Serious portrait photographers often reach for an 85mm lens to capture images with some pop.
Pros using the Nikon system are likely to use the company's marquee 85mm, the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G ($1,599.95), which is able to seriously blur out backgrounds and capture incredibly crisp photos, free of distortion but with a natural vignette.
It's a strong performer, and the right choice for Nikon shooters who want an 85mm f/1.4 that's relatively light in weight.
If you're willing to work with a heavier lens, our Editors' Choice Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art delivers excellent image quality for a few hundred dollars less, and there are also f/1.8 alternatives out there for photographers on a stricter budget.
Design
The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G ($1,796.95 at Amazon) measures 3.3 by 3.4 inches (HD), weighs 1.3 pounds, and supports 77mm front filters.
It ships with front and rear caps, a reversible hood, and a soft carrying pouch.
Compare this with the bulkier Sigma 85mm F1.4, which comes in at 5.0 by 3.7 inches and a hefty 2.5 pounds.
The Nikon 85mm is housed in a black polycarbonate barrel, with the same gold accents you find on other modern Nikkors.
It isn't billed as being sealed against dust and moisture, but there is a rubber gasket around the lens mount, so you can confidently use it with a sealed pro-grade camera body.
The glass is coated with Nikon's top-end Nano Crystal Coat to reduce flare and improve overall image quality, but there is no fluorine coat to help keep the external elements free of grease and moisture.
The only control switch is a focus toggle, switching between autofocus and manual focus operation.
Even in autofocus mode, you can override it by turning the focus ring.
It occupies a good portion of the barrel and is covered in textured rubber for more comfortable operation.
The lens itself is not optically stabilized.
It's less of an issue for still capture, as the lens will typically be used for portraiture at a wider aperture or in conjunction with off-camera lighting.
But videographers who work handheld will find the lack of stabilization introduces jitter into video.
Canon has a stabilized 85mm f/1.4, but that obviously doesn't work with Nikon cameras.
If you want a stabilized 85mm, the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD isn't an f/1.4, but is a strong performer and significantly less expensive.
Close focus is available to three feet (0.85-meter), which certainly doesn't put the lens into the macro category, but is a fine working distance for portraiture.
At the shortest focus distance thelens magnifies subjects at 1:8.3 life-size—about par for the course for wide aperture 85mm lenses.
There are plenty of macro alternatives with a similar angle of view, including the excellent Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD, which doesn't gather as much light, but does focus close enough to capture subjects at life-size magnification.
Image Quality
I tested the Nikkor 85mm with the 45.6MP Nikon D850.
At f/1.4 the lens resolves 3,240 lines per picture height on a center-weighted Imatest sharpness test.
That's in the very good range, exceeding the 2,750 lines we want to see at a minimum from a high-resolution, full-frame camera.
Even at f/1.4 the lens is almost as sharp at the edges of the frame as it is at the center.
See How We Test Digital Cameras
At f/2 the lens enters excellent territory, notching 3,721 lines, and its resolution enters the outstanding range at f/2.8 (4,452 lines), f/4 (4,229 lines), f/5.6 (4,757 lines), f/8 (4,744 lines), and f/11 (4,463 lines).
At the minimum aperture, f/16, resolution drops to 3,706 lines.
There's no visible distortion in images, another plus for shooting portraits, but the lens does cast a dark vignette around subjects when shot at its biggest f-stops.
At f/1.4 the corners are very dark compared with the center, lagging behind by -4.5EV.
The deficit is cut to -3EV at f/2 and -1.4EV at f/2.8.
At f/4 and beyond the vignette isn't apparent.
The D850 and other Nikon cameras have in-camera illumination correction available if you shoot in JPG format.
With it enabled at its middle, Normal setting, the vignette is lessened, but not eliminated, showing -3.3EV at f/1.4 and -1.8EV at f/2.
In both cases you'll still notice darkness at the edges of your photos.
For portraits this can be a desirable effect, but you'll need to utilize post-processing software, like Adobe Lightroom Classic, to compensate for it.
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 outperforms the Nikon here, all but eliminating a vignette even at f/1.4—its larger front element and heavier optics likely come into play.
Conclusions
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is one of the company's premiere lenses, part of its series of f/1.4G prime optics, and a strong performer.
It draws subjects sharply, with a shallow depth of field at wide apertures, and while it casts a strong vignette, that aspect of rendering can be compensated for using software, or left in place for more striking portraits.
It's significantly lighter than our favorite 85mm f/1.4 from Sigma, but also $400 more expensive.
Some photographers will value saving the money, while others will gladly pay more for the Nikkor—it all depends on where your priorities lie.
Budget shoppers who can live with a narrower f/1.8 aperture should look to the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G or the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD as alternatives—both are very good lenses.
Finally, there may be photographers who prefer to shoot portraits with a longer lens.
Nikon has the AF-S Nikkor 105mm f/1.4E ED, which is a pricier proposition than the 85mm at $2,200, but delivers performance in line with its cost.
Sigma has announced its own 105mm f/1.4 lens, but it's not out yet, but does have a 135mm f/1.8 available.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G
Cons
Pricier than third-party options.
Omits optical stabilization.
Strong vignette at f/1.4 and f/2.
The Bottom Line
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is the go-to lens for shooting portraits with a shallow depth of field, but is more expensive than third-party alternatives.
Serious portrait photographers often reach for an 85mm lens to capture images with some pop.
Pros using the Nikon system are likely to use the company's marquee 85mm, the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G ($1,599.95), which is able to seriously blur out backgrounds and capture incredibly crisp photos, free of distortion but with a natural vignette.
It's a strong performer, and the right choice for Nikon shooters who want an 85mm f/1.4 that's relatively light in weight.
If you're willing to work with a heavier lens, our Editors' Choice Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art delivers excellent image quality for a few hundred dollars less, and there are also f/1.8 alternatives out there for photographers on a stricter budget.
Design
The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G ($1,796.95 at Amazon) measures 3.3 by 3.4 inches (HD), weighs 1.3 pounds, and supports 77mm front filters.
It ships with front and rear caps, a reversible hood, and a soft carrying pouch.
Compare this with the bulkier Sigma 85mm F1.4, which comes in at 5.0 by 3.7 inches and a hefty 2.5 pounds.
The Nikon 85mm is housed in a black polycarbonate barrel, with the same gold accents you find on other modern Nikkors.
It isn't billed as being sealed against dust and moisture, but there is a rubber gasket around the lens mount, so you can confidently use it with a sealed pro-grade camera body.
The glass is coated with Nikon's top-end Nano Crystal Coat to reduce flare and improve overall image quality, but there is no fluorine coat to help keep the external elements free of grease and moisture.
The only control switch is a focus toggle, switching between autofocus and manual focus operation.
Even in autofocus mode, you can override it by turning the focus ring.
It occupies a good portion of the barrel and is covered in textured rubber for more comfortable operation.
The lens itself is not optically stabilized.
It's less of an issue for still capture, as the lens will typically be used for portraiture at a wider aperture or in conjunction with off-camera lighting.
But videographers who work handheld will find the lack of stabilization introduces jitter into video.
Canon has a stabilized 85mm f/1.4, but that obviously doesn't work with Nikon cameras.
If you want a stabilized 85mm, the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD isn't an f/1.4, but is a strong performer and significantly less expensive.
Close focus is available to three feet (0.85-meter), which certainly doesn't put the lens into the macro category, but is a fine working distance for portraiture.
At the shortest focus distance thelens magnifies subjects at 1:8.3 life-size—about par for the course for wide aperture 85mm lenses.
There are plenty of macro alternatives with a similar angle of view, including the excellent Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD, which doesn't gather as much light, but does focus close enough to capture subjects at life-size magnification.
Image Quality
I tested the Nikkor 85mm with the 45.6MP Nikon D850.
At f/1.4 the lens resolves 3,240 lines per picture height on a center-weighted Imatest sharpness test.
That's in the very good range, exceeding the 2,750 lines we want to see at a minimum from a high-resolution, full-frame camera.
Even at f/1.4 the lens is almost as sharp at the edges of the frame as it is at the center.
See How We Test Digital Cameras
At f/2 the lens enters excellent territory, notching 3,721 lines, and its resolution enters the outstanding range at f/2.8 (4,452 lines), f/4 (4,229 lines), f/5.6 (4,757 lines), f/8 (4,744 lines), and f/11 (4,463 lines).
At the minimum aperture, f/16, resolution drops to 3,706 lines.
There's no visible distortion in images, another plus for shooting portraits, but the lens does cast a dark vignette around subjects when shot at its biggest f-stops.
At f/1.4 the corners are very dark compared with the center, lagging behind by -4.5EV.
The deficit is cut to -3EV at f/2 and -1.4EV at f/2.8.
At f/4 and beyond the vignette isn't apparent.
The D850 and other Nikon cameras have in-camera illumination correction available if you shoot in JPG format.
With it enabled at its middle, Normal setting, the vignette is lessened, but not eliminated, showing -3.3EV at f/1.4 and -1.8EV at f/2.
In both cases you'll still notice darkness at the edges of your photos.
For portraits this can be a desirable effect, but you'll need to utilize post-processing software, like Adobe Lightroom Classic, to compensate for it.
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 outperforms the Nikon here, all but eliminating a vignette even at f/1.4—its larger front element and heavier optics likely come into play.
Conclusions
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is one of the company's premiere lenses, part of its series of f/1.4G prime optics, and a strong performer.
It draws subjects sharply, with a shallow depth of field at wide apertures, and while it casts a strong vignette, that aspect of rendering can be compensated for using software, or left in place for more striking portraits.
It's significantly lighter than our favorite 85mm f/1.4 from Sigma, but also $400 more expensive.
Some photographers will value saving the money, while others will gladly pay more for the Nikkor—it all depends on where your priorities lie.
Budget shoppers who can live with a narrower f/1.8 aperture should look to the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G or the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD as alternatives—both are very good lenses.
Finally, there may be photographers who prefer to shoot portraits with a longer lens.
Nikon has the AF-S Nikkor 105mm f/1.4E ED, which is a pricier proposition than the 85mm at $2,200, but delivers performance in line with its cost.
Sigma has announced its own 105mm f/1.4 lens, but it's not out yet, but does have a 135mm f/1.8 available.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G
Cons
Pricier than third-party options.
Omits optical stabilization.
Strong vignette at f/1.4 and f/2.
The Bottom Line
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is the go-to lens for shooting portraits with a shallow depth of field, but is more expensive than third-party alternatives.
