nikkor 85mm f1.4 AIS vs nikkor AF 85mm f1.4D

[tony_wong8]

<p>I am looking towards nikkor 85mm f1.4 .<br>

The options I consider are Nikkor 85mm f1.4 AIS and Nikkor AF f1.4.<br>

Both lens are better I know.<br>

I wonder if anyone had a chance to compare both lens? I am looking at sharpness and bokeh.<br>

Please throw in your opinions Thanks!</p>

[tobey_bilek]

<p>To be used for what purpose on what format?</p>

[cmonkey]

<p>For sharpness (and contrast) my AF version wins, but for bokeh and a bit warmer, more rounded look, I'd go with (as I personally almost always do), with the AIS version. There's my vote. Hang on for a bunch more.</p>

[douglasely]

<p>I use the AF 85mm f1.4 on a D300 regularly and I cannot say enough nice things about this lens. I have no expereince with the MF vesrsion but here is a review by someone quite respected that has used both . . . Bjorn Rorslett</p>

<p>Nikkor 85mm f1.4: "A superb chunk of glass, the AF lens outperforms its MF 85/1.4 predecessor by a comfortable margin at wide apertures, equals the MF lens at f/5.6 and is less sharp in the f/8-f/16 range. Since most people would buy an 85/1.4 for low-light photography potential, the choice of the AF lens vs. the MF is easy: Go for the AF. I have shot many pictures with it using it wide open and the results are simply stunning. The image rendition improves up to the peak performance at f/2.8-f/4. Its IF construction makes focusing it manually a breeze and its AF action is very fast on the F5 or D1/D2 models, but not entirely noise-free. <br>

Images are rendered with acute sharpness, very high contrast and vivid colour saturation. The aperture is controlled by 9 blades and is nicely rounded, thus ensuring good 'bokeh' and a pleasing rendition of the out-of-focus areas. In this respect it surpasses the MF version by a comfortable margin.<br>

Due to its large front element, the AF 85 flares quite easily and the substantial lens hood should always be used. By the way, although it sports a 77 mm filter thread, the 6T close-up lens can be used on the AF 85 without vignetting and gives very good results. <br>

The only criticism of this lens, apart from its elevated price, is the possible presence of a slight colour fringing in high-contrast objects that are out of focus, given the lens is stopped well down. This results from the IF design used and the same problem occurs to a greater or lesser extent for all IF lenses. Occasionally, if you shoot test charts with the lens wide open, you can observe a reddish tinge to black objects immediately in front of the focus plane, with a greenish cast just behind it. The 200/2 behaves similar.<br>

The D3 adverts depict the D3 with the 85/1.4 AFD and the same lens is used for illustrations in the D3 manual. No wonder, since the 85/1.4 AFD performs superbly on this camera. Even the wide-open captures are as good as anything I ever seen before.<br>

IR performance: Similar to the MF version"</p>

<p>My personal opinion, there is something very different about this lens than all the other Nikkors that I own. i cannot explain how other than, there is a suject presence that is etheral. The images are simply breathtaking. Doug.</p>

 

[tony_wong8]

<p>thanks for all your answer<br>

!</p>