85 or 105? I know...an old question! Hey fellow "HOGS" I have a D5000 and an 18-300 f/3.5-6.3G ED lens. This is a great "walk-around", "jack-of-all-trades, master-of none" lens that...

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

Hey fellow "HOGS"

I have a D5000 and an 18-300 f/3.5-6.3G ED lens. This is a great "walk-around", "jack-of-all-trades, master-of none" lens that meets my needs most of the time. However, I want to purchase a prime lens for portraits that won't break the bank. I have narrowed it down to either an 85 f.1.8 or a 105 f/1.8. I know a lot of you use a 70-200 f/4 or f/2.8 for portraits but I don't want to invest that much when I just have a DX format camera. The other consideration is that I want a lens that will also work well on a FX camera in the event that I move up to that level (when I'm rich!!!). The last consideration is that I will also be shooting flowers and insects and I want that ability to really blur out the background while getting a really sharp image. So the question is: 85 or 105?

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

GrandmaG wrote:

... I want to purchase a prime lens for portraits ... (show quote)

105

amehta Loc: Boston

GrandmaG wrote:

Hey fellow "HOGS" br br I have a D5000 ... (show quote)

Let's talk about the two fully functional Nikon lenses:
1. Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G, $500
2. Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro, $900
because both are AF-S lenses which means that autofocus will work on your D5000 and both are FX lenses so they will work with a full frame camera if you get one.

I think the 85mm f/1.8G is slightly better for portraits, but the 105mm f/2.8G Micro is much better for close-up photos.

Then the question is whether you want to save $100-200 with a third-party macro lens.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

105 will allow you to be further from the subject when shooting macros and is also slightly more flattering for portraits (longer focal lengths make people look thinner). However, you'll need more distance with the 105 when shooting portraits. For these reasons I opted for the 105.

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

The Nikkor 105 DC (defocus control) is an f/2 but allows you to control the placement of the depth of field, meaning you can emulate the look of longer fast lenses wide open with a shorter working distance and with a more desirable aperture.

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

amehta wrote:

Let's talk about the two i fully functional Nikon... (show quote)

Thank you...I was already leaning towards the 105 f/2.8. I saw it for $850 on B&H. They also had a Sigma lens for $670. Does anyone have experience with Sigma lenses? I'm a little afraid to use a lens other than Nikkor. I haven't heard a lot of good things about Tamron.

amehta Loc: Boston

PhotoArtsLA wrote:

The Nikkor 105 DC (defocus control) is an f/2 but allows you to control the placement of the depth of field, meaning you can emulate the look of longer fast lenses wide open with a shorter working distance and with a more desirable aperture.

Yes, we can include this:
3. Nikon AF 105mm f/2.0D DC, $1080
It is an excellent portrait lens. It is not a good close-up lens, however, with a 1:8 magnification ratio. Also, it is an "AF" lens, not an "AF-S" lens, so it will not autofocus on the D5000. If someone really wants one, though, send me a pm. :-)

amehta Loc: Boston

GrandmaG wrote:

Thank you...I was already leaning towards the 105 f/2.8. I saw it for $850 on B&H. They also had a Sigma lens for $670. Does anyone have experience with Sigma lenses? I'm a little afraid to use a lens other than Nikkor. I haven't heard a lot of good things about Tamron.

The one for $850 is "Imported", or gray market, which means Nikon did not intend it for sale in the US. If you have any issues with it, Nikon USA will not repair it, even if you are willing to pay for it. With a VR lens, for $50 I would not take the risk, I would pay $900 for the Nikon USA warranty.

Sigma and Tamron have been making some excellent lenses lately, and the Tokina AT-X lenses have always been very good. That said, there may some incompatibilities with a camera you may buy in the future. The Nikon lens should work on Nikon cameras for at least the next decade or two. My dad still uses the Nikon AF 105mm f/2.8D Micro I bought in the early 1990s.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I have the Nikon 105G f/2.8 and I have found it excellent for macro and portrait photography. I would never buy a gray market lens or camera. Cameras and lenses do retain a value but gray market equipment is more difficult because it carries that gray market cloud.

MarkD Loc: NYC

In the olden days before digital the Nikon 105mm was a common portrait lens for 35mm SLR cameras. 85mm was also used, but as I remember 105mm was the one generally used.

With an APS-C camera like a D5xxx with a 1.5x crop factor, 105mm may be a little long. I would go with the 85mm. Nikon makes an 85mm f/3.5 macro lens that would be good for both portraits and close-ups. I'm pretty sure that it will AF with both DX and FX cameras, but check anyway.

amehta Loc: Boston

MarkD wrote:

In the olden days before digital the Nikon 105mm was a common portrait lens for 35mm SLR cameras. 85mm was also used, but as I remember 105mm was the one generally used.

With an APS-C camera like a D5xxx with a 1.5x crop factor, 105mm may be a little long. I would go with the 85mm. Nikon makes an 85mm f/3.5 macro lens that would be good for both portraits and close-ups. I'm pretty sure that it will AF with both DX and FX cameras, but check anyway.

This is the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/3.5G DX Micro VR, $525.

The difference between 85mm and 105mm for primes is really minimal, I would not worry about that too much. The 85mm Micro has the advantage of being cheaper, smaller, and lighter. The 105mm Micro has the advantage of being an FX lens (for future upgrade consideration), and it seems from the DxOMark score, somewhat better image quality.

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

amehta wrote:

The one for $850 is "Imported", or gray market, which means Nikon did not intend it for sale in the US. If you have any issues with it, Nikon USA will not repair it, even if you are willing to pay for it. With a VR lens, for $50 I would not take the risk, I would pay $900 for the Nikon USA warranty.

I was wondering why B&H had two identical lenses for $50 difference. I didn't see "imported" in the small print, nor did I know that it meant gray market or that Nikon USA would not repair it. Thanks for the update.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

You might see Europe on one. That's a gray market. It won't say imported.

GrandmaG wrote:

I was wondering why B&H had two identical lenses for $50 difference. I didn't see "imported" in the small print, nor did I know that it meant gray market or that Nikon USA would not repair it. Thanks for the update.

balticvid Loc: Queens now NJ

With the 105 you can get some great portraits
of people without them realizing that you are "that close"
I found that most folks are more comfortable if they
think you are not on top of them.
The 105 is my favorite.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

More backround blur with 105 ......and you can use extension tubes or close up lenses for close focus work .....