Photography News Issue 40

Photography News | Issue 40 | absolutephoto.com

51 First tests

NikonAF-SNIKKOR 105mmf/1.4EED £2050

Specs

Price £2,050

Format 35mm (FX), APS-C (DX, 158mm equivalent) Mount Nikon Construction 14 elements in 9 groups Special lens elements 3x extra low dispersion (ED) Coatings Nano Crystal, Fluorine Filter size 82mm Maximum aperture f/1.4 Minimum aperture f/16 Diaphragm 9 blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 100cm Focus limiter No Maximummagnification 0.11x Distance scale Yes, feet and metres Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No Lens hood Bayonet fit hold supplied Weather-sealed No Dimensions (lxd) 94.5x106mm Weight 985g Contact nikon.co.uk

Announced in July last year to a mixture of pant-wetting excitement and the odd raised eyebrow, Nikon’s 105mm f/1.4 slots neatly into the company’s current pro range as its fastest telephoto model. It also expands Nikon’s range of f/1.4 primes. Portrait photographers were justifiably enticed by its wide maximum aperture and claims of the super-smooth bokeh it produces, but at only 20mm longer than the excellent Nikon 85mm f/1.4G, pragmatists wondered if there was enough difference and sufficient improvement to justify the outlay. After a few weeks with the lens, shooting a variety of subjects, I can tell you it’s excellent, but… Let’s look at the positives first, of which there are masses. Despite having a plastic barrel (which is a little disappointing at the price), it’s still a hefty 985g, which took its toll over a day’s shooting; it felt about twice as heavy at the end. But all that high- quality glass (there are 14 elements in nine groups) does add up to some wonderfully sharp images. The lens doesn’t have a Vibration Reduction function, and like the plastic barrel this does avoid extra weight, but at this price, the lack of VR is a troubling omission to me. Sure, fast lenses like the 105mm and good technique offset camera shake, but stopping down in the gloom will still be an issue, especially with high-res sensors picking up all sorts of micro-blur. The 105mm f/1.4 is only one centimetre longer than it is wide, so it could feel awkwardly plump for some, but I found it a good size, well balanced against the D800 I use, and the lens’s two controls – there’s only the focus ring and AF/MF button to speak of – fall easily to hand. However, one problem with the width is that, with the lens hood fitted, the AF illuminator light is blocked; this occasionally proved awkward

when trying to lock on in low light, and while removing the hood solves the issue, it does leave the front element unguarded against flare. Talking of the front element, it takes 82mm filters, so youmay be looking at an additional outlay there; many of Nikon’s other high-end lenses use a 77mm filter, and the commonality is a benefit. The large focusing ring turns with great smoothness and while the throw is long, taking just under 120° from near to far, the extra distance allows more precise manual focusing, which is great for secondary applications like astrophotography, still-life or fine-art landscapes. There is some breathing when focusing near to far, and the angle of view changes by around 25%, so it’s worth focusing roughly in the ballpark before making fine adjustments or your composition could be a bit off by the time you do. Portrait photographers will most likely be using AF, and therein the 105mm doesn’t disappoint; autofocus is not all that fast, lacking the ‘snap’ of something like the 70-200mm f/2.8G, but it’s sure-footed. And while not claiming to be an action lens, it was lively enough to follow a moving subject well in the D800’s 3D tracking mode, albeit stopped down a little to extend the depth-of-field. sensors, showing impressive clarity even wide open The 105mm f/1.4 is exceptionally well tuned for high-resolution

85mm f/1.4

105mm f.1.4

Above The 105mm f/1.4 clearly adds more compression, making background blur more prominent, but whether it’s a vital purchase over the cheaper 85mm depends on your needs (and your wallet).

Minimum focus is 100cm, which compares pretty well with the 85mm f/1.4’s 85cm and the 70-200mm f/2.8E’s 110cm. It never felt restrictive and it’s easy to fill most of the frame with your subject’s face if required. Optically the lens is outstanding. The 105mm f/1.4 is exceptionally well tuned for high-resolution sensors, showing impressive clarity even wide open, and consistent sharpness across the frame. Shooting a test subject through the aperture range, images increased in sharpness up to a sweet spot around f/8-f/11, but I’d be happy to shoot at the full f/1.4. That said, I would probably still stop down to f/1.8 or f/2 for a little more safety in the depth-of-field and even greater

clarity. The lens does vignette quite heavily wide open, and this hangs around through the wider apertures, before disappearing at around f/5.6. It’s easily correctable by in-camera or Raw processing, though. Fringing is virtually non-existent. Compared with an 85mm lens, the longer focal length certainly enhances blur. The compressed perspective makes the bokeh bigger and more impressive, with points of light forming pleasingly circular, flat discs – there are no squashed doughnuts here. What’s more, there are no signs of colour aberrations in defocused areas, as happens with some lenses. Altogether, it’s a fabulous look which portrait photographers will adore. KS

F/1.4

F/1.8

Original image

Verdict

There’s no doubting that this is Nikon’s royale portrait lens, and it’s optically wonderful, so if you don’t have a fast prime for portraits, this is the one to aim for. However, for me, you won’t be shorting yourself too much if you opt to save £500 and go for the 85mm f/1.4. If you already own the latter, the new lens is luxury, not an essential purchase, so test one on a weekend loan to see if it puts a spring in your step. Otherwise, you might want to consider waiting for the inevitable (and hopefully imminent) 135mm f/1.4.

F/2.8

F/5.6

F/11

F/16

Above The 105mm f/1.4 is a truly outstanding performer in the image- quality stakes. Sure it’s not completely sharp wide open, but it gives impressive results, and while it also vignettes at the wider apertures, it’s not all that noticeable outside of test conditions. Fringing and other distortions were very difficult to spot. A top performance.

Pros Wonderful image quality Cons Weight, price

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