The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 and the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 is the longer of the two lenses at 47mm. The Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 with a length of 36mm, is 11mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 also has a larger diameter of 66mm compared to the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8's 56mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 weighs 70g, 70% (165g) lighter than the Nikon 1 32mm f1.2's weight of 235g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Nikon 1 Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Nikon 1 Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 has a 41mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 1 32mm f1.2:
And these are the 41mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 and the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 has the same Nikon 1 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon 1 lenses are Nikon 1 J5, Nikon 1 S2 and Nikon 1 J4.
Focal Range
Nikon 1 32mm f1.2 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 32mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
86.4mm when used on a 1" format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 1 18.5mm f1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 19mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 51.3mm when used on a 1" format camera.