Voigtl nder nokton 58mm f 1 4 sl iis vs voigtl nder nokton 55mm f 1 2 sl iis?

The two lenses are close cousins. Both are manual-focus primes for Nikon F on full frame, neither is stabilised, and both fit the same list of Nikon bodies, from the D610 and D750 through the D850 and D6, plus the APS-C models such as the D5600 and D7500.

The difference is the aperture. The 55mm f/1.2 gives you the thinner depth of field and the brighter viewfinder, so it's the one for dim rooms and the most background blur. The 58mm f/1.4 is the more modest choice. It's a touch longer and a little less blurry wide open, and it gives you a bit more room to be sharp at the same time. For most portrait work I'd pick the f/1.2 if you can focus it accurately by hand. For more on why aperture matters, see portraits.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.