So I finally pulled the trigger on a used D850 after shooting with a D7200 for forever and honestly the difference is insane but now my old lenses just aren't cutting it. I’ve got a couple of graduation shoots coming up at the local park in about three weeks and I really want that creamy bokeh look for the seniors but I am totally stuck on which prime to go for.
I've been looking at the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G and the Sigma 85mm Art. I found a deal on the Nikon for like $900 used but everyone says the Sigma is way sharper even if it is a literal brick to carry around all day. Then there is the 105mm f/1.4E which people rave about but it might be way over my budget of $1300 unless I find a crazy deal. I’m mostly worried about the autofocus speed because the seniors move around a lot more than you'd think lol.
Is the Sigma Art worth the extra weight on an already heavy D850 or should I just stick with the native Nikon glass? Or is the 105mm just so much better that I should sell a kidney to get it...
TL;DR: Grab the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art for Nikon F. Its a beast to carry but that D850 sensor really needs the sharpness it brings. In my experience, the older Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G has beautiful character but the autofocus feels a bit sluggish for active seniors. The Sigma is way more reliable for those candid walk-and-talk shots and fits your budget perfectly.
@Reply #1 - good point! Are you doing mostly full body shots or tight headshots? I totally love the:
- Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD The stabilization is amazing tho!
Stick with the native Nikon glass, you wont regret it. Honestly though, carrying heavy gear always reminds me of this hiking trip where I brought way too much stuff. I hiked three miles up a ridge just to realize I left my memory cards in the truck. I just sat there eating trail mix and watching the sunset instead. Anyway lol, sorry kinda went off topic there.
Over the years I have tried many different setups and eventually realized that lab benchmarks dont tell the whole story.
- Spend some time on sites like DXOMark or look at the lens ranking charts. They have side-by-side comparisons that show how much light these things actually let in.
- There was this one series of senior portraits where I used a lens everyone called a masterpiece. On paper it was perfect but in the field the autofocus was just too twitchy. Worrying about the gear took away from the time spent talking to the kids. Moving to a more basic version that just worked every single time was a lifesaver.
- Consistency is everything when you have a client standing there waiting. The hard way was learning that a slightly softer image that is actually in focus is way better than a sharp image that missed the eye. Checking used listings on places like KEH or MPB helps you see how well certain models hold their value which is a good hint at their long-term reliability. Doing this with a Nikon D850 means you have a lot of weight to balance already so definitely keep that in mind!
