im honestly so fed up with my heavy zoom lens, its just too soft and it hurts my wrist after an hour of shooting. i need a killer prime for my d850 for a seattle wedding im doing in three weeks.
- budget is max 800
- gotta be sharp
- focal length for portraits
any ideas?
I had a moment to think about this more since that D850 sensor is a total beast. I would suggest being cautious with older Nikon glass because that 45.7MP resolution reveals every tiny flaw. You might want to consider the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD. Its usually under 800 and having vibration compensation is a massive help for wedding work when your hands get tired. Make sure to check out the technical charts on DXOMARK before buying. It really helps to see how the sharpness drops off toward the edges. If weight is your main priority tho, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is super light, but be careful with chromatic aberration. I dont think the bokeh is as smooth as the Tamron, but its a solid choice. TL;DR: Get the Tamron for stabilization and weather sealing, or the Nikon 85mm 1.8G for the lightest weight.
unfortunately i had a total nightmare with my old glass on that d850... it just looked like mush. super disappointing when you realize your gear is holding you back. how much space do you actually have to move around at this wedding venue?
- Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G
- Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR Micro the 50mm is feather-light and keeps the d850 from feeling like a total brick. honestly, your wrist will thank you.
ive been really satisfied with the shift to lighter primes lately, especially since that d850 sensor is so demanding on optics. honestly the resolution you get when you stop down just a tiny bit is incredible compared to those bulky zooms. not 100% sure on the latest lab tests for every budget option, but iirc there is a specific 85mm prime that people swear by for its sharpness-to-weight ratio. here are a few technical things that worked well for me:
- opting for f/1.8 glass usually saves about 300-400 grams
- resolving 45 megapixels requires glass with high center-to-edge uniformity
- lower element counts usually mean better contrast in backlit shots autofocus consistency on some of these mid-tier primes is actually better than the heavy zooms anyway. im not sure if that fits every scenario, but it definitely helps with wrist fatigue during a long day... plus the bokeh transitions are usually much smoother.
