I shoot lots of pictures of people, and I'm always trying to figure out what lens to use for various subjects. Most of my people images are kids doing sports, often indoors, and often in low-light gyms. Because of that, I've accumulated a number of Nikon lenses that are great for shooting people and fast action. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I'm home all day and having some fun with my camera to fill in dull moments.
Comparing different lenses and see how they stacked up seemed like it would be fun. For this test, I've tested the following lenses against each other to see which ones I prefer in terms of (mostly) bokeh and subject isolation.
- Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D
- Nikkor 85mm F/1.4G
- Nikkor 105mm F/1.4E
- Nikkor 200mm F/2G
- Nikkor 400mm F/2.8G
- Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8E
- Nikkor 200-400 F/4G
To compare everything, I picked a standard "Field of View" (50mm at 5 feet) and used the Equivalent Lens Calculator to build the following chart:
| Lens | Focal Length | Aperture | Distance | Diagonal FOV | Depth of Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D | 50mm | F/1.4 | 5' | 4'3.9" | 2.87" |
| Nikkor 85mm F/1.4G | 85mm | F/1.4 | 8'6" | 4'3.9" | 2.87" |
| Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8E | 85mm | F/2.8 | 8'6" | 4'3.9" | 5.75" |
| Nikkor 105 F/1.4E | 105mm | F/1.4 | 10'6" | 4.39" | 2.87" |
| Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8E | 105mm | F/2.8 | 10'6" | 4'3.9" | 5.75" |
| Nikkor 200 F/2G | 200mm | F/2 | 20' | 4'3.9" | 4.1" |
| Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8E | 200mm | F/2.8 | 20' | 4'3.9" | 5.75" |
| Nikkor 200-400 F/4G | 200mm | F/4 | 20' | 4'3.9" | 8.21" |
| Nikkor 200-400 F/4G | 400mm | F/4 | 40' | 4'3.9" | 8.21" |
| Nikkor 400 F/2.8G | 400mm | F/2.8 | 40' | 4'3.9" | 4.1" |
Using a tape measure, I marked off all the distances on my driveway. Image here is shot from above using a drone, and then turned B&W to make the markings more readable.
My Model, as you can see, is Appa. Unlike my kids, he sat patiently without moving throughout the entire shoot. I tried to line-up the image sensor with the distance marks you can see on the pavement below. Appa is sitting right on top of the "0" marker.
The camera used is a Nikon D5, which is a full-frame camera. I shoot with this for the low-light / high-ISO capabilities and the stunning focus system.
Settings are:
- Aperture mode, set to the fastest setting of the lens.
- ISO 100. Shutter speed floated to whatever the camera decided was correct.
- Images are all shot in RAW, then bulk auto-processed through Lightroom hitting "Auto".
- Lightroom Lens Corrections were NOT applied.
The camera is on a tripod with a fixed height, so all the shots are the same. For reasons that made sense at the time, I rotated the camera from portrait to landscape about 1/2 way through...
Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D shot from 5' away. This is my oldest lens, and I mostly use it as a Lens Cap (heh) while transporting my camera. I used this as the baseline focal length by which everything else is judged.
The image here looks horrible - it's really washed out. Focus seems to be a bit back-focused, as Appa's left front leg is sharp while the rest is not. As I don't use this lens much, I've never gone through and done the Fine-Tune.
The Nikkor 85mm F/1.4G is my "go to" lens for shooting portraits of people (and Sky Bison). It's too slow focusing to use for sports or action, but for everything that moves normally it's fantastic. To my eye, this is my favorite focal length for head shots.
Of the ~50 images printed and framed around my house, probably 40 of them are shot with this lens. Year after year, it's delivered, and I can't imagine a camera system without it.
The Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8E is my primary sports lens. Great image quality, fast and accurate focusing for sports (even in low-light), and the flexibility of a zoom. I've never taken an AMAZING shot with this lens, but I've taken a stunning number of good and very good shots. In most action events I shoot, the keep-rate (due to focus) is over 90%. I can't say enough about how well this lens works for sports due to the great auto-focus. The older version (F/2.8G) is also just as amazing.
Comparing the two 85mm shots, the bokeh on the 85mm F/1.4 prime is simply amazing. In the F/2.8 shot, those are clearly pine-trees in the background and the subject isolation isn't nearly as strong.
This is a lens I've always wanted to love. I've seen stunning images that others have taken, but I've never gotten the results I want. Originally I purchased this lens in the hope of using it for low-light sports, but the focus is simply too slow. Couple the slow-focus with the very shallow DOF, and over a dozen gymnastics tumbling passes I would get ZERO in-focus shots and eventually just gave up ("Oh look, her foot is almost in focus, but nothing else. Again.").
I find that if I'm shooting sports I use the 70-200 F/2.8E for the focus speed and zoom flexibility. If I'm shooting people use the 85mm F/1.4G.
The 105mm F/1.4E and I have never really bonded. Each time I'm ready to sell it I see some amazing image someone shot and am reminded that it's not the lens, it's me. This lens constantly tells me that I need to up my game and try some different things.
This shot, to me, shows where the 70-200 lenses fall down. Image quality is good, but the "Deep" depth of field (almost 6 inches) is just too much, and the bokeh is not nearly as smooth as the faster primes. The 70-200 is amazing for action, but for portraits and artistic shots I find it very uninspiring.
The bokeh in this shot is nicer than I expected, but those are certainly pine-trees in the distance and there are some oddly distracting areas in there.
Now we're talking! This lens... there's just nothing like it. The focus speed is unmatched, the bokeh is off-the-charts flawless, and the results have never, ever, disappointed.
When it's time to take pictures, and circumstances permit a fixed zoom, this is the go-to lens. I can hand-hold it for a while (VR + Fast Shutter speeds help) but often use a Monopod or Tripod with a gimbal.
The downsides to this lens are obvious. It's big. It's heavy. It's weighted weird. It screams "LOOK AT ME" when you're shooting with it. It's a 200mm prime, which means you're moving all the time to keep things framed. It's hard to shoot acting that's "coming or going" as the framing changes so much. Action going "left to right" becomes the ideal, and more shot planning is needed.
For me, I much prefer the 70-200 at 200mm to the 105mm range. The 105 image is just... blah. This 200mm images looks better and still oh-so-sharp. Look at Appa's horn where the sunlight hits and the strands of fur are clearly visible. So sharp.
The bokeh in this shot is quite a bit nicer than I expected. Most of Appa's body is in focus (to some degree), yet the background is still beautifully smoothed out. The bokeh isn't in the same world as the 200 F/2, but... it's still very, very, nice.
Some days you need a long zoom, and when those days happen, this is the lens. Focus speed is too slow for me to use for fast-action sports, but good for casual use.
The F/4 means shutter speeds are slower, ISO is higher, and bokeh isn't going to be as nice. On the other hand 200-400 means there's a huge amount of flexibility and that can be a lifesaver.
Bokeh here is surprisingly decent, all of Appa is in focus given the depth-of-field, and the image looks just fine.
Just like at 200, this 400mm shot surprised me how nice it looked. The bokeh is smooth, and despite some odd visual highlights, overall I really like it. The sharpness where the light hits is amazing (look at the fur on Appa's right horn).
The 200-400 is an amazing lens. I just wish the focus speed was faster.
The Big Boy. Just like it's shorter cousin, the 200 F/2G, this lens is amazing.
- Focus: Instant. Maybe faster.
- Bokeh: Amazing
- Sharpness: Stellar
- Weight: Hire a Sherpa
Really, look at that bokeh. The trees? Nothing. Compared to the 400mm F/4 shot above, the difference really jump out.
The results from this lens are nothing short of stellar. The downside is there's really no hand-holding. Even a Monopod doesn't really cut it. To shoot with, even casually, means a heavy-duty tripod and a gimbal head. Just to bring this to the car is hard work!
When I shoot with this lens, I pack it into the car along with a heavy tripod and gimbal. Also going into the car is a wagon and folding camp chair. The only way to use this is to set it up, balance it on the gimbal, sit in the chair, and follow the action as it moves around.
If you've never had the chance to shoot with the Nikon Exotics, they are a treat.
This was a fun exercise to shoot. Going through the rigor of lens equilivancy across focal lengths, and methodically shooting them, was time well spent.
Looking at each of the images, I wish I had been a bit more carful but... it was fun anyway. :)