Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G lens review

[@ungratefulpeasant8085]

The 85mm is my favorite lens, it is sharp, light, and versatile for any type of photography.

[@frederikboving]

It is a great lens. A testimony to the fact that a lens can be great despite made in China and with lots of plastic.

[@bubbly6379]

Wow! I was just looking into this lens today, perfect timing! Can't wait to watch

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Bubbly! Hope you'll find it useful! All the best!

[@allenl.2437]

Really like this lense, has changed how I take pictures. My first prime lense since I got back into digital photography. Had been using the kit lenses that came with my D5600 but this lense is amazing. Very clear and fast, can get shots in much lower light with amazing depth of field. Since I'm using it on a DX camera it's really about 127mm so I am considering getting the 50mm lense if I find I need more closeup shots

[@frederikboving]

Thank you for sharing Allen! Yes, it is a really good lens!

[@photoreviewed-com]

One of my all-time favorites together with 35 & 50 :)

[@frederikboving]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dezmondwhitney1208]

A Helpful, Interesting and fair review with the conclusion that This 85mm lens will produce the goods with your Nikon D750. Thank You frederik.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Dezmond!

[@kimc5750]

A wonderful lens and review. I have the D version and have enjoyed it for many years now. Nice photos as well.

[@frederikboving]

🙏

[@isabelladavis1363]

I use this same combination myself as my go top portrait lens but incredible results and amazing price

[@frederikboving]

👍

[@mikewilson8513]

This lens is absolutely superb. I have a number of FX lenses, I love them all, nikon quality ! But i think this my favourite. Image quality is second to none. The quality of my images with this lens is just the best. Yes its plastic, so what ? The glass is what counts and that is outstanding. Thoroughly recomended.

[@frederikboving]

Agreed- the glass is what counts 👍

[@elboogie2324]

This is my next lens. I have the DX 35mm 1.8, and the 50mm 1.8G, so it makes sense to have this one as well since I want to do some portrait work

[@frederikboving]

Thank you for sharing! I am sure this lens will serve you well for your portrait work.

[@ivanbolton5477]

I have this lens and like it a lot. However, Like you I had exactly the same CA results on back lit tree branches. Glad to realise that it is not just my sample!! Enjoyed your review a lot👍

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Ivan! Yes, I should maybe have made the reservation that the CA issues could be due to my copy, but glad that you have the same observations with a different copy! That makes two of us :-D All the best!

[@jamiej.tilleyphotographyar5177]

I've enjoyed seeing what you've been shooting with your 85, and am glad to see your excellent review. I've only had mine for about three weeks, but I love it. To be fair, I've never owned any professional lenses, so I can't really compare. It does what I want it to do, and very well.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Jamie!

[@efreutel]

Superb review. Thank you.

[@frederikboving]

🙏🏻

[@egyptiansphinx]

Great and detailed review... thank you so much. I've had my fun with buying zoom lenses and started my collection of prime lenses, starting with the 50mm 1.8G. This 85mm looks like it's going to be my next lens.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you for your feedback! Glad it was helpful! All the best!

[@williamkazak469]

Thank you for this review. I have had mine for a very long time. It replaced the previous D version. You did not show any portraits. That is my main use. The 85mm focal length is excellent indoors or out. Longer lenses can be prohibited when working indoors when space to back up is limited. What bothered me about the Nikon G series of lenses, which I have many, is the changing filter diameters. Nikon doesn't care. They wanted to design "better" lenses.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you William. Yes, also sold my copy - the CA was simply too bad for my "shoot into the sun" habit.

[@JimResnikoff]

Glad you finally got it! Great review as always sir. Flare chromatic ab.. are the key things to look out for.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Jim - very kind of you!

[@efreutel]

Great review. Many thanks!

[@frederikboving]

Glad it was helpful! 🙏🏻🤗

[@hhz246]

Great review, thanks for sharing!

[@frederikboving]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@ananamnuk2929]

Quality review man🎉

[@frederikboving]

@@ananamnuk2929 🙏🏻

[@ilmatanela1816]

I find this lens very practical for travel photography as its compact size, the light weight and the corner to corner sharpness make it ideal for landscape photography while decent for portraits too. When I need to be light I just put this and a 35 mm 1.8 in the bag and I know I am covered for 80% of my needs. But for portraiture, my good old 85 1.4D has way, way better rendition.

[@frederikboving]

Thanks for sharing Il Matanela!

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks for sharing... great review although I don't have this lens, I enjoyed your comments and views...I do have the 50mm & 35mm lens and love the results.. cheers 😀

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Robert! Much appreciated! :-D

[@enricomarconi8358]

Great review! I agree the lens is worth the money and delivers beautiful images for the money. In part I regretting selling it, but, on the other hand, I'm enjoying the D F/1.4 - what a lovely lovely lens that is! Old school, yes but amazing images for portraits!

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Enrico and thank you for sharing! I'm sure the 1.4 is a wonderful lens! All the best!

[@godsplannn]

will the quality be different if you have a different body? I have a D3100

[@frederikboving]

You will only be using the center part of the glass, which is the good part 🤗 so you should get the best of the glass. But the 3100 is aps-c so the lens will act more as a 120mm lens due to the crop factor and that may not be what you're looking for.

[@shahneezarshahnan462]

Great informative review. I need to ask if this lens is fully compatible with D3400

[@frederikboving]

Hi, the D3400 has a cropped sensor (aps-c) and this full frame lens will give a focal length of 85x1.5 = approximately 128mm. Some will find this too long for portrait photography. And you will only be using the center part of the glass!

[@derric2963]

This review is insanely good

[@frederikboving]

🙏🏻

[@lesath7883]

Nice review. Thank you.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you!

[@paulhills1967]

Excellent review. Thank you.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you!

[@MrSimonj1970]

I still use (and love) a 1973 pre-AI 105mm f/2,5 - you can't beat metal and glass! If only it was AF.

[@frederikboving]

Thanks for sharing! Yes, the good old all-metal all-glass made-in-japan lenses are in a league of their own!

[@dandruff9244]

Picked one up pretty cheap has a bit of fungus in the rear element , I have a love hate relationship with the 85 focal length ,This is no 5 so far so i,ll see how it goes

[@frederikboving]

Wow! #5! Best of luck!

[@dandruff9244]

@@frederikboving Cheers I,ll test on D4

[@yoniyo4137]

Can i use this lens with nikon d850 for wedding images

[@frederikboving]

Indeed. Have a look here: www.slrlounge.com/6-must-have-lenses-for-wedding-photography/ - the lens is mentioned under section 6. All the best!

[@yoniyo4137]

I didnt unerstand the link so this lens can take good wedding pics with the nikon d850

[@georgedavall9449]

A very nice and well done review, Frederik! Beautiful cat you have there. ☺️ It would appear you received a very nice lens. This is a solid lens, and everything you’ve described is typical for this model lens. I have entertained getting this lens, but my 36 year old AF-d 85mm f1.8 keeps on going! This is the one I told you about, with the sticking focus issue. I’ve owned it since new. It has the metal hood, and I miss those. Of course, in this day of lighter and smaller cameras being preferred, and produced, as well as lenses, plastic hoods seem to have their place. The aperture blades on my old AF-d lens are not much better. I don’t understand why Nikon does things sometimes? But the bokeh on your lens and mine is not too bad. I was a bit surprised by the flare. Wow, that one shot looked like a ‘U F O!’ 😳🙄😂 But, without any special coatings, it can happen. And if this is to be used to take portraits of someone with strong backlighting, watch out! Your reviews have a very Professional presentation, and I appreciate the effort. I have been looking forward to this one from you. Stay safe and Healthy! Happy Shooting! Best to you! 👏🏻👍👍👍😀🇩🇰🇺🇸📷

[@frederikboving]

Thank you George! Like your UFO term :-D Stay safe and healthy! Here in little Denmark the Covid cases are on the rise and fast, despite a very high large percentage of the population vaccinated. So social distancing etc is unfortunately still very relevant! All the best!

[@georgehuman7253]

Thanks for the honest review :)

[@frederikboving]

Thank you George!

[@slr7075]

Luckily snatched mine from MBP for under $200 for a good condition copy. It was mislabeled as a plain 85mm f1.8 AF and priced as such.

[@frederikboving]

Yup, that sounds like a good deal 👌

[@hiddenau]

How do you rate this compared to the 85 1.8 afd?

[@frederikboving]

Oh, I don't have access to the 85 1.8 AF-D, but I noted that other comments that: "But for portraiture, my good old 85 1.4D has way, way better rendition.", so if the 1.4 and 1.8 from the same generation are close in performance, then it sounds to me like the 85mm 1.8 AF-D is better. Ken Rockwell also notes that the 1.8 AF-D has no Coma, which is very seldom.

[@hiddenau]

@@frederikboving thanks for the reply. BTW great work on the review, it’s very thorough and well presented.

[@frederikboving]

@@hiddenau Thank you for your kind words Alec!

[@user-gr9vr8ys7r]

I wish have one

[@frederikboving]

🤞

[@massetozacarias5693]

I wanted these but I'm considering getting this used...

[@frederikboving]

Thanks, got mine used over at mpb.com...

[@emilyxox1898]

is this lens compatible with the nikon d5600? will it auto focus?

[@frederikboving]

It will. The lens has a built in AF motor and the d5600 can communicate with it. Be aware that this lens is built for full frame and hence the effective focal length on a aps-c camera like the d5600 is 125mm or so.

[@ahbidel2990]

Hi ​@@frederikbovingcan you clarify what the downside is if you pair this with d5600. I have d5600 and looking for new lens with 1.8 Apperture. Sorry, English is not my first languange

[@frederikboving]

@@ahbidel2990 Hi, I think the biggest drawback is that you will be using the centre part of the glass only, so you pay for more glass than what you use. The D5600 is a APS-C sensor and is hence smaller than the full frame sensor that you for example find in the D750 or the D4. This also means that the 85mm lens on a Nikon D5600 will NOT be 85 mm but actually about 50% longer, meaning about 128mm. It can still serve as a great portrait lens, but you will need to be further away from the model and if shooting indoor, your studio may not be large enough for you to get the right framing. Hope this helps!

[@k8tv546]

I have a question. Could u tell me Af speed of d7500 and z50. I have money only for 1/2, and just want to know in night which one better Af. In day light z50 gona win d7500 base on more sensitive point and miroless right ? In video d7500 loss z50 for sure

[@frederikboving]

It depends on the lens. The Z50 cannot auto focus with anything but AF-S lenses and Z lenses. AF/AF-D also works on the D7500.

[@k8tv546]

@@frederikboving today i reseach about nikon and found out camera name j5 with 1inch censor. And i get crazy cause with lens zoom 300mm it wil same as 800mm, and that 70-300m lens nikon 1 is the smallest in the world for zoom lens. U should check out and buy it cause it super cheap and become rare in future. I am saving money for all nikon 1 lens : 10-30,30-100,70-300 + body, it gona take about like 700-800 usd in my country. I want to know what 230g miroless 21mpx iss

[@k8tv546]

u can use Ft1 adapter to use all FX/DX lens too, but read manual first, they said all nikon j4/v3 work well, but sadly the newest and best j5 not work with more than 500mm lens. 500x2.71= 1300mm u know. I saw in some video on youtube, they shoot the moon with that nikon 1 70-300mm . total weight only 800g for body + lens. And Tele convert work perfect with FX lens in nikon v3( Iq = 90-95% of j5)

[@frederikboving]

@@k8tv546 Yep, that J5 camera and the FT1 adapter brings new options to the table! Thanks for sharing K8TV!

[@fondler4514]

Can this lens FIT on a nikon D3200?

[@frederikboving]

Yes but as the D3200 is an aps-c camera the crop factor will make the lens about 85+42=127 mm and you will only be using the center part of the glass.

[@fondler4514]

@@frederikboving what does that mean for my photos?

[@frederikboving]

@@fondler4514 That your field of view is more narrow and for say portrait photography you would have to move further away from your subject to get the same place picture as with a lens made for an aps-c camera.

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

Bring back metal!

[@frederikboving]

🙂