Moonbeach

Thanks again for the valuable comments! I should have been more precise in my wording, indeed my main focus is 'street portraiture', with occasional street photography. Possibly a reasonably fast 135mm fixed lens, with a 50mm for occasional street photography is the best compromise for my needs?

BlackRipleyDog

In any case you can gauge how close you want to get and if the subject allows it, you can and still not intimidate them with the hardware and not make them think you are at the "zoo" just photographing the exhibits. And don't discard your 85. Learn to use it to it's fullest potential. All three will have their own strengths.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

A 50mm lens was great in the 30's and 40's for Henri Cartier-Bresson and Alfred Eisenstadt, and still worked for Garry Winogrand up into the 70's. But that is because film was slow, zoom lenses were not good, and the only solution was a fast lens. Technology has moved on...

The Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G VR lens would be an excellent replacement for the 85mm f/1.4 and would provide every need you'll have for a shorter focal length lens, and a lot more flexibility.

A "fast 135mm fixed lens" is in the same class as the 85mm. "Fast" has almost no real value today. And while 135mm is a wonderful focal length for studio work, a fixed focal length lens won't let you frame a shot at 70mm nor at 200mm, as would a 70-200mm zoom.

Consider that the best technique is to compose an image by selection of the appropriate perspective first. That is a matter of location. Move you feet until your get the right view of the scene. And only then does it help to look through the viewfinder and choose a focal length that frames the composition as you would like. Make no mistake, the myth of "sneaker zoom" is bogus.

For a walk around lens the only longer zoom that I've found satisfactory is the 80-400mm. First, needing to switch lenses on they fly while on the street just is not reasonable. If that is a huge need, pack two separate cameras. Second something like the Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E, or any of the 150-600mm zooms, is generally too big and too long at the short end of the zoom to be generally useful.

BlackRipleyDog

Primes are and always will be superior to most zooms. A zoom is a compromise of tech due to it's greater quantity of glass elements and moving parts which do nothing more than try to fix quirks introduced by the addition of other components in the first place.

Fast prime lenses are the grail. Low ISO's give the best image quality. I used to shoot Kodachrome 25. Why does Nikon have 64 as the base ISO on the 810?

The best tool for getting the right perspective and shot are your feet. That immerses you in the environment you are shooting. You need to engage with your subjects and to make eye contact. They need to see you as much as you see them. That is the essence you are seeking.

You can have the newest best'est biggest baddest equipment on the market but at the end of the day if you allow the gear to dominate and dictate your style then you are nothing more than an equipment operator and certainly not a artist.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

I am with the OP.
Street, for me, is portrait/character/story...
I have shot in Ireland, Thailand, Germany, Hong Kong, Shanghai....people are always the most interesting.
200mm or longer. (I have 50mm 1.4 but always use my 70-200mm 2.8 ... and almost always at 200mm.)

You need to be far away to capture the person in flight....

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Some links -
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2013/07/03/the-phoblographers-5-recommended-lenses-for-dslr-street-photography/
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/why-a-standard-lens-is-perfect-for-street-and-travel-photography/

whitewolfowner

Check out a used Nikon 70-210 F4.0 AF lens released in 1986. Its optics are excellent and is much smaller than the f2.8 versions; it is a straight f4.0 both at 70 and 210mm. It can be bought here in the USA in excellent condition for around $250.00. It is one of Nikon's sleeper lenses.

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Yeah you are missing this, "I have the Nikon 85mm/1.4 which is awesome for portraits. But I like to take shots of people in the street while they're going about what they're doing.... and with the 85mm I need to get so close that it is usually intrusive" . He wants to get farther, not closer.

Jim Bob

24-70

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

For street photography, I like the Nikon 24-120 coupled with my D500.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Years ago, when photographers were using all manual cameras and hand held exposure meters street photography was very popular with a 50 or a 35mm lens. I am not an expert in street photography but some of my best shots when doing that type of photography have come when using a tele. Today photographers continue to favor both of those lenses.
The Nikon 70-300 VR version is a pretty sharp lens. Bokeh will be very pleasant if you are close to your subject using the lens wide open but I am sure for that you want your 85mm lens.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Back in the day a small Leica preset with the hyperfocal distance was the instrument of choice. Can't remember what lens they used but it was wide enough to capture subjects with a hipshot. I suspect cropping was liberally used also.

Moonbeach

I saw this used Nikon 180/2.8 lens on B&H (I'm visiting in NYC this week); seems like a great lens to cover my street portraiture needs? Anything I need to consider when using with my D700?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/801558083-USE/nikon_1940_af_nikkor_180mm_f_2_8d.html

chase4 Loc: Punta Corona, California

I also believe this is one of the best and great bokeh. Here are some shots taken with that lens. chase

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tdekany Loc: Oregon

The 85mm is TOO SHORT for the op and you are recommending a shorter focal lens zoom? Did you even read the original post? The guru has failed!