gregory-v's Full Review: Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D Lens
The Nikon 85mm f1.8 AF lens is the perfect fast medium telephoto lens for someone who wants speed and sharp images at a price that won't instantly drain your wallet. I chose this lens over its pro-oriented cousin the 85mm f1.4 because I don't use this focal length often enough to justify the significant increase in cost over the f1.8.
What you get for your approximately $400 expenditure is a light, well-balanced lens that auto-focuses very quickly. This is a good lens for photojournalism and portraiture, particularly in low-light situations.
The only negative that I can report after using this lens for over five years is that its manual focusing operation is only adequate at best. The "feel" of its focusing ring is like many of the less expensive single focal length Nikkors: somewhat loose with only minimal dampening. The focusing ring itself is relatively narrow.
The over-all exterior construction of this lens is smooth plastic, which reminds me of my first auto-focus f2.8 180mm lens. I sold the 180mm within a year of purchasing it; subsequent models have been redesigned with a crinkly metal exterior and somewhat better dampening for manual focus use.
I recommend that purchasers of this lens also get the optional HN-23 lens shade and a high-quality filter, such as a Nikon L1Bc (62mm).
If you want an 85mm lens with better manual focusing and a metal exterior you will have to pony-up another $400 or so to purchase the f1.4 model. But if you primarily use auto-focusing and cost is a factor, you could do a lot worse than the 85mm f1.8 lens.
35mm equivalent focal length: 127.5mm,large maximum aperture for better low-light photography,compatible with Nikon digital and film SLR camerasMore at Crutchfield
Auto-Focus capability for easy indoor or outdoor portraiture. Exceptionally compact for a telephoto lens. Focuses down to 36 inches. An excellent choi...More at cameraworld.com
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