So I've switched

Oh how times have changed!

My last post here was 2022. 4 long years ago.

I love Nikon. I still do, believe me.

All this while I've disliked brand 'C'. Some of their ambassadors I met were cocky, and even barred me from covering their anniversary event with my D5 at that time.

All this while I've resisted to switch to mirrorless. Too expensive, battery life wasn't great, blah blah.

Until I adopted an open mind and tried the R3. But that's a story for another time.

As photographers say, do not let your art be defined by your equipment. So out with the old, in with the new.

I was always slightly envied those who had f1.2 lenses. After all I started with Olympus, where I always made excuses about the so-called shallow DOF with the f2 zooms. But with the RF 85 1.2, there's no more excuse anymore. Everything not in the plane of focus is smoothly out of focus.

BTW I shot the lens with the 45 1.2 RF. Center sharpness at 1.2 is okay, but the corners were horrendous. Not to say the lens is unusable. It is, but keep your subjects away from the corners.

Below are some samples straight out of camera with no editing. 

This is a big, bad, heavy lens. Performance is excellent, but I'm afraid to whip it out and use it.

You really need the tenacity and determination to use this bugger, which even makes my 15-35 L look like a toy next to it.

Many reviews have said that AF was slow. In my opinion, while it can't keep up with the newest and fastest focusing Voice Coil Motor lenses, it is somewhat acceptable when compared with the AF-S Nikon 85 1.4G which I have used, but never owned.

Why did I get this lens? Because I found a used unit at HALF the price of a new unit, which is even cheaper than a used unit on Adorama.

Only time will tell if I grow to love the lens or hate it. Hopefully more of the former.