They’re both still relatively new on the market.
I haven’t been able to find anything on the 85mm f/1.2 yet, but there are already quite a few reviews of the 50mm f/1.2 Moonlit.
The silver-colored “85/1.2 MS Edition” shown above—also known as the “M-Simplified Version”—is a stripped-down version of the black 85mm f/1.2 Moonlit from 2025.
This "MS" version no longer has an aperture ring and is made of less expensive, lighter materials; however, it weighs 220g less and costs more than 200 US dollars less than the black version from last year, which features higher-quality craftsmanship and materials.
As is often the case in this category, the weaknesses lie in its poor flare resistance and autofocus performance—which isn’t as sophisticated—when compared to OEM products in this category.
Apart from that, it’s relatively heavy and large—at least compared to Sony and Sigma alternatives in this segment.
The minimum focusing distance (MFD) also isn’t quite on par with the established competitors.
Optically, it’s receiving a lot of praise; it seems to really shine, especially when it comes to bokeh.
Nope. Honestly these days you can buy the Nikon 50 1.2S for about $1600. I'd rather spend that for something known to be reliable, rock solid and actually supported for repair work in this country. I have work horsed the bejesus out of this lens for 4 years now I think. If a person shoots for fun and can risk something not working they can buy one of these. Me personally, especially after getting burned by Viltrox's wonky AF behavior for video, I'd never touch this. Sorrymanagement wrote:
The prices on these are insane though. I am curious if Nikon users will actually buy these or not.
But that’s not so much because I find the optical performance lacking, but rather because these lenses are simply too bulky and heavy for me.
That said, Songraw is still an unknown quantity—without long-term experience.
I’m not a fan of third-party AF lenses anyway, but there are, of course, competitors in this space that are already somewhat more established and have a larger user base.
Whether it’s the Viltrox Pro—soon to be available as an 85/1.2 LAB, I suppose—or the new Meike 85/1.4 Mix II, which would appeal to me much more.
I still have my old Canon FD 85/1.2 L, which is enough for me when I need or want 85mm f/1.2.
Especially since I also have a Plena.
But if I were looking for a fast 85mm with AF, it would most likely be the new Meike 85/1.4 Mix II in the Panda-Color version.
I had issues with Viltrox lenses and stopped buying them. Only Voigtlanders and Nikkors work for me. Good to have these third party lenses so that people have more choice. But i dont think these will function as well as the Nikkors ever because they are all reverse engineered.
Till the time they become an official partner like tamron.
It really depends on the situation and the context.
Especially in the amateur sector, I can understand the appeal of some of these lenses, particularly when it comes to supplementing your gear or occasional use—situations where an OEM solution that costs 3–5 times as much simply isn’t justified.
Thanks to the rapid development among Chinese third-party manufacturers, many photographers who aren’t shooting for commercial purposes can now enjoy lenses that were previously very difficult to justify—and with optical qualities that are coming ever closer to those of their significantly more expensive OEM counterparts.
Even though I personally use only OEM lenses for autofocus, this is fundamentally a positive development, especially since it forces Nikon to justify the premium price through further innovation.
