Very good focal length range for full body to head shot, preferably for indoor studio shoot with strobes...Since I don't have I can,t comment on the quality of the lens.....
...I use this lens on my D300 for corporate, and business headshots (studio), and it serves very well. I actually use a Tiffen "soft efx 2" on the lens to knock it down a little...it's very sharp.
My 16-85 is very sharp throughout the range but does soften a smidge as you approach 85mm. It doesn't have all that great of bokeh, which is the worst around 50mm. I would think that for studio work it would perform well though. I will have to look for some examples.
Just a side note, if you are looking for a dedicated tele/portrait shooter (and cheap!), most definitely look into the 85 1.8. It makes me wonder why I never got one years ago.
Thom Hogan says this is a very sharp lens but maybe a bit over priced: http://www.bythom.com/Nikkor16-85lensreview.htm
I have to agree that the 85 1.8 is the best bang for the $$$$. Take care. Bob
Love the price/performance of the 85/1.8, but that octagonal bokeh somehow bothers me. For portraits, I'd get a manual-focus 105/2.5 AIS for $200 or so, or a 105/2DC or 135/2DC if I had the cash. Haven't made friends with the razor-thin DOF of the 85/1.4 yet.
