Would you buy a Nikon 85 F1.4 D IF or will the replacement be that much better

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Would you buy a Nikon 85 F1.4 D IF or will the replacement be that much better

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Nikon 85mm F1.4

bmxdad

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Alright I have been doing some thinking about this MF thing. You know the at time wild "What is with these new Zeiss lenses and lacking AF" post and the other "Does Nikon need to make prime lenses?" post.

I most admit that when I use my new Nikon 50mm F1.8 I actually take most my pictures in MF, but at the same time I like that with flick of a switch it's AF, the old 50mm was MF only

Now with a 85mm F1.4 you can really play with the shallow DOF and this lens ability to create a fantastic Bokeh, so MF would be important. However this lens can also AF very fast, would the new one AF slower like the new 50mm F1.4 does

Yes there will be a replacement, who knows when. So should I get it now or wait. The Zeiss thing will not happen, I simply don't think that the extra money will give me any real improvement and AF is missing. Also I can purchase Nikon true Staff Purchasing

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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You might want to wait to see if they update it not only with AF-S (N?) but also VR, like they added to the DX 85 micro. VR would be worth the wait to me. Optically, I think they'll have a hard time improving on the current design.

Posted 3 years ago #
ted2001

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I was faced with the same dilemma when buying the venerable 200 f4 macro. Every indication is that Nikon will replace this lens sometime in the future, but when. I've had the 200 for about six very happy months now, so should I have waited? I've gotten shots I wouldn't have gotten otherwise and it's a great lens, so at this point no regrets. It would be nice if Nikon shared their product release roadmap, but they don't seem inclined to do so, so buy what you need.

Posted 3 years ago #
PBrigido

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From my perspective, I would wait. From my most commonly used lens to my least the 85mm 1.4 found its way to the bottom. This isn't to say that it is a bad lens at all, but most of my shots are done inside and the focal length is too close or outside where I would opt for the 14-24 or the 24-70. I would wait and see what the new 85mm 1.4 does to the prices. But that is me, I really don't do too many portraits where my 50mm 1.4 can't handle the job.

50mm f1.4
14-24mm f2.8
105mm f2.8
24-70mm f2.8
35mm 1.8
12-24mm f4
18-200mm
85mm 1.4

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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I'm guessing your on FX PBridgio?

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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Yeah, did you miss his sweet D700 post this month in the PAD thread?

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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Oh, right! His water droplets—I remember now!

Posted 3 years ago #
adamz

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bmxdad said:
I most admit that when I use my new Nikon 50mm F1.8 I actually take most my pictures in MF, but at the same time I like that with flick of a switch it's AF, the old 50mm was MF only

pete - it's faster that way :)

as for buying the replacement - nope, don't need it for my style of photography

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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I most admit is that I really want is macro lens, and that one does not need to be AF, I was very close to win one these Lester Dine Kiron 105mm F2.8 Macro lenses a few months ago.

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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bmxdad said:
I most admit is that I really want is macro lens, and that one does not need to be AF, I was very close to win one these Lester Dine Kiron 105mm F2.8 Macro lenses a few months ago.

What about an AI-S Nikkor? I think tai uses a 105mm.

Posted 3 years ago #
JMCS

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I use a 200mm f/4 Ai Micro... It looks close to hell, but that is a good thing, since the lens glass is fungus/scratch free, and it was cheap.

Posted 3 years ago #
noxin

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I didn't wait. I got this lenz about a month ago and am glad I got it. I figure the kind of photos I would take with it would not need the AF-S or the VR. I would probably choose a different lens anyway if I was shooting something that reqired those features. And there is no lock that the new lens will be optically better or have the same bokeh. But that's just me.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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noxin said:
But that's just me.

You're not alone—I agree with that 100%.

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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I'd like to have one with AF-S and I'm sure D5000 users and below want it too.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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NikoDoby said:
I'd like to have one with AF-S and I'm sure D5000 users and below want it too.

They'd actually prefer a built-in motor without weight/size increase :^)

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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The 85 is already a big lens as is. Adding AF-S wouldn't change that.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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I wasn't clear, I meant adding a motor to their camera.

Posted 3 years ago #
ChrisLange

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I love my 85/1.4 Ai-S, and clearly my father did enough to buy two of them like 15 or 20 years ago.

I don't think the AF is warranted for me, since I use almost all manual focus stuff anyway, even on digital, but I would certainly not turn down a 85/1.4D AF, if you have the money for it, get it, the optics won't improve much, unless they were to return to the original Ai-S formula (in my opinion was better).

Posted 3 years ago #
optimaforever

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frankly I hope that the future AFS will be better than the AFD and the AIS... with or without VR.
I suppose it will be uglier though (but that's subjective; I don't like the look of the 50/1.4AFS nor the 35/1.8 AFS and prefer the old 50/1.2 MF look). the price tag will be around 1500-1700€ I guess...

Posted 3 years ago #
shivaswrath

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i just don't see this lens coming out with VR.

I know a lot of people want it, but if you follow the 50 1.4 replacement example (and Nikon is horribly predictable), I think they are MORE likely to add VR to a newer lens rather than an update. . .at least when it comes to fixed focal length lenses.

But I would LOVE to be proven wrong!

If it does come out with VR, expect a price hike of another $400 minimum, placing the 85 1.4 at around $1700-1900??

They'll probably continue to produce the 85 1.4 D. . .and if they update the 24 with a 1.4 AF-S, they'll continue the 24 2.8 AF-D as well, in order to "open up" multiple price points to people (I at least hope).

Posted 3 years ago #
Meinrad

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shivaswrath said:
i just don't see this lens coming out with VR.

I know a lot of people want it, but if you follow the 50 1.4 replacement example (and Nikon is horribly predictable), I think they are MORE likely to add VR to a newer lens rather than an update. .

Generally speaking, you do not want to shift the rear-most element to accomplish VR, because you need space for the VR-implementation, and the rear-most element is also more vulnerable. If your original design has the second-to-last lens as part of a group, VR requires complete re-design. Most 1.4 lenses are of the Planar type, and so is the 85mm f/1.4. Its last lens is freestanding - I had a quick look at its lens diagram. The internal focus complicates the issue. The second-to-last element is so thin that it is unlikely to be suitable as VR element. My money would be on: "VR requires redesign".

Posted 3 years ago #
shivaswrath

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so if they WERE to add VR, it would be a TOTALLY new design and thus we would've seen a patent by now. . .I suspect they'll just drop a AF-S in and some updated nano coatings here and there, maybe a sprinkle or two of an ED and call it a day. . .lazy perfectionists!

I just checked, and yes, there is no nano coating, but there is the "super integrated coating", so they'll add that and probably call it a day. . .or, in the case of the 50mm update, add one extra element and group. . .

Posted 3 years ago #