p.2 #1 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
Nick Dakota wrote:
I don't shoot action/sports with my Nikon, but I'm mildly concerned that the recommended lenses for shooting fast moving kids are the big expensive 1.2s. Sounds like you might be better off considering a used Sony A9ii and some Sony glass.
Or you could just not listen to Rolex-collector type camera owners and take their words with a grain of salt.
p.2 #2 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
ilkka_nissila wrote:
While it's true that Nikon has put in more effort into autofocus in some of the larger lenses than the small f/1.8 ones which don't have dual focus motor or SSVCM, in my experience the f/1.8 primes focus just fine on Expeed 7 cameras and what problems that I've encountered regarding focusing are universal to mirrorless cameras (tendency to focus on details behind the main subject, etc.) and not specific to a particular lens. If Nikon had put SSVCM into the smaller f/1.8 lenses, they would no doubt have been significantly larger, heavier, and more expensive than they are with their current, single stepper motor implementation. There has to be a balance in the implementation to achieve good value in the product overall. For me I have the f/1.8 series because I know they're excellent at all apertures and I can carry them anywhere without having too heavy a bag, which wouldn't be the case if I carried six primes of different focal lengths at f/1.2 apertures (which don't exist yet, but could). Even though I could get the f/1.2's, they won't replace the f/1.8's since they're very large and heavy, which would communicate the wrong message to my subjects (some people like to show off, to others it is a strong put-off signal), and limit my options of comfortably carrying all the focal lengths that I want to carry, at fast apertures, anywhere where I might want to go. Lenses like the 35/1.8 and 50/1.8 are also superb for use on small gimbal stabilizers for video, which cannot be said of the so-called "higher-end" (but not really, they're more expensive and heavier, but not universally better) lenses. For example, photographylife's MTF graphs for the 50/1.8 S peak at 3987 while for the 50/1.2 S they peak at 3630, illustrating just one aspect of different compromises for different lenses. All the S-line lenses are really good lenses of their types. They also focus just fine. Compared to some other manufacturers' lenses, e.g. Canon's, RF mount small primes seem to have quite noisy focusing motors which signals of going on the cheap with the making of those lenses, whereas the f/1.8 Nikkors are very quiet, another signal of the ambitious objectives Nikon had with these lenses....Show more →
Agreed 100% with everything you wrote. I still own the 20mm f1.8 S, 35mm f1.8 S and 85mm f1.8 S and love them for what they do best. Amazing image quality, great for gimbal use indeed (the 35mm f1.8 S is by far my most used video lens). They are a major asset of the Z mount without any doubt.
And yes, they focus just fine. The question is whether they are able to track consistently and accurately quickly moving kids a few meters from a Z8? In my experience no. And I did try with my daughter and her friends. Those are some of the most challenging subjects you can find. Typically more challenging than most pro sports in which movement can often be predicted by the photographer (and the camera). This isn't a snobbish f1.2 or nothing kind of comment. It's a realistic assessment based on first hand experience. Do I have high standards in terms of results? Yes, to me the eyes must be sharp. My daughter deserves great pictures just like my clients or the dancers I photograph. If you are fine with blurry shots then why bother with a Z8?
I am not sure that Sony/Canon lens of similar standings (which basically isn't available with Canon and only partially with Sony) would fare better btw.
p.2 #3 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
ilkka_nissila wrote:
Or you could just not listen to Rolex-collector type camera owners and take their words with a grain of salt.
This. You have multiple people WITH KIDS in this thread telling you the 50 and 85 S lenses are totally fine. The 24-120 is faster than you'd ever need for simple kid pics. Plenty of good options in Nikon.
p.2 #6 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
bernardl wrote:
I just re-read every post in this thread, and not a single person has written that...
As far as I can tell, I am the only person here having actually tried the f1.8 S primes with quickly moving kids.
Cheers,
Bernard
I don't have kids, but have taken enough photos of kids with the 50 1.8S (and 24-120) to say that you don't need f/1.2 primes. Also, I just took a bunch of photos of my 3-year old nephew this past weekend, and it was the 70-200 f/2.8S that missed focus once or twice while shooting outdoors in sunlight. The 50 1.8S shooting indoors (at the same time of day but at higher ISOs) was 100% accurate over roughly the same number of photos.
p.2 #7 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
In my experience the 50/1.8’s af is definitely fast and accurate enough to keep up with my kids on a z8. The 35/1.8…is not. I’m continually surprised with how often it misses, even on relatively still targets. Which is a bummer, because I’d love more wide-ish shots of my kids, but I don’t feel like I can trust the lens.
The mark I 24-70/2.8 is also superlative for af, but a lot to haul around on family outings. I do it anyway when I want reliability and versatility.
p.2 #8 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
I don’t tend to shoot young kids moving inside, but occasional dogs, and primarily birds outdoor for me.
I feel the 24-120mm would be great jack of all trades. Faster focusing to me, tend to be most important when you are covering a wide focal range outdoors when the lens might be caught on the wrong end of the range. When indoors, it is not so bad. It comes down to how fast reacting and how good the camera’s AF is. I have been using thr Z50 for a few years until now I go mostly with Zf and Z8. The Z8 is so much more fast reacting to the Z50 that it is what makes the shot to me. z50 takes a while just waking up from sleep and longer to focus. That’s what makes the shot in many cases.
Lastly, I don’t have much experience with people shots, but I find even so for dogs, depth of field is a problem. Too shallow tends to mean the subject is only partially focused. So f4 is safer so well.
p.2 #10 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
Vento wrote:
According to Nikon, the newly introduced Z 24-70/2.8 S II is its fastest focusing lens ever.
It is also, alongside the Z 400/2.8 TC VR S and the Z 600/4 TC VR S, the first Nikkor Z lens to work with Silky Swift VCM (SSVCM) AF motors.
The improved motors deliver autofocus that Nikon says is approximately five times faster than the AF on the original Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S.
Nikon also promises that autofocus tracking performance during zooming is about 60% better than before,
It should be noted that the first version of the Z 24-70/2.8 S, like the Z 70-200/2.8 VR S, was one of the lenses in the Z range with the fastest autofocus.
The Z 70-200/2.8 VR S in particular is definitely faster in AF than lenses such as the Z 85/1.2 S, or Z 135/1.8 S Plena and Co., where the AF is tailored to specific application scenarios, with high precision in fine adjustment and not, as with the 70-200/2.8, to sports and action-heavy AF scenarios.
So if the focal length range of 24-50 is particularly relevant and maximum AF speed is important, then the new Nikkor Z 24-70/2.8 S II should be the perfect target lens.
p.2 #11 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
v5planet wrote:
In my experience the 50/1.8’s af is definitely fast and accurate enough to keep up with my kids on a z8. The 35/1.8…is not. I’m continually surprised with how often it misses, even on relatively still targets. Which is a bummer, because I’d love more wide-ish shots of my kids, but I don’t feel like I can trust the lens.
The mark I 24-70/2.8 is also superlative for af, but a lot to haul around on family outings. I do it anyway when I want reliability and versatility.
I share your experiences with the 50mm 1.8 and the 35mm 1.8. With the 35mm, I've found stopping down slightly to 2.2 or even a little more helps when I need fast and precise.
p.2 #12 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
NorthWinterSky wrote:
I share your experiences with the 50mm 1.8 and the 35mm 1.8. With the 35mm, I've found stopping down slightly to 2.2 or even a little more helps when I need fast and precise.
The ability to focus at the actual aperture now available with the Z6III and Z8 will help with accuracy but typically not with focusing speed. Mirrorless bodies focus better with lenses wide open. The more light the better.
p.2 #13 · Nikkor Z lenses with high-performing autofocus?
Quick update: I ended up getting the Megadap Pro+ adapter and using Sony 24mm and 35mm f/1.4 GM primes. They both outperformend the 35mm Z f/1.8 S Nikkor in AF-C mode on the Z8 with 3.10 firmware. Quite impressive TBH. I've never even heard of an adapter that delivers better AF-C performance than native lenses.
