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dves
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Registered: Jan 19, 2009
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jun 6, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,400.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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85 1.4 is a nice aspect
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Cons:
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shadow detail
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I have used this lens extensively in available, flash, & fluorescent light. I have shot wedding, portrait, fashion & product with it. Wedding & portraiture it is fantastic as good as canon's 50mm f1.4 FD mount lenses which I have owned as well. It's one let down in comparison to my 50mm 1.4 summilux leica optics is in shadow rendering, there is a lot of missing data which is frustrating when shooting dark textures like hair & skin tone, so I sold it. I will try the Zeiss Makro-Planar 50mm f/2.
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 Jun 6, 2010
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84FJ60
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Registered: Sep 20, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 181
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Review Date: May 25, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Mystifying Bokeh
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Cons:
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Screwdriver autofocus
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Without a doubt, this is the best portrait lens I've ever used. I also love it for indoor sports such as volleyball or basketball.
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May 25, 2010
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Kliff
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Registered: Nov 25, 2009
Location: N/A
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Jan 28, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,300.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp from wide open,pleasant bokeh, accurate AF
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Cons:
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none
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Excellent lens for portraiture
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Jan 28, 2010
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jlnewland
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Registered: Dec 12, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 10
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Review Date: Dec 12, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Gorgeous bokeh, sharp without stopping down, renders great skin tones, small and light for a portrait lens, old-school perfection.
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Cons:
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Some color fringing in high-contrast transitions between dark and white. Love the metal hood, but it prevents the standard lens cap from seating firmly back on the lens. Once you shoot with this lens, though, you probably won't care.
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I keep coming back to this lens for portraits. It really shines for work in an outdoor or non-studio environment, where the bokeh can really be appreciated. The smooth bokeh makes the subject really pop, and this lens has an almost magical touch with fine detail and skin tones. A classic that's worth every penny.
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Dec 12, 2009
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KrazyYak
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Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Apr 26, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 27
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Review Date: Oct 23, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,000.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Amazing sharpness, build quality, weight, bokeh. Balances perfectly on a D300.
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Cons:
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Slow to focus in certain situations.
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This lens is fan-freaking-tastic for portraits. It throws the backgrounds into a very pleasing blur and keeps the subject super sharp. I've joked with my friends that they need to do a better job of cleaning their pores after retouching portraits of them.
It balances wonderfully on my D300, and I am usually hesitant to take it off.
Only downside is that it is quite slow to focus on quickly moving subjects (I suspect this is due to the older AF-D style focus drive). This is especially true for subjects moving towards you. By the time it focus and snaps the shutter, the subject has moved too much to remain in focus.
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Oct 23, 2009
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FatBoyAl
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Sep 4, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 542
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Review Date: Jul 28, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,025.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Build, f1.4, included metal hood, sharpness, IQ - everything!
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Cons:
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perhaps cost
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What can I say that hasn't been said? It's a well-made, fast AF, excellent IQ addition to anyone's kit. Like my purchases of the 35/1.8 and 50/1.8, this was to complete my low-light glass to allow for a wedding for a friend. I'm so glad I agreed to do it.
This lens isn't cheap and despite it's age, it's difficult to find. I got a great deal on a refurb and I couldn't be happier. Like I said, it's built like a tank, comes with a metal hood and is just sharp sharp sharp. You gotta love it in low-light and even in great light. Some large aperture lenses are only sharp stopped down. Well, what's good about that?? This is great from 1.4 on and only gets better.
Worth it all the way around.
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Jul 28, 2009
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Enche Tjin
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Registered: Jun 14, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jun 17, 2009
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Recommend? |
Price paid: $1,000.00
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Pros:
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built quality, bokeh, image quality, sharpness
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Cons:
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AF speed
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Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4D has been hailed as legendary lens for Nikon DSLR or film camera. I think it is because of its unique characteristic but also its age. This lens has been around for thirteen years.
Image Quality and characteristic
Mounted in Nikon full frame camera D700, the lens is sharp at maximum aperture of f/1.4D, which is excellent. Stopped down to f/2.8, the lens become very sharp. But extreme sharpness is not what this lens is made for. It is primarily made for its ability in low light condition, and its ability to create a beautiful out of focus effect in background or foreground.
Because of those characteristic and its fixed focal length, this lens is ideal for portrait. It is also good for candid portraiture such as in wedding. For Nikon pro wedding shooters, this lens is one of must have lens.
Unfortunately, this lens suffers a bit from purple fringing in high contrast area (see sample pic below), it is also susceptible to flare, but not as bad as other lenses.
Auto Focus operation
Because Nikon 85mm f/1.4D does not have built-in motor focus like modern lenses (AF-S) lens, it relies on camera body to focus. It speed will also depend on the camera body. The more higher-end model such as Nikon D700, D3 or D3X will focus faster than the entry-level camera.
When mounted in Nikon D700, the lens focus very fast. Unfortunately entry level user such as Nikon D40, D40X and D60 only can use manual focus because the camera body doesn't have the capability to focus AF lenses. This lens also create some noise when focusing because lack of Silent Wave Motor.
In sport games such as basketball, the lens has difficulty in continuous tracking. It fails to lock on the object properly resulting in many blur image. I don't recommend it for sports.
Build Quality
Built quality of this lens is awesome, it is average in size and weight and very nice to handle. The focus ring is smooth. Closest focusing is 85cm, make it not very ideal for macro / close-up photography.
It will come with "metal" lens hood. Unfortunately the lens hood it screw in type and you can't reverse it for more compact storage. In spite of that, the lens hood is fully metal, so it is better than regular plastic type and a lot more durable.
Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D vso 85mm f/1.8D
Compare to f/1.8D version, This lens is 2.5 times more expensive, the cheaper lens is not as sharp as f/1.4D in its maximum aperture of f/1.8. At f/2.8, the sharpness is almost equal. The build quality is also a lot worse than the f/1.4D. But the 85mm f/1.8 is more compact and portable.
In Conclusion
You might want to get this lens because of several reasons:
* You frequently shoot at extremely low light condition which f/1.4D is often needed
* You are concern about artistic, especially smooth background blur.
You might not want this lens if
* You are looking for the sharpest lens from edge to edge of the image. (The lens is designed to be sharp in the center "focus" and soft in the corner).
Don't buy this lens for indoor sports, it is better to get either f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens or lighting equipment.
Please visit my blog www.radiantlite.com for sample photos and video tour
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Jun 17, 2009
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Enche Tjin
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jun 14, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jun 14, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4D has been hailed as legendary lens for Nikon DSLR or film camera. I think it is because of its unique characteristic but also its age. This lens has been around for thirteen years.
Image Quality and characteristic
Mounted in Nikon full frame camera D700, the lens is sharp at maximum aperture of f/1.4D, which is excellent. Stopped down to f/2.8, the lens become very sharp. But extreme sharpness is not what this lens is made for. It is primarily made for its ability in low light condition, and its ability to create a beautiful out of focus effect in background or foreground.
Because of those characteristic and its fixed focal length, this lens is ideal for portrait. It is also good for candid portraiture such as in wedding. For Nikon pro wedding shooters, this lens is one of must have lens.
Unfortunately, this lens suffers a bit from purple fringing in high contrast area (see sample pic below), it is also susceptible to flare, but not as bad as other lenses.
Auto Focus operation
Because Nikon 85mm f/1.4D does not have built-in motor focus like modern lenses (AF-S) lens, it relies on camera body to focus. It speed will also depend on the camera body. The more higher-end model such as Nikon D700, D3 or D3X will focus faster than the entry-level camera.
When mounted in Nikon D700, the lens focus very fast. Unfortunately entry level user such as Nikon D40, D40X and D60 only can use manual focus because the camera body doesn't have the capability to focus AF lenses. This lens also create some noise when focusing because lack of Silent Wave Motor.
In sport games such as basketball, the lens has difficulty in continuous tracking. It fails to lock on the object properly resulting in many blur image. I don't recommend it for sports.
Build Quality
Built quality of this lens is awesome, it is average in size and weight and very nice to handle. The focus ring is smooth. Closest focusing is 85cm, make it not very ideal for macro / close-up photography.
It will come with "metal" lens hood. Unfortunately the lens hood it screw in type and you can't reverse it for more compact storage. In spite of that, the lens hood is fully metal, so it is better than regular plastic type and a lot more durable.
Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D vso 85mm f/1.8D
Compare to f/1.8D version, This lens is 2.5 times more expensive, the cheaper lens is not as sharp as f/1.4D in its maximum aperture of f/1.8. At f/2.8, the sharpness is almost equal. The build quality is also a lot worse than the f/1.4D. But the 85mm f/1.8 is more compact and portable.
In Conclusion
You might want to get this lens because of several reasons:
* You frequently shoot at extremely low light condition which f/1.4D is often needed
* You are concern about artistic, especially smooth background blur.
You might not want to get this lens if:
* You are looking for the sharpest lens from edge to edge of the image. (The lens is designed to be sharp in the center "focus" and soft in the corner).
Don't buy this lens for indoor sports, it is better to get either f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens or lighting equipment.
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Jun 14, 2009
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baabbott
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jul 31, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 129
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Review Date: Jun 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,025.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fine image quality, smooth subject isolation, solid build
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Cons:
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Very expensive
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I bought this lens new and I really enjoy using it. I wish the hood was not the screw-in type as I tend to leave the hood attached and it's difficult to store in most camera bags in a compact way with the hood installed.
Like many others, I wish the lens had af-s focusing so the ring switch did not have to be used to tweak manual focus. IF Nikon decides to upgrade this lens, I'm sure it will come in around $1500 or so.
I have contemplated selling this lens and my 17-55 and buying the 24-70 as I don't use the wide end that much and I would like a little closer focusing as well, but...every time I think about it, I talk myself out of it.
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Jun 5, 2009
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puyan Kachani
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Registered: Nov 24, 2006
Location: Germany
Posts: 0
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Review Date: May 25, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Exceptional sharpness at 1.4, Bokeh is beautiful, construction, lightweight
perfect finish
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Cons:
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You ARE getting what you pay for.
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May 25, 2009
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Kibsgaard
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Registered: Aug 21, 2007
Location: Denmark
Posts: 39
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Review Date: Apr 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Bokeh is awesome
Fine sharpness allready from 1.4, but of course it improves stopping down.
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Cons:
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Some CA in high contrast areas.
Not a fast AF, but it is OK, I do not use it for sports (here I use 70-200VR)
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This lens is one of the few I bought used, but I would have bought it from new if I did not get this possibility.
I sometimes sell my lenses and buy new, but this is the lens I will never sell.
It has a fine sharpness allready from 1.4 - but of course it improves stopping down.
The bokeh is awesome.
There is a certain "touch" over the pics from this lens.
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Apr 5, 2009
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rk-d
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 26, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 81
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Review Date: Mar 2, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,025.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Exceptional sharpness at 1.4, but with an organic, film quality. Bokeh is the best I've ever seen. Construction is indisputably pro. Colors are beautifully natural. Comes with a full metal hood.
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Cons:
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Still AF-D, VR would be nice to have, CA is a major flaw, Hood is screw on type. Expensive, given lack of modern technology.
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This is one the best lenses I've ever owned. It has been described as "smooth yet sharp" and this is the best description I've heard. The bokeh is the definition of creamy smooth, yet the focus point will be absolutely pin sharp. When combined with the beautifully natural colors and contrast, the overall image is very film like in presence. The images from this lens have a very distinctive organic quality that I can pick out every time, so if you don't like a lens to have a personality - this may not be the lens for you.
It's not perfect, though. Wide open CA is among the worst I've experienced in high end glass. The lack of AF-S is annoying - focus acquisition is slow and noisy. The nature of shooting a wide open 1.4 at 85mm makes it tricky in locking a reliable focus - a problem exacerbated on DX cameras. VR would be a nice solution to help when your focus plane is a matter of millimeters.
The construction is old school - it has that awesome crinkly finish that Nikon no longer uses and a nicely engraved, metal front lens surround and filter thread. The included hood is a nice metal piece, but is a screw in type which can be annoying.
When it comes down to it, despite it's real flaws, this is a legendary piece of glass and well worth owning. Highly recommended.
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Mar 2, 2009
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