Welcome to the party Nikon!
Sony released the FE 135mm F1.8 GM back in April 2019, while Canon released the RF 135mm f/1.8L IS USM more recently in November 2022. Both are exceptional lenses and no doubt Nikon will have also created an equally beautiful 'piece of glass' on the same level.
The 135mm prime is a very useful lens for portraits, weddings & events, music photography and even the odd landscape. There is an ongoing debate whether an 85mm or even a 50mm prime is the best for portraits – but we'll address that in another article.
As the Nikon press release states: "The metal lens barrel features an engraved "Plena" logo, using the same yellow, cursive font as the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct. The name "Plena" is derived from the term plenum, which denotes the state of a space being completely full, and adopted to reflect the lens' ability to support the user's creative vision with beautiful, well-rounded bokeh of outstanding sharpness and clarity."
Primary features
- Beautiful, well-rounded bokeh is achieved throughout the entire frame, while also supporting a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. Fantastic expression that accentuates the three-dimensionality of the subject is achieved through the smooth gradation of bokeh that expands largely in front of and behind the focal plane, and the minimal color fringing of the bokeh.
- The large amount of peripheral light at f/1.8 maximum aperture ensures a consistently bright image all the way to the edges of the frame, for a sense of transparency and brilliance in images.
- With the outstanding sharpness and clarity distinct to S-Line lenses, the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena expresses the delicate textures in hair and skin, while top-class point-image reproduction capability achieves thorough rendering of night landscapes.
- Adoption of a multi-focusing system that uses stepping motors (STMs) realizes fast, accurate, and quiet AF drive, and enables accurate focusing, even at maximum aperture, for still images and video.
- In addition to Meso Amorphous Coat, the most effective anti-reflection coating in Nikon history that prevents reflections regardless of the direction from which light enters the lens, Nikon's original ARNEO Coat is also used to effectively reduce ghosts and flares.
- Its premium design, which includes an engraved "Plena" logo on the metal lens barrel, offers a sense of sophistication.
- A design that takes video recording into consideration with quiet operation and stable exposure, as well as functions including focus-breathing suppression that effectively reduces shifting of the angle of view when focusing.
- Two lens Fn buttons, to which a wide variety of functions can be assigned, are adopted. One is positioned on the top of the lens, enabling smooth adjustment of settings even when shooting in vertical orientation.
- The versatile 82-mm filter-attachment size enables the use of various lens filters designed to satisfy users' creative intent.
- Designed to achieve superior dust- and drip-resistant performance, and equipped with an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism for stable aperture control during high-speed continuous shooting.
The lens is available for pre-order for AU$4,299.
You can find out more about the lens on Nikon's AU website