Home Donate New Search Gallery How-To Books Links Workshops About Contact Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations Vivitar 85mm f/1.4, Nikon AI-s version (72mm filter, 17.5 oz/497g.) enlarge. I'd get it at Adorama or Amazon in Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta mounts. Using these links when you get yours is what helps me keep adding more reviews. Thanks! Ken.
June 2009 More Nikon Reviews
Ideal Uses: Perfect for use on manual-focus FX digital and film cameras. Pop one on a D700, and if you don't mind manual focus, you'll get fantastic results. Not for: Fast action: focus is manual. Not for cheaper cameras that can't meter with manual lenses; use the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AF-D instead.
NEW: 85mm Lens Specifications Compared 23 June 2009 NEW: 85mm Lens Central Sharpness Comparison 23 June 2009 NEW: 85mm Lens Corner Sharpness Comparison 23 June 2009
Introduction top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations Compatibility History Production Pricing The Vivitar 85mmm f/1.4 is a made-in-Korea manual-focus lens that was announced in January, 2009. It comes in versions to fit Nikon, Canon, Sony/Minolta and Pentax cameras. This Vivitar's optics are as good as Nikon's, which is quite a surprise, but then again, Nikon's newest 85mm f/1.4 AF lens came out back in 1995. This Vivitar 85mm f/1.4's mechanics are nicer than expected, but still not as nice as Nikon's. For less than one-third the price of Nikon's 85mm f/1.4 AF-D, or half the price of a used Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-s, this Vivitar lens is a steal if you're on a budget and really need f/1.4. If you can make do with f/1.8 or f/2, I prefer the current Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AF-D which doesn't sell for much more money than this Vivitar 85mm, and offers autofocus as well as higher mechanical quality. For manual focus, I prefer Nikon's classic manual focus 85mm f/2 AI-s, which is Nikon's smallest 85mm lens ever and sells for less used than this Vivitar new. Vivitar 85/1.4. enlarge.
Compatibility back to intro back to top The Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 is compatible with every decent Nikon SLR ever made, from the original Nikon F of 1959 through today's D3X, D3 , D700 and F6. The newest upper-end digital Nikons are fully compatible, and even have this lens programmed into their firmware! On the D3X, D3, D700, D300, F6, D2 and D200, use the "Non-CPU Lens Data" menu option to input 85mm and f/1.4. This gives full color matrix metering and EXIF data, and finder read-out of set aperture. It works great in aperture-preferred as well as manual modes on these cameras. It works perfectly every professional film camera (F, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6), and adds Matrix metering on the FA, F4 and F6, although it won't couple well to the cheaper digital (D80 and below) and cheaper film cameras (N80 and below). See Nikon Lens Compatibility for details with your camera. Read down the "AI, AI-s" column. Rear, Vivitar 85 1.4. enlarge.
History back to intro back to top 2009: Announced at the same time Sakar bought rights to the Vivitar name. For all I know, this same Korean lens that's also sold under the cheesy Bower and Rokinon names.
Pricing back to intro back to top MSRP: $400, USA, 6/09, Nikon version. Actual Price: $350 for Nikon, Canon and Pentax versions; $375 for Sony/Minolta Maxxum version, USA, 6/09.
Specifications top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations Vivitar 85mm f/1.4. enlarge. Name back to Specs top Sakar calls this the Vivitar Series 1 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens.
Angles of View back to Specs top Reverse-calculating Sakar's numbers, I calculate that they figure actual focal length as 85.8mm.
Optics back to Specs top 7 elements in 9 groups. Mostly single-coated in amber and purple.
Diaphragm back to Specs top Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 at f/5.6. enlarge. 8 traditional blades. Stops down to f/22.
Close Focus back to Specs top 3.3 feet (1.0m), marked.
Depth-of Field Scale back to Specs top No.
Infra-Red Focus Index back to Specs top No.
Infinity Focus Stop back to Specs top Yes, but I'm unsure how accurate it is.
Filters back to Specs top 72mm, plastic threads. The filter threads don't move, ever.
Size back to Specs top Nikon version, as measured: 2.844" extension from flange x 3.060" diameter, 3.163" overall (72.24 x 77.74mm, 80.35mm overall). Sakar specifies 2.8" long by 3.0" diameter (71.2 x 76mm). The widest thing is the bayonet for the front hood.
Weight back to Specs top Nikon AI-s version lens, naked: I measure 17.540 oz. (497.2g). Sakar specifies 17.6 oz (510g).
Cases back to Specs top The Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 comes with a foam padded pouch.
Hood back to Specs top PH-072B plastic bayonet hood included.
Product Numbers back to Specs top Nikon Version: VIV-85MM-N; UPC: 6 81066 30282 8.
Included back to Specs top Lens, padded pouch, plastic hood, caps, glossy black 2-sheet manual. Bottom, Vivitar 85mm f/1.4. enlarge.
Performance top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations Overall Bokeh Color Distortion Ergonomics Falloff Focus Mechanics Sharpness & Lateral Color Sunstars
Overall back to Performance top It works great. It's not quite as sharp wide-open in the center as the Nikon lenses if you're looking too close, but at the same f/1.4, it's sharper than the Nikons in the corners, so it's a toss up.
Bokeh back to Performance top Bokeh is wonderful. Backgrounds melt away into walls of soft colors.
Color Balance back to Performance top It might be a tad cooler than my Nikkors. If it is, it's about half an 81A filter or about an extra B1 in white balance.
Distortion back to Performance top There is no visible distortion. For critical use, dial-in +0.3 in Photoshop's Lens Distortion Correction tool.
Ergonomics back to Performance top This is a swell lens. It's a little bigger than Nikon's 85mm f/2 and smaller than either Nikon 85mm f/1.4. Nothing moves when focused except the focus ring. The aperture ring is mostly in red, which is difficult to read compared to other lenses. Focus turns in the same direction as Nikon's own lenses. One finger is all it takes to focus. The aperture ring is annoying! Vivitar added half-stop clicks between f/2 through f/16, but traditional full stops between f/1.4-f/2 and f/16-f/22. This means that you'll go crazy trying to set apertures by feel as pros do.
Falloff (dark corners) back to Performance top Falloff is the same as Nikon's 85mm lenses. It may be visible on full-frame at f/1.4, and goes away quickly as stopped down.
Focus back to Performance top The only thing that moves is the focus ring, and the rear elements. Nothing else moves externally. Focus turns in the same direction as Nikon's own lenses. Focus has no play and is smooth, although there is a little grinding to be heard, presumably from the cutting of the internal cams. It takes only one finger, with moderate pressure, to focus. It's a little stiffer than Nikon, but unlike Nikon, you can press down hard with one finger and it still focuses smoothly.
Mechanics and Construction back to Performance top The Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 is made better than I expected. It's nowhere near as nice as Nikon's manual focus lenses or Nikon's 85mm f/1.4, but the Vivitar does feel almost as good Nikon's AF 85mm f/1.8.
Filter Threads: Plastic. Bayonet Hood: Plastic, included. Hood Bayonet: Plastic. Fore Barrel: Plastic. Focus Ring: Metal, rubber covered. Aft Barrel: Metal. Aperture Ring: Plastic. Finish: Pseudo sputtered epoxy. Mount: Metal of some odd slightly brass or yellow color. Internals: Presumed metal. Markings: Some just painted, important markings engraved and filled with paint. Made in: Lens, caps and hood made in Korea.
Sharpness and Lateral Color Fringes See 85mm Lens Central Sharpness Comparison and 85mm Lens Corner Sharpness Comparison for examples. This Vivitar 85mm lens is as sharp as Nikon's lenses: sometimes better, more often not, but overall, there is more difference from aperture-to-aperture or shot to shot than there is from lens to lens. There are no color fringes on any FX camera or Gen 2 DX camera. The biggest differences are visible at f/1.4, where Nikon's lenses are sharper in the center, but this Vivitar is sharper in the corners. More critical to sharpness at f/1.4 is your ability to focus accurately and precisely. To see the small differences in sharpness I've noted, I had to try several different attempts to get perfect focus. When photographing living things, they don't hold still long enough to let anyone get precise enough focus to see any difference between these lenses.
Sunstars back to Performance top With its conventional 8-bladed diaphragm, it should beget Canonesque 8-pointed sunstars on bright points of light.
Compared top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations Nikon 85/1.8 K, Nikon 85/2 AI-s, Nikon 85/1.4 AI-s, Nikon 85/1.8D, Nikon 85/1.4D and Vivitar 85/1.4. enlarge (actual size at 106 DPI). See: NEW: 85mm Lens Specifications Compared 23 June 2009 NEW: 85mm Lens Central Sharpness Comparison 23 June 2009 NEW: 85mm Lens Corner Sharpness Comparison 23 June 2009
Recommendations top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations This is a manual focus lens. For AF cameras, manual focus would drive me crazy. For not much more money I'd opt for the autofocus Nikon 85mm f/1.8D. I prefer the silent precision of Nikon's 85mm f/2 AI-s over the faster optical speed, larger size and weight and sloppier build of this Vivitar 85mm f/1.4. The old f/2 sells used for less money, too. Then again, if you demand f/1.4 instead of f/2 and you're on a limited budget, by all means go for this Vivitar. It's by far the least expensive way to get a decent 85mm f/1.4 for Nikon; it costs half of a used manual-focus Nikon 85mm f/1.4, and less than a third the price of a new Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AF lens. Even better, this Vivitar weighs less than any Nikon 85mm f/1.4. Which f/1.4 lens would I rather carry around all day? This one. Watch for sticky diaphragms: my sample sometimes would stick open, resulting in massive overexposure at set apertures other than f/1.4.
Deployment I'd pitch the flimsy Vivitar front cap and replace it with a working Nikon 72mm front cap. I'd keep a Hoya 72mm UV filter on it for protection on digital cameras, or when shooting color print film, or B&W film indoors. I'd use a 72mm Hoya 81A filter with Fuji Velvia 50 or other color slide film. I'd use a Hoya 72mm yellow filter outdoors with B&W film.
PLUG top I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem. If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone. If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks! If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00. The biggest help is to use these links to Adorama, Amazon, Calumet, Ritz and J&R when you get your goodies. It costs you nothing and is a huge help to me. eBay is always a gamble, but all the other places have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally. Thanks for reading!
Ken Home Donate New Search Gallery How-To Books Links Workshops About Contact |