Nikon Sirui Sniper 75mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Nikon Z, Review

If you're shooting on a Nikon Z APS-C camera like a Z50 or Zfc and you've been looking for a fast portrait lens that won't break the bank, the Sirui Sniper 75mm f/1.2 is a pretty unique option. It's a telephoto prime that gives you a full-frame equivalent of 112.5mm, which is a classic focal length for headshots and tight portraits. With a maximum aperture of f/1.2, it's designed to let in a ton of light and create that super-blurred background look people love. At around $319, it sits in an interesting spot, offering an aperture you don't usually see at this price.

People often ask if there's a good, fast prime for Nikon Z APS-C cameras for portraits, and this lens directly answers that. It's not a zoom, and it's not stabilized, so it's really built for one thing: making your subject pop with beautiful bokeh. The autofocus with eye and object tracking means it should play nice with your camera's native features, which is a big plus over manual-only alternatives.

Let's talk about what that f/1.2 aperture and 100th percentile bokeh ranking actually mean. In practice, this lens can isolate a subject from the background like few others in its class. The 15-blade diaphragm helps keep out-of-focus highlights looking smooth and round, even when you stop down a bit. The optical performance lands in the 72nd percentile, which is solid. You'll get sharp images in the center, especially when shooting portraits wide open.

Now, the autofocus is rated in the 47th percentile. That means it's functional and gets the job done for portraits, but don't expect it to be the fastest or most confident tracker for fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife. For posed portraits or slower-paced work, it's perfectly fine. The lack of image stabilization (39th percentile) means you'll need to keep your shutter speed up, especially at this focal length, but that's typical for a prime lens in this category.

At $319, the Sirui Sniper 75mm f/1.2 is all about value through specialization. You are getting an f/1.2 aperture, which is typically found on lenses costing two or three times as much. The trade-off is that it's built for the APS-C format, not full-frame, and it lacks some features like stabilization. But if your main goal is shooting professional-looking portraits on a budget with your Nikon Z50 or Zfc, this lens delivers a look that's hard to match at this price point. It makes a compelling case against saving up for a more expensive, slower native Z-mount lens.

The main competitors here are other affordable APS-C primes. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 for Nikon Z is wider (a 52.5mm equivalent) and likely faster to focus, but it can't match the background blur of an f/1.2 telephoto. The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is a full-frame lens, so it's more versatile if you plan to upgrade your camera body later, but it's slower (f/1.8 vs. f/1.2) and might not render bokeh as beautifully. Compared to Nikon's own Z DX 50-250mm zoom, this Sirui lens gives you a much brighter aperture for low light and shallower depth of field, but you lose all the flexibility of a zoom. It really comes down to whether you prioritize ultimate background blur and low-light performance over flexibility and stabilization.

So, should you buy the Sirui Sniper 75mm f/1.2? If you own a Nikon Z APS-C camera and your primary interest is shooting portraits, headshots, or any subject where creamy bokeh is king, then yes, absolutely. It's a tool that does one thing exceptionally well for a very reasonable price. Just go in knowing its limits: the autofocus is good but not great, you'll need steady hands without stabilization, and it's not the lens you'll take hiking. But for making people look amazing against a dreamy, blurred background, it's a fantastic and somewhat unique option in the Z-mount ecosystem.