Nikon 105mm f/1.8 Nikkor AI-S

joseazevedo

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.67 of 5,
6 votes

Price Paid:  $300.00 from auction

Summary:
This is a lens I've never felt comfortable with. It's sharp, bulk and heavy (I like this quality for stability with my F2s). Built quality is Nikkor top. Love its grip and balance with my Nikons. I like to shoot wide open and although this lens is sharp this way it's not THAT sharp. I mean you must use a tripod or shoot more on the fast speeds side to experience the sharpness it can bring. A slight handshake will kill sharpness wide open thanks to its very shallow depth of field. It seems it was not designed to be used mostly wide open, but to allow shooting under available light. Well, to shoot at 1/15 using a tripod you can use ANY lens... Since this lens is more a telephoto than the 85mm I believe that's why slight shakes affect more the results. Due to this characteristics I'm selling mine and bought a Nikkor AF 85mm 1.4D. What a difference. This one's sharper wide open and its bokeh is much better. It was designed to be used this way and the difference really shows. This is the lens to be had if you want to do portraits or shoot a lot anything under available light.

Strengths:
Built quality, grip, fast, sharp

Weaknesses:
Too "tele" for slow speed handheld wide open shooting which requires, at least, the use of a monopod for really sharp images

Similar Products Used:
Nikkor AF 85mm 1.4D Sigma 90mm 2.8 macro

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $350.00 from eBay

Summary:
Very, very sharp optics! Kind of big and heavy, not not overly so. The image in the view finder is amazingly bright. This makes manual focusing on my F100 easy. I have owned the famed 105 f2.5 in the past and I like this lens better. Just as sharp (maybe even sharper) but the bright view and the f1.8 ad a lot to this lens.

Strengths:
Built like a tank and very sharp optics.

Weaknesses:
Price. Used they are worth the $300-$500 you will pay. New price (currenty only available as a gray market lens for $650 at B&H) would be way to much.

Similar Products Used:
105mm f2.5 and many Nikon zooms in this range.

Customer Service:
not needed

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $240.00 from private sale

Summary:
The best intermediate telephoto Nikon makes. Even wide-open this optical masterpiece is tack sharp. It will render individual skin cells and pick out tiny hair folicles which may not be so great for shooting people over the age of 25! The out of fous bokeh is soft and very attractive. There is only one lens that beats it and that is my 90mm Zeiss Sonnar fitted to a Contax G2. The Nikkor is beautifully made with only one defect--a wobbly built-in shade. The focus is silky smooth and it has none of the plasticky feel of so many lenses built today. The bright view through the finder is worth the extra expense over the f2.5 version and some say the f1.8 is actually slightly better all round (Photodo).

Strengths:
Build quality. Resolution and bokeh.

Weaknesses:
Wobbly built-in shade

Similar Products Used:
Zeiss G 90mm f2.8 Sonnar

Customer Service:
Seems okay, they respond to emails promptly.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $1000.00

Summary:
My favorite lens for portraits. Viewfinder is very bright. Mechanics of this lens are a dream. A pleasure to work with. When you see the results, the price tag is forgotten.

Strengths:
build quality. sharpness, feeling.

Weaknesses:
sun hat jiggles when pulled out (a detail just to be able to mention one)

Similar Products Used:
85 mm 1.8 AF; 105 mm 2.8 Micro AF; 100mm 2.8 E

Customer Service:
-

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $649.00 from B+H

Summary:
This is an incredibly fine lens and is even better than the 2.5. (Which is also great) Sharpness is amazing and for natural light work, the extra light gathering abilities is a plus. I love the feel of this lens and the size is a strength for me. Built like a tank. I heard B+H no longer has them new and they are getting harder and harder to come buy. For portrait work this is a dream.

Strengths:
Sharp Built like a tank Fast

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
105 2.5