NIKKOR 85mm f2 vs. 1.8 version?

[images39]

I've only used the 85/1.8. I can only say that good things always seem to happen when I use this lens. It somehow works magic when shooting portraits. Although I'm using the AF-D version, so not sure if my comments are much help...

Dale

 

[mshchem]

I have a 85 1.4 AF-D It is an amazing piece of glass, my all time favorite lens. I had a Nikon 85 that I got with a new F3 great lens.

 

[chip j]

I just saw Ken Rockwell's review of the 85mm f2. He has giant blow-ups on Velvia of the center & corner sharpness of the 1.8, 2, & a couple of 1.4s. The 2 is distinctly sharper than the 1.8. All the good stuff you hear about the 1.8 are "old wive's tales", he says.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Ken Rockwell says a lot of things, many of which are "debateble" to say the least, as well as the methods with which he tests lenses.

As far as I know, the only 85mm f/1.8 AI-s lenses Nikon made were autofocus lenses. They switched from the non-AI f/1.8 to the AI f/2.0 and people have been debating "which is better" ever since. I haven't used either one since my wife bought me a Tokina 90mm f/2.5, so I'll go back to my corner and lurk now.

I seem to remember that, although it was introduced as a non-AI lens, the latest version of the 85mm f:1.8 (the one with the rubber grip on the focusing ring) was massively factory-converted by Nikon to the AI mount and sold as an AI lens. Actually, I think I've never seen a unit with the rubber grip that was non-AI.

 

[BrianVS]

I just saw Ken Rockwell's review of the 85mm f2. He has giant blow-ups on Velvia of the center & corner sharpness of the 1.8, 2, & a couple of 1.4s. The 2 is distinctly sharper than the 1.8. All the good stuff you hear about the 1.8 are "old wive's tales", he says.

I disagree with that assessment, I have both lenses and have used them with film and digital. I put more credence in what I hear about Ken Rockwell rather than what Ken Rockwell writes.

 

[BrianVS]

Ken Rockwell says a lot of things, many of which are "debateble" to say the least, as well as the methods with which he tests lenses.



I seem to remember that, although it was introduced as a non-AI lens, the latest version of the 85mm f:1.8 (the one with the rubber grip on the focusing ring) was massively factory-converted by Nikon to the AI mount and sold as an AI lens. Actually, I think I've never seen a unit with the rubber grip that was non-AI.

It was not sold as an Ai lens, there are some functional differences between a Factory Ai lens and a Factory converted Ai lens. The Aperture ring is all that gets changed during the Ai conversion. There is an extra lug on the Ai mount that the factory converted lens does not have. Very few cameras made use of it, the first-generation Nikon E2 and E3 digital SLR's are among them.

 

[benveniste]

I seem to remember that, although it was introduced as a non-AI lens, the latest version of the 85mm f:1.8 (the one with the rubber grip on the focusing ring) was massively factory-converted by Nikon to the AI mount and sold as an AI lens. Actually, I think I've never seen a unit with the rubber grip that was non-AI.

While AI-conversion of the last 85mm f/1.8 version was pretty common, there are a couple of minor differences between a AI-converted and "native" AI lens. In neither case would it retain the linear aperture lever response of an AI-s lens. The "K" version of the 85mm f/1.8 (with rubber grip) is not uncommon -- there are at least 3 up for sale on fleaBay now.