I’ve had my eye on the luxurious Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens for quite some time and finally bit the bullet and upgraded from my prior Nikon Af-S 85mm f/1.8 G and let me just tell you, this newer Nikon Z series lens is everything I could’ve dreamed of and more!

This lens, paired with my Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera, is a match made in heaven. While definitely up there in price, the investment is well worth the stunning images that they create together. One of my goals for 2024 is to expand my newborn and family photography business in Tampa, FL and provide a high-end & high quality product for my current and future clients. I tend to prefer the 85mm focal length and shooting wide open, especially for my outdoor photo sessions so this particular lens definitely does the job!

I decided to give the 85mm f/1.2 S a test run at one of my latest lifestyle family photo sessions in South Tampa, FL (scroll down to see some of my favorite images from the shoot). This particular family was perfect because they happen to have an active two year old boy, who would really allow me to test this lense’s agility, speed, and sharpness (especially when photographing at wider focal lengths).

Check out some of what I loved most about this lens below:

• When I first opened the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens out of the packaging the first thing I thought was: Wow! This lens is huge! I lifted it up out of the box and it felt silky smooth in my hands but also firm, dense and well built. I was impressed with it’s tough exterior appearance and how much larger and heavier it was than my older 85mm. It is weighty but I consider shooting with it a perfect workout :-)

• My next thought was that it is an aesthetically pleasing and detailed. Mounting this bad boy on my Nikon Z9 camera, was just a beautiful sight. It’s professional and sleek look, paired with its superb optics, make for a great camera and lens pair.

• While shooting with this 85mm lens in my hands, I first noticed: it’s capture speed. When working with families and children, there is no shortage of movement. In fact, it’s welcomed! I love to capture families & kids running, playing and displaying their affection. Little kids naturally want to explore and run and move constantly so I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp the images looked on the screen. I primarily shot between 1.2 and 1.8. Even at the widest lengths, these photos were sharp! Check out the first image below, which was done at the widest option: 1.2.

• The next thing I noticed about this lens: you guessed it, the incredibly creamy bokeh! (aka background blur). If you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge fan of blurring out the background and focusing on my subjects and their interactions with one another. Well, let me inform you that the bokeh created here is stunning! Literally every single image. I’m so in love with this lens.

• Lastly, another thing I noticed upon uploading the high resolution images to my computer screen: the color is vibrant, soft and smooth. Skin just looks flawless. I did not have to touchup anyone’s faces whatsoever. The photos appeared on my screen gorgeous and full of light and color despite the fact that it was an overcast day, in fact, in started raining right at the end.

In all, I am extremely ecstatic with my addition of the Nikon Z 85mm f1/.2 S to my camera equipment arsenal and can for-see myself favoring this lens in my future photo shoots. (Scroll down to see the photos from my very first lifestyle family session in Tampa, FL using this new bright and beautiful lens)