Nikon AF-S NIKKOR f/1.8G ED Lens - 85 mm

Product Information

I have received several inquiries from our readers about weather sealing on cheaper Nikon prime lenses. The short answer is “No”, these lenses are not weather sealed. While I have been using my Nikon 85mm f/1.8G lens in hot/cold/dry/wet weather conditions and have not had any issues, Nikon lenses without gold rings are not designed to withstand tough weather as professional lenses. That’s why Nikon does not specifically mention weather-sealing in their marketing materials on these lenses. Another good news is that the rear element of the lens does not move in and out when focusing, so you do not have to worry about changing the lens focus to infinity when changing lenses (like on the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G). Nikon's highest performance 85mm lens of all time — and even Nikon's first 85mm f/2 of 1949 is still an excellent performer adapted to Z cameras. The minimum focus distance of 80cm isn't overly special for a lens in this focal range and is perfectly suited for portraiture, although not so much for frame filling detail close-ups. The size of the Nikon 85mm 1.8 G in my opinion balances nicely with most modern DSLRs, although it is on the large side. But it does give you plenty of room to use your free hand to support the weight of the camera and steady it as well.

With those caveats, the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AF-S G is ultra-sharp edge-to-edge at every aperture, especially on the 36 MP Nikon D800.If you want the sharpest possible 85mm lens for your Z camera, this is it. You can save money with an F-mount AF-S 85mm f/1.8 and use the FTZ adapter, which also works very well.

The bokeh of the 85mm 1.4 is slightly softer (read: better) because of its wider aperture and 9-blade diaphragm. As well as being highly sought after by portrait photographers, those who shoot weddings, still life, events, fashion and so on are likely to also be tempted by the 85mm f/1.2. Having that extra wide aperture comes in handy when shooting in typical low-light scenarios common with weddings and events. Whether most ordinary photographers can justify more than three times the outlay than the 85mm f/1.8 is another matter. That said, it could be a lens you choose to hire for a specific occasion or one to dream about should your lottery numbers finally come up. Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S Features This is great for astronomy; just turn to the stop and you have fixed laboratory-perfect focus all night.

There is some slight spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes. The Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AF and AF-D have superb optical and mechanical quality. They have been among Nikon's most popular lenses for many decades, and rightfully so.