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mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #1 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) I just bought an 85/1.4 to use for portraits in combination with the D700. Below are first images taken with the lens. Very pleased with this lens for its color, bokeh and sharpness. All images below were taken at f/1.4. I generally would stop down to at least f/2 if not f/2.8 but I shot all of these wide open to give a go at how the lens performs at f/1.4. Any comments welcome. Mark -- http://www.pbase.com/mholdef/ Edited on Nov 30, 2008 at 09:26 AM · View previous versions Nov 30, 2008 at 06:04 AM

Saint Sigma Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #2 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) You were so pleased with it's color you decided to make B&W images. hehehe just kidding, that lens is great! have fun! Nov 30, 2008 at 06:34 AM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #3 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Thanks ! To be honest with you I just picked up Nik Efex Pro B&W software and couldn't resist! Mark Nov 30, 2008 at 07:16 AM

PurelySwift Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #4 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Looks like a nice sharp one. On 2, the depth of field is a little strange when one eye is in focus, and the other not, but I know you're trying to show what it can do wide open. The others are spot on though. Nov 30, 2008 at 07:34 AM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #5 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) PurelySwift wrote: Looks like a nice sharp one. On 2, the depth of field is a little strange when one eye is in focus, and the other not, but I know you're trying to show what it can do wide open. The others are spot on though. Thanks, agree about 2nd eye. My personal opinion about eyes is that either you have one totally in focus and the other totally out of focus (which presupposes the head to be at say a 45 degree angle), or both totally in focus (which presupposes having the model look straight at the camera. Mark Nov 30, 2008 at 08:45 AM

Steady Hand Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #6 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Greetings Mark. I agree with you and purelyswift. My first thought when viewing these was: 1. Nice portraits (I enjoyed seeing them) 2. Nice BW (I like BW) 3. Good "Subject Engagement" (expressions) 4. Too bad the DOF is so short that some eyes are OOF (or near it) and that the OOF "blur" is coming up the side of the face to the eyes (#1 image is example). 5. My Favorites were #1 and #2 (men generally don't show such open expression and these seem to capture personality well). My Simple Suggestion: Next time try f2.0. I hope these comments help you. And I already know you are already a very good photographer who probably doesn't need "help" in the common sense. Nov 30, 2008 at 01:07 PM

Todd Online Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #7 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Hi Mark I have thisd combination also and it is a great lens. I have had mine for about 6 years now and I still enjoy it. Those are some fun and cool looking portraits you did here. I like the very shallow Depth of field and you did well by focusing on the eyes. The B&W's are great! Here is one I did at F/2 with my D700 with portrait setting. -Todd Nov 30, 2008 at 02:29 PM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #8 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Thanks Steady Hand and Todd. I think we're in full agreement here As said earlier, I think for a "tight portrait" (headshot and shoulders) that f/2 is thr right compromise as Todd has kindly shown in a great example. If standing a bit further away from the model (such as my 3rd to last shot), you could get away with f/1.8 and so on. Essentially f/1.4 should be the "low-light stop" to use instead of going to an ISO rating that would compromise noise and dynamic range. Mark Nov 30, 2008 at 04:04 PM

Steady Hand Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #9 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Yes...we agree..."d'accord." One other point: IF using f1.4 (or f1.8) you might see the nose become soft (slightly OOF) while the eyes are in focus. I find that distracting and "not good" for the image. An example is image #1. It is not "great" or "terribly bad" or "extreme" but it is/was noticeable when I first saw the image. Nov 30, 2008 at 04:16 PM

lovinglife Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #10 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Steady Hand wrote: ...... My Simple Suggestion: Next time try f2.0. . Steady - I think he was posted F1.4 pictures so that readers could see the 1.4 performance of this lens: "I generally would stop down to at least f/2 if not f/2.8 but I shot all of these wide open to give a go at how the lens performs at f/1.4." Nov 30, 2008 at 04:25 PM

Steady Hand Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #11 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) epuja wrote: Steady Hand wrote: ...... My Simple Suggestion: Next time try f2.0. . Steady - I think he was posted F1.4 pictures so that readers could see the 1.4 performance of this lens: "I generally would stop down to at least f/2 if not f/2.8 but I shot all of these wide open to give a go at how the lens performs at f/1.4." Hi... I caught that (or saw it or read it). "Tests" of a new lens is certainly a good place to mention the "characteristics" of the lens or its usage. IF the posted photos show "flaws" of any kind (optical or usage) then I assume the photographer wants to "hear about it." Otherwise, it seems like a "shallow" discussion (no that is not a pun on the short or shallow DOF characteristics). I know this photographer knows his tools. And he is a very good portrait photographer. But...others viewing the image may not understand clearly what they are seeing in the image. Newbies may look at the OOF nose and wonder why or if that is "preferred" by all photographers (as if it were "professional way"). And...he did say "any comments welcome." Hope that helps clarify my POV and my focus on this issue in this discussion. Nov 30, 2008 at 04:29 PM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #12 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) I think all of this is helpful discussion as interesting to see what people think of the images themselves - whetever the f stop used - as a starting point for discussion. I knew the DOF would be very shallow but was curious to see the image output as only that can tell us what we need to do next. Mark Nov 30, 2008 at 05:04 PM

bryanlindsey Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #13 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) The set is very good, but I like #1 and #2 the least, and I'm not sure why. It just looks kind of strange to have the ears and hair out of focus, like it was taken with a fisheye lens. For some reason it seems ok for the girls, but not the men. Hmm. All IMHO, of course. Nov 30, 2008 at 05:27 PM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #14 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) bryanlindsey wrote: The set is very good, but I like #1 and #2 the least, and I'm not sure why. It just looks kind of strange to have the ears and hair out of focus, like it was taken with a fisheye lens. For some reason it seems ok for the girls, but not the men. Hmm. All IMHO, of course. Thanks Bryan for the feedback Mark Dec 01, 2008 at 05:22 AM

Tony Brown Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #15 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) very nice...thanks for sharing. Dec 01, 2008 at 05:45 AM

jprezant Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #16 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) those shots are FANTASTIC!!!! Dec 01, 2008 at 06:06 AM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #17 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) Tony Brown wrote: very nice...thanks for sharing. Thanks Tony Dec 01, 2008 at 12:12 PM

mholdef Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #18 · Nikkor 85/1.4 (images) jprezant wrote: those shots are FANTASTIC!!!! MANY thanks Mark Dec 01, 2008 at 12:13 PM

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