Nikon 85mm f1.8 V 85mm f1.4

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awp

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is there a difference? is there a difference worth the difference in price? anyone using the f1.4 who has used the f1.8? just curious . . .
 
There is definitely a difference. Whether it's £400-odd worth of difference is a personal matter, I suspect. The 85/1.8 is a very, very good lens. What difference there is only happens if you often use apertures wider than about f2.8. If you do, then you might think that difference is worth £400-odd.

Here's Dante Stella, talking about the Leica f2 and f1.4, but what he says is applicable in this case too I think, and it's sort of amusing, at least if you're old enough to remember the 60's TV programme 'Gilligan's Island'.

The Summicron is Mary Ann, if I have to spell it out. Clearly a better choice for almost every reason.

Before your date with Mary-Ann, you ask the Captain "can she bake an apple pie?"

Before the date with Ginger, you ask if there's poison ivy on the island.

MTF has nothing to do with it.

At F/1.4, Summilux gives you an image where you won't get an image from the Summicron. You're comparing something to nothing. With the Summilux, and, in our Gilligan-alogy, the performance difference is equal to the price difference, but merely being able to pay the price does not assure you will be able to extract that potential from the Summilux. Like Ginger, the Summilux is willing to just take your money.
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That's a good photo, and either lens could do it.

Here's one, I don't claim it's a particularly fine one, that you'd struggle to get with the 1.8.

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85/1.4 at f2 I think. The big difference between the two comes when you have a lot of out of focus stuff in the shot. The 1.8 is superb when most stuff in shot is in focus. The 1.4 comes into its own when you're doing stuff with razor thin DoF.
 
you could always rent one from Calumet for the weekend and see what you think - trouble is they always ask for a waxing large deposit.

I did this for the Nikon 70-200Vr and it sold itself to me and got me in no end of trouble with my Mrs! :thumbs::lol:
 
I one I was offered has been sold - so problem solved for now. I wasn't really looking for one - but I was tempted....maybe one day . . . .
 
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