Your thoughts on the Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens

lance70 · May 1, 2015

Hello... I would like your thoughts on the Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens when used with a full frame camera....I just recently went to full frame and was curious how this lens would be for portrait work inside, I would have about 18ft to work with.......thanks

astroNikon · May 1, 2015

It's nice. But which 85/1.8 are we chatting about?
the AF-S G or AF-D version? G is really sharp.

you have a 70-200. Put it on 85 and test out the inside space requirements for full body portraits, shoulder and up ?

Derrel has alot of the distance stuff right in his head.

lance70 · May 1, 2015

Thanks...I was looking at the G version....and good idea about trying mine on 85mm.

D-B-J · May 1, 2015

f3.2

_RSP0778-Edit by f_one_eight, on Flickr

f3.2

Zach and Erin by f_one_eight, on Flickr

f2.2

I Can Fly! by f_one_eight, on Flickr

f2.0

Jack, Neat by f_one_eight, on Flickr

All shot on a D800. I love it, and it's tack sharp. The biggest issue it has is CA, especially wide open, which is often why I'll stop down to f2.2 or f2.5--but that's with any wide aperture lens unless you spend a lot of money. It's a killer imager for the price, really.

Vtec44 · May 1, 2015

I have it and it's a great lens. It is very sharp at wide open. I sold it to get the 1.4G version because I want to blur out the background even more.

Braineack · May 1, 2015

If you're ever trying to do taller work, you might have your back against the wall (literally).

It's a great lens for the budget. While I prefer the look that the 1.4G gives you, it's also less than 1/4 the price.

This was at f/2:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/17161750951_2cfbca2803_o.jpg

You can see the CA on her necklace--Green behind the focus and purple in front.

A few people prefer the rendering of the D models if you dont mind extra CA.

goodguy · May 1, 2015

I believe the Nikon 85mm 1.8G is Nikon's second sharpest lens in their lineup.
Used to own it and loved it but since I got the Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 I stopped using it for portrait, the 85mm is sharper but the Tamron is plenty sharp too and is so much more flexible.

BrickHouse · May 1, 2015

I absolutely loved it on the d3200, I love it even more on the d750. 85mm on FF is perfect for shooting my kids in my apartment without being right up in their faces.