Which ... keep 85/1.8D or upgrade to 85/1.8G or save up for 85/1.4D

[astroNikon]

I was just perusing Adorama .. yeah, that's dangerous. So is KEH. And I noticed a nice used 85mm/1.8G lens.

I currently have a 85mm/1.8D lens which I got at a nice discount. Not the greatest looker. Takes great photos.
But I just upgraded my 50mm 1.8D lens to the G lens and love the focus override.
So I was thinking maybe upgrade the 85D to the G for the same reason.

But then, at some point if I keep saving up I was thinking of going to the 85/1.4D (there's no way I'll be able to afford the 85G)

I use the shallow DOF for more artistic photo concepts that I'm working on. But then the 1.4D may be quite some time away due to the higher cost$$$

What would you do?
yeah I know .. what does the 85D not do that the 85G doesn't.
manual focus override
apparently no purple fringing
and I heard the 85D has issues with high key backgrounds due to the dated lens element design (which I'll be experimenting with at some point)
beyond that I haven't really compared the two and have no experience of the other 85s

Thanks

 

[hamlet]

Why not get the rokinon 1.4 85mm?

 

[Derrel]

The 85/1.8 AF and AF-D (same optics, over what? A 20-year production run?) makes very good photos; the 85/1.8 G takes GREAT images, and is much sharoper, and much more free from aberration, and has much better corner performance; it is one of the absolute sharpest lenses Nikon makes, regardless of price. If it has an issue it is that it is almost clinically sharp; too sharp for portraiture and people work of normal people, but great for high-detail work such as on landscapes and scenics, reportage, documentary photos where AMAZINGLY crisp pictures are the goal. This lens is remarkably good, across the majority of the FX frame, even fairly wide-open. I've owned it for two years now, and am always impressed by its biting sharpness. But for the people shots I do, I usually use something else, like a zoom lens, or....the older 85mm f/1.4 AF-D, the so-called "Cream Machine", a nickname given the lens maybe 10 years ago by internet bokeh fanatics.

Here's an un-retouched 85mm f/1.4 AF-D shot done with electronic flash and shot at f/7.1 at pretty close range on 24MP FX. You can see the OOF forehead, and look at the necklace and see how the out of focus behind the plane of sharpest focus has no "haloing", no "jarry" nature...it's just a smooth OOF behind the focus zone, and the areas in front of the focus zone look acceptableShot with a small,silver-pebbled interior 24 x 24-inch softbox and an OLD, uncoated flashtube, for a cool, Ektachrome 64 type look, which is what I learned studio flash on.

.

[ click on link to see what it really looks like D3X_1789V-1-STAR.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com ]

The 85mm f/1.4 AF-D makes beautiful people pictures. It has smoother, creamier bokeh than the 85/1.8 G-series. it has more corner fall-off, in sharpness and in illumination, and it's not as "sharp". Yes, it's a good, sharp, prime lens, but using a knife analogy, the 85/1.8 G lenses (both 1.4 and 1.8) are surgical scalpel sharp...the 85/1.4 AF-D is hunting knife sharp...it's quite good, but there "is" better across the frame sharpness, higher central sharpness, and overall more "high-rez" available in the new G-series 85mm lenses from Nikon.

The 85/1.4 AF-D is also a bit flare-prone when shot toward really strong light. What it gives is a very sharp central image, with a lot of edge to corner fall-off in sharpness and illumination when shot from wide-open to about f/5.6, sort of what many available light portrait shooters tend to love. Stopped well-down to f/7.1 or f/8, it's a great lens for electronic flash portraiture, and I LOVE the way it looks on pictures of people. I use the 85/1.4 AF-D probably more than any other prime lens I own for portraits...but I actually prefer the versatility of a good f/2.8 zoom lens most of the time. It is BEAUTIFUL at f/4 outdoors on people!

However, as what I call a field telephoto, the 85/1.8 G is hard to beat for value. One of the big lens testing sites did a 5-model 85mm F-mount lens test and evaluation; the 1.8 G is the overall, total winner, eclipsing even the new 85/1.4 AF-S G; however, I do think the 1.4 model's nano-coating makes it maybe a bit better choice for people who LOVE to shoot right toward the sun, which is the 1.4 AF-D's weakest performance area. I LIKE to have an 85mm lens, and have shot one since the early 1980's, whenever I need to shoot in crappy light or tough-to-focus situations, or when I need a SHARP image that I can later crop-in on.

[ 85mm f/1.4 AF-D with stock hood; 85mm f/1.8 AF-S G with stock hood; 85mm f/2 Ai-S,no hood,52mm filter size lens; DSC_4928_85mm trio.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com ; below, same trio, minus lens hoods ]

[ DSC_4931_85mm trio.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com ]

For STEALTH, the 85mm f/2 Ai-S looks almost exactly like a 50mm f/1.4 or 35mm f/2 Ai-S Nikkor. The 85mm f/2 is a SMALL, inconspicuous lens.

[ DSC_4936_85mm trio.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com ]

 

[astroNikon]

Derrel,
My concern is strictly for people.
So no 1.8G for me, and I'll save up for the 1.4D.
In the mean time I'll keep the 1.8D. Sounds like the best plan.

 

[odagled]

I remember having this same problem. D or G? 1.4 or 1.8?? Eventually I went with the 85mm1.8G. Why? Well I found one used when it was out of stock everywhere. Took a look at the lens and it was practically brand new. I do portraits as well but I just like the contrast/sharpness this lens gives me.

 

[astroNikon]

I remember having this same problem. D or G? 1.4 or 1.8?? Eventually I went with the 85mm1.8G. Why? Well I found one used when it was out of stock everywhere. Took a look at the lens and it was practically brand new. I do portraits as well but I just like the contrast/sharpness this lens gives me.

I currently have the 1.8D.
So I'm not looking to get a 85 from not having one.
I was looking at a 1.8G but was thinking to myself that from everything I read that I would prefer the 1.4D. Thus I might as well save up.

The G option came up as I was really happy with my 50/1.8G that I just got to replace the 50/1.8D. I really like the manual override as a primary reason to go to it. I don't plan on doing any landscape, etc as I have other options. This is strictly a portraiture/artistic lens for me.

I'm curious if a good nano coated filter with the 1.4D will eliminate strong light flaring outdoors
and how the AI-S lenses compare.

 

[chuasam]

I'm looking to trade my 1.8D for the 1.8G. I shoot back lit a fair bit and the D lens flares like crazy.
If I wanted a 1.4 I think I'd wait for the soon to be rumored Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sscarmack]

What about the 85 1.4G? I'm in the market for a 85, I think....

 

[astroNikon]

What about the 85 1.4G? I'm in the market for a 85, I think....

Too much $$$$
plus from what I've read, chatted with ppl, etc the AF-D one is better for portraiture.
and alot less $$ then the G

but .. i'm still trying to figure out if I want to get a TC.

 

[sscarmack]

I think you should

I know a guy haha

 

[DevC]

The D series is just phenomenal. The minor sharpness will not be heavily noticed unless your clients are professionals in the photo market. I would keep the D (wow that sounds dirty) and save the cash period.

 

[astroNikon]

lol

decisions ,decisions.
I passed on a good price on a 85/1.8 G and I'm sticking with my AF-D for now.

I also have the problem where I have the 50/1.8 AF-D and 50/1.8 AF-S G.
The G has manual focus override. But the D just looks better on the camera - not so large and a quick flick of the body motor switch and it's in manual.

 

[DevC]

lol

decisions ,decisions.
I passed on a good price on a 85/1.8 G and I'm sticking with my AF-D for now.

I also have the problem where I have the 50/1.8 AF-D and 50/1.8 AF-S G.
The G has manual focus override. But the D just looks better on the camera - not so large and a quick flick of the body motor switch and it's in manual.

I for one love my precious 1.8D. Best deal in photography by far. They are both almost fully equivalent. The minor increase in sharpness between series is legit nothing worth worrying about.

Why do you have both?

 

[astroNikon]

I have both the 50mm 1.8D and 1.8G because I was going to "upgrade" to the G. But I like the D ... lol
I also have 2 camera bodies but only need the 50 for my crop body. I like the smallness of the D and the focus speed seems to be the same. G stops down toe f/16 whereas the D to f/22
G manual autofocus override. They're both good though the D is much smaller.

 

[DevC]

somtimes smaller can be better (ok thats it with the dirty stuff). The D lens is exceptional being smaller and lightweight to carry around. The G, from my experience is nice, but the D is just overall...the better item in my honest opinion. Its fast, reliable, and takes the same exact quality images.

I'd sell the over the D, mainly because you can get a better resale value. If you are still in prime to sell the D, i would of baught it off of you, but since youa re in michigan, that doesn't seem do able.