ispelling any doubts that an
85mm f/1.8 lens isn’t ‘good’
enough for top-level
portraiture, the Nikon Z 85mm
f/1.8 S is an absolutely stellar performer.
Not only can it deliver a really tight depth of
field, but it can do so with stunning levels of
sharpness across the entire frame for
in-focus areas, along with deliciously soft
and creamy bokeh for defocused areas,
and super-smooth transitions in between.
Stopping down a little enables you to gain
greater depth of field with practically no
degradation in the quality of bokeh. All in all,
it’s a perfect lens for portraiture, and the
in-body stabilizers of Z-series camera make
for assured
handheld
shooting even
under very low
lighting levels.
Of course, not
everyone has a
Z- s e r i e s b o d y
and the vast majority of us still shoot on
trusty Nikon DSLRs. For optimum image
quality, all-round performance, premium
construction and value for money, the
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art lens is pick of the
crop. Nikon’s own AF-S 85mm f/1.4G is
much more compact and lightweight, but
it’s relatively expensive and can’t rival theSigma’s sheer image quality, especially for
bokeh. The Tamron is another f/1.8 lens
that works well for portraiture, and has the
bonus of bringing stabilization to DSLRs.
If you’re determined to upsize to a 105mm
lens, go for the Sigma rather than the Nikon.
On a tighter budget, the Nikon AF-S 85mm
f/1.8G is an absolute little treasure.Features
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
D
The winner is...
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S
Another Z-series lens joins the A-list
of Nikon celebrities with its delightful
image quality and performance
How the
lenses
compare 85mm f/1.8GNikon AF-S Samyang85mm f/1.4 F AF f/1.8 Di VC USDTamron SP 85mm Nikon f/1.8 SZ 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM ArtSigma 85mm Sigmaf/1.4 DG HSM Art 105mm Nikon 85mm f/1.4GAF-S Nikon 105mm f/1.4E EDAF-SContact http://www.nikon.com http://www.samyang
lensglobal.comhttp://www.tamron.com http://www.nikon.com http://www.sigma-global.com http://www.nikon.comStreet price (UK, USA) £429/$477 £599/$699 £749/$749 £799/$797 £899/$1199 £1299/$1599 £1479/$1597 £1799/$2197
Mount FX FX FX Z FX FX FX FX
Equiv. focal length (DX) 127.5mm 127.5mm 127.5mm 127.5mm 127.5mm 157.5mm 127.5mm 157.5mm
Elements/groups 9/9 9/7 13/9 12/8 14/12 17/12 10/9 14/9
Diaphragm 7 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades
Optical stabilizer NoNoYesNoNoNoNoNo
Focus type Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)Stepping motor Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)Stepping motor Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)Ultrasonic
(ring-t yp e)
Min focus distance 0.8m 0.9m 0.8m 0.8m 0.85m 1.0m 0.85m 1.0m
Max reproduction ratio 0.12x 0.11x 0.14x 0.14x 0.12x 0.12x 0.12x 0.13x
Filter size 67mm 77mm 67mm 67mm 86mm 105mm 77mm 82mm
Accessories inc Hood, pouch Hood, pouch Hood Hood, pouch Hood, soft case Hood, soft case,
tripod ringHood, pouch Hood, pouchDiameter x min length 80x73mm 88x75mm 85x91mm 75x99mm 95x126mm 116x132mm 87x84mm 95x106mm
Weight 350g 480g 700g 470g 1130g 1645g 595g 985gPORTRAIT LENSES