Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/01/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]From: Dan Cardish >Basically all of the Nikkor 85s are top notch. The 85/1.4 has what Nikon >calls "close focusing correction" system, or something like that, which are >essentially floating elements. The close-up range is super; I have already >convinced myself of this. The 85/1.8 is much less expensive and smaller >than the 1.4 version. I recently played with a Nikon F5 that happened to >have an AF 85/1.8 on it. At first I thought it was just a 50. The 85/1.8 >makes much more sense. I've been shooting the 85/1.8 AF Nikkor along side the 75/1.4 Summilux-M and 90/2 Summicron-M. I think it is a very nice "all 'round" lens: very good at all apertures and all focal lengths. It's performance at f/1.8 & 1 meter is comparable to about any similar lens. It also has psuedo internal focusing for better than average focus speed (for a Nikon). Nikon literature doesn't call it IF, per se. For the ~$200 (Ex+) I paid for it, I sometimes wonder about the price of new Leica stuff. In combination with AF, I've gotten a higher percentage of keepers in certain situations than with an M6/90 or M6/75. FWIW, there is an 85/1.4 AF-IF Nikkor now. I think the price of the thing is into Leica prime lens territory. It has yet another element and retains CRC. I haven't heard if they reduced the flare issue present in the MF version. - Kevin kburke@iterated.com