Anyone have a Nikon 85 1.4?

[NLD]

Considering this as next lens purchase. Just looking for opinions on it...have been reading all over the Internet and know it's good for portraits... but am also wondering if it works as a decent walkaround street photography lens?

Also have read a few comments that the focusing is a little slow (it's not AF-S) and I'm wondering if this is an exaggerated complaint or not...? Is it too slow to catch an active six-year-old in motion?



Edited to add: Street photography was not the best choice of words. Maybe more like street portraiture.... Can you use an 85 and get any compelling compositions of people with a hint of environment, or is it just WAY too tight for that?

 

[annnewjerz]

I will be officially jealous if you get this lens---every test shot I've seen from it is perfect. One day, I'll be able to afford a used copy As far as being slow to AF, if I'm not mistaken you have the D60, right? If so, I believe the 85 is AF-D which means you will be manually focusing with it, making AF speed a moot point. Hope that helps and if you get the lens definitely post some shots!

 

[NLD]

Hey Ann, you have a good memory... yes, I have a D60 but the lens would be purchased in conjunction with an upgrade to a D90.

It's kind of between the 85 or a tele zoom. (Probably 80-200 2.8, I just can't justify the 70-200 to myself at least not unless some killer deal like you found on used comes along!) I'm treating myself to one really good lens along with the body.

In my heart the 85 is the lens I want because of the bokeh. STUNNING. And my favorite thing to photograph so far is people.

But my head is saying "You don't have any focal length past 105 right now. Get a tele zoom."

So I guess I'm looking for justifications/other uses for the 85.

 

[WDWFigment]

I'd get the tele-zoom, but then again, that's what I have my sights on right now, so I'm a little biased. Both look awesome, so you can't go wrong either way. At 85mm f/2.8, the tele-zoom is still going to look pretty good. Plus, there are a lot of other uses that it would fill that you said you don't currently have an alternate lens to use.

 

[annnewjerz]

I agree with Tom. Knowing that you are going to upgrade to a D90, if I had $1,200 to spend I'd go with the 80-200 f/2.8 before the 85mm prime. I'm sure the 85mm f/1.4 is a dream to use, but I think the 80-200 f/2.8 is a little more versatile. If you don't have over 105mm right now, I think you'll appreciate the extra reach and the constant f/2.8 aperture is great. I rented the 80-200 f/2.8 for my trip in December and was extremely happy with the results. Even at 200mm, in daylight VR wasn't really necessary.

If I hadn't found such a great deal on a used 70-200, I would have gone with this lens and could have seen myself being happy with it for years to come.

Here are a few samples at various focal lengths with the 80-200.

80mm

92mm

125mm

200mm

I don't have time to do 100% crops right now, nor have I even looked at 100% crops because I don't care---but if you are a "pixel peeper" and want to look at the sharpness of the lens on a crop, you can go to my SmugMug and go to "For Fun" and then "Trips" and then my December trip to find all of the photos above in their original file size.

Good luck and let us know what you buy!

 

[NLD]

Thank you both... I think. LOL. The voices of reason... it's just that bokeh!

Ann, the focal lengths with your pics are great, thank you. Helps to show some of what I'd be missing with the fixed focal length.

Can I ask you another question? How was the 80-200 in handling? I'm assuming you have to pretty much carry it by the lens when it's on the body. Did it become cumbersome? Was it difficult to keep steady? (My hands aren't terribly steady....)

For that first shot--I assume you were handholding? And it did okay in that light? Did the autofocus do okay in that light?

I appreciate all the info so much--thank you thank you!

 

[Chikabowa]

The 85mm f1.4 is really slow to focus in my opinion. So is the 105mm f2.8. And the 135mm f2.

For a walk-about street lens, I don't think you can go wrong with the 24-70 f2.8. You won't get that really creamy bokeh with it though as you need something with a longer focal length for that. I absolutely LOVE my 70-200mm f2.8. If I could, that would be the only lens I shoot with... but that is a little impractical. But I really think, if you are doing some sort of street photography, you want something that goes a little wider, honestly.