I've been staring at lens reviews for three hours and my head is spinning. I finally upgraded to the D850 last month but now my old zooms just arent cutting it for the level of detail this sensor can actually pull. I have a wedding shoot coming up in three weeks at this really old, dimly lit library in Seattle and I need a prime that can handle the low light without making the images look mushy.
I was pretty set on getting the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G because it's legendary or whatever, but then I started reading some threads saying the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 is way sharper for the high megapixel count on the 850. My issue is that the Sigma looks like a literal brick and I'm gonna be on my feet for ten hours. Also read that the 85mm 1.8G is actually faster at focusing than the 1.4G but then why would I spend $1600 on the slower one? Its so confusing because:
- The 85mm 1.4 is expensive but maybe outdated?
- The Sigma 105mm is huge and might be too long for a cramped library.
- The 1.8 is cheap but feels weird putting a budget lens on a pro body.
I just want something that makes the eyes pop and has that creamy background but wont break my wrist. My budget is capped at $1500 so I might have to go used anyway. What do you guys actually use on this body for tight indoor portraits when you cant back up much?
I've been very satisfied with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G on my D850. Technical benchmarks show it actually has better wide-open sharpness and less color fringing than the 1.4G on these 45MP sensors. Since you're in a cramped library, the 105mm will be too tight. The 1.8G is much lighter and the autofocus is significantly more responsive. It works well for long events.
