The first 85mm lens Nikon manufactured that I would suggest is worth having, and most importantly, will fit onto your FE is the 85 f/1.8 which was released in the mid-sixties, this is quite sharp and I have used it alongside my 85 f/1.4; more than acceptable performance for the price they go for these days.
I have the Nikkor 85 f/1.4 which is a brilliant length for walk around full length body portraits, it also is brilliant for a bust shot as well. Razor sharp and probably the best of their short telephoto range. Uses a 72mm filter mount, should be used with the original deep lens hood for best results if there is a bit of sidelight about. This lens has moving elements (called CRC Close Range Correction) which means anything really close or really far away will be razor sharp, and I mean razor sharp. As you change focus, the elements inside the lens are re-arranged in relation to each other, makes for stupendously brilliant close razor sharp focusing. The 55mm f/2.5 Micro Nikkor, also uses this type of CRC stuff, and uses it well.
Nikon also made a slower version which came out around 1976/7 it is an f/2 unit. I tried a couple in two photo stores in Singapore about 30/32 years ago by exposing a few frames in the store with the f/2 and f/1.4 lenses one after the other. I then developed my film in the hotel room that night and used a loupe to discover that the f/2 lenses were certainly soft. I wouldn’t think this would be a great lens unless one comes up really cheap. Made the decision of which 85mm Nikkor lens I would purchase, really easy.
The Nikkor 105 f/2.5 is nothing short of brilliant, and is as affordable as anything these days. In short, it takes close up bust shots, full length body shots and is a very handy lens as a moderate telephoto for landscape work. This lens is just stunning. Comes with a built in lens hood, takes 52mm filters and is probably my most used lens overall on my Nikon bodies.
The Nikkor 105 f/1.8 is sort of super expensive and I don’t believe the price difference from the far less expensive f/2.5 version is worth it; you may be lucky though.
There is one other lens that is worth considering, the slightly longer Nikkor 135mm f/2.8. There are two of these faster 135mm Nikkor lenses. The first was the late sixties through to mid-seventies unit, which reportedly, was a bit soft. I don’t know as I have never used one. The later unit from the mid-seventies is the version that I have, it is basically a longer version of the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 lens. It has a built in lens hood and also uses the economical 52mm filter ring size.
I have used the Nikon E series 135mm lens, which is also f/2.8. Really soft was my lasting impression. Nice lens, but there were many aftermarket lens that were probably better.
Many moons ago I bought brand new a Vivitar Series 1 135 f/2.3 Nikon mount lens, that was also an excellent lens, but the helices were so incredibly fine, one was forever turning and turning to focus. From memory, it was extremely cheap and punched way above other aftermarket lenses. I stopped using it when I picked up the 105 f/2.5 Nikkor and sold it some time later.
Another lens that could be around that seemed to always punch above its peers, was the Tamron 90mm manual focus, which, if my memory serves me correctly, was also a macro lens. It uses the Adaptall mount system, so you would need that as well, but in the late seventies and right through the eighties, that 90mm Tamron was in many kit bags and probably still is.
Some thoughts, Mick.
