Best cheap Portrait Lens for Nikon D850

[Fons Baerken]

Thanks John

[f4-fan]

I do own, and use, all versions of the 105/2.5, from the early 10.5cm f/2.5 Rangefinder model up and including the 105/2.5 AIS. I warmly recommend the 105/2.5 AI version as the best of them all.

Today I bought a 105/2.5 AI in a very good condition with the metal lens hood for 165,- EUR.
Handling (focussing) with the D850 ist rather easy and perfectly soft. Tomorrow I will shoot some portraits...

I bought another lens (Zoom Nikkor 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5) for testing purpose. But I have to admit that this lens is not so well suited for the D850 and I have to sell it again.
  

[Frank Fremerey]

It's hard to find old images scanned from film, and harder yet to remember what lenses I was using, but here's one I know was done with F and 85/1.8H. Casual snap and low res scan, but I think it did a pretty good capture.  That's my mother in law, at around 90.  She made it to 99. Fled Cuba in 1962 with four kids to reunite with husband who had defected.  Under the exterior tough as nails.

The whole 1.8/85mm series is underrated....

There were always more prestigious lenses. That is why.

Phantastic portrait of your MiL!!!

[Jack Dahlgren]

I’ve used the 85mm f/1.8 K for corporate portraits and people were pleased with the results. I happen to like the hexagonal diaphragm which creates a hex pattern with background highlights.

[f4-fan]

As I mentioned before I bought the Nikon 105mm f/2.5 Ai.

I tested it with the D850: Sharpness was OK, but the bokeh is not outstanding for me; therefore I had to get a faster lens:

I quickly sold the 105mm again and bought the lens from a colleague that had impressed me earlier:

Nikon 85mm f/1.4 Ai-s

And I think that I have found THE classic that will stay with me:

The following product photos were taken with the not very popular Nikon AF-Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8, which I recently bought in mint condition for 80 EUR: It seems to harmonize very well with the D850.

Nikon D850 and Nikon AF-Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8

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Now the first portraits from my son were OK for me!
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Nikon D850; Nikon Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 Ai-s (f/2.0; 1/400 sec; ISO 110)

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Nikon D850; Nikon Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 Ai-s (f/1.4; 1/400 sec; ISO 90)


 
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[Pistnbroke]

Samyang 85mm f 1.4...no contest

[CS]

Samyang 85mm f 1.4...no contest

Fails requirement #2: Cheap

[Pistnbroke]

£250 is cheap  ( manual focus version)

[CS]

£250 is cheap  ( manual focus version)

Oooops, right you are! I had Nikon on my mind when I saw 85mm c.1.4, and I completely  ignored the Samyang brand name right in front of me!   

[Imagelover]

F4-fan: I bought both the AIS 85mm f/1.4 and the AIS 105mm f/1.8 directly from Japan i 1984, and they are still with me! Best portrait lens: I still agree with people putting the AI Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 in front. I also remember some portrait slide shots on Kodachrome 64 with the AI Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 and Nikon F3 back in 1982, and was really amazed by the clarity and rendering of the object!

[f4-fan]

F4-fan: I bought both the AIS 85mm f/1.4 and the AIS 105mm f/1.8 directly from Japan i 1984, and they are still with me! Best portrait lens: I still agree with people putting the AI Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 in front. I also remember some portrait slide shots on Kodachrome 64 with the AI Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 and Nikon F3 back in 1982, and was really amazed by the clarity and rendering of the object!

I am now very satisfied with the Nikon 85mm 1.4 Ai-S: It is handy, you can use it for portraits even at f/1.4 quite well with the D850 and from aperture 2.0 or 2.8 it is even excellent. I like Bokeh very much and the chromatic aberrations can be reworked as much as possible.

Here are further Examples:


Nikon D850; Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 Ai-S; 1/400; ISO 250; Bl. 2.8


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Nikon D850; Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 Ai-S; 1/400; ISO 160; Bl. 2.0


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Nikon D850; Nikkor 85mm f/1.4; 1/160 sec.; ISO 3200; Bl. 2.0

[Airy]

It looks excellent indeed.

[Peter]

D1x with Nikon Nikkor ED f2.8 180mm  Ai-s.. This lens was beat up a bit as well.

[Nasos Kosmas]

Nice portrait Peter

[PeterN]

Nice portrait Peter

+1 fantastic portrait!