Evaluate: Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D – The perfect Portrait Lens?

Introduction

For one and a half many years – from 1995 to 2010 – the Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 had been Nikon’s high of the road fullframe portrait tele lens. It noticed the height of analogue pictures in addition to the height of the digital SLR. When it had been launched this was an costly premium lens aimed toward professionals, however in 2024 it has grow to be way more reasonably priced. Purpose sufficient to have a more in-depth have a look at it and see if this can be a lens nonetheless price contemplating right now.

Pattern Photographs

You could find lots of the pattern photographs in full decision right here.

Specs / Model Historical past

There have been three completely different Nikon 85mm 1.4 lenses to date, all of them characteristic an all spherical floating parts design with out ED parts:

• Nikon Ai-s 85mm 1.4
  609g, 7/5 design, 72mm filter, 9 straight aperture blades, MFD 0.85 m, MF, 1981-2006
• Nikon AF 85mm 1.4D
  522g, 9/8 design, 77mm filter, 9 rounded aperture blades, MFD 0.85 m, D-type, 1995-2010
• Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.4G
  588g, 10/9 design, 77mm filter, 9 rounded aperture blades, MFD 0.85 m, G-type, 2010-2022(?)

This can be a evaluate of the Nikon 85mm 1.4 AF-D lens, its full specs are:

• • Diameter: 79 mm
  • Subject of view: 28.6° (diagonally)
  • Size: 73 mm
  • Weight: 522g (with out hood, with out caps)
  • Filter Diameter: 77 mm
  • Variety of Aperture Blades: 9 (rounded)
  • Parts/Teams: 9/8
    
  • Shut Focusing Distance: 0.85 m
  • Most Magnification: 1:8.6 (measured)
  • Mount: Nikon F

You could find this lens on ebay.com (affiliate hyperlink) beginning at $400

Historical past

If you wish to know extra concerning the improvement and the historical past of this lens it’s best to first take a look at Nikkor – The Thousand and One Nights – No. 41: Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4.

What’s most notable right here to me is, that the purpose was to not design the world’s quickest or sharpest 85mm lens, however one with “splendid” imaging traits for portraiture. I do assume now, 30 years later, the lens has been surpassed on this regard (extra on that later), however we must also consider that this Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 has been designed for analogue movie – which is far more beneficiant in comparison with digital, relating to hiding sure aberrations.

However there’s extra, I’ve used all of the quick “premium” Nikon AF-S primes (24mm 1.4G, 35mm 1.4G, 58mm 1.4G and 85mm 1.4G) and when it comes to their design standards (steadiness of aberrations) they’re similar to this AF-D 85mm 1.4. So it appears it was truly this 85mm 1.4 – or quite its designer, Koichi Oshita – that laid the groundwork for a way Nikon designed its quick primes for about 20 years.

Dealing with/Construct high quality

Typically talking, I don’t assume the AF-D period was the most effective for Nikon, as by late 1995 – when this lens was launched – Canon already had a full lineup of technologically superior and simpler to make use of USM pushed lenses, whereas Nikon was nonetheless counting on the inferior screw-driven AF (be aware: it took Nikon till 1999 to launch the primary non-super tele lenses with comparable AF-S know-how).

The main target ring rotates about 140° from the minimal focus distance of 0.85 m to infinity. The guide focus expertise is respectable, however not as nice as with true guide focus lenses with an extended throw. When altering the path of rotation of the main focus ring there’s additionally at all times a tiny little bit of slack, which makes manually finetuning the main focus more durable.

The aperture ring is located in direction of the rear of the lens and options equidistantly spaced full-stop click on stops. As is typical for the AF-D lenses it has extra of a brief throw.

This Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 was one of many greater grade lenses within the AF-D line-up, because it does at the least characteristic an AF/MF ring-switch, to detach the main focus ring from the helicoid when utilizing an AF digicam. These ring switches are vulnerable to breaking although, so higher deal with them rigorously.

The outer casing of the lens appears to be produced from primarily steel and some prime quality polycarbonate elements, markings are engraved and stuffed with paint.

The lens shipped with an enormous screw-in steel hood (HN-31). It’s matte black on the within and can’t be mounted reversed to take up much less area.

This lens options an inner focus mechanism with floating parts. The entrance and the rear group are mounted, a central group along with the aperture diaphragm is transferring. When adapting this lens to different digicam techniques a too brief adapter can even have a detrimental influence on this lens’ picture high quality.
Whereas I discovered the later Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.4G to be quite decently sealed, this AF-D lens is fairly good at accumulating mud between its lens parts.

Above you see a dimension comparability to the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM. The size of each lenses may be very related, however the Sony lens is a bit fatter and in addition heavier. It ought to be famous that there are additionally different 85mm 1.4 mirrorless designs just like the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN, that are noticeably smaller than this Sony lens.

AF efficiency

The older AF-D lenses provide very quick AF on greater finish Nikon SLRs with built-in motor.

For Nikon Z cameras there isn’t any adapter with built-in adapter obtainable, so that you must resort to guide focus right here.

On the Sony E-mount cameras you’ll be able to truly get this lens to focus routinely by the assistance of the Monster LA-FE2 adapter. Take a look at my evaluate of that adapter to seek out out about its capabilities and limitations.

Vignetting

gentle falloff

The vignetting figures are nearly precisely the identical as these of the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM. The extra compact Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN reveals about half a cease extra vignetting within the corners stopped down. Lengthy story brief: I don’t see any significant variations between these lenses on this class.

It is strongly recommended to take a look at this text first to get an concept how this brightness graph works.

optical vignetting

Quick lenses often present a noticeable quantity of optical vignetting. With out going an excessive amount of into technical particulars optical vignetting results in the truncation of sunshine circles in direction of the borders of the body.
Within the heart of the body nearly each lens will render an ideal circle, however solely lenses with very low optical vignetting will preserve this form within the corners.
So within the following comparability we transfer from the middle (left) to the acute nook (proper) and see how the form of the sunshine circle modifications.

Sony A7rII | 1.1 m focus distance

I did shoot each lenses facet by facet, they had been set to 1.1 m and with focusing at a goal located at precisely 1.1 m distance from digicam it was ensured the main focus distance is definitely the identical, so the dimensions of the circles is instantly comparable.

Common readers know I didn’t come throughout an 85mm lens that’s doing higher on this class than the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM. The excellent news listed below are, that the Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 can truly sustain nicely, solely within the very corners it reveals extra optical vignetting. It might even be argued, that the Nikon creates a extra pure form within the corners at f/2.0.

Sharpness

MTF-Graphs

In comparison with trendy 85mm 1.4 lenses the MTF-Graphs don’t promise an impressive efficiency at f/1.4. Distinction and determination are each decrease than what we’re used to from trendy lenses and solely inside a circle with a diameter of 20 mm across the heart astigmatism is corrected nicely.
In the event you care most about distinction and determination on the most aperture you’ll actually be happier with a lens just like the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN.

Based on these graphs there’s additionally a big drop in distinction in addition to decision in direction of the corners.

Most MTF-Graphs present calculated values that don’t consider manufacturing tolerances and pattern variation. Moreover they’re often calculated for infinity, so within the discipline and taking pictures at completely different distances a noticeable variation could also be seen.

Focus Shift

50% crops, A7rII

Not solely with rangefinder cameras but additionally with (D)SLRs focus shift is/was a difficulty. Fortunately I didn’t discover any with this lens. We additionally see that at these distances the slight delicate glow masks the chromatic aberrations a bit.

infinity (42mp Sony A7rII)

At f/1.4 we positively see the impact of spherical aberration right here, as that results in a delicate glow throughout the entire body. There are additionally some colour aberrations seen right here. Efficiency within the midframe and corners regularly will increase on stopping down. The midframe appears to be like good from f/4.0 and actually good from f/5.6, however the excessive corners by no means look nice. Truly, this efficiency suits to what the MTF graphs promised. Be mindful this lens has not been designed for digital cameras, not to mention excessive decision ones.

Unsurprisingly the most recent 85mm 1.4 lenses carry out noticeably higher on this class. The Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN is the most effective we had a have a look at to date, the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM follows carefully.

portrait distance (2.0 m, 42mp Sony A7rII)

For portraiture it isn’t so essential how flat the sector is, it’s extra attention-grabbing to see what the sharpness is like when targeted at completely different elements of the body to take discipline curvature out of the equation.

That is what I did right here, I refocused for each shot and aperture to get the very best end result at completely different places within the body (heart, interior midframe and outer midframe).
Focus distance was roughly 2.0 m and the circle of the greenback invoice is kind of the dimensions of a human eye.

f/1.4 <————> f/2.0

Sony A7rII | Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D | 100% crops

The Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D is usually a bit softer at its most aperture. Stopping all the way down to f/2.0 improves distinction within the heart and midframe considerably. The outer midframe is a distinct story, right here the lens continues to be a bit delicate at f/2.0 and that is additionally one thing I seen within the discipline.

This can be a class, the place the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN is difficult to beat, because it reveals an impeccable efficiency already at f/1.4 in every single place within the body. The Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM just isn’t as sharp because the Sigma at f/1.4, however comes very shut.

shut (0.85 m, 1:8.6, 42mp Sony A7rII)

100% crops from heart, A7rII

A minimal focus distance of 0.85 m may be very typical for a quick 85mm lens. The decision is definitely fairly good from f/1.4, however we do see some colour aberrations and the distinction is decrease, too.

Truly, at shared apertures the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM reveals related distinction and determination right here, nevertheless it doesn’t have these colour aberrations.

Flare resistance

As at all times evaluating flare is a fancy matter since you will get any lens to look dangerous in the event you push it arduous sufficient and a slight change of situation can have an effect on outcomes loads.

Quick tele lenses not often present efficiency on this class and it will get worse the older they’re.

For the next photos I used to be not utilizing the hood and we see a whole lot of veiling flare (lack of distinction) and even some ghosts:

The excellent news are, that when the solar is positioned exterior the body, the hood typically helps with these lenses. That is additionally the case right here, as may be seen from this comparability:

Sony A7rII | Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D | f/1.4

When not carrying the hood – perhaps because of its extreme bulkiness – you may as well attempt to use your hand to protect the lens, which may have a equally constructive impact:

Sony A7III | Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D | f/1.4

You might surprise what occurs, when the solar or one other sturdy gentle supply is contained in the body. Effectively, this:

Sony A7III | Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D | f/11

Within the discipline the lens didn’t carry out as dangerous as chances are you’ll anticipate going by these staged examples, however the efficiency positively ain’t good both.

The Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM is the most effective quick 85mm on this class I got here throughout to date, but additionally that one nonetheless has points with veiling flare. That is additionally one of many classes the place the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN appears to carry out worse than the Sony lens.

Coma

100% crops from excessive nook, targeted on heart, A7rII

As we all know this Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D had been designed with a lovely rendering for portraiture in thoughts from the get-go. For that you just don’t essentially want coma correction. Preserving this in thoughts I didn’t anticipate a very nice efficiency on this class.

We do see some artefacts at f/1.4 and f/2.0, however the scenario is definitely not as dangerous as I might have anticipated. Unsurprisingly trendy lenses nonetheless carry out higher right here. The Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM reveals solely low coma at f/1.4 to f/2.0, the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Artwork DG DN even much less.

Distortion

The distortion of the Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D may be very low, so low I doubt will probably be discipline related for any software that I can consider for this lens.

Bokeh

By the point of me writing this text, the Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D has been round for nearly 30 years and it is not uncommon data that this lens attracts a pleasant bokeh. However loads has occurred since most critiques of this lens have been written, in order standard: let’s have a more in-depth look.

Shut distance

That is an 85mm f/1.4 lens, so taking photos at its most aperture at shut distances just about all the things within the background turns right into a clean out of focus blur.

Wanting on the first image we see some optical vignetting (cat’s eye impact) in direction of the corners. As stated within the corresponding part this isn’t overly pronounced.

Wanting on the final image above the background does look a bit busy and I do assume the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM would have rendered a smoother background right here, however extra on that subject later.

Mid distance

Though folks could name this lens outdated in comparison with the most recent quick 85mm lenses, in the event you don’t handle to take good portraits with this lens, it’s not the lens’ fault.

Lengthy distance

One of many important advantages of quick 85mm lenses is that even at longer focus distances (wanted e.g. for full physique portraits) you’ll be able to visibly separate your topic from the background.

With structured backgrounds the bokeh in direction of the corners and edges just isn’t as clean as within the heart of the body, however there’s nonetheless no denying this lens attracts a pleasant bokeh.

To see how good, let’s evaluate this Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 to the lens with the for my part most pleasing out of focus rendering out of all of the ~250 lenses I’ve used to date: the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM.

We’ll take a look how they evaluate in a forest situation with a whole lot of foliage within the background and in a blue hour metropolis situation with many level gentle sources.

In comparison with: Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM

Scene 1: Forest Shut Distance Backlit

Scene 2: Transition

Scene 3: Forest Mid Distance

Scene 4: Forest Lengthy Distance

Scene 5: Metropolis Lights Shut Distance

Scene 6: Metropolis Lights Lengthy Distance

Observations

Within the first scene, the Nikon reveals noticeably much less distinction, more than likely that is because of the backlighting, as I don’t see such a distinction within the different scenes. Wanting on the crops we see larger out of focus circles from the Sony with manner much less outlining, resulting in a smoother out of focus rendering. At its minimal focus distance the Nikon turns into an 80mm f/1.7 lens, for this reason there’s a larger distinction in dimension of sunshine circles within the shut focus eventualities.

Wanting on the scenes 2 to 4, in each single one the Sony creates smoother out of focus areas because of softer transitions, much less outlining and extra evenly lit gentle circles.

Scene 5 is definitely the one the place I see the least variations, which might be why I favored the photographs taken with the Nikon within the discipline underneath related circumstances essentially the most.

In scene 6 we once more see the variations as already described above.

Now there are two issues we must always bear in mind right here: first is, the Sony lens didn’t solely price me far more than the Nikon lens, it additionally makes use of know-how not obtainable in 1995. Second is, the Nikon continues to be performer on this class, simply not so good as the 20 years youthful Sony and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

I stated it earlier than, I say it once more now and I’ll most likely say it once more sooner or later: the Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM has essentially the most pleasing out of focus rendering of any lens I ever got here throughout (that features lenses just like the Zhong Yi 135mm 1.4, Canon EF 200mm 1.8L in addition to all the tremendous quick 50mm lenses).
Sadly I anticipate it to stay one among a sort, because the successor will more than likely be optimized for vast open sharpness at the price of bokeh high quality to match the decision figures of the rivals in lab checks – as was sadly already the case for the 35mm 1.4 GM, 50mm 1.2 GM and 135mm 1.8 GM. Guess I can’t blame Sony for that, the issue is that most individuals care far more about simply measurable numbers than what the photographs will truly appear to be.

Sunstars

Sony A7rII | Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4

The Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D makes use of 9 rounded aperture blades – not the best information, if you’re on the lookout for distinct sunstars. I checked a number of samples of this lens and the alignment of the aperture blades doesn’t appear to be a specific power of this lens. You’ll be able to nonetheless create considerably respectable trying sunstars from f/11 to f/16 although.
If you wish to study extra about this subject take a look at this text.

Chromatic aberration

lateral

100% crops from excessive nook, A7rII, f/11

A tele lens with none ED parts? I assume you already know what which means: a noticeable quantity of lateral CA.

Fortunately when utilizing digital cameras lateral CA are simply corrected in submit by only one click on.

I stated it at first, based on Nikon this lens had been designed to present the “splendid” rendering for portraits. In 1995 that meant on analogue movie, not on a excessive decision digital sensor. And when evaluating completely different 85mm lenses – first on movie after which on digital – we could find yourself preferring completely different lenses relying on that.

It’s nonetheless simply attainable to take fantastic portraits with this lens and whereas it was as soon as an costly lens aimed toward professionals, it has grow to be reasonably priced for a wider viewers right now. And a further profit is that this lens works with out limitations on loads of analogue F-mount cameras.

In 2024 there’s much more competitors than there was in 1995 although. For just a bit more cash you will get a primary era Samyang 85mm 1.4 AF, that lens offers you eye AF, which can make it a lot simpler so that you can get constant in-focus photos of your topics.

You could find this lens on ebay.com (affiliate hyperlink) beginning at $400

Pattern Photographs

You could find lots of the pattern photographs in full decision right here.

Additional Studying

Assist Us

Did you discover this text helpful or simply favored studying it? Deal with us to a espresso!
by way of Paypal

This web site accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. In the event you make a purchase order utilizing any of the hyperlinks marked as affiliate hyperlinks, I’ll obtain a small fee at no further price to you. This helps help the creation of future content material.