freaklikeme Online Upload & Sell: Off
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The nFD 85/1.8 can be had in good shooter condition for around $200. Like the 50/1.4, it's readily available, so the price hasn't shot up like it has on some of the less common FD lenses. It's center sharp wide open and the bokeh's okay- not distractingly funky but not really neutral or creamy. The fringing can be problematic at wide apertures, so watch your high-contrast areas. It needs a little distance (around 2M) before it really shows it strength, so if you like to use this focal length near MFD consistently, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. This one + adapter does have the benefit of being one of the smaller fast-85 options.
If you're really lucky, you'll be able to find a Minolta 85/2 in your budget. Sharp, no distortion, lovely colors, gentle focus transitions, decent bokeh, good throughout its focusing range, and relatively small for a Minolta lens. Fringing can still be an issue, but it's no worse than the Canon. I have the older 85/1.7 and love it but, if the f/2 had been as easy to convert to Alpha, I would've happily kept it instead. It's not the easiest lens to come by, so prices skew high, but I've seen them pop up sub-$300 over the past year. If you find one you can afford, I highly recommend snatching it up.
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