Review Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

According provided by Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 lens (AI-S) huge thanks to the store www.fotika.com.uawhere you can find a huge number of different used photographic equipment, including this model.

Review Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

Review Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 is a legendary, very high quality manual lens, produced from 1981 to 2006. Unlike various versions of Nikon-class lenses 85/1.8, has always been produced in only one version - AI-S.

Basic Information on the Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 Lens

Basic Information on the Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 Lens

The lens is very well made, weighty, with a large front lens. Personally, I would like to see on it a light filter with a diameter of 77 mm, not 72 mm. The camera looks very solid, especially if you install a hood. Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 uses a metal hood NH-20, which is screwed in instead of the front filter. I really did not like the fact that when using a hood, you can’t close the lens with a protective cover (you have to remove the hood and cover with a hood after shooting, while the hood cannot be installed back-and-forth for transport mode).

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 when focusing on MDF

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 when focusing on MDF

The focusing ring is rubberized, rotates only 90 degrees. It is rather strange that a lens of this class has a small focusing ring travel. In practice, it's not all that bad. The focusing ring travel is very smooth, and due to the fact that the ring is large enough, it is not difficult to focus on focus. On the body there is a scale for focusing distance in meters and feet. The minimum distance is 85 cm.

The depth of field scale is made using multi-colored stripes, each specific color has its own meaning aperture (DoF is indicated for F / 16 - orange, F / 11 - blue, F / 5.6 - yellow). There is also a red dot that serves as a mark for adjusting focus for sharpness in the IR spectrum.

Also, the focusing ring has a hard stop (Hard Infinity Focus Stop), which allows you to quickly and accurately focus the lens to infinity; in most lenses, the focusing to infinity is 'floating' due to the peculiarities of the temperature conditions of the materials.

During focusing, the trunk of the lens lengthens, but the front lens does not rotate. Also, when the focus ring is rotated, it itself moves forward along with the trunk of the lens, while the rear lens moves and rotates.

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 is one of the first Nikon lenses to use technology CRC (Close Range Correction) - a focusing system with correction at close focusing distances (i.e. a floating focusing system). CRC allows you to get good image quality at any focusing distance.

Enlightenment of the rear Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 lens

Enlightenment of the rear Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 lens

The diaphragm consists of nine blades, but the trouble is that when you close the diaphragm, they form polygons that are easily visible in photographs (see an example), while the polygons are not quite the correct shape (different lengths of edges).

The aperture ring sets only fixed values ​​of F / 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, i.e. allows you to change the aperture in increments of one stop without the ability to use intermediate values.

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 and the inscription Made in Japan

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 and the inscription Made in Japan

And a couple of photos of the lens itself:

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 with Nikon NH-20 Japan native hood

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 with Nikon NH-20 Japan native metal hood

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 with a hood and a native cover of the old model

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 with a hood and a native cover of the old model

 

Enlightenment of the front lens Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

Enlightenment of the front lens Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 diaphragm petals

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 diaphragm petals

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 and Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1: 2.8 L IS USM

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 and Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1: 2.8 L IS USM

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on a Canon EOS 1200D camera mounted with a Nikon-Canon adapter

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on camera Canon EOS 1200Dinstalled using Nikon-Canon adapter

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on the Nikon AF N8008S

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on the ZK Nikon AF N8008S

 

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 in performance

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 in performance

Without a hood, the lens easily “catches flare”, in which the frame is filled with 'veil', 'rainbows' and halos (see examples: time, two, three). With the hood installed, it becomes difficult to catch the 'veil' or 'rainbow'.

At F / 1.4 you can sometimes get very strong chromatic aberration (see an example), also on F / 1.4, the lens is not very sharp due to spherical aberrations. Nevertheless, for many tasks, especially for portrait shooting, F / 1.4 is absolutely working. When you close the aperture to F / 2.0, visually sharpness improves significantly, and chromatic aberration in the zone of sharpness they practically disappear. At F / 2.8, the lens is already very sharp. At F / 16, sharpness sags slightly due to diffraction.

No matter what they write there, but the fact remains - Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 is a pleasant lens, from which you can squeeze out much more excellent shots than you might imagine at first glance. Japanese engineers, as for 1981, did their best. If you are looking for a good autofocus portrait lens, then perhaps my note about 'Choosing a Nikon Native Self-Focusing Portrait Lens'. If you disdain with autofocus optics, then another legendary lens can serve as an excellent portrait solution - Nikon 135mm 1: 2 Nikkor.

Here link to the archive with the originals - 1.5 GB, 73 photos in .NEF and .CR2 format from cameras Nikon D700 (FX), Canon EOS 1200D (Canon APS-C Kf = 1.6) part of the photo was shot using flashes Nikon Speedlight SB-900 и Metz Mecablitz 48AF-1. On the Canon camera, the lens was used with an adapter Nikon - Canon.

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on the Nikon AF N8008S

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 on the ZK Nikon AF N8008S

All autofocus 85s

Choosing a good 85mm portrait lens is very important for a large number of photographers. I pay a lot of attention to this issue, therefore I have prepared this list of all such autofocus lenses for full frame cameras with F <= 2 and a focal length of about 85 mm.

Nikon (F, Z mounts)

  1. Nikon 85mm 1: 1.8 AF Nikkor [December 1987]
  2. Nikon 85mm 1: 1.8D AF Nikkor [March 1994, Thailand/Japan]
  3. Nikon 85mm 1: 1.4D AF Nikkor [November 1995]
  4. Nikon 85mm 1: 1.4GN AF-S Nikkor SWM IF Nano Crystal Coat [August 2010]
  5. Nikon 85mm 1: 1.8G AF-S IF SWM Nikkor [January 2012]
  6. Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm 1: 1.8 S [July 2019]
  7. Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm 1: 1.2 S [January 2023]

Canon (EF, RF mounts)

  1. Canon LENS EF 85mm 1:1.2 L USM [September 1989
  2. Canon LENS EF 85mm 1: 1.8 USM [July 1992]
  3. Canon LENS EF 85mm 1:1.2 L II USM [March 2006]
  4. Canon LENS EF 85mm 1:1.4 L IS USM [November 2017]
  5. Canon lens RF 85mm F1.2L USM [May 2019]
  6. Canon lens RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS (DEFOCUS SMOOTHING) [October 2019]

Yongnuo/YnLens (different mounts)

  1. Yongnuo YN85mm F1.8 (YN85mm F1.8) [9/6, Canon EF, February 2017]
  2. Yongnuo YN85mm F1.8 (YN85mm F1.8N) [9/6, Nikon F, May 2019]
  3. Ynlens YN85mm F1.8S DF DSM (YN85mm F1.8S) [9/8, Sony E, August 2020]
  4. Ynlens YN85mm F1.8R DF DSM (YN85mm F1.8R) [9/8, Canon RF, May 2021]
  5. Ynlens YN85mm 1:1.8Z DF DSM (YN85mm F1.8Z) [9/8, Nikon Z, March 2022]
  6. Yongnuo 85F1.8S DF DSM [9/8, Sony E, August 2022]

Sony / Sony Zeiss ZA / Minolta (E / FE, A mount)

  1. Sony FE 1.4/85 GM (SEL85F18GM) [February 2016]
  2. Sony FE 1.8/85 (SEL85F18) [February 2017]
  3. Sony SAL85F14Z / Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 85 ZA T* [June 2006]
  4. Minolta AF 85mm 1:1.4 (22) (AF lens 85) / Minolta Maxxum / Dynax / G / G+D / G+RS / G+D+LE and other versions of the same lens, A mount [1987]

Sigma (different mounts)

  1. Sigma EX 85mm 1: 1.4 DG HSM (two sub-versions with different body finishes, for Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, February 2010)
  2. Sigma 85mm 1: 1.4 DG | A [Art] (for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA, Sony E, Leica L, September 2016)
  3. Sigma 85mm 1: 1.4 DG DN | A [Art] (for Sony E, Leica L, August 2020)

Viltrox (different mounts)

  1. Viltrox PFU RBMH 85mm F1.8 STM (Sony E/FE + Fujifilm X, 2018)
  2. Viltrox AF 85/1.8 STM ED IF (Nikon Z, Canon RF, December 2020)
  3. Viltrox AF 85/1.8 II STM ED IF (Sony E/FE + Fujifilm X, July 2020, light version XNUMX)

Pentax (K mount)

  1. SMC Pentax-FA* 1:1.4 85mm IF AUTO FOCUS PENTAX 85 [1992]
  2. HD PENTAX-D FA * 85mm 1: 1.4 ED SDM AW [May 2020]

Samyang / Rokinon (different mounts)

  1. Samyang AF 85 / 1.4 EF (for Canon EF, scheme 9/7, June 2018)
  2. Samyang AF 85/1.4F (for Nikon F, scheme 9/7, April 2019)
  3. Samyang AF 85 / 1.4 FE (for Sony E, scheme 11/8, March 2019)
  4. Samyang AF 85 / 1.4 RF  (for Canon RF, scheme 11/8, May 2020)
  5. Samyang AF 85 / 1.4 FE II (for Sony E, scheme 11/8, July 2022)

Meike (Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Nikon Z, FujiFilm X)

  1. MEIKE 85mm AF 1: 1.8 [review] (Canon EF / Canon EF-S, April 2018)
  2. MEIKE 85mm AF 1: 1.8 [review] (Nikon F, Aug 2020)
  3. MEIKE 85mm 1:1.8 Auto Focus Lens FF STM [review] (for Sony FE/E + Nikon Z, Canon RF, FujiFilm X, June 2022 + March 2023)
  4. MEIKE 85mm 1:1.4 Auto Focus Lens FF STM (for Sony FE/E + Nikon Z, September 2023)

Zeiss (various mounts)

  1. Zeiss Sonnar 1.8 / 85 T * (Batis 1.8 / 85) [April 2015, built-in stabilizer, Sony E/FE mount, 11/8]
  2. Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4/85 ZA T* (Sony SAL85F14Z) ​​[June 2006, Sony A/Minolta A mount, 8/7]
  3. Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 85 T * [November 2002, Contax N mount, 10/9]

Tamron (different mounts)

  1. Tamron SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD Model F016 (for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A [without VC function], March 2016)

Tokina (Sony E / FE mount)

  1. Tokina atx-m 85mm F1.8 FE (for Sony E, most likely a complete analog Viltrox PFU RBMH 85mm F1.8 STM, January 2020)

AstrHori (Sony E/FE mount)

  1. AstrHori AF 85mm 1:1.8 [December 2022]

Panasonic (L mount)

  1. Panasonic LUMIX S 1: 1.8 / 85mm [November 2020]

Separately, you can still highlight non-classic 85s:

  1. macro lens Canon Lens RF 85mm F2 MACRO IS STM [2020, RF]
  2. longer LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1: 2/90 ASPH. (2018, Leica l)
  3. less aperture Sony 85 / 2.8 SAM (SAL85f28) [2010, A]
  4. shorter SMC PENTAX FA 1:1.8 77mm Limited (1997, K)
  5. shorter HD Pentax-FA 1: 1.8 77mm Limited (2021, K)
  6. shorter Samyang AF 75 / 1.8 FE (2020, E) + Samyang AF 75/1.8X (2023, X)
  7. cropped Samsung Lens 1:1.4 85mm ED SSA i-Function [2011, NX]
  8. cropped and longer FUJIFILM FUJINON LENS SUPER EBC XF 90mm 1: 2 R LM WR [2015, X]
  9. cropped and shorter Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF STM ED IF [2022, X, E, Z]
  10. cropped, less aperture, macro lens Nikon DX AF-S Micro Nikkor 85mm 1: 3.5G ED VR SWM IF Micro 1: 1 [2009, F]
  11. many 90/2.8 class macro lenses

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Results

Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4 is the first and only manual Nikkor lens of class 85 / 1.4, very well made, has a nice picture. Recommend.

UPDATE: interesting appeared Samyang 85mm f / 1.2 Premium MF.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Dmitry K

 

 

Comments: 52, on the topic: Review of Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4

  • anonym

    There is also nikkor 105 \ 2.5. Aperture 2.5 is almost always operational. and the price does not bite. It is strange that they did not mention him. All the same, 135 \ 2 will be more expensive and the focal length is less convenient.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      105 2.5 is a slightly different level of optics than in terms of aperture and cost :) but, yes, 105 / 2,5 is a good lens (there is actually a whole line there). But I really forgot to mention 105/1,8.

      • sergey

        I agree that this lens looks more solid than 105 2.5 mm. There is one plus in universal hoods - you can attach a filter and put on a lens cap.

  • Jury

    Thanks, Arkady. Quickly, you did a review of this beautiful lens :), maybe you can’t remove the hood after shooting, but put a light filter on it and forget about the hood? I use my 85 1.8 AF (according to your recommendation;))

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Well, I played with this lens for 10 days, 2 times shooting people failed, and today I finally shot something for examples. They gave me no light filter, and therefore this trick did not work, but in fact, if it were my lens, I would have done so.

      • Dim

        Yes, this time, cat-flowers look more interesting than portraits.

    • anonym

      But what about the rubber 2-3 position hood. Convenient. in addition, you can put a lid on it

      • Arkady Shapoval

        And the rubber ones are not native, and the rubber hood for such a lens is not suitable.

        • anonym

          to what extent I agree with you. but on the other hand, in the photo work it is not visible which lens hood was wound on the lens. Although the result may be due to the fact that you will shake it in your own homemade hood or there. Your kind is love of glass or respect (dedicated to maniacs)

  • Sergiy

    Privit. “I really liked the fact ...“ there’s a mess, I don’t think it’s worth it). Klasny. This will turn your soul into trouble, but you can be reconciled with a cry).

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Fixed

  • zengarden

    And how is he compared to the similar Samyang (if he fell into your hands)?
    http://www.samyang.ru/obektivy/nikon/samyang_85mm_f_1_4_as_if_umc_ae_nikon_f/

    • zengarden

      Ah, sorry, you have a review, I didn’t see it right away :)

  • Exhausted

    Polygons in bokeh are simply ugly in their shape. Cinema and many photo lenses have a multi-blade aperture with a perfectly round pupil. Arkady, why do you think the developers of this certainly good lens did not “go to great lengths” in this regard?

    • Denis

      I think the curves of the closed diaphragm figure are a consequence of wear / deformation of the mechanics.

    • Ibrahim

      As an assumption about the petals, because the aperture should work at the fastest shutter speeds, 1/8000 1/16000. And if there are many petals, they may either not work out or break at such a speed. The assumption is because, I know the problem of Tairov who have 22 petals, that they break from ordinary not quick turns, and you have to disassemble and fold the diaphragm anew. As an option

      • Denis

        The speed of the aperture does not depend on the shutter speed used. The diaphragm pusher first closes it (at the speed with which it can), only after that the shutter releases with its shutter speed (the speed of the shutter, which also does not depend on the shutter speed used), and then the diaphragm opens, again at the same speed.

        • Ibrahim

          Yes, I agree, then I can not say anything in defense of the polygons

  • anonym

    Bokeshechka - delight ^ _ ^

  • anonym

    due to the magical tendency towards manual glasses I wanted to replace my 85mm f1.4g “N” with an elderly portrait lady, but something stopped it at once. most likely the convenience of autofocus. although the charm remains with the old model. ...

  • anonym

    please tell me what does the feature of the temperature regime of materials mean ???

    • Arkady Shapoval

      When heated, the metal expands, when focusing to infinity, every tenth of a millimeter plays a role, therefore, because of this, “infinity” can float. On most lenses, the focusing ring has a power reserve so that you can focus at infinity at any ambient temperature.

      • anonym

        Thank you, I did not think that these little things are so important !!!!

      • varezhkin

        Interestingly, I have not heard of this ...

    • Dmitry K

      in winter, the materials are compressed and the lens becomes slightly shorter, in summer longer. In such conditions of varying lengths, doing infinity exactly at the end of the focusing range is fraught with the fact that in summer having twisted to a maximum you will fly over to infinity, and in winter, having turned all the way to infinity, you still will not reach. In modern lenses, there is no hard-stop-spinning to infinity or MDF you can still twist the focus ring

      • anonym

        Thank you, too )

  • Maxim Teltsov

    Great lens! I happened to use it. With the aperture wide open, it was difficult for me to focus - the DOF is too small. But the result was worth it.
    Thanks for the review.

  • Dmitry K

    it was necessary to chase it for another 5d — it would be possible to compare cameras in absolutely equal conditions))) So we saw the magic color rendition of the first five-copeck coin compared to seven hundred

    • Exhausted

      I think both are good.

      • Dmitry K

        yes, but so many legends about the first nickle))))

        • Pastor

          The color rendition of 5d is good, but for me, the Nikon D80 in this regard is also not bastard. I have both cameras and sometimes in the same conditions the d80 gives even the best result. True, 5d wins more often, but for that he and ff, for that he is much more expensive.

          • Dmitry K

            can you send raves of the same plot? but that is, there is a patch on sale inexpensively, I think to take it, not to take it or dig up for the seven hundredth Nikon ... or spit and sit with the three hundredth one further))))

    • Dmitriy

      The color rendition of the old nickel is not remarkable. But Nikonov’s non-AF optics are far superior to Canon’s zooms, Elka and, even sometimes, fixes, in micro-contrast. Why does it make much sense to put it on the Canon. Color rendering is also different (no better / worse, just completely different)

  • Vladimir

    gorgeous lens!

  • Amatich

    Thanks Arkady for the review. Portraits of girls are beautiful.

  • serg

    Garnі dіvchata

  • Zmitser

    and how much this will cost, interestingly, in terms of USD

  • anonym

    The girl in green ah ... awesome !!! Yabvdul;) Arkady, give her phone number, please !!!

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You have an appointment with Ray.

  • The Hedgehog

    In the paragraph (above sample photos)
    "Whatever they write there, but the fact remains -"
    “Whatever” is written separately :-))

  • Amateur photographer_

    Wonderful oh, active! Risky, juicy and good microcontrast! Win an order of magnitude more like a soviet "miracle" Gelius-40-2!

  • Serge

    Yes, cool stuff!

  • Denis

    Arkady, what can you say about the 85mm f / 2 manual, in comparison with the other 85mm from nikon? If you do not pay attention to autofocus, let's say compare them all when working with manual focus.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I didn’t use 85 2.0, it’s hard for me to say something.

      • Denis

        And of those who managed to work, what do you recommend for portrait shooting with manual focus, can 135mm also be included in the selection circle?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          85 1.4 AI-S, 135 2.0 AI-S, 180 2.8 AI-S

          • Denis

            Thank you!

        • Denis

          You can a couple for a change)

  • Vlad

    Arkady good day! Please advise a portrait portrait on 700ku, 85 1,4 al s or 85 1.8g (meaning picture quality).

  • Paul

    I would like a review (and maybe a comparison with this lens) Zenitar-1N 85 1.4

  • Dmitriy

    But interestingly, how is it compared to Zenitar 85 1.4? His price is somehow biting. I am more inclined to Zenithar.

    • Rodion

      Zenitar will be different in the picture after all. And I don't think it's worse - just different.

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