Nikkor 85mm 1.8 x 2.6 = 1.4 ??

catspaw · January 18, 2009

Help me with the math here. I've looked up reviews but haven't seen any that can quite explain/justify/etc the price differences here.

Nikkor 85mm 1.8D - $380 street
Nikkor 85mm 1.4D - $990 street (2.6x price difference)

This is possible to be THE primary lens for indoor sports photography for me, so the price isn't a huge deal, but I'm also NOT one to 'waste' money on a 1.4 if the 1.8 is going to cut the job just fine.

Does anyone have experience with BOTH of these lenses to give some idea of what's going on here in the price difference? bythom.com has zero information on either (grrrr) but I still want to take the pluge within a week or so (business funding timing but I'll be using it in 2 weeks either way). I presume there's a significant increase in optic quality to justify the price but beyond that...... anyone?

ziggy53 · January 18, 2009

Leah,

If you are still using the Nikon D50 in your profile I have to wonder if the AF screw drive is up to the task of driving a Nikkor 85mm, f1.4 AF-D IF in a sports situation. The mass that the AF mechanism has to move is considerably more than the f1.8 version.

catspaw · January 18, 2009

ziggy53 wrote:

Leah,

If you are still using the Nikon D50 in your profile I have to wonder if the AF screw drive is up to the task of driving a Nikkor 85mm, f1.4 AF-D IF in a sports situation. The mass that the AF mechanism has to move is considerably more than the f1.8 version.

Nope, D3 upgrade coming along with this.

<-- shit eating grin

Cygnus Studios · January 18, 2009

You are going to love that upgrade.

catspaw · January 18, 2009

Cygnus Studios wrote:

You are going to love that upgrade.

thanks! of that I have little doubt. the biggest thing will be getting used to a different grip. but I think I'll manage

ziggy53 · January 18, 2009

On a Nikon D3 I think either is suitable for sports. The f1.4 might have a slight edge for AF accuracy, especially in low-light photography, but I don't think it would be a significant advantage in a sports situation.

The f1.8 vx f1.4 is a 2/3rd stop advantage but you can't really use it for sports, although it makes the f1.4 ultimately a more flexible lens in other ways.

Bottom line is that they are both great lenses. Both also have some problems shooting into bright lights when the aperture is open, so watch that as you can.

Depending on the indoor sport, 85mm is not terribly long on the D3. For basketball and volleyball many prefer the longer focal lengths to get more intimate action shots, but the prices do get pretty high.

catspaw · January 18, 2009

ziggy53 wrote:

Depending on the indoor sport, 85mm is not terribly long on the D3. For basketball and volleyball many prefer the longer focal lengths to get more intimate action shots, but the prices do get pretty high.

Agreed! the 50mm 1.8 v. 1.4 is much more reasonable price wise, but nearly a grand for a small stop improvement on the 85mm seems difficult to justify unless there's something else I'm still missing here?

In truth, most of the year the sports will be outside (horse shows), so the indoor shots will be limited to these early months when it's still too bloody cold outside (or the arena is resembling an ice hockey rink). There's so much ELSE to spend $$ on, I think going with the 1.8 will make sense -- AND I plan on keeping the D50 body (love it! so lightweight too), so I don't want to limit myself there either.

Cygnus Studios · January 18, 2009

You will have to learn a new curve when shooting outside with fast glass. I also made the jump from a D50 to D3, and once you get used to the huge size and weight difference, the range of possibilities are near endless.
If you started with film it will be slightly easier getting back into the groove. The ISO range will blow you away. With fast glass your shutter speeds can be pushed to the limit to freeze anything in its tracks.
When you decide to go wide, it is almost like shooting a pano compared to the D50.
When you go back to your D50 after shooting a few thousand pics, you are going to feel like it is a toy. I kept my D50 to help a friend to learn about photography, and I have only used it a few times and it was to take pics of my D3's.

catspaw · January 18, 2009

Cygnus Studios wrote:

You will have to learn a new curve when shooting outside with fast glass. I also made the jump from a D50 to D3, and once you get used to the huge size and weight difference, the range of possibilities are near endless.
If you started with film it will be slightly easier getting back into the groove. The ISO range will blow you away. With fast glass your shutter speeds can be pushed to the limit to freeze anything in its tracks.
When you decide to go wide, it is almost like shooting a pano compared to the D50.
When you go back to your D50 after shooting a few thousand pics, you are going to feel like it is a toy. I kept my D50 to help a friend to learn about photography, and I have only used it a few times and it was to take pics of my D3's.

Interesting comparison, thank you! I'll still use the D50 for hiking/sking/etc when I want something lighter (that sucker with the 50mm is LIGHT) but I do expect this to be a rather ... um... radical change. I cannot wait

MUCH more to learn and play with and more than enough to keep me entertained all winter/spring/summer.

AND Catalina to play with. yahoo!

jonh68 · January 18, 2009

I have used the 85 1.8 on my D50 and D700 with great results for indoor sports like basketball. It can be used with a sb-800 for bounced lighting even in tall ceiling gyms if you need fill in light.

catspaw · January 19, 2009

jonh68 wrote:

I have used the 85 1.8 on my D50 and D700 with great results for indoor sports like basketball. It can be used with a sb-800 for bounced lighting even in tall ceiling gyms if you need fill in light.

awesome, exactly what I wanted to hear, thank you!! :ivar

Qarik · January 19, 2009

The 85mm 1.4 has marginally better optics then the the 1.8 all around and of course lower f stop. What puts it over the edge for most people (who use it primarily for portraits) is the lovely bokeh that the 85mm 1.8 can not reproduce. For sports..no biggie.

catspaw · January 19, 2009

Qarik wrote:

The 85mm 1.4 has marginally better optics then the the 1.8 all around and of course lower f stop. What puts it over the edge for most people (who use it primarily for portraits) is the lovely bokeh that the 85mm 1.8 can not reproduce. For sports..no biggie.

noob

um, bokeh?

ziggy53 · January 19, 2009

catspaw wrote:

noob

um, bokeh?

Bokeh is a term to describe the Out-Of-Focus (OOF) qualities of a lens with (generally) shallow Depth-Of-Field (DOF).

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

Mitchell · January 19, 2009

Leah, I own both of these 85mm lenses. My best advice is don't waste your money hoping to use these for indoor sports. I've used the 85mm, f1.4 for basketball on a D2Xs (similar AF motor to a D3) and it just can't keep up with fast moving basketball players.

You do have a few options. The new Nikkor 50mm, f1.4 AF-S lens is quite good if you can find one. Check out this thread where a friend is using it on a D300.
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=204562

Your other option on a D3 would be a Nikkor 70-200mm, AF-S VR zoom which is quite fast and would give you good flexibility for BB on an FX body. A lot depends on your shooting style and where you will be able to shoot from. The 50mm under the hoop would be awesome on a D3.

The 85mm lenses you mention are great pieces of glass. Quite frankly, the 85mm, f1.4 is a legendary Nikon lens for portraits. One of my favorite lenses. If you were to compare the two, you would understand why many gladly pay the extra money.

catspaw · January 19, 2009

Mitchell wrote:

Leah, I own both of these 85mm lenses. My best advice is don't waste your money hoping to use these for indoor sports. I've used the 85mm, f1.4 for basketball on a D2Xs (similar AF motor to a D3) and it just can't keep up with fast moving basketball players.

hmm, interesting. I've heard it used very well with indoor soccer and other indoor sports. In this case, I'm looking at horses in indoor arenas. Light is often variable in strength with some natural light of changing strengths as well. Extra fun.

You do have a few options. The new Nikkor 50mm, f1.4 AF-S lens is quite good if you can find one. Check out this thread where a friend is using it on a D300.
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=204562

is this the 50mm f/1.4G AF-S? It's on my eventual-wishlist

The 85mm lenses you mention are great pieces of glass. Quite frankly, the 85mm, f1.4 is a legendary Nikon lens for portraits. One of my favorite lenses. If you were to compare the two, you would understand why many gladly pay the extra money.

Hmm! interesting pov. my 60mm micro works well for the portraits I do -- which are pretty danged few

thank you for the write up -- more personal experience quotes the better while I try to figure out which lenses are down my path. (and yes, the 70-200 is right up there

)

Mitchell · January 19, 2009

I think the 70-200mm, f2.8 AF-S lens would be perfect for you. See if you can borrow one after you get your D3.

catspaw · January 19, 2009

Mitchell wrote:

I think the 70-200mm, f2.8 AF-S lens would be perfect for you. See if you can borrow one after you get your D3.

Oh, it's coming regardless

I'm probably 85% outdoors with annoyingly large riding arenas (let's not even discuss shooting two arenas at once and doing 180 pivots between rounds...). I'm more trying to see how *fast* I can get for indoors, since nothing is worse than 'leg blur' with active horses inside.

Qarik · January 20, 2009

see the blurred lights in the background of this picture? That is bokeh. Helps to isolate teh subjects with blurred background. The 85mm 1.4 is dubbed the cream machine for the smoothness of it's bokeh.

Nikkor 85mm 1.8 x 2.6 = 1.4 ??

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