105mm for portraits, which?

[szrimaging]

<p>All,</p>

<p>I am wanting a 105mm for portraits. I was after the f2 DC, but can't seem to find any. So, which version is the best after that? Manual focus is welcome, and very very viable. As are third party lenses. Doesn't need to be the fastest, as I will be using it with studio lights.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

Zach</p>

[szrimaging]

<p>I shold add, the budget is around $1500, but as usually, the cheaper I get it, the better.</p>

[jean_yves_mead]

<p>Manual focus: the 105mm f/2.5 AIS Nikkor is a real corker. The Vivitar Series 1 105mm f/2.5 macro is also very nice (but rather heavy and slow to focus). The Zeiss 100mm f/2 Macro-Planar has an excellent reputation but is expensive.</p>

[ronald_olsen]

<p>Have you considered the Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro-planar ? This lens is a stellar performer and built to last for a lifetime of use. The new versions are chipped for Nikon and they are just at the upper limit of your budget. </p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>Zach,<br />Since Manual Foccussing is acceptable, I think the Carl Zeiss ZF.2 Makro-Planar T* 100 f/2.0 ( nikon Mount obviously) is a very nice lens for portraiture on Full frame. ( for APS-C i think 100mm is a bit to much tele...).<br>

Oops, Ronald beat me to the punch... :-)</p>

<p> </p>

[lilly_w]

<p>Food for thought...many people have had very pronounced front-focus problems with the 105/2 DC. I am no exception. Auto Fine Tuning doesn't even begin to correct my problem.</p>

<p>Absent a properly performing f2 DC I'll point you in the direction of the f2.5 AIS...a bargain in light of its' fantastic images. Offers about the biggest bang for your Nikon buck.</p>

[szrimaging]

<p>Why the f2.5 AIS over the AI or pre-AI (upgraded to AI of course)?</p>

<p>And the Zeiss has crossed my mind a few times.</p>

<p>Cameras are currently a D200 and N80. Will be adding a FF DSLR into the mix whenever the next D700 level body is released. Hoping for 18MP for a little bit of cropping room when making A3 sized prints.</p>

[ronald_olsen]

<p>I have mounted the Zeiss 100 mm f2 on a Canon 7D and it outresolved the sensor. At 18 mp on a 1.6x crop factor, that means it will cover close to 50 mp on a FF body with the same pixel pitch. Besides being built very solidly, it has the performance level to give you many years of service without becoming obsolete.</p>

[nina_myers]

<p>Lilly, try using your 105's DC at setting F2 or R2.<br>

that fixed my front focusing problem with my 135 f/2 DC.</p>

[ilkka_nissila]

<p><em>Besides being built very solidly,</em></p>

<p>Well, mine stopped working (the MF and aperture got stuck) with some exposure to cold weather, so I'd take their claims about mechanical quality with a grain of salt. The Zeiss 100mm is a great lens but I don't like its rendering of people subjects much. The 85/1.4, and the DC Nikkors are my favorite portrait lenses. The 105 DC should be in stock in adorama, as far as I could tell, and B&H have it as a gray market in stock and if you place an order on the Nikon (USA) warranty version, I'm sure they'll get it to you soon. Anyway, I think it's the kindest lens to people that'll make your subjects really like your skills as a photographer, but I had some autofocus accuracy issues with mine when used at wide apertures (though it really depended on subject, for high contrast detail there was no problem). I still delight in the images that it made though. Now I use the 85/1.4 and 135 DC which I also highly recommend. </p>

[lilly_w]

<p>Why 2.5 AIS? Most modern coatings, attached/pull-out lens hood. But I will also admit to preferring the look of the pre-AI versions with all metal, hill-and-dale focusing ring found on the P and P-C versions. We have a converted P-C and an AIS (perhaps a second AIS for other Fam members?). Yes, we <em>really</em> like the 105/2.5.</p>

<p>If out and about will often take the 2.5 over the DC; more compact and lesser $$ risk in case of theft/accident.</p>

[andy a.]

<p>If you don't need/want AF, I would investigate the 105 f/1.8 AI-S, if you can find one. It should also be quite cheap as a bonus.</p>

[kellyway]

<p>I agree with Ilkaa the zeiss 85 zf 1.4 is wonderful for portrait work beautiful rendering </p>

[james_symington1]

<p>My experience of the 100mm ZF for portraits is very positive so I find myself uncharacteristically in mild disagreement with Ilkka.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[szrimaging]

<p>So I just tried to call Adorama... who closes at 1:30 on a Friday? Yet, they are open on Sunday. Weird.</p>

<p>Anywho, I am looking for examples of all the lenses on Flickr to decide which I want the most. Most likely I'll get the DC if I can find one.</p>

<p>Nice shot James. </p>

<p>If anyone else has examples of their respective 105s, I am definitly interested in taking a look.</p>

<p>And as for the 85mm, I'll be adding one of those down the road. Maybe before the 105, but I am pretty sure it is either the current f1.4 Nikkor or Zeiss.</p>

[szrimaging]

<p>Actually, how easy is it to manually focus the DC?</p>

[mark_mandell]

<p>Attached taken with D700 with 105G Micro Nikor f/2.8 VR hand held with no additional light and no pp</p><div></div>

[peterafle]

<p>Zach -- not sure if Adorama is in this category, but I believe many of the other electronics and camera retailers in New York City (including B&H and 47th Street photo) observe the Jewish Sabbath, closing early on Fridays and reopening on Sunday.<br>

PR</p>

[szrimaging]

<p>Oh. Didn't know that was the case. I knew B&H had a heavy Jewish influence, just not the part about Friday being part of their sabbath. Good to know. Thanks.</p>

[matt_smith24]

<p>The 105 f/2.5 AI is better value than the AIS version mainly because you can normally pay less for it. It has a much longer focus throw than the AIS version, which makes fine adjustment focusing easier. The metal snap on hood of the AI gives better shading and protection to the lens than the much shorter sliding hood of the AIS version. Optically they're the same but the latter versions of the AIS have a slightly improved lens coating although I've never been able to see the difference and I've owned three AIS and two AI versions. The AI also has five lens mount screws and the AIS has three - not a major. Apparently the AI lens mount is made of chrome plated brass as opposed to a lighter alloy used in the AIS.<br>

Anyway, you can't go wrong with either of these two lenses. The 105 f/1.8 AIS on the other hand, apart from being a lot more expensive has a strong propensity for veiling wide open decreasing until about f/4 and as a portrait lens will mostly be used wide open, it's not ideal. Very sharp (like the f/2.5) stopped down though.</p>

<p> </p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>For portraits, I would have a look at the Leica Summicron-R 2/90 - which can be modified with the leitax F-mount and used with stop-down metering.</p>

[michael_bradtke]

<p>I have the 105 f/2.5 AIS and the 105 f/2.8 Micro as well as the 105 f/1.8 and I have used the 105 f/2.0 DC<br>

For studio use I found myself using the 1.8 the most. I really like the way it makes images. BTW if you can find one they are not that cheep.</p>

[randall_born]

<p>I had both the 105mm f1.8 AIS and the 105mm f2.5 AIS. I kept the f2.5 and sold the f1.8. Both were excellent lenses but the f2.5 version is a little jewel, quite compact and lightweight compared to the f1.8. If I need more speed or less DOF the 85mm f1.4 AIS does the job.</p>

[boris_miljevic]

<p>Here is one sample...<br>

D700 + AF-S Mikro Nikkor VR 105mm f/2.8<br>

Image is only croped, resized and saved as jpeg.</p><div></div>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>The bottom line is it really does NOT matter waht 105mm lens you use; even a Soligor; Vivitar; Tamron 105mm will work. A 10.5cm F2.5 Nikon Rangefinder Nikkor will shoot a nice portrait; so will a THREE element 105mm F4 Nikkor-T lens in preset mount.</p>