Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G
In my hands courtesy of B&H Photo is the new Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G.
I own the 85mm f/1.4G, and I plan to test it against the 85/1.8G, but I am deferring testing until the arrival of the Nikon D800, which I hope to receive on April 5th.
At about $500, the 85/1.8G is far less costly than the ~$1700 85/1.4G. Yet it might end up performing nearly as well, since an f/1.8 lens is much easier to design and construct than a f/1.4 lens.
Check in-stock status at B&H Photo on my Nikon gear page.
Focal length: | 85mm |
Aperture scale: | f/1.8 - f/16 |
Angular field: | 28° diagonally |
Reproduction ratio: | 1:8.3 Minimum focus distance of 2.62' feet = 0.8m |
Number of elements/groups: | 9 elements in 9 groups |
Filter size: | 67mm |
Weight (as actually weighed): | 418g with lens hood and front and rear caps 350g (lens alone) |
Dimensions: (Diameter x Length) |
3.1 X 2.9 inches 80 X 73 mm |
Diaphragm blades: | 7 |
Supplied accessories | LC-6 Snap-on Front Lens Cap HB-62 Bayonet Lens Hood LF-4 Rear Lens Cap CL-1015 Semi-soft Lens Case |
Other: | internal focusing, AF-S auto/manual |
The MTF chart looks promising. But Nikon provides MTF only for f/1.8, wide open, and this is 10/30 line pairs per mm (a bit silly). Zeiss and Leica provide 40 line pairs/mm, a much higher bar.