Nikon 105mm F2.8 AFS

Hi, Ive heard its very good at portraits, here is one I took at WWT Slimbridge last month just seeing how well it would do that type of shot at f2.8 this was on a D7000 and obviously not a studio type portrait but I was really pleased how much detail was present at 2.8, something thats sold as a dedicated macro lens.

I am sure others will have much better examples and feedback on this for portrait work


Helper at WWT Slimbridge by Adam Sibbald, on Flickr
 
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AdamSi said:
Hi, Ive heard its very good at portraits, here is one I took at WWT Slimbridge last month just seeing how well it would do that type of shot at f2.8 this was on a D7000 and obviously not a studio type portrait but I was really pleased how much detail was present at 2.8, something thats sold as a dedicated macro lens.

I am sure others will have much better examples and feedback on this for portrait work

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sibbald/8999936845/
Helper at WWT Slimbridge by Adam Sibbald, on Flickr
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Thanks for quick reply, looking good, I'm between this lens and the 85 1.8G
 
It's a fine lens, I had one and used it for all sorts with the D90. Once I got the D800 though, I felt I lost that bit of length that I liked about it, so sold it on and bought a 150mm macro. But ... you may not be bothered about using it as a tele-prime, so for portraits and obviously macro, it's hard to beat. If you don't do macro, or don't plan to much, the 85mm 1.8 is a lot cheaper and possibly sharper. But you don't get VR, and of course, it's even shorter.
 
Cagey75 said:
It's a fine lens, I had one and used it for all sorts with the D90. Once I got the D800 though, I felt I lost that bit of length that I liked about it, so sold it on and bought a 150mm macro. But ... you may not be bothered about using it as a tele-prime, so for portraits and obviously macro, it's hard to beat. If you don't do macro, or don't plan to much, the 85mm 1.8 is a lot cheaper and possibly sharper. But you don't get VR, and of course, it's even shorter.
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As I don't shoot macro I think i will get the 85mm, I have an old manual 55mm macro lens who does wonder if I needed macro at some point.
 
fred2511 said:
Tried the lens today and I was very impressed, the only weird thing was that on close focus under 2 metre the lens only go to f3 and not f2.8
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All (afaik) Nikon Micro lens do that - at the closest focus the lens becomes F/5.

It's totally normal.
 
That's normal for macro lenses. When shooting very close in macro you'd be stopped down even more so anyway, because the DOF is extremely shallow at such close ranges. It has VR to counter the change in aperture for normal use though.
 
redddraggon said:
All (afaik) Nikon Micro lens do that - at the closest focus the lens becomes F/5.

It's totally normal.
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Thanks, I was going to get it today but I preferred asking you first to be sure it was normal.
I can get it for 500 pound lots of glass for the money I think :)
 
It's one of the best lenses I've owned. You can do so much with it. I used it for portraits, macro, landscape and street, as a short tele lens. You get VR + f/2.8 - at general distances at least, too - it's also sealed, and made mostly of metal - you'll not get a zoom with all that for anything near.
 
fred2511 said:
I can get it for 500 pound lots of glass for the money I think :)
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Oh yes!

I definitely find the 105mm more versatile than the 85mm f/1.4 I had. I found with the 85mm that I had to stop down to at least f/2 (but normally F/2.8 or F/4) to get the DoF I needed, so the 105 being sharp at F/2.8, having VR with the close focusing ability sealed the deal for me.
 
fred2511 said:
Thanks, I was going to get it today but I preferred asking you first to be sure it was normal.
I can get it for 500 pound lots of glass for the money I think :)
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Is that new price or 2nd hand

I'm thinking of getting either the 85 1.8g oR this lens but finding it hard to decide
 
£500 is a good price for it, so long as it's in good nick. I got mine used for €600, they were pricier new at the time than now. It was mint, looked like new. I sold it on about a year later for same. Nikon lenses do hold their value well.

I've had both, and tbh, the 85mm is a lovely, cheap fun lens to use. But it's nowhere near the same build quality, nor does it have anywhere near the same kind of usage. You'll find the 85mm limited enough. It's a nice on to have on the side. And it's cheap enough to buy later.
 
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I have the 24-120 f4 already so I really don't know if it's worth getting the 105 for 1 extra stop , I think it's just a case of wanting for wantings sake lol

I had the canon 85 1.8 on my old 5d and used to use it quite often

Hmm decisions
 
Go for it fred, if you regret it, I'll buy you a pint some time :D

It's not just the extra stop JBuk, it'll be miles better for portraits, it'll offer much better bokeh, it's sharper, and of course, you can shoot macro with it. And it is one of the best macro lenses out there. I only sold it because I wanted a little more reach for macro - so got a 150mm, I like to shoot bugs in summer and the 105 meant having to get that bit closer, risking scaring them off. I also wanted to cover for tele - I know 150 isn't very long, but with a D800 you do have that uber crop-ability ;)

Shot this with the 105mm on my old D90:


_DSC1841 by Cagey75, on Flickr

Where it acted pretty much like the 150mm does on my D800
 
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Cagey75 said:
Go for it fred, if you regret it, I'll buy you a pint some time :D

It's not just the extra stop JBuk, it'll be miles better for portraits, it'll offer much better bokeh, it's sharper, and of course, you can shoot macro with it. And it is one of the best macro lenses out there. I only sold it because I wanted a little more reach for macro - so got a 150mm, I like to shoot bugs in summer and the 105 meant having to get that bit closer, risking scaring them off. I also wanted to cover for tele - I know 150 isn't very long, but with a D800 you do have that uber crop-ability ;)

Shot this with the 105mm on my old D90:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cagey75/7984931495/
_DSC1841 by Cagey75, on Flickr

Where it acted pretty much like the 150mm does on my D800
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Your such a bad influence, but I think I will do it as the deal is to tempting and the D800 deserved a decent lens.
 
Precisely! Don't blame me, blame the D800 :) there ya go ;)

You'll love it. I don't know one person had that lens and didn't love it.
 
Cagey75 said:
Nice one, enjoy ;)
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Thank you, I really like using the D800, after Leica, canon and fuji I'm back to Nikon and I feel like like I'm back home.
Really nice in the hand and the files it produce are excellent even in jpeg mode?
Don't get me wrong i did enjoy my brief encounter with Leica and my 6 month with the canon 5D but I m so much more at ease with a Nikon body, old habit maybe :)
 
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