Nikon mirrorless camera owners are spoilt for choice when it comes to first-party ‘nifty fifties’, what with the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4, Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S, Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8, and Nikon Z 50 mm f/1.2 S in the now extensive Nikon Z lenses line-up.
But while the latter two are great lenses, the MC is a macro lens, and the f/1.2 is a bona-fide pro optic with the price tag to match. Ultimately, both lenses stand on their own two feet, but the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 and Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S, on the other hand, present something of a consumer conundrum. Let me explain.
You might assume that because the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 is faster, it’s the better lens. Until you go to buy it and find out that its RRP is actually slightly cheaper than the slower Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S. So, what gives?
Well, the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S might be slower, but it’s the superior optic, justifying its $669.95 / £579 / AU$1,099 price tag over the f/1.4’s $599.95 / £499 / AU$929. That’s why it has the letter ‘S’ at the end of its name, referring to Nikon’s premium S-Line of optics. As such, it’s weather sealed, boasts two Extra-low Dispersion [ED] elements, and a pair of aspherical lens elements.
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Now, the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 is weather sealed, too, although I can’t say if it’s better or worse – I do wish camera manufacturers would be more transparent when it comes to weather sealing – but it’s not quite as good, optically, in that it only has a single aspherical element and no ED elements.
What this all comes down to is whether you value speed or optical quality more. And spoiler, there’s no right or wrong answer here. In fact, this is a conversation I had with DCW Ed, James Artaius, just the other day in a yet-to-be-released episode of Bokeh Face: The Digital Camera World Podcast. I digress.
Something I do want to point out here is that I’m not suggesting that the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 has bad optics. Far from it. It’s just not quite as good as the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S. Something else to consider is that very fast lenses tend to be quite bulky – I’m looking at you, Nikon Z 50 mm f/1.2 S – so the f/1.4 is actually quite small and light.
Personally, I tend to prefer image quality over speed, so I'd plump for the f/1.8 S every time, especially when we're talking about the difference between two-thirds of a stop. Then again, try asking that same question to an avid low-light photographer. If you’ve ever wondered why these two fantastic ‘nifty fifties’ are priced as such, now you know.
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