So Ive been shooting with my D850 and the old 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II forever now. Its a beast and the images are sharp as hell but honestly my wrists are starting to give out during these three hour engagement sessions at the park lol. I decided its finally time to grab a dedicated prime for portraits but Im torn.
I used to think the 85mm 1.8G was the way to go because its light but then I saw some shots with the 105mm f/1.4E and now Im questioning everything. Is the 105mm actually worth the extra weight and price jump? My budget is roughly $850 maybe 900 if I find a good deal on MPB or something. I mostly do outdoor natural light stuff so bokeh is pretty important to me. I tried a friends 50mm 1.4 but it just felt too wide for that compression I like.
Ive been doing this for a decade but Ive always been a zoom guy and this transition to primes is actually harder than I thought it would be. Is there a goldilocks lens Im missing here? Maybe the Sigma Art 85mm? I heard they have autofocus issues on older bodies sometimes. Just looking for something that has that wow factor without being a total brick like my current zoom...
I tried the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art during a sunset shoot but unfortunately the focus missed half the time. Get the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G and shoot at f/2.2.
To add to the point above, the 1.8G is a total bargain, but if you want that extra rendering magic without breaking the bank, look for a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G. Over the years Ive realized you dont need to spend 105mm 1.4 money. You can grab the 85mm 1.4G used on MPB for around $700. Its way lighter than your zoom and has incredible rendering.
@Reply #1 - good point! I actually had a similar experience when I switched from my heavy zoom to primes on my D850. Quick question before diving too deep, how much backlight do you normally shoot into? I ask because longitudinal chromatic aberration can be a real pain on some of these older designs when shooting wide open. I've been using the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD for two years and I'm super satisfied. I have no complaints about the autofocus accuracy on my D850, and the built-in VC works well when my hands are tired. Quick tip: check the weight specs carefully. The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED is 985g, while your zoom is around 1540g. Even the heavy 105mm is gonna feel like a massive relief on your wrists.
