Nikon releases the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

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BlackRockArt

BlackRockArt

Well-known member
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Wow, this looks like a winner !

Per Nikon: ...."
  • Beautiful, well-rounded bokeh is achieved throughout the entire frame, while also supporting a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. Fantastic expression that accentuates the three-dimensionality of the subject is achieved through the smooth gradation of bokeh that expands largely in front of and behind the focal plane, and the minimal color fringing of the bokeh.
  • ..."

photo
© Christian Ammann
photo
© Taru Rantala
 
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"Following in the footsteps of the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct... ", which has a long heritage of optical design by Nikon engineers in pursuit of aesthetic 3D image rendering. Notable lenses in this category include the 58 f1.2AIS, 58 f1.4G, 105 f1.4E prior to the more recent portrait primes in Z Mount.

www.nikon.com

Nikon releases the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, a mid-telephoto prime lens for the Nikon Z mount system | News | Nikon About Us

www.nikon.com

The massive SR front element caps 3 ED objectives, presumably to scrub CA before the projected light rays hit the rear groups of elements. These amount to a lot of glass.

Screenshot_2023-09-27-07-45-32-448.jpeg
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Member's gallery
BlackRockArt said:
Wow, this looks like a winner !

Per Nikon: ...."
  • Beautiful, well-rounded bokeh is achieved throughout the entire frame, while also supporting a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. Fantastic expression that accentuates the three-dimensionality of the subject is achieved through the smooth gradation of bokeh that expands largely in front of and behind the focal plane, and the minimal color fringing of the bokeh.
  • ..."

photo
© Christian Ammann
photo
© Taru Rantala
Click to expand...
A shame -- as I'll never pre order anything from Nikon again, or trust their 'shipping by' dates -- that this lens won't be available to me until 2025 LOL
 
Looks like a winner. Good info in the PL article. . With 11 blades it should be more round than other lenses, but can only be fully round wide open, no? They only posted outdoor wide open shots, probably so only round bokeh would show. They said they focused on vignetting, so less cats-eye for bokeh near the corners, looks great in the sample photos.

Being realistic, even the best lens isn't a magic bokeh machine, they still knew how to set up the shot to maximize it.


photographylife.com

Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Announced

Nikon just announced the newest lens for the Z system - and their first lens ever with a "Plena" designation. The Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is full of high-end features and will be available next month for $2500. It also has one of the most intense optical construction diagrams I've ever seen.
photographylife.com photographylife.com
 
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Garfield said:
LOL still bitter about the 600TC? ;) 😁
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LOL, yes the disappointment has definitely turned to bitterness. :D But it's really not about not having the lens in hand, it's about Nikon not saying a word about what's going on leaving the customer, me, utterly in the dark. If I'd had any inclination it was going to take this long I would have just defaulted to the fact that lens isn't actually available and would have, as my lawyering pals like to say, 'governed my behaviour accordingly.' Pissed at my retailer more, actually -- they are unwavering on their (once made sense) required deposit for orders of big glass, which makes no sense in this new world of 'announce. launch. ship date promise. trickle delivery maybe.' So they won't even let me spend my deposit on something else and stay on the list for the 600. Which is funny in a Kafkaesque kind of way (perhaps I over state it LOL).
 
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bleirer said:
Looks like a winner. Good info in the PL article. . With 11 blades it should be more round than other lenses, but can only be fully round wide open, no? They only posted outdoor wide open shots, probably so only round bokeh would shpw. They said they focused on vignetting, so less cats-eye for bokeh near the corners, looks great in the sample photos.

Being realistic, even the best lens isn't a magic bokeh machine, they still knew how to set up the shot to maximize it.


photographylife.com

Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Announced

Nikon just announced the newest lens for the Z system - and their first lens ever with a "Plena" designation. The Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is full of high-end features and will be available next month for $2500. It also has one of the most intense optical construction diagrams I've ever seen.
photographylife.com photographylife.com
Click to expand...

I'll wait to test it myself, but focus breathing looks significant.
 
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Matt Granger has a video on a pre production version of the lens. It seem pretty impressive...I love the smooth bokeh. I'm sure it will be very popular, for me its not a good fit for my photography...

 
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I don’t see the purpose of it in our needs. 50&85/1.2 is a dream already.
The 135 focal length I get with the 70-200.

It’s too long as a one lens for all outdoor shots.
In Studio we use the 135mm for head shot, at f/4.

Could be I’m missing something. I’m open to suggestions
 
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JoelKlein said:
I don’t see the purpose of it in our needs. 50&85/1.2 is a dream already.
The 135 focal length I get with the 70-200.

It’s too long as a one lens for all outdoor shots.
In Studio we use the 135mm for head shot, at f/4.

Could be I’m missing something. I’m open to suggestions
Click to expand...
I don't currently shoot Nikon so no "dog in the hunt" here. I do think with lenses like this and many others, it is a combination of need and want. Want frequently outweighs need. I shoot nature and wildlife and I tend to live at the extremes. 500mm, 16mm and 100mm macro are my tools. I didn't really need a 24-105 but I wanted one and it gets use from time to time.
I don't think there really is a right or wrong answer here. What may be the cat's meow perfect lens for me could be something you would look at and think "what would anyone do with that" similarly, I may think the same about some lens that is perfect for you. Neither of us is right nor wrong, just different needs and wants.

Jeff
 
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