Nikon Equivalent to the Canon 85 1.8?

[explicit4u]

I've seen some fantastic images from the Canon 85mm 1.8 and I know that it's rated pretty highly on here. Sadly I'm a Nikon user and I can't seem to find an equivalent nikon lens that will focus on my D3100. The only nikon option is the 85mm AF-S f/1.4G but that costs a fortune! So does a Nikon version of this lens exist and if not, is there a possibility that Nikon will release an AF-S version of the old 85 1.8?

 

[mcc49]

You're stuck with the Nikkor 85 1.4G if you need an AF lens I am afraid. If you are willing to buy 3rd party then Sigma has the 85mm 1.4 HSM which is abit cheaper.

 

[Ksanti]

The Sigma is regarded as a fantastic lens, though the lack of micro adjust on your D3100 might prove troublesome as with an f/1.4 lens at 85mm, DOF is razor thin, so the back/front-focussing issues known to plague Sigma lenses will only be resolvable through getting replacement lenses, which is a hassle.

Nikon have recently come out with a 50mm f/1.8 AF-S, and have a new (slightly older than the 50) 35mm f/1.8 AF-S. Given this refresh of the line and the fact we won't be seeing any pro Nikon lenses, I'd say an 85mm f/1.8 AF-S is only a matter of time.

You might want to check what camera the Canon 85 shots were taken on - the ones that blew you away were most likely on full frame cameras such as the 5D, which increase apparent sharpness (arguably) and also give less depth of field for the same image. The closest equivalent you'll get on your D3100 in terms of focal length in that case would be the 50mm lenses, either the f/1.8 AF-S, or the f/1.4 AF-S, both of which are good lenses, though they won't give you quite the same amount of bokeh as the 85 + full frame combo

 

[explicit4u]

You're stuck with the Nikkor 85 1.4G if you need an AF lens I am afraid. If you are willing to buy 3rd party then Sigma has the 85mm 1.4 HSM which is abit cheaper.

The Sigma is regarded as a fantastic lens, though the lack of micro adjust on your D3100 might prove troublesome as with an f/1.4 lens at 85mm, DOF is razor thin, so the back/front-focussing issues known to plague Sigma lenses will only be resolvable through getting replacement lenses, which is a hassle.

The Sigma has caught my eye but, being a student means I can't really shell out £600 on a single lens!

Nikon have recently come out with a 50mm f/1.8 AF-S, and have a new (slightly older than the 50) 35mm f/1.8 AF-S. Given this refresh of the line and the fact we won't be seeing any pro Nikon lenses, I'd say an 85mm f/1.8 AF-S is only a matter of time.

You might want to check what camera the Canon 85 shots were taken on - the ones that blew you away were most likely on full frame cameras such as the 5D, which increase apparent sharpness (arguably) and also give less depth of field for the same image. The closest equivalent you'll get on your D3100 in terms of focal length in that case would be the 50mm lenses, either the f/1.8 AF-S, or the f/1.4 AF-S, both of which are good lenses, though they won't give you quite the same amount of bokeh as the 85 + full frame combo

Good to know. I did notice that the majority of 85mm users were using a FF body but I have noticed plenty of great picture taken on a XXD/XXXD body. Personally I'm thinking of getting:

Nikon 35mm AF-S 1.8
Nikon 55-200mm AF-S
Tamron 17-50 2.8 (To replace the kit lens)

and hopefully a future AF-S refresh of the 85mm 1.8, I'm not really a fan of 50mm on a crop, I find it a little too tight for indoor photography.