Nikon Canada Inc. has released the Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens for Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras.
This new mid-telephoto prime lens offers edge-to-edge brightness, sharpness, and dramatic bokeh. The name “Plena” is derived from the Latin term plenum, which denotes the state of a space being completely full. This name was chosen to reflect the lens’s ability to fulfill the user’s creative vision with “superior light gathering capability, beautiful, well-rounded bokeh and outstanding sharpness and clarity throughout the frame,” says Nikon.
Following in the footsteps of the Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, this portrait prime is only the second Nikon lens to be granted a dedicated name, with the hope that it will be highly regarded by users for many years to come.
This optic is engineered with a focus on superior peripheral illumination, which is the ability to deliver the maximum amount of light to the far edges of the frame. The result is abundant brightness from edge-to-edge, with clear, bright subject distinction throughout, Nikon claims.
The Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is part of the S-Line and takes advantage of the Z mount system’s large-diameter mount, which unlocks further possibilities of lens design, as well as the potential for light gathering.
In addition to enhanced brightness, the optical formula and larger rear element helps to realize beautiful, well-rounded bokeh throughout the entire frame, even from maximum aperture. The Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena also affords sharpness and clarity, regardless of the shooting distance with a close minimum focusing distance of only 0.82 metres (2.69 feet). This enables a dreamlike expression that combines delicate textures and beautiful bokeh in portraits, landscapes and more.
The lens’s exterior design includes metal components and features an engraved “Plena” logo similar to the cursive font and yellow colour of the Noct logo. Additional features include a fully weather-sealed body for durability and the addition of two L-Fn buttons for customization.
Well-rounded bokeh is achieved throughout the entire frame, says Nikon, while supporting a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. There’s also an 11-blade diaphragm and larger rear element that accentuates the three-dimensionality of the subject with smooth gradation. The large amount of peripheral light at the f/1.8 maximum aperture ensures a consistently bright image all the way to the extreme corners of the frame for a sense of transparency and brilliance in images.
The sharpness and clarity, characteristic of S-Line lenses, enables rendering of the finest textures in hair and skin tones, while point-light reproduction capabilities achieve brilliant night and urban landscape imagery. A multi-focusing system uses stepping motors (STMs) for fast, accurate and quiet autofocus drive 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 instances of ghosting and flaring.
The optical construction consists of 16 elements in 14 groups, with four ED elements, one aspherical element, and one SR lens element. The design takes video recording into consideration with quiet operation and stable exposure. The lens body features two lens Fn buttons, to which a wide variety of functions can be assigned. One is positioned on the top of the lens, enabling smooth adjustment of settings even when shooting in vertical orientation.
The versatile 82mm filter attachment size enables the use of various lens filters designed to satisfy users’ creative intent.
The camera, which is dust and drip-resistant and weighs 2.2 lbs., will be available in late October for an MSRP of $3,399.95.