Nikon just added a brand new member to its mirrorless Z system. This morning, the company revealed a new lens — the NIKKOR Z 85MM F/1.8 S — a fast prime portrait lens that will become a staple for headshot, fashion, wedding, and event photographers.
“The NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S lens is so sharp, yet the background blur is so natural; the incredible detail captured with this lens is nothing short of striking,” says Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc., in a company press release. “For fashion and portrait photographers, to wedding shooters and all types of videographers, now is the time to discover why the new NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 will be an indispensable asset for those creatives who are familiar with the outstanding performance of the Nikon Z series.”
The Z Mount lens, Nikon notes, brings with it a wider, brighter, and faster operation. The photo- and video-optimized lens has a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture that is powerful in low-light situations, with shallow depth of field capture in both high-res images and 4K video.
Nikon has included Eye-Detection autofocus in the 2.0 version of the firmware for the Z series (and more on the latest, 2.01 version, below), making it an even more mighty tool for portrait and headshot projects.
For the videographer, the lens includes ultra-quiet focus motors, minimized focus breathing, a control ring, and takes advantage and pairs with the in-body 5-axis VR of the Z series cameras.
The lens includes 12 elements in 8 groups (with two Extra-Low Dispersion elements), that keep aberrations to the minimum. Meanwhile, the company’s Nano Crystal Coating keeps ghosting and flare at bay, and the Multi-Focus System masters minimum focus distance.
All of this is housed in a dust- and drip-resistant body.
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens is available for preorder now for at Adorama.
Nikon Firmware Update 2.01:
In addition to the lens, Nikon has announced firmware update 2.01 for the Z 6 and Z 7 cameras.
The firmware is designed to fix face detection issues (slower operation, error displays, or non-responsiveness) during photo and video modes in several settings modes.
To learn more, and to download the firmware head to the Nikon download center for the Z 6 and Z 7 cameras.
