Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G Lens

Product Information

Bright objects behind the subject can have slight green-cyan fringes, and objects in front of the subject can have slight red-magenta fringes. Let’s have a look at the technical data and make some comparison to similar lenses. We’ve rated the features with a [+] (or [++]), when it’s better than average or even state of the art, a [0] if it’s standard or just average, and [-] if there’s a disadvantage. The meters of cheaper digital ( D80 and below) and cheaper film cameras ( N80 and below) will not couple (or work at all) with this lens, so you'll be on your own guessing exposure using the rear LCD or an external meter. The AF is also a bit dated. While the lens has internal focusing, the use of the “screwdriver” technology makes focus slower, which is a real issue in sports shooting. Also problematic is that there is a ring to select manual or auto focus, and you must switch the ring to engage the MF focusing ring. I would like to see this lens in an AFS form while retaining the IF feature. This would not only speed up focusing tremendously, but also allow for on the fly manual focus over-ride. Its legendary performance made the Nikon 85mm f/1.4D lens a must-have for portrait photographers and many professionals heavily relied on this lens for many years for their commercial work (and some still do). The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G lens is the latest update to the 85mm f/1.4 line, which replaced the outdated AF-D version with newer optical and technology innovations from Nikon. In this review, I will not only provide information on the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G lens, but will also compare it to both the older Nikon 85mm f/1.4D and the lighter and smaller Nikon 85mm f/1.8G.

It won't autofocus with the cheapest new AF film cameras like the N55, but if you focus manually, everything else works great. Even if you lose autofocus, these cameras have in-finder focus confirmation dots to help you. If you want a fast, tough 85mm, that's why this lens has been sold out for most of its 15 years as Nikon's top fast telephoto lens. Nikon's Super Integrated Coating (SIC) promotes optimal light transmission, color consistency, and flare reduction The screw-on hood requires several rotations to be seated snugly, and it fits into the filter thread. You can't screw the hood on the lens in reverse for storage.

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Precision engineered for both FX and DX-format D-SLRs, delivering an equivalent focal length of 127.5mm on DX-format This is because the spherical aberration issues which define the cones of confusion, and thus the bokeh, also vary by wavelength. This is called spherochromatism. This 85mm f/1.4 G, along with Nikon's new 24mm f/1.4 G and 50mm f/1.4 AF-S, are pretty much the only three lenses you'd ever need for anything worth shooting, especially in low light. (Or replace the 24mm and 50mm with the 35mm f/1.4 G, or leave the 50 at home. You get the idea.) For some photographers, this manual focus Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 AI-s is their favorite Nikon lens of all time. You're really pushing it with the oldest AF cameras like the N2020, N6006 and N8008. You'll have no AF and confused exposure modes. Manual focus is fine, along with electronic focus indications.

Manual focus on the Nikon D800 is also fast, easy and accurate using the electronic indicators, even at f/1.4. The next lens to compare the sharpness to is the newer Nikon 105mm f/1.4E, which is a remarkable lens, as you can see below:In other words, the one-dot focus light of the D300 will stay on, even if you're a little out of focus. At f/1.4, "a little out" may as well be all the way out. The ground-glass of the amateur cameras are also optimized for brighter images with slow lenses. Therefore, if you tweak the depth-of-field preview, you'll discover that the D300's finder really is only showing you what you'll see at f/3.5! In case you're wondering just how far Nikon has brought optics with the introduction of this 85mm f/1.4, here's how well Nikon's current fastest in-production lens, the 50mm f/1.2 AI-s, looks stopped-down to f/1.4: The D4, D800, D3, F4, F6 and most professional AF cameras have three very precise electronic manual focus indicators. I find even on my D3, whose focus screen isn't optimized for a lens this fast, that just eyeballing the ground glass works great, too. If you want a tougher, more precise-feeling 85mm f/1.8 for the same price or less, get the 85/1.8D. If you have any question, comment or suggestion regarding the review head over here. A selection of my shots with this lens can be found there.

IS: No = a pity! The Nikon 70-200/2.8 zoom has VRII. You can only hope that with a 2 stops larger aperture you could crank up the shutter speed to where shake is less likely. And shake you see: Just look through the viewfinder! [–] Sharper than any other lens I own, including the 50mm 1.8D and the 70-200VR. My most detailed and sharpest images (where you can see the pores on the skin) were done wide open. The 9-blade diaphragm of this 85/1.4 AI-s gives the best sunstars of any 85mm lens, along with the 85mm f/1.8 D. The manual focus override in M/A mode on the AF-S is a world better than the clumsy switch on the Nikon 85mm f/1.4D that needs to be changed every time you switch from manual focus to autofocus and vice-versa. When used on a DX camera, it gives angles of view similar to what a 129mm lens gives when used on an FX or 35mm camera.With those caveats, the 85mm f/1.4 AI-s is among the sharpest lenses I've used. If you're looking at the output from a 12 MP FX camera like the D3 at 100%, this manual focus lens is better than the autofocus 85mm f/1.4 D. This is the most precise and well-built 85mm f/1.4 lens ever made by anyone. Not even LEICA has never made an 85mm f/1.4. The hood cleverly sits on top, covered by top half of the instruction manual and warranty papers. (the other half of the paperwork slips down the side of the box. Nobody really makes a lens to match the application of this lens - 85mm, and as fast as ƒ/1.4 - but there are a few options that roughly approximate its usage.