First, let's recap. This is Nikon's newest version of it's legendary 85mm f/1.4 lens, the AF-D. Although I never used the AF-D, I had heard that the AF-S was even more amazing so I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I rented the lens for a photo shoot on Sunday, which meant it was going to be sitting around all day Saturday. Of course, I couldn't let this happen, so I set up a shoot with fellow photographer Tess Polivka. She rented a Canon lens she had been wanting to try, so we both headed downtown for a day of photography and testing our new toys, I mean lenses.
To really see what this lens could do, I shot the entire day at f/1.4. Normally, I'd hesitate to do this, as most f/1.4 lenses are a little soft when they're wide-open. Not this lens! It's super-sharp at f/1.4. In fact, I was blown away by what I saw when I got home and was able to view the images at full size.
The focus was not only sharp but also accurate! Eyes, not noses, were sharp. At such shallow depth of field, it's very easy to accidentally shift focus from an eye to a nose. I was happy with the number of keepers I had. Not only is focusing accurate, but it's fast and silent also. I'm used to using "D" lenses, which use the body motor to focus the lens. It's a little louder to use, but in most cases it's also faster than the internal "Silent Wave" motors in newer lenses. This lens was indeed silent, but I'm not sure if it could be any faster. Focus seemed almost instantaneous and I never experienced any hunting. Of course, I was outdoors in bright light all day, but that was only Saturday.
On Sunday, I was able to use it at my bridal fashion shoot. Well, I should say I was able to use it a little bit, as I was sharing with fellow Nikon shooter Kimothy Pikor. I think she fell in love with this lens. When I could pry it away from her, though, I was impressed with how it handled in a studio setting. Working with modeling lamps it focused just as quickly and accurately. Working with low light coming in from a window was no different, and I was able to capture some great candid shots without using flash.
So, what's this lens good for and is it worth it? I would never use it for an event, as it's focal length is too long for candid photos but too short for capturing most presentations or ceremonies. I'm not sure how it would work at a wedding, either, as it's still in that too long/too short range. But portraits... this is a dream lens for portraits. It's sharp, it's fast, it has flattering compression, it has amazing bokeh. It's on my wish list. It's in my dreams. It will be mine.
As always, I rent my gear from Pro Photo Rental up in Boulder, CO.
Here are some photos from my two days with this lens. All were shot at f/1.4, with the exception of the detail photo, which was shot at f/9.
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