AF 85mm f1.4D                         IF AF 85mm f1.8D

The films used were the new Fuji Provia 100F. As in all reviews, the camera(F5) was mounted on a Gitzo tripod. The lens was manually focused with the aid of the camera’s built-in focus indicator. For this test, both lenses were focused at the subject 2 meters (about 7 ft) away. The apertures tested were f1.4, f1.8, f2.8, f4 and f5.6. The slides were examined using a Nikon 8~16X loupe and this was sometimes supplemented with a 22X loupe from Peak.

Lens Specifications

Despite its size and weight, the Nikkor AF 85mm f1.4D lens balanced well on the F5. The large focusing ring made holding the focusing ring very easy and comfortable. The supplied hood, HN-31, is made of metal. This lens comes in the usual crinkle finish of most pro series Nikon lenses.

The AF 85mm f1.8D lens is a contrast both in weight and size. With a front filter attachment of 62mm, this lens is very easy to handle and would fit perfectly with any camera. It is also supplied with a metal hood, HN-23.

Operation

Manual focusing on both lenses were smooth and the images go from soft to sharp in very short turns of the focusing ring - an advantage during focusing as you can easily get sharp images. The main difference between these two lenses - operation wise - is the lack of a manual/autofocus switch on the f1.8 lens. The Nikkor AF 85mm f1.4D lens has a M/A button which allows the user to switch between manual and autofocus mode without the need to switch the camera to manual shooting mode. In the AF 85mm f1.8D lens, you have to switch the camera to manual mode before you can manually focus the lens. Failing to do this may damage your camera’s focusing mechanism.

Both the front barrels of these two lenses do not rotate during focusing.

Autofocusing was fast on both lenses although the AF 85mm f1.4D was a tad slower - probably due to the weight of the elements! The fact that the AF 85mm f1.8D lens is rear focusing could also explain why it was faster.

Both lenses were able to focus down to the same distance - about 3ft. More than adequate for tight portrait shots.

Construction

In terms of construction, it is obvious that the AF 85mm f1.4D is better built. It has that metal solid feel about it. But don't get the wrong idea that the smaller version is a "cheapo" lens. I have no doubt that both lenses will last a long time if care is observed during usage and storage.

Optical Performance

This is the interesting part. I was pleasantly surprised that both lenses performed admirably wide open. Colours were still good at f1.4 and f1.8 although images were not as crisp as at f4 or f5.6. There was hardly any difference between f4 and f5.6 for both lenses.

In terms of sharpness, both lenses were equally sharp at common apertures, ie. f1.8, f2.8, f4........ The only noticeable difference( and this may be important to some folks) is the background "softness." The AF 85mm f1.4 lens produced a more even "softness" or blur in the background at f1.8 and f2.8 than its smaller counterpart. This blur(some term as "bokeh") is smoother on the f1.4 lens and this alone may make a serious portrait shooter choose the wider lens.

Conclusion

What can I say? Both lenses make excellent portrait lenses. The images produced by these two lenses can hardly be faulted. They also make available light photography easier with their fast apertures.

If you are into the market for a good portrait lens with a good price to match, the AF 85mm f1.8D is the lens you are looking for. For its price, you can’t get anything better.

However, if you looking for a solid lens and don’t mind the weight and the price, the AF 85mm f1.4D is the lens for you. For almost three times the price of the smaller lens, you get a slightly better background blur and a wider f-stop. And don’t forget the 77mm filter to go with this lens!

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