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Archive 2019Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)

  
 
ronno
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p.2 #1Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Lance B wrote:
ronno wrote
Earlier quoteIt better be a miraculous performer
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838798-REG/Nikon_2201_AF_S_NIKKOR_85mm_f_1_8G.html
Indeed. The existing 85 1.8 G is a great lens. Super sharp and focuses very well in my experience.
And now we have another one at double the price.
And somehow Nikon, Canon, etc are wondering why these new FF mirrorless cameras are not really taking off

Problem: people are losing interest in buying the D750 and 85 1.8 for $1600 total.
Answer: let's see if they'll buy a Z6 (same sensor) and a 85 S for $2800 - yielding optically identical results.

It's lenses at 2-3x the prices of the lenses they are replacing, or using a clunky and slow-focusing adapter which is a real issue here. Even though, yes there are some minor optical improvements with some of the S lenses, which no one looking at a print will ever notice IMO.
I'm not really sure what you want Nikon to do with the current market trend. Nikon could sell the lens at what it cost them to make, I guess if that would make you happy. But it would still be much more that you're probably willing to pay anyway and Nikon would probably go broke in a very short time with that sort of sales strategy. The price of the lens reflects the cost of design, production, manufacture, marketing and overheads etc. It is what it is and it is becoming the law of diminishing returns the more high
...Show more →

I am a professional photographer, and have clients such as Williams-Sonoma, Google, Sephora, Martha Stewart, L’Oreal…I also have 3 foot wide prints up in a museum at the moment. So I know something about looking at big prints, and whether these (relatively subtle and easily fixed while converting RAW files) issues have ever been a problem for me or these clients.
Answer: NO.
Have I even once gotten a comment about CA / LOCA etc or even lack of sharpness from anyone, ever, regardless of lens/camera used?
Answer: NO.
Sure, pixel peepers on the net can love the minutiae, but out in the real world?

All I’m saying here is that Nikon’s share of the market is tanking, and having the entry-level portrait lens at $800 now is not going to help that situation.

Edited on Jul 31, 2019 at 08:29 PM · View previous versions
Jul 31, 2019 at 09:19 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.2 #3Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
ronno wrote:
MayaTlab wrote
ronno wroteEven though, yes there are some minor optical improvements with some of the S lenses, which no one looking at a print will ever notice IMO.
I'm fairly certain that both you and me would be quite able to make an A/B selection between the G and S in regards to CA even in a fairly small print.

Whether that truly matters in the end...
So you don’t use the CA reduction when converting raw files then? Would we need a magnifying glass to see the difference? Would it have any real impact on the final image?

They are trying to sell cameras and lenses to people who are happy using their cell phones now instead. Doubling prices is not the way to do it in my opinion. Even for a minor (easily corrected) difference in CA.


CA reduction if it is longitudinal CA does not work very well and often does not clean up the problem and is some cases creates new ones. To me having a lens with less CA is worth paying more for the lens.
Jul 31, 2019 at 09:46 AM
Vinnie_VdB
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p.2 #4Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Ordered the 85mm and will have all S lenses with the exception of the 50mm. I have high hopes for this 85mm. Is is anything like all the others will I be very happy
Jul 31, 2019 at 10:35 AM
umsl12
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p.2 #5Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
F/1.8 lenses' availability was one of the reasons I chose Nikon Z over Canon EOS R when I switched from Sony A7R3 couple months ago. I liked Sony FE 85mm 1.8G (never owned the 1.4 version) so there is no reason I won't like this Nikon Z counterpart.
F 1.2 and 1.4 lenses are nice but I hate their prices and sizes/weights. I don't need them either.
But I wish this lens priced around $600-700.
Jul 31, 2019 at 11:36 AM
Dj R
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p.2 #6Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
I thought it would be longer (pinky to lip)
pleasantly surprised that it is not. fairly light too.
should balance perfectly.











Edited on Jul 31, 2019 at 05:40 PM · View previous versions
Jul 31, 2019 at 01:01 PM
gdsf2
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p.2 #7Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Dj R wrote:
gdsf2 wroteActually, it just needs to be as good as the 35mm and 50mm S. Nobody with a Z body is buying the F versions of these lenses.
well, I was buying the 28e, 58g, 105e, for their uniqueness and/or superb optics and smooth bokeh.
but I get what you're saying, not many folks are buying the 35g, 50g, 85g, now that the S glass is out or coming out.

---------------------------------------------

cbreiland wroteIt looks smaller than i thought it would be based on the mockups.

OOF rendition seems to be top notch for the speed of the lens.

The canadian price pill is a little hard to swallow, but so it goes.
I agree, and I'm happy with the weight, too
470 grams
3.9"
LIKE

bokeh, can be a little harsh with these S primes.
I am not a huge fan of the samples provided. they are "fine" images, don't get me wrong.
I really wish they would allow someone else to produce the sample shoots.
we need more variety of types of images. more variety of natural
...Show more →

If you are really happy with the 105, why get the 85? Seems like overkill.

High end portrait vs. regular portrait session? Sorry folks, you only paid for the regular portrait. No 105 for you!

Jul 31, 2019 at 04:02 PM
Lance B
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p.2 #8Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
ronno wrote:
Lance B wrote
ronno wrote
Earlier quoteIt better be a miraculous performer
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838798-REG/Nikon_2201_AF_S_NIKKOR_85mm_f_1_8G.html
Indeed. The existing 85 1.8 G is a great lens. Super sharp and focuses very well in my experience.
And now we have another one at double the price.
And somehow Nikon, Canon, etc are wondering why these new FF mirrorless cameras are not really taking off

Problem: people are losing interest in buying the D750 and 85 1.8 for $1600 total.
Answer: let's see if they'll buy a Z6 (same sensor) and a 85 S for $2800 - yielding optically identical results.

It's lenses at 2-3x the prices of the lenses they are replacing, or using a clunky and slow-focusing adapter which is a real issue here. Even though, yes there are some minor optical improvements with some of the S lenses, which no one looking at a print will ever notice IMO.
I'm not really sure what you want Nikon to do with the current market trend. Nikon could sell the lens at what it cost them to make, I guess if that would make you happy. But it would still be much more that you're probably willing to pay anyway and Nikon would probably go broke in a very short time with that sort of sales strategy. The price of the lens reflects the cost of design, production, manufacture, marketing and overheads etc. It is what it is and it is becoming the law of diminishing returns the more high tech everything becomes. But do you really think a Z6 + 85 f1.8S will yield optically identical results as the D750 + 85 f1.8G? If so, then it isn't obviously for you and maybe you would be happy enough with a phone camera like everyone else these days. This is mainly what is driving people away from camera sales and the fact that for the majority of them use it for Facebook photos and that's it. However, for those of us that enjoy the extra resolution and overall IQ, then this lens will suit us down to the ground.
I am a professional photographer, and have clients such as Williams-Sonoma, Google, Sephora, Martha Stewart, L’Oreal…I also have 3 foot wide prints up in a museum at the moment. So I know something about looking at big prints, and weather these (relatively subtle and easily fixed while converting RAW files) issues have ever been a problem for me or these clients.
Answer: NO.
Have I even once gotten a comment about CA / LOCA etc or even lack of sharpness from anyone, ever, regardless of lens/camera used?
Answer: NO.
Sure, pixel peepers on the net can love the minutiae, but out
...Show more →

Then there would be no point in even changing the mount if that is the way you feel. Luckily, others don't feel that way. The thing here is, the mount offers advantages in other areas that other lenses take advantage of, more specifically the wider end, but also helps lenses like these also. The other advantages other than better IQ are that many lenses can be made smaller and lighter and to many this is a big advantage also, specifically those who want a light and small travel kit without losing the IQ advantage. Whether you see it or not is irrelevant, many do and want those advantages. If you do not want to spend the money, stick with your F mount glass.

If you think that camera and lens sales are tanking because of Nikon's "high price" for lenses and cameras, think again, it is tanking because *all* camera sales have plummeted by over 80% in the last 6-7 years!! This is due to camera phones mainly, but also because all cameras have hit a technological peak and most people don't need any more than that, no one was updating but more importantly, most just need a camera that quickly converts to Facebook photos. Therefore, there has been a huge drop in DSLR sales and many are opting for the smaller and lighter ML offerings of Sony and Sony has taken the market lead in ML and Canon and Nikon are late into that market. So, what do you do to pull back those sales? You don't offer a ML version of an F mount camera because there is no real point of difference, people will just stick with their DSLR and F mount lenses as there is no optical advantage with F mount, in fact it has disadvantages. You get people to switch by offering a point of difference, smaller, lighter and better IQ, especially at the wide end. Things couldn't stay as they were, otherwise Nikon (and Canon) would have failed as DSLR sales plummeted further, the Z mount will at least give Nikon a chance to at least keep up with Sony. So, Nikon at the moment, has the advantage of both DSLR and ML sales and the F mount glass can be used on the Z mount thus keeping Nikon's sales at least reasonable as far as Nikon is concerned. However, DSLR sales will further diminish once Nikon's ML get better and in the end match the ability of their DSLR counterparts.

The cost of implementation of the new mount is being worn by we early adopters, to a point. Yes, some of the lenses are a bit more expensive than their F mount counterparts, but the F mount glass is well entrenched and implementation costs have all been adsorbed, not so with the Z mount. The Z mount lenses will all come down in cost in the future, but the advantages of the new mount are there and tangible. The new lenses have better IQ and are smaller and lighter and if they aren't smaller and lighter it is because Nikon has gone all out to showcase the new mount. What would be the point of offering a new mount and lenses if they didn't show an advantage somewhere, like size, weight or IQ? If you look at the results from reviews on lenses like the 35 f1.8S, 50 f1.8S, 24-70 f4S, 24-70 f2.8S and 14-30 f4S, they are all receiving glowing reviews especially in sharpness, sharpness edge to edge, low coma, low CA and pleasing bokeh and overall excellent IQ. This cannot ever be said of their F mount counterparts.
Jul 31, 2019 at 04:41 PM
cbreiland
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p.2 #9Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Even if nikon is making only marginal improvements, of which I think greatly improving aberration control isn't marginal, they're adding a lot of functionality for video production, which I think is the biggest benefit of the Z cameras at this point compared to the F mount ones.
Jul 31, 2019 at 09:50 PM
sungphoto
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p.2 #10Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
I’m a full time commercial photographer.

There’s absolutely an enormous value in lenses that don’t produce as much CA as past f-mount counterparts depending on what you shoot. For example, on figure jewelry work where the high contrast nature of the jewelry with specular and hard lighting results in CA in all but the most well corrected lenses.

When a client is cropping down a 46mp file for web usage down to tight crops of the diamond, purple and green fringing corrections will lead to noticeable impairment of fidelity and in some cases make some images unusable without a lot of retouching.

I’ve put hundreds of thousands of frames through the 85 f1.8G and I know it well, and it doesn’t come close to the optical performance of the S lenses. Full stop.

ronno wrote:
Lance B wrote
ronno wrote
Earlier quoteIt better be a miraculous performer
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838798-REG/Nikon_2201_AF_S_NIKKOR_85mm_f_1_8G.html
Indeed. The existing 85 1.8 G is a great lens. Super sharp and focuses very well in my experience.
And now we have another one at double the price.
And somehow Nikon, Canon, etc are wondering why these new FF mirrorless cameras are not really taking off

Problem: people are losing interest in buying the D750 and 85 1.8 for $1600 total.
Answer: let's see if they'll buy a Z6 (same sensor) and a 85 S for $2800 - yielding optically identical results.

It's lenses at 2-3x the prices of the lenses they are replacing, or using a clunky and slow-focusing adapter which is a real issue here. Even though, yes there are some minor optical improvements with some of the S lenses, which no one looking at a print will ever notice IMO.
I'm not really sure what you want Nikon to do with the current market trend. Nikon could sell the lens at what it cost them to make, I guess if that would make you happy. But it would still be much more that you're probably willing to pay anyway and Nikon would probably go broke in a very short time with that sort of sales strategy. The price of the lens reflects the cost of design, production, manufacture, marketing and overheads etc. It is what it is and it is becoming the law of diminishing returns the more high tech everything becomes. But do you really think a Z6 + 85 f1.8S will yield optically identical results as the D750 + 85 f1.8G? If so, then it isn't obviously for you and maybe you would be happy enough with a phone camera like everyone else these days. This is mainly what is driving people away from camera sales and the fact that for the majority of them use it for Facebook photos and that's it. However, for those of us that enjoy the extra resolution and overall IQ, then this lens will suit us down to the ground.
I am a professional photographer, and have clients such as Williams-Sonoma, Google, Sephora, Martha Stewart, L’Oreal…I also have 3 foot wide prints up in a museum at the moment. So I know something about looking at big prints, and whether these (relatively subtle and easily fixed while converting RAW files) issues have ever been a problem for me or these clients.
Answer: NO.
Have I even once gotten a comment about CA / LOCA etc or even lack of sharpness from anyone, ever, regardless of lens/camera used?
Answer: NO.
Sure, pixel peepers on the net can love the minutiae, but out
...Show more →
Jul 31, 2019 at 09:51 PM
umsl12
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p.2 #11Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Looking at those official image samples, I think I'm pleased with that 1.8 lens' performance at the price. The bokeh is pleasant to me although it's not like creamy f1.4 and $1500 lenses.
Jul 31, 2019 at 11:26 PM
sungphoto
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p.2 #12Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Useful comparison up on nikonrumors: https://nikonrumors.com/2019/07/31/the-new-nikkor-z-85mm-f-1-8-s-mirrorless-lens-compared-to-the-85mm-f-1-8-and-f-1-4-dslr-versions.aspx/

Looks like 2 ED elements and nanocoating, both of which the 1.8 G version lacked, which should help with retaining contrast in backlit high contrast situations, as well as reduce chromatic aberration (something that both the 1.4 G and 1.8 G exhibits pretty strongly wide open).

MTF Charts if you care about that kind of thing:

85 f1.8 S:

https://nikonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Nikon-Nikkor-Z-85mm-f1.8-S-lens-MTF-chart.png

85 f1.8 G:

https://nikonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Nikon-AF-S-85mm-f1.8G-lens-MTF-chart.jpg

85 f1.4 G:

https://nikonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Nikkor-85mm-f1.4G-MTF-chart.png

Aug 01, 2019 at 05:42 PM
suteetat
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p.2 #13Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Looks great. Unfortunately, I am in the camp where I already have 105/1.4 so I am not sure why I might need or want this lens. On top of that, now I can use Sony 85/1.4GM on Z7 well enough. If I don't already have too many
lenses in the 85-105mm range, this looks very tempting.
Aug 01, 2019 at 06:01 PM
Lance B
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p.2 #14Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Looking at the way the S30 and the M30 lines meet out from the centre and also the gentle smooth roll off, it should mean that the bokeh is superb. It is also sharper wide open than the 105 f1.4E is wide open, which is amazing in itself. Looks like Nikon knew what they were doing with this lens.
Aug 01, 2019 at 06:47 PM
Max Power
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p.2 #15Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
GroovyGeek wrote:
BPsmith511 wrotehttps://www.dpreview.com/news/2661937334/nikon-s-nikkor-z-85mm-f1-8-s-to-ship-in-september

Looks like a honker, I'm sure it will perform great. $800 is about what I expected, if the performance is at their stated target. I'm sure some will balk at the price but it's not bad. Looking forward to more releases for the Z system!
It better be a miraculous performer
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838798-REG/Nikon_2201_AF_S_NIKKOR_85mm_f_1_8G.html


I bet it’s fifty bucks better than the Tamron. Doesn’t sound like are going to be buying any new lens designs, because this is where we are. If you are happy with the old designs, looks like you get to save some money.
Aug 01, 2019 at 09:13 PM
Dj R
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p.2 #16Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
does anyone have any insight on what part of september this lens will be in our hands?
Aug 02, 2019 at 03:31 PM
Andre Y
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p.2 #17Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
September 5 is the ship date on some sites.
Aug 02, 2019 at 04:03 PM
Dj R
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p.2 #18Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
Andre Y wrote:
September 5 is the ship date on some sites.


Thx I had not noticed that.
They always seem to ship on a Thursdays.
It’ll be a race to see who gets one - in time for the weekend.

I’m excited about this lens.


Aug 02, 2019 at 06:40 PM
Dj R
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p.2 #19Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
I am now being told, by NPS, shipping mid September


I am saying a prayer that it's in my hands before the weekend of friday 9/20.
Aug 06, 2019 at 03:17 PM
elkhornsun
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p.2 #20Pre-order: Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens ($796.95)
It seems quite odd that after Nikon stated that with the new Z mount it would be easier to produce faster lenses that they come out with a 85mm f/1.8 lens. I guess what can be done and what they think the Z camera buyers will pay for a lens are quite different.

For portrait work my favorite lens is the Nikon 105mm f/3 DC followed by the 70-200mm f/2.8 followed by the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 IS. I find the 85mm too short in terms of the perspective it provides for people's faces. Not that the 85mm is bad, just that 105mm or even longer is better.
Aug 06, 2019 at 04:51 PM
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