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Questions & Answers

FAQ

What is the focal length of the AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens?

The lens has a fixed focal length of 85mm, making it suitable for portraits, sports, and other types of photography that require a longer focal length.

What is the function of the VR II image stabilization technology?

The VR II image stabilization technology allows for handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than typically possible. This helps in capturing sharper, blur-free images even in low light conditions.

What does the Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element in the lens do?

The Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element effectively minimizes chromatic aberration, delivering superior sharpness and color correction for stunning image quality.

What is included in the bundle with the lens?

The lens bundle includes a Hoya 52mm CPL+UV Filter Kit and a Cleaning Kit, providing additional lens protection and enhancing image quality.

What is the focusing capability of the AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens?

The lens offers a unique blend of focusing capabilities, ranging from infinity to life size (1:1 reproduction ratio), enabling photographers to capture every detail with precision.

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2024-01-29T09:56:49

Rated 5 out of 5

Nikon 85mm f/3.5G Worth it

Great kit! Love this lens

sarah f.

2022-06-14T09:23:51

Rated 3 out of 5

Meh

Dx lens sold with dx camera sold lens but not worth any real money

JESSE Z.

2022-04-17T17:16:34

Rated 5 out of 5

Love the micro

I purchased this for micro photography. Works great !

Lisa R.

2019-11-19T09:33:49

Rated 5 out of 5

Tack sharp macro

Tack sharp macro. AT 60 mm met it translates to a 120mm FF. With a f/2.8 max aperture it is very good for both macro and portraits.

MORRIS T.

2019-10-11T09:24:52

Rated 5 out of 5

macro lens butterfly

Fantastic macro lens. also useful portrait lens.

NOEL F.

2018-10-12T08:10:03

Rated 5 out of 5

Nice Macro Lens

This is a very nice APS-C macro lens for Nikon. At this point, I have used this lens mostly for handheld flower images. It has worked very well in the manual/auto mode with VR.

Gilbert L.

2017-12-15T14:33:26

Rated 5 out of 5

new lens

needed a shorter lens for some macro work. I found the 105 I have some times a little long. very happy with this addition.

WAYNE S.

2014-07-07T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Lens

The lens for macro work is outstanding . Very clear and clean close-up photos. For the money, this was a great purchase.

pep

2014-03-17T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Portrait Lens

Not just for macro work. Great lens for portraits. Auto focus is spot on.

THOMAS P.

2014-03-10T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Beautiful macro, beautiful portraits

I loved taking pictures of flowers with my point-and-shoot, so I was missing the ability to picture the small things in life after upgrading to dSLR. This is my first true Macro lens and I'm not disappointed. Outdoors in full daylight, I'm shooting flowers, and tiny bugs on the top of flowers, with around 3/4 of shots coming out sharp handheld. It is also a great portrait lens, the focal length produces very flatering images and the f/3.5 is just about right for having most of the face in focus. I photographed an entire party the other day with just this lens and was very happy with the results, a compliment from someone who normally likes her super zooms. My only complaint is the occasional focus-hunting, although I would knock off only 1/2 star for that if I could.

Dasa

2013-08-12T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Wonderful Lens for close up

Great Lens for close up as small animal, flowers, details

WISLIA O.

2013-08-05T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Little Lens for the Price

The autofocus on this lens is super smooth. However, I find manual focus will give you a much sharper image when shooting extremely close to the subject. The only thing that isn't so great, is the minimum aperture, which can cause slow auto focus. But, this isn't a deal breaker for me, it just requires a little more patience on my part for certain lighting requirements. This is an awesome lens; I find I can use it in a variety of platforms besides macro.

AMANDA E.

2013-05-27T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great lens

I wanted to do some macro photography, to catch the small details in life. This lens does it very well.

CHRISTINE H.

2013-04-22T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great Lens

I purchased this lens because I wanted to photograph flowers. I have had the lens for several weeks and so far it is great. As an added benefit, it is a very good portrait lens, particularly for outdoor use.

H S.

2013-03-20T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great, fast, reliable lens.

Used this on a couple of trips and easy, fast lens. Worked great at a couple of horse shows.

JONATHAN B.

2013-03-07T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Value

I love this lens. It is a great lens and a great value. Being unable to afford the 100 2.8 VR lens, this was the next logical choice for me being a D7000 user. It is small, light and most importantly produces great and extremely sharp photos. A very fun lens to own. I highly recommend it for macro photography. I also own the 85 1.8G lens which is much better for portrait work then this lens, but the 85 macro is still fairly capable in this regard as well.

JOSH R.

2012-12-30T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good Prime lens for the money

Mid range telephoto Prime with VR. I've found focus to be sharp and accurate. I have not had the opportunity to use the Micro capability. We have the good fortune to have wildlife that share the area where we live and we can get quite close without either causing ourselves danger or scaring them away. The 85 mm lens allows sharp photos without being too close for comfort. I am anticipating great results with the Micro capability based on some quick tests I have performed at home.

Diesel D.

2012-12-12T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Very Good Macro Glass

This 85mm f/3.5 lens is used with both my D80 and my D5100, mostly the latter. I had done quite a bit of review and article reading about many Nikon, Tokina, Sigma and Tamron f/2.8 aperture prime lenses in the 60mm to 105mm range for my macro work, and then I literally stumbled on this beauty and became intrigued by it, the more I read. While I am not a pro, though have sold photos, I do have the desire to capture artistic images. I do a lot of macro photography with flowers. I have taken many excellent close-up shots with my earlier 18-105mm as well as more recently with my 18-200mm, but I find that the consistency of obtaining truly crisp images is nowhere near what this 85mm lens will do for me. The yield of top quality shots is a much higher percentage, as it should be. The auto focus is definitely fast and very sharp and this lens produces outstanding color and has a very nice bokeh. The VR function works exceptionally well for me in AF mode. I do have pretty steady hands and find that I rarely need to use a tripod for my flower macro work to obtain striking results. I even did a test, taking a dozen or so handheld shots and a similar number of tripod shots. I could really not see a difference until I was at home on my 23 inch monitor and started seriously zooming in on specific stamens. Then I could see a slight difference. Do keep in mind, however, that these images were not taken in low light, but fairly well-lit botanical gardens. Having said all of that regarding AF mode, I find I do need the tripod in manual. However, since I end up with such crisp shots in AF I find I am rarely using MF. The build quality seems quite good. Yes, lots of plastic, but that is what we live with nowadays except for the most expensive options available. The bright side of that is the weight is quite minimal and it does not feel cheap. Using the 85mm with my D5100 is a pleasure. If you don't have $1,000 to spend on a higher quality lens, and need a very good DX macro lens, this is certainly one to consider. I highly recommend this lens.

SCOTT W.

2012-05-23T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Very nice lens for the price.

Have purchased and used the 40, 60, and 105 micros. They're all fine lenses. This 85 lens is especially nice for close-up photography because of the working distance at 1:1 and is quite suitable for portrait work. Nikon has always made fine macro lenses. This 85 micro is an excellent compromise between size, weight, and working distance.

DONALD C.

2012-05-13T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent Macro Lens for 1:1 closeups

I only use this lens for very close-up photos of bugs and other small objects, but it can be used as a regular 85mm lens. I saw a comment from another person who said he preferred the 105mm macro lens because it takes bigger photos. I have the 105mm lens and the 85mm takes the bigger photo. Taking a photo of a page of text, the 105mm lens gets more text in than the 85mm. Therefore the 85mm makes the text bigger. A professional reviewer said that optical stabilization is worthless on a 1:1 macro lens, yet they all have this feature, now. And I like it! It works!

JOHN H.

2012-04-06T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Close Enough

Given good light, this lens lets you get close to insects and butterflies without scaring them as much as a 60mm macro.

MARTHA C.

2012-04-01T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent Macro Lens for 1:1 closeups

Before I bought a 1:1 macro lens a couple of years ago, I did some research. One man said that we need at least a 200 mm lens, and he showed sample photos. Not only was such a lens hard to find but it was cost-prohibitive, so I settled for a 105 mm lens. It didn't take long to learn that I didn't even need a 105 mm. He also said not to get one with VR. So I didn't but wish I had. Since I changed to a newer camera I found the macro lens no longer worked. It would need a firmware upgrade but still would not autofocus with the new camera as it did with the previous one. A $50 (plus shipping) upgrade seemed out of the question if it wasn't going to autofocus, so I decided to go with this 85 mm lens. I am truly pleased with this lens because it does everything I wanted, and I can still take 1:1 macro shots just as big as the longer focal length lens I had. It is lighter and smaller than the previous lens, too, so it's an all-around winning situation!

JOHN H.

2012-01-31T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent Lens

I bought this lens to use in close-up photos such as plants, insects - stuff like that and to use it to do photostudies of people. That is what it has been most on. It does do a very nice portrait with a great bokah.

NICHOLAS P.

2011-12-31T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good lens

Light weight and easy to use for close up.

Ninh

2011-12-11T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Fantastic lens

Macro shots are super, super clear. Made hundreds of macro shots with this lens all perfect. A big plus is that it doubles as a portrait lens when needed.

MARK S.

2011-09-06T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Fun & Inexpensive Macro Lens for DX

Lightweight and inexpensive, this DX macro lens has a reasonable working distance and VR, making hand-holding possible for super-close-up photos. Works great on my D7000 but it's a bit too "slow" for portraits, except in certain conditions. I use this lens a lot more than I thought I would--it's just too much fun!

RODGER C.

2011-09-06T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Outstanding lens

Great lens for macro or portraits. Super price.

MARK S.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

DX macro lens with average results

Not Nikon Japan's usual quality. A cheap lens [...] Does an OK job with limited scope.

alex d.

2011-02-06T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

This Lens Will Not Disapoint

Works well out doors without tripod for macro shots.

PanamaCarl

2011-01-11T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Much better than I expected

As soon as I got it I had to take close ups of each of my grandson's Lionel trains ... Fantastic!

DrJohn

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Nikon 85mm F/3.5G Specifications

General

General

Jump to...
  • Lens Mount

    Nikon F

  • Lens Format

    APS-C

  • Lens Type

    Close-up, Medium Telephoto

  • Compatibility

    1034

  • Lens Series

    Nikon AF-S Series, Nikon DX, Nikon G Series

  • Special Features

    1034

  • MPN

    2190

  • Color

    Black

  • Focus Type

    Auto Focus

  • Focusing Technology

    Internal Focusing

  • Closest Focus Distance

    11.26" / 28.6 cm

  • Distance Information

    1034

  • Built-In Motor

    Yes

  • Fixed Focal Length

    85mm (35mm Equivalent: 127.5mm)

  • Zoom Focal Length

    1034

  • Maximum Aperture

    f/3.5

  • Filter Size

    52 mm (Front)

  • Angle Of View

    18° 50'

  • 35mm Equivalent Focal Length

    127.5mm

  • Coverage

    1034

  • Minimum Aperture

    f/32

  • Maximum Magnification

    1x

  • Lens Coating

    1034

  • Aspherical Elements

    1034

  • ED Glass Elements

    1

Features

Jump to...
  • Image Stabilization Type

    Yes

  • Tripod Collar

    Yes

  • Waterproof / Water Resistant

    1034

  • Dust Resistant

    1034

Construction

Jump to...
  • Lens Elements / Groups

    14 Elements in 10 Groups

  • Diaphragm Blades

    9

  • Weight

    12.52oz / 355g

  • Dimensions

    3.88 x 2.87" (98.5 x 73 mm)

About Nikon 85mm F/3.5G

An innovative addition to Nikon's DX NIKKOR lens collection, the high-quality AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens is a compact DX-format telephoto Micro lens, expertly designed for extreme close-up and portrait photography. This versatile lens offers a unique blend of focusing capabilities, ranging from infinity to life size (1:1 reproduction ratio), enabling photographers to capture every detail with precision.

Equipped with VR II image stabilization technology, this reliable lens allows handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than typically possible, ensuring sharper, blur-free images even in challenging lighting conditions. The lens also features an Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element that effectively minimizes chromatic aberration, delivering superior sharpness and color correction for stunning image quality.

This durable AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens opens up a world of high-performance close-up photography for DX-format photographers. The lens bundle also includes a Hoya 52mm CPL+UV Filter Kit and a Cleaning Kit, providing additional lens protection and enhancing image quality, making it an ideal choice for both professional and amateur photographers.

Nikon 85mm F/3.5G Features

  • Compact, DX-format Micro NIKKOR Close-up Lens An ideal choice for close-up, nature, portrait and general photography.
  • Close focusing to 0.9 feet Extends versatility with focusing from infinity to life-size (1:1 reproduction ratio).
  • Nikon VR II (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization Vibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper images.
  • Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element Offers superior sharpness and color correction by effectively minimizing chromatic aberration, even at wide aperture settings.
  • Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC) Enhances light transmission and offers superior color consistency and reduced flare.
  • Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM) For fast, accurate and quiet autofocus.
  • Internal Focus (IF) Provides fast and quiet autofocusing without changing the length of the lens, retaining subject working distance throughout the focus range.
  • Rounded 9-blade diaphragm Renders more natural appearance of out-of-focus image elements.
  • M/A focus mode switch Enables quick response to changing situations between manual and autofocus operation.

Warranty Information

This product has a limited warranty of 12 months.

Key Features

  • Capture stunning close-ups with the 85mm focal length, perfect for intricate macro photography.
  • Experience sharp, vibrant images thanks to ED glass elements, enhancing overall image quality.
  • Enjoy steady shots even in low light with VR-II image stabilization, reducing camera shake effectively.
  • Benefit from fast and precise autofocus, ensuring you never miss a critical moment.
  • Protect your lens and enhance photos with the included Tiffen 52mm UV and CPL filters.
  • Achieve beautiful background blur with the f/3.5 maximum aperture, ideal for portrait photography.

What's in the box:

  • Nikon 85mm f/3.5G ED AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR VR-II Lens
  • HB-37 Lens Hood
  • 52mm Front Lens Cap
  • LF-1 Rear Lens Cap
  • CL-1018 Soft Lens Case
  • Nikon 1 Year Limited Warranty
  • Bundle Includes:
  • Tiffen 52mm Digital HT Circular Polarizing Filter
  • Tiffen 52mm Multi-Coated UV Protection Filter
  • ProOptic Cleaning Kit