Nikon Nikkor / Nikon 55mm f1.2 Heritage

Overview

The Nikon Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 was Nikon's first f/1.2 lens for the F-mount, with an optical design dating back to 1965. It preceded the later 50mm f/1.2 Ai/Ai-s (1978-2020) and the famous 58mm f/1.2 Noct (1977-1998). Roughly 176,000 units of the 55mm were made across its 1965-1978 production run, spread over several sub-versions: the Nikkor-S Auto (pre-Ai, 1965-1972), the multicoated Nikkor-S·C Auto (pre-Ai, 1972-1974), the multicoated Nikkor 55mm 1.2 pre-Ai (1974-1977), and finally the Nikkor 55mm 1.2 Ai (1977-1978). All sub-versions share the same 7-element/5-group optical design. Among Nikon's three manual-focus f/1.2 ~50mm lenses, this one is not a fan favorite and is 'usually considered the worst of the bunch' according to Phillip Reeve's review, though that reputation is contested. No established nickname is evidenced in these reviews. People are drawn to it for its dream-like character wide open and the special rendering it produces at f/1.2 that some shooters say they cannot achieve with other fast 50mm lenses.

Verdict: The Nikon 55mm f/1.2 is a character lens for photographers who prize a dream-like wide-open look over technical perfection. It carries a reputation as the lesser of Nikon's f/1.2 fifties, and it is genuinely soft and low-contrast wide open with obvious edge falloff. But for environmental portraits, street, and night photography, its smooth bokeh, natural focus transition, and distinctive f/1.2 rendering win over a devoted following. Buy it for the signature, not the sharpness charts.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Smooth with a natural focus transition and no harsh wall-of-focus effect, though some highlight discs show an odd cut-out.

Sharpness wide open

Good sharpness within the very shallow depth of field even wide open, with reliably sharp results when stopped down slightly.

Flare resistance

Prone to internal reflections when shooting wide open in brighter scenes, reducing contrast; less noticeable in low light.

Contrast

Low contrast wide open at f/1.2, further reduced by internal reflections in bright scenes; improves when stopped down.

Vignetting

Obvious light falloff toward the edges wide open.

Community Insights

What people love

Dream-like character wide open that bokeh lovers go crazy for
Special rendering at f/1.2 that some shooters cannot achieve with other fast 50mm lenses, making it a go-to for environmental portraits
Smooth bokeh with a natural focus transition and no harsh wall-of-focus effect
Good sharpness within the shallow depth of field, and guaranteed sharp results on film when stopped down slightly
Big, characterful out-of-focus rendering well-suited to people, street, and night shots

What people dislike

Generally considered the worst of Nikon's three manual-focus f/1.2 fifties by reputation
Low contrast wide open, worsened by internal reflections in brighter scenes
Obvious light falloff toward the edges wide open
Odd cut-out visible in some bokeh highlight discs
Beyond its wide-open character, image quality is considered merely par for the course

Pro Tips

Shoot low-light or shaded scenes wide open to avoid the internal reflections that sap contrast in bright conditions
Stop down a bit for reliably sharp results, especially on film
Embrace f/1.2 for its special rendering on portraits, street, and night work rather than expecting clinical output
If adapting only to mirrorless, a cheaper pre-Ai copy will render identically since all versions share the same optics; choose the Ai version if you also want to use it on classic Nikon bodies like the FM2/FM3a/F100

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Nikon Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 was Nikon's first f/1.2 lens for the F-mount, with an optical design dating back to 1965. It preceded the later 50mm f/1.2 Ai/Ai-s (1978-2020) and the famous 58mm f/1.2 Noct (1977-1998). Roughly 176,000 units of the 55mm were made across its 1965-1978 production run, spread over several sub-versions: the Nikkor-S Auto (pre-Ai, 1965-1972), the multicoated Nikkor-S·C Auto (pre-Ai, 1972-1974), the multicoated Nikkor 55mm 1.2 pre-Ai (1974-1977), and finally the Nikkor 55mm 1.2 Ai (1977-1978). All sub-versions share the same 7-element/5-group optical design. Among Nikon's three manual-focus f/1.2 ~50mm lenses, this one is not a fan favorite and is 'usually considered the worst of the bunch' according to Phillip Reeve's review, though that reputation is contested. No established nickname is evidenced in these reviews. People are drawn to it for its dream-like character wide open and the special rendering it produces at f/1.2 that some shooters say they cannot achieve with other fast 50mm lenses.

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-nikon-nikkor-55mm-1-2-ai-the-first-f-1-2-f-mount-lens/https://casualphotophile.com/2018/11/14/nikon-nikkor-55mm-f-1-2-lens-review-the-fast-and-the-spurious/https://richardhaw.com/2017/03/15/repair-nikkor-s-c-55mm-f1-2/https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3958672https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53913355https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/55mm-f12.htm