Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S vs Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| NikonNIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S | NikonNIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | February 2025 | February 2022 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Prime | Prime |
| Focal length | 35 mm | 400 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/1.2 | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/16 | f/22 |
| Optical construction | 17 elements in 15 groups; internal focusing | 25 elements in 19 groups, including seven elements in four groups in the built-in teleconverter |
| Special elements | Three ED, one aspherical ED and three aspherical elements | Two ED elements, two fluorite elements, one super-ED element and one SR element |
| Coatings | Meso Amorphous, Nano Crystal and ARNEO coatings | Meso Amorphous Coat, ARNEO Coat and fluorine coating on the front element |
| Aperture detail | f/1.2–16 | f/2.8–22 without the built-in teleconverter; f/4–32 with it engaged |
| Diaphragm | 11 rounded blades | Nine rounded blades; electromagnetic aperture control |
| Angle of view | FX 63°; DX 44° | FX 6°10′ at 400 mm and 4°30′ at 560 mm; DX 4° and 2°50′ respectively |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Nikon Z mount | Nikon Z mount |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Teleconverter support | – | Built-in 1.4× converter selects 400 mm or 560 mm; also compatible with Nikon Z TC-1.4x and TC-2.0x converters |
| Compatibility | Native Nikon Z mount; FX/full-frame image circle, also usable on DX cameras | – |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.3 m | 2.5 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.2× | 0.17× |
| Optical stabilisation | – | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | Multi-focusing system with dual stepping motors; automatic or manual focusing | Silky Swift VCM autofocus with internal focusing; FULL and infinity–6 m focus limiter positions |
| Focus distance detail | Minimum 0.3 m from focal plane; no separate AF/MF distance published | Maker minimum focus 2.5 m; Cameralabs measured approximately 2.41 m, retained separately from the maker figure |
| Magnification detail | Maximum 0.2× | Maker maximum reproduction ratio 0.17×; Cameralabs measured approximately 1:3.9 with the built-in converter engaged |
| Stabilisation detail | – | Lens-shift VR rated 5.5 stops under CIPA conditions on an FX camera in NORMAL mode, with or without the built-in converter; Synchro VR supported on Z9 |
| Video features | Suppressed focus breathing, quiet focusing and clickless control ring; linear manual focusing can be enabled through compatible camera settings | Maker focus-breathing compensation claim; Cameralabs nevertheless observes visible breathing on the Z7 |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Filter diameter | 82 mm | 46 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 90 mm | 156 mm |
| Length | 150 mm | 380 mm |
| Weight | 1,060 g (better) | 2,950 g |
| Controls | Two customisable L-Fn buttons for horizontal or vertical shooting, customisable control ring and manual focus ring; AF/manual switch, as confirmed by both reviews | Configurable control ring, L-Fn controls, Memory Set button and Fn ring for focus recall, A–M switch and lockable built-in converter lever |
| Filter detail | 82 mm screw-in filters, 0.75 mm pitch | 46 mm drop-in filter system, not a front screw-in thread |
| Weather resistance | Sealed body, mount and movable barrel parts for dust and drip resistance; resistance is not guaranteed under every condition | Maker sealing around movable barrel parts and mount gasket; dust and drip resistance is not guaranteed under all conditions |
| Dimensions detail | Approximately 90 mm maximum diameter × 150 mm from mount flange | Approximately 156 mm maximum diameter × 380 mm from the mount flange |
| Weight detail | Approximately 1060 g | Maker approximately 2,950 g; Cameralabs measured 2,936 g including tripod foot, plus 232 g for the hood |
| Tripod mount | – | Rotating tripod collar and foot; Cameralabs notes that the standard foot lacks an Arca-Swiss profile |
| Lens hood | HB-110 included | – |
| In the box | LC-82B front cap, LF-N1 rear cap, HB-110 hood and CL-C2 case | LC-K105 front cap, LF-N1 rear cap, HK-42 hood, LN-3 strap and CL-L3 case as listed by Nikon UK; Japan lists LN-3 or LN-4 strap |
| Release detail | Nikon USA states late February 2025 availability; earliest exact retail day and first UK day unconfirmed, so month precision retained | Nikon Canada specified late February 2022 retail availability; January's announcement date is not used as the on-sale date |
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