If you own a Nikon DSLR or mirrorless camera, you may be thinking about buying a portrait photography lens. This may help you determine which one is best for your budget and needs. Most professional photographers recommend the 85mm lens for portrait photography, but if you’re a Nikon shooter, you are faced with a choice of different lenses available at Adorama.
Why an 85mm Lens Is Ideal for Portrait Photography
An 85mm lens has the perfect focal length for portraiture compositions. The lens makes the model seem closer to the camera without requiring you to move near the subject. Therefore, you fill the frame with the model without making them feel uncomfortable. Especially when you photograph regular people, you want to give them space and help them forget about the camera.
It also helps you make the model stand out by creating a natural-looking blurred background. The best 85mm lens for Nikon cameras, for example, creates a beautiful bokeh effect and adds depth to your portraits.
Which one is best for you? That depends on your budget, but also on what kinds of portraits you want to shoot. Here are the key 85mm lenses for Nikon mounts:
Best Nikon 85mm Lens for Mirrorless Cameras:
Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens
Searching for a Nikon 85mm lens for your mirrorless Z system camera? You’re in luck. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens is a fast prime portrait lens that’s built to deliver stunningly crisp and lifelike results to Nikon Z system photographers.
This lens comes packed with top focusing features: think an ultra-quiet focus motor, eye-detection autofocus so you don’t miss a shot, a control ring for when it’s time to focus in manual, and minimized focus breathing. Additionally, two extra-low dispersion elements promise reduced color fringing and chromatic aberrations, ensuring each snap is clear and color-correct.
Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 Z STM Prime Lens
Continuing along the Nikon 85mm lens roster is the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 Z STM Prime Lens. This budget-friendly 85mm lens boasts a gorgeous f/1.8 aperture—a perfect portrait-photography perk, because that speedy aperture promises gorgeous blurred backgrounds, soft bokeh, and low-light capabilities.
Additionally, the STM stepping motor promises ultra-speedy autofocus as well as manual focus override, guaranteeing you can nail each shot precisely without missing a beat. This lens has an HD Nano multi-layer coating designed to suppress flare and ghosting. And, the nine-blade diaphragm ensures the bokeh is as high quality as it gets.
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 UMC
Last but certainly not least in our lineup of the best Nikon 85mm mirrorless lenses is the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 UMC. With a fast f/1.4 aperture, this lens is perfect for weddings, portraits, fashion shoots, and more. It’s ideal for low-lit situations, and it creates watercolor-like bokeh that’s perfectly blurred to put all the attention on the main subject. Plus, with a total of nine elements in seven groups, this lens promises top-notch image quality from corner to corner, even when using the wide-open aperture.
Additionally, the lens was built to display ultra-vivid, pop-off-the-page colors, which means you’ll showcase your subjects in the best possible light. Expect minimized flare and ghosting with this high-quality Nikon lens—not to mention speedy autofocus that nails the shot time after time.
Best Nikon 85mm Lens for DSLR Cameras:
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S FX NIKKOR Lens
When it comes to Nikon 85mm lenses, it’s hard to beat the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S FX NIKKOR. This high-end lens promises stunningly crisp and clean images, whether you’re creating portraits, filming weddings, or any host of shoots in between. The Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S FX NIKKOR Lens features quick and spot-on autofocus to ensure each shot is as clear as the last.
Plus, the fast aperture ensures you can shoot in low-lit situations. It also guarantees beautiful blurred backgrounds and bokeh, helping those portrait-style images pop off the page or screen. This 85mm lens is just as good for aspiring photographers as it is for seasoned professionals.
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G IF AF-S NIKKOR Lens
With Nikon’s renowned Silent Wave Motor, Nano Crystal Coat, and a quick f/1.4 aperture, the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G IF AF-S NIKKOR Lens is one of the best 85mm lenses on the market. This top-notch lens does not skimp on features. It has a rounded nine-blade diaphragm that delivers dreamy and natural blurred backgrounds and bokeh—ideal for portrait work, headshots, weddings, and more.
The f/1.4 aperture ensures this lens works well in low-lit situations, too. And, with the ultra-quiet autofocus operation, you can easily guarantee your subject is in focus without any distracting background noise. The Super Integrated Coating and Nano Crystal Coat from Nikon also work together to curb ghosting and lens flare for an all-around uniform color balance and final look.
Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR ED (VR-II) Lens
If you’re looking for the best Nikon 85mm lens, search no further. The Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR ED (VR-II) Lens offers a little bit of everything—without breaking the bank. This high-quality lens is ideal for macro and portrait photography. It’s highly versatile, with focusing that goes from infinity to life size, not to mention image stabilization to ensure the final shots are as sharp and in-focus as possible.
This lens’ extra-low dispersion element curbs chromatic aberration for a clean shot that’s sharp and spot-on with color. Plus, the Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR ED (VR-II) Lens is impressively compact, making it ideal for travelers looking to capture gorgeous content on the go.
Nikon 85mm PC-E Micro-NIKKOR f/2.8D Tilt-Shift Lens
If you’re looking for a realistic look, the 85mm PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D may be the best Nikon 85mm lens for you. The lens features a tilt/shift mechanism that gives users up to +/- 11.5mm shift for perspective control and +/- 8.5-degree tilt control for creative focus. It corrects distortions and vanishing point issues and includes a special optical design for minimizing chromatic aberrations.
The lens offers Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating (SIC) for stunning color performance and reduced flare and ghosting and the Nano Crystal Coat for eliminating reflections. Your portraits will be sharp, clear, and flattering. The large maximum aperture helps you create beautiful portraits in less-than-perfect light conditions and improves the bokeh effect.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART Lens
Another solid Nikon 85mm lens option is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART Lens. This stunning lens features a fast aperture for stunning and beautiful bokeh—but it doesn’t stop there. Similar to many lenses in the SIGMA Art Lens line, this lens features 14 elements in 12 groups, which means you can expect ultra-high-resolution images with every snap. And, these high-res images pair perfectly with those larger Nikon sensors.
The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART Lens features special low dispersion glass, built to curb typical lens issues like chromatic aberration, vignetting, and image distortion. Additionally, the lens comes with a Hyper Sonic Motor that makes it easier than ever to speedily and precisely focus in on your subject.
Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 Z F.2 Lens
Praised as “the champion of bokeh,” the Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 Z F.2 Lens does not mess around with blurred backgrounds. This high-end lens is perfect for portrait photography, with a fast f/1.4 aperture that gets your subject in pristine focus while softly blurring out that background for a captivating and soft bokeh effect.
But there’s more to this powerhouse of a lens than bokeh. This lens has a spherical optical design with integration of special glass types to guarantee micro-contrast and low to no chromatic aberration. Add the antireflective coating to ensure stray light is kept at bay, and this Nikon 85mm lens isn’t just a must-have—it’ll be a game-changer that levels up your portfolio and social feed.
Shop the entire line of Nikon lenses at Adorama now.
