Review: Nikon 85mm f/1.8G Lens

I recently purchased the new Nikon 85mm f/1.8 G lens to add to my prime lens collection. I already had an 85mm macro, but I liked the f/1.8 aperture for some low light hand held shots and as a portrait lens. Note on my reviews: if you want specs and fluff in a review, visit someone like Ken Rockwell. My reviews are designed to be more from a position of a real photographer and what I would want to read. 

It's surprising how much larger this lens is than the 50mm f/1.8G. It's significantly wider and a little longer. That actually makes it more comfortable to hold in my hand than the 50mm - which is ironic since I'm a lady with little hands! When mounted on the D800 the 50mm is almost so small that I have to think about holding it. I know that sounds silly, but I want a lens to fit naturally in my hand where I don't need to wiggle my fingers around to find the focus ring. The 85mm does not have this problem, my thumb and index finger hit the ring without having to move awkwardly. 

The autofocus is very fast, and besides being a lens made from plastic, I don't have any complaints. Nikon made a great portrait lens with this - it's great for pets, people, landscapes, and you name it. If I was a wedding photographer, this lens would absolutely be in my bag. There are the odd times when I can't use my feet to get any closer with the 50mm, this lens is absolutely perfect for those shots. The lens is very sharp, which is no surprise given Nikon's reputation for outstanding optics and I could not identify any distortion in the lens. When you have a ton of megapixels to capture that detail, you want a sharp lens!

Recommendation: No brainer - Buy it! For the price, you really can't beat the quality and landscape photographers will love the small size and great versatility of a lens like this. Remember to support your local camera store and buy locally!