A comparison with SongRaw’s much cheaper 85mm f/1.2 suggests Nikon’s premium now rests more on build quality, weather sealing and support than on a decisive optical advantage.
Nikon’s NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S has been the default prestige portrait prime on Z mount since its arrival, but that position is becoming harder to defend as cheaper autofocus 85mm f/1.2 lenses enter the market. In a recent comparison, photographer and reviewer Dustin Abbott set Nikon’s flagship against SongRaw’s 85mm f/1.2 AF MS, a lens that costs roughly $650, to see how much of the premium still survives when rivals close the gap on image quality.
On paper, Nikon’s lens remains a formidable piece of engineering. According to Nikon USA and retail listings from B&H Photo Video, it uses a multi-focus system with dual stepping motors, a control ring and a custom function button, and is aimed squarely at portrait, wedding, maternity, fashion and boudoir work. Abbott notes that the lens is physically imposing even by fast-prime standards, weighing 1,160g and measuring 141.5mm in length, with a 102.5mm front diameter. He also found extensive weather sealing, fluorine protection on the front element and a clickless control ring, although the aperture control can feel delayed during adjustments and the supplied hood lacks a rubberised front edge.
Abbott’s autofocus testing suggests Nikon has prioritised accuracy over sheer speed. He believes the company chose dual stepping motors rather than its newer voice-coil approach because an 85mm f/1.2 is unlikely to be used for action-heavy work. In portrait use, he reported consistent focus acquisition even wide open and in strong backlight, but formal testing still revealed occasional hunting and some resistance when moving the focus ring quickly. He judged the Nikon to be slightly ahead of Canon’s RF 85mm f/1.2L USM in handling, though less polished than the SongRaw in some respects, while Sigma’s 85mm f/1.2 DG Art remains the sharper benchmark, albeit not in Z mount.
The broader market context matters. Nikon has been far more open than Canon in allowing third-party autofocus lenses on Z mount, and brands such as Viltrox, Tamron, Sigma and a growing number of smaller Chinese makers now sell autofocus optics for Nikon mirrorless bodies. That changes how photographers should value a flagship lens. If a third-party alternative can match or approach the optical result at a fraction of the cost, the first-party premium increasingly buys build quality, sealing, firmware support and service infrastructure rather than image quality alone. For working photographers who shoot in poor weather or cannot risk downtime, that may still be decisive. For portrait specialists working mainly in controlled conditions, the calculation is less clear.
Abbott’s assessment also underlines where the Nikon still earns its keep. Video focus pulls were less smooth than expected, with some stepping visible in movement, and larger focus transitions showed more breathing than Nikon’s marketing might suggest, even though smaller adjustments were well controlled. At close range, the lens focuses to 85cm and reaches only 0.11x magnification, which is modest for a lens of this class, but the rendering remains strong. The optical formula uses 15 elements in 10 groups and an 11-blade diaphragm, and Abbott found that the SongRaw could actually outresolve the Nikon in the centre at f/1.2 on a 45-megapixel Z8, while the Nikon kept a more even result towards the edges. The conclusion, as Abbott frames it, is that Nikon’s lens is still excellent, but its value now depends on how much the buyer needs the extra polish around the optics rather than the optics alone.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
