Archive 2021 · 85mm 1.8

maroun.c
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 85mm 1.8

Would love to have the 85mm 1.4 but price is prohibitive especially that I don't do much portraits shots.
I do have the 50 mm 1.4, 105 VR, 70-200E which I believe can all do good portraits.
Is there really any added value for the 85 1.8 over lenses I have and is the difference really that worth it between the 85 1.8 and 1.4 ?
Thanks

Mar 11, 2021 at 12:13 PM

DanielScott
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 85mm 1.8

I shoot often with an 85mm f/1.8 lens, and it's excellent for portraits. I rarely shoot wide open though, and in my opinion the only time you would need an aperture of f/1.4 is if you know you're going to be shooting portraits in very low light situations. It's one of my favorite portrait lens and in my opinion 85mm lenses have a particularly beautiful way of rendering a portrait. I think it would add value to your collection as well because I find that the shorter focal length of the 85mm allows me to use it in situations where I wouldn't be able to reasonably use my 100mm lens in closed spaces without causing me to get the wide distortion that you'd get from using a 50mm lens for close up portraits.

Edited on Mar 11, 2021 at 07:25 PM · View previous versions

Mar 11, 2021 at 02:32 PM

RustyBug
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 85mm 1.8

maroun.c wrote:
Would love to have the 85mm 1.4 but price is prohibitive especially that I don't do much portraits shots.
I do have the 50 mm 1.4, 105 VR, 70-200E which I believe can all do good portraits.
Is there really any added value for the 85 1.8 over lenses I have and is the difference really that worth it between the 85 1.8 and 1.4 ?
Thanks

I'm not directly familiar with the 85/1.8 for Nikon. But, iirc there was some difference in AF responsiveness between certain 85 1.8's vs. 1.4's (other brands). So, while the aperture difference may not be a primary driver for you ... the responsiveness of the lens may be something of interest. Optically, 105/2.8 vs. 85/1.8 (shooting at say 2.2 or 2.5) may not be that much of a diff, to call it a wash. But, responsiveness / handling might be something you'll want to get your hands on to see if it is a diff from your current glass.

If it handles like a Ferrari, and focuses with a snap ... you may like it well enough, that the cost suddenly changes perspective wrt it being a "portrait" lens (or not).

Again, I'm not directly familiar with the 85's you're asking about, just mentioning that dof / aperture isn't the only consideration in play for why you might want an 85 prime (drawing / rendering style might call to you as well). Sounds like you need to get your hands on one (rent, borrow, etc.) to see how much diff it calls to you.

Edited on Mar 11, 2021 at 06:09 PM · View previous versions

Mar 11, 2021 at 06:08 PM

Panorascal
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 85mm 1.8

The extra 35mm the 85 gives you over the 50 will make a bigger difference in isolating your subject than the 85 1.4 would over the 1.8. Also as a prime is going to be nicer than even the best tele zooms at the same FL. And smaller/lighter. If I know I'm going to be shooting at 85mm I'll take my old 85 1.4D over my new 70-200 2.8FL every time.
That said, the 85 1.8D is the best deal on the planet. Seen them at <$250usd. The 1.4D goes for N of $500 used and the difference isn't as big as the difference between the 1.8D your other lenses IMO.

Mar 11, 2021 at 06:08 PM


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