Photo: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G
- 85mm
- f/1.8
- Prime
- 350 g
- Min focus 0.8 m
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Quick answer
A fast, relatively compact portrait prime for Nikon FX cameras with a silent-wave motor. It also works on DX cameras as a longer lens.
Pros
- f/1.8 aperture
- Sharp
- Fast AF
- Light for 85mm (350 g)
Cons
- No VR
- Purple fringing wide open
Verdict
A very good portrait lens for Nikon FX.
About this lens
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G: a fast short-telephoto prime lens with a 85mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/1.8, made for Nikon F mount cameras, with Silent Wave Motor autofocus. A fast short-telephoto prime favoured for portraits.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G specifications
- Brand
- Nikon
- Mount
- Nikon F
- Focal length
- 85mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/1.8
- Lens type
- Prime
- Format coverage
- full-frame
- Released
- 2012
- Optical construction
- 9 elements in 9 groups
- Aperture blades
- 7
- Autofocus motor
- SWM
- Minimum focus distance
- 0.8 m
- Maximum magnification
- 0.12x
- Filter thread
- 67 mm
- Weight
- 350 g
- Length
- 73 mm
- Diameter
- 80 mm
Specification source: imaging.nikon.com
What can you shoot with the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G?
- Portraits
- Headshots
- Low-light events
Its fast maximum aperture helps in dim light and gives good subject separation.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 85mm | 23.9° | 28.6° |
| APS-C | 1.5x | 128mm | 16.1° | 19.3° |
Frequently asked questions
Is the AF-S 85mm f/1.8G good for portraits?
Yes. It is sharp and offers pleasant background blur, and the 85mm focal length suits head-and-shoulders portraits.
Does the AF-S 85mm f/1.8G work on DX bodies?
Yes, as a roughly 128mm-equivalent lens, which is a bit long for portraits unless you have space.
AF-S 85mm f/1.8G vs f/1.4G: which should I buy?
The 1.4G gives smoother blur and a stop more light at a higher weight. The 1.8G is lighter and sharper wide open.
Alternatives for Nikon F from other brands
All Nikon F lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
