The Nikon Z mirrorless lens mount is still relatively young, but a short telephoto prime is an important entry in the catalog. Nikon's first full-frame mirrorless take on the design is the Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S ($799.99). Its optics are stunning, with sharp results from edge to edge at the maximum aperture, and an f/1.8 design for a pleasingly shallow depth of field. The big third-party lensmakers, Sigma and Tamron, haven't yet jumped in to support the Z mount, so the 85mm f/1.8 S is currently the only real choice for Z owners, short of adapting SLR lenses. It's an excellent lens overall, especially for still photographers, but videographers may have a couple of complaints.

Well Built, but That Control Ring…

There's nothing flashy about Nikon's mirrorless lenses. The company has gone basic black for the aesthetics of most entries. The lens itself measures 3.9 by 3.0 inches (HD), weighs a little over a pound, and supports 67mm front filters. Nikon includes the standard front and rear caps, as well as a reversible lens hood.

The barrel is a mix of metal and polycarbonate. There's one control switch on the side, to toggle between auto and manual focus, but no other buttons. The manual focus ring, finished with small metallic ridges, occupies much of the cylinder. Internal seals prevent dust and moisture from getting inside, but Nikon opted not to include a grease-repelling fluorine coat on the exposed front element, now an expected feature on premium lenses.

Focus adjustment is electronic, with a response scale that adjusts focus more dramatically when the ring is turned quickly, and makes minute adjustments in response to slow turns. There's no option for a linear response, which is a downside for using the lens for video, where manual focus pulls demand set start and stop points, regardless of the speed of a rack. This, along with a good amount of breathing—an effect where angle of view changes along with focus, shown below—makes the lens less than ideal for video.

The manual focus ring doubles as a control ring, so it has a function when the lens is set to autofocus, but I find it to be much too sensitive for practical use. I typically turn it off, but wanted to see if Nikon had done anything to improve it since I last picked up a Z 7.

I set the control ring to act as an aperture adjustment. What I found was that I'd often make an image at f/1.8, put the camera to my side, and pick it back up to find it set at f/2.2 or f/2.8—just a brush against my pants was enough to activate the ring function. When I tried to make a change on purpose, I found a small turn made the lens jump all the way from f/1.8 to f/4.5. In short, Nikon has some work to do with this function, hopefully via a firmware update. For now, I recommend turning it off.

The lens is able to focus as close as 2.6 feet (80cm). It's not good enough for macro shots of insect eyes or jewelry, but it can capture subjects at 1:8.3 life-size. Nikon hasn't yet released a macro lens for the Z system, but has announced plans for 60mm and 105mm lenses. Until they come to market, you'll need to reach for the FTZ adapter for macro shots.

Stabilization isn't included in-lens, but Nikon's full-frame Z 6 and Z 7 camera use stabilized image sensors. It did leave stabilization out of the lone APS-C model, the Z 50.

As Sharp as It Gets

I paired the 85mm with the 45MP Z 7 in the lab and in the field. Imatest software shows that it delivers images with strong resolution, from center to edge, even when shot wide open.

At f/1.8 the pair manages a 4,470-line average score, at the top of our excellent range for the Z 7's sensor. There's a little drop in contrast as you move toward the borders of the frame, but it's still very good at the edges (4,000 lines).

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It's just as good as you stop down, peaking at f/2.8 (4,638 lines) and continuing to deliver excellent results all the way through f/11. We do see a drop in contrast at f/16 (3,639 lines), a result of optical diffraction.

There's no visible distortion, but you can see a bit of a vignette at f/1.8 and f/2. Nikon cameras offer automatic correction, with three levels of adjustment, giving you the option to leave it untouched for a modest, soft, natural frame around portrait subjects, or to apply just a little bit of correction.

A Lovely Short Telephoto

Nikon knows a lot about optical design and it's all on show here. The Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S captures images with loads of detail and pleasingly soft backgrounds. You'll be able to snap shots at f/1.8 for very shallow depth of field, and maintain smooth, defocused highlights when you want to stop down a little bit thanks to its circular aperture design.

For photography, there's really nothing bad to say about the lens, aside from its finicky control ring. Videographers can find a few more things to complain about, notably a bit of change in angle of view when adjusting focus, which can be distracting.

Still, we've been pretty happy with the Z lenses that Nikon has brought to market so far, and the 85mm is another top-notch photographic tool for photographers invested in the system. It may not be as exotic as rival Canon's RF 85mm F1.2 for its mirrorless system, but it's also a more practical purchase for many. Nikon does have a Z 50mm F1.2 on its roadmap, for those who appreciate wide aperture optics, but hasn't yet set a release date.

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