So Ive been shooting with my D850 and the standard 24-70mm f/2.8 for years now and its been a total workhorse but I have this high-end outdoor family session coming up next month and I really want to move away from the zoom look. I want that specific prime lens compression and creamy fall-off that the zoom just cant quite hit. My logic was that the 85mm f/1.8G is the smartest move because its light and sharp as a tack but then I keep looking at the 85mm f/1.4G and wondering if Im gonna regret not having that extra bit of character.
I even considered the 105mm f/2.8 macro since I already own it but it feels a bit clinical for portraits sometimes? My budget is stuck right around $800 maybe $900 max so the newer 105mm 1.4E is totally out of the question for me. I was also looking at the Sigma 85mm Art but Ive heard mixed things about the autofocus hitting consistently on the older DSLR bodies without doing a bunch of micro-adjustments. I just need something reliable that produces that 'wow' factor for this client. Is the jump from the 1.8 to the 1.4 actually noticeable in real world prints or am I just pixel peeping at this point...
Honestly, Ive been using the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G for a while now on my D850 and Im super satisfied with it. You mentioned being worried about missing out on character, but the 1.8G is incredibly sharp and the background blur is honestly beautiful enough for those high-end family shots. I found that the 1.4G can be a bit heavy and slow to focus, while the 1.8G is light and just works well every time I pull it out of my bag. Here is why I think the 1.8 is the smarter, more practical move:
- The autofocus is actually snappy and reliable, which is a life saver when you have kids moving around during a family session.
- It handles flares really well during golden hour, which sounds like what youll be doing outdoors.
- You save hundreds of dollars without sacrificing much real-world quality in the final prints. I totally get the temptation of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G, but that extra cost is mostly for a tiny bit of extra light and a specific soft look that most clients dont even notice anyway. Your Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED is definitely too clinical for what youre after... I tried using mine for a shoot once and it showed way too much skin texture which made the editing take forever. Stick with the 1.8G and youll be happy with the results.
