p.3 #2 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
The AF on the Sigma is "fidgety". Can't find the right word for it. It will sometimes hesitate and do the quick back and forth hunting thing, then settle in. It doesn't always do this. Just sometimes. But the AF is still quick...relatively speaking that is.
The only thing holding me back is the build. I just like the 85G build and feel better. Of course I like the Sigma price much better.
p.3 #3 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
I would very much agree with that Nick. I can't describe it either and it doesn't do it very often. Basically it can't find the focus so it'll search for it and then even if the focus isn't even close it will lock in. The build on the G though is definitely better. It feels like a much more solid product in your hands.
p.3 #4 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
Nick Nishizaka wrote:
The AF on the Sigma is "fidgety". Can't find the right word for it. It will sometimes hesitate do the quick back and forth hunting thing, then settle in. It doesn't always do this. Just sometimes. But the AF is still quick...relatively speaking that is.
My Sig 50 1.4 does the same thing. It feels like it is doing micro adjustments to aquire a 100% in focus image.
p.3 #5 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
jonshonda wrote:
My Sig 50 1.4 does the same thing. It feels like it is doing micro adjustments to aquire a 100% in focus image.
Yup. My Sigma 50 does the same thing and the Sigma 85 is kinda like that. Probably not as often as the 50, but that's the idea.
The AF on the 85 G is "smoother" in that regard. But it could be because the AF on the 85G is near silent except for the high pitched squeal it has. (24G has the same thing)
p.3 #6 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
I would say the AF is just about equal in terms of accuracy. I would say the 85mm 1.4G is more accurate close up but the Sigma 85mm seems to handle subjects at longer distances better. I still feel they are both really solid lenses with the Nikon just being better all around.
Seriously though why is there even a point to buy the 85mm 1.4D Used unless the price you get makes it worth your while. To me $100 or $200 is hardly worth it when you consider how improved even the Sigma is over the D.
p.3 #7 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
Were I making a decision of which lens to buy at the moment, I've little doubt the Sigma 85 f/1.4 would be my choice. I'm not wild about spending $1,700 for a lens in this range and Sigma delivers at an excellent price point. Since I already own the 85 f/1.4D, however, I have no intention to dump it in favor of any lens.
When I first came over to Nikon early this year I did a half-assed comparison of the Nikon 85 f/1.4 and my all time favorite Canon lens, the 85 f/1.2L. I was underwhelmed with the Nikon lens but seriously impressed with the D700 versus the 5D I'd been using for four years, so the 85L remains in the box until I get around to selling the balance of my Canon gear.
In the meantime, I've been using the Nikon 85 f/1.4D and it has definitely grown on me. I use it exclusively for portraiture and I'm delighted with my results. It definitely produces a sweet bokeh that I'm very fond of. The lens does what I need it to do admirably and I see no reason to change it simply because something new is on the market and stirring the lens lust of some Nikon users. If you absolutely HAVE to have what one of these new lenses gives, knock yourself out. In the meantime, I'll keep the lens I have, watch its value diminish as I enjoy using it.
p.3 #8 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
It's still a great portrait lens. The other two are just more versatile. As I said it will work for some, not for others. In terms of value you would just have to expect it to decline in value.
I also used to love and hate the Canon 85mm 1.2L. It's a great portrait lens but is slower than all hell. All I was saying is there is no way it's worth what people think it is.
p.3 #9 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
CGrindahl wrote:
The lens does what I need it to do admirably and I see no reason to change it simply because something new is on the market and stirring the lens lust of some Nikon users. If you absolutely HAVE to have what one of these new lenses gives, knock yourself out. In the meantime, I'll keep the lens I have, watch its value diminish as I enjoy using it.
And that's fine since you are happy with the AF-D and don't need it to do anything more than portraits, as you mentioned. I agree that the AF-D is a specialty lens. I just couldn't get over the inconsistency. I could live with the sometimes questionable bokeh, but not the AF.
I'm sure there are lots of folks who bought the newer lens just because it was newer. I actually sold my 85 1.4 D a few months before the 85 G was announced and made do with the Sigma 50mm for a while. Of course no one knew what the heck was going on with the Sigma 85 back then. It was still vaporware.
When the 85 G was announced and I read about the much improved AF, I jumped on it. Not b/c it was new, but b/c I felt there was finally an 85mm f1.4 lens that has decent AF. Same thing with the Sigma.
p.3 #10 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
khphotography wrote:
It's still a great portrait lens. The other two are just more versatile. As I said it will work for some, not for others. In terms of value you would just have to expect it to decline in value.
I also used to love and hate the Canon 85mm 1.2L. It's a great portrait lens but is slower than all hell. All I was saying is there is no way it's worth what people think it is.
The 85L still has the f1.2 aperture going for it. Whether the benefits are real or perceived, some people will jump all over that.
I agree. Buying the 85 1.4 D makes no sense when you can buy the Sigma for a similar price. I would buy the Sigma over the D any day of the week.
p.3 #11 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
The 1.2 and 1.4 honestly I don't think I could tell much difference and even when I had the 1.2L I didn't like shooting that wide open as the DOF was razor thin and for portraits it was a love hate battle to get perfect focus. Besides that the 85mm 1.2L was a wicked lens and in a different league than the 85mm 1.4D.
I'll be curious next year when Nikon releases the 50mm 1.2G. That's the lens that I know will suit my needs at a focal length that I use quite often.
p.3 #13 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
If Henri-Cartier Bresson was alive today and comes across this thread, he'd probably read a few post, shake his head, close firefox and never again read any messageboards. The discussion between D, G, and Sigma is so gear-centric it's funny. Whatever happened to just "capturing the image"?
On the other hand, what good is a fast, accurate motor if it's blown? The humble 35 f/2, the hated 85/1.4D, and the uber slow 180 2.8 will still autofocus YEARS after the tiny motors on these AF-S and HSM lenses take the dump.
Admiring the "latest and the greatest" is fine, but let's not act like the old, trusty AF-D's of the past are garbage.
p.3 #15 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
DontShoot wrote:
If Henri-Cartier Bresson was alive today and comes across this thread, he'd probably read a few post, shake his head, close firefox and never again read any messageboards. The discussion between D, G, and Sigma is so gear-centric it's funny. Whatever happened to just "capturing the image"?
On the other hand, what good is a fast, accurate motor if it's blown? The humble 35 f/2, the hated 85/1.4D, and the uber slow 180 2.8 will still autofocus YEARS after the tiny motors on these AF-S and HSM lenses take the dump.
Admiring the "latest and the greatest" is fine, but let's not act like the old, trusty AF-D's of the past are garbage.
Yeah...sure...what good are any of the modern lenses then...both Canon and Nikon. To heck with them. Sure wish I can read into the future so I'll know whether these lenses will in fact fail. In fact what good is a camera with all it's mechanics?
Time to pick up a paint brush.
Hey, if "garbage" is all you know, then you learn to love the "garbage" eh?
p.3 #17 · Sigma 85mm vs Nikon 85mm 1.4D vs Nikon 85mm 1.4G - The good, the bad and the ugly.
You can get the Sigma at Abes of Maine for $803 right now.
Add it to the card which will give you an automatic discount of 10%.
Then enter the code LOYALTY15 for an additional $15 off.
