z 24-70 f2.8 and Z 70-200. I tried the Nisi version of the hood and it fits. Haven’t used it yet for a photo with the hood and a 112 mm filter in. I have a couple of Nisi NDs and a polarizer.
Has anyone else tried this?
Of course the Plena also takes 82 mm filters. But this would allow a set of 112 mm filters to be shared among the Z 14-24, Z 24-70 f2.8, Plena, and Z 70-200. Which might be convenient in some cases. The hoods also bayonet on, which can be quicker than screwing in a filter.
Dave Stargazer
Well-known member
Hey! It fits! Nice speculation!
I have to say that I'm totally amazed by the Plena images I have seen on this forum and others. I have serious GAS on this one for botanical images especially but other life expenses before I can make the leap (first to a z8). I actually think this would be the first mirrorless lens I'd think about getting besides a basic quality wide zoom.
Joel, this afternoon I attended a webinar in which Ricci Chera and Neil Freeman of Nikon UK/Europe answered questions following a discussion on the Z6III and the two newest Z lenses. I asked if there might be lenses in development using Plena technology. They didn't provide a direct answer, of course, but they both said they'd like for that to happen. So, perhaps there may be more lenses with Plena branding.
Here are 85/1.2 shot at 6.3 and we toggled to DX to get a tighter framing close to the 135.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
I have been busy with some road cycling events, one of which I run. I brought my Plena along and had a brief period of time to step away and shoot. The cyclist on the left was very happy because he was about to finish the RAMROD bicycle rally, a ride that runs 150m miles and 10,000 ft of climbing. He is about to turn to his right and cross the finish line.
The other is what I hope to put some emphasis on in the near future, which is using the Plena to document the glorious end of summer and the wonderful fall foliage.
The other is what I hope to put some emphasis on in the near future, which is using the Plena to document the glorious end of summer and the wonderful fall foliage.
Attachments
Fascinating wing structure. Heavy crop on this.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Here's another from the day.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Gorgeous
All I can say is WOW
boviscopophobic
Member
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Ok all you lurkers. Plena on sale 200 off at BH.