Nikon - AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G Medium Telephoto Lens - Black

I bought this lens after tons of research to use for portrait photography. When i got it and started snapping pictures on my DX body, (actual focal length w/ crop sensor closer to 127mm) I was irritated. There was no noticeable difference from my Nikon 50mm 1.8g that I was try to improve on. I came home, grabbed the box and prepared to return it before the 15 days. Then I decided to go ahead and import some photos I took with it to my computer and really see. I was absolutely blown away with the sharpness. Granted the AF is much slower than the 50mm and 35mm 1.8G, the quality it well worth it. See this are mainly used for portraits and stuff like that, it is awesome. I would not recommend for anything that moves super fast if you want to use wide open. I did a sample test because I could not find one anywhere online that compared the 50mm f/1.8G to the 85mm f1.8G and frankly, this is probably the most common upgrade, not the 1.4mm that internet seems to constantly compare. The bokeh on this lens is a tad bit better, mainly due to compression of the image at such a long length. I attached an image to show sharpness comparison. Using a tripod. Notes on image, I had to compress a little because bb only allows 5MB upload, hope you can see the difference.

I just did a recent portrait shoot and this was the only lens I pulled of my bag. This guy is a great, light weight option, especially on a DX (Crop) Sensor (because of the extended reach you get). I can't remember the exact number but this lens actually ends up being over 100mm on a crop sensor. Because of that, you get even more compression on shots which makes for great portraits. This paired with my d7200 has been nothing short of majestic (when the Green Ranger comes back as the White Ranger type of majestic).

I used to have a 50mm f1.4g lens and it was soft at F1.4-F1.8, this 85mm lens does not have any distortion at any f-stop, pictures are extremely sharp.

I wanted a mid-range prime lens and went back and forth considering the 1.4 or 1.8 version. I am not a pro nor do I make a living as a photographer, so I went with the 1.8 and have been extremely happy with it's performance, it has great bokeh, excellent sharpness, and focuses very fast. The results are great on both crop sensor and full frame cameras. So save yourself the extra $1000 and get this lens.

Absolutely in love with this lens. Takes beautiful shots! Captures great action shots during my daughters all star cheerleading comps as well as my sons basketball games. Can't go wrong here. Well worth the money!!

I am a big fan of portrait photography. My 18-200mm lens is very practical, but if you are looking for astonishing picture quality, fixed lenses are the best choice if you don't want to pay couple thousands of dollars. I had the 35mm, but it is not a portrait lens. Buying and using the 85mm, gave me a whole new experience with image quality, sharpness and colors. So far, I am very happy with the lens, and "it is worth every penny"; it is mainly what I say every time I get a phenomenal picture with it!

I purchased this lens for my Nikon d7000 and they work perfectly together. I love the creamy bokeh effect I get when I take portraits. I have also taken some very beautiful sunset photos with this lens. A superb lens!

I love this lens to death, and will miss it (as I'm switching over to a fast zoom, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8). But while I had it, it has been phenomenal. Shots with it are always very sharp, and because of the nice wide maximum aperture, it's great for shooting in low light and getting that lustrous bokeh that everyone loves. As a prime lens, and especially on a crop body, this lens might be troublesome for casual photographers, as you've really got to have the right moment to use it. It's much too long for indoor photography (unless shooting pets), and not long enough to shoot really distant subjects. That being said, for anyone serious about photography as a profession or a hobby, a lens of this length is a must have, and there aren't too many better than this one.