Why a new 105 mm lens?

WestEndFoto

Here is a new review for the 105:

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_105mm_f1-4E_ED/

I have never seen this website before. Does anybody know anything about it or believe that it is credible?

NSXTypeR

Camera Labs has been around, their reviews are generally OK. I'm not really sure about the technical aspect though.

MegapixelSchnitzel

Angry Photographer say that new 105 sucks. He said it was a Chinese-made piece of excrement. And that it wan't worth $800. I'm still laughing after watching that video rant last night. I'm thinking of buying one.

WestEndFoto

The fact that it made in China, just like the D810 being made in Thailand, gives me pause. However, it is unlikely to affect my decision to buy.

donaldejose

I would love one, for half the price and with image stabilization.

NSXTypeR

WestEndFoto said:

The fact that it made in China, just like the D810 being made in Thailand, gives me pause. However, it is unlikely to affect my decision to buy.

I had the same issue when I bought my 105mm macro, but it's not a big deal. It depends on who in China makes it, Foxconn makes Apple and Samsung products too. One of those manufactures happen to phones that double as incendiary grenades too.

Arguably, you can also say Nikon cameras made in Thailand could potentially be inferior too, but I think the D300 and the D500 are both made there.

DenverShooter

In my day job we use a lot of Contract Manufacturing (CM) and they only build what you tell them to build with the parts you tell them to build it with and the software you tell them to install into the product... It would be highly unlikely that they would make any changes to any aspect of a product on their own and without a whole bunch of documentation and approvals. Additional you typically make a small initial run to make 100% sure its just the way you thinks should be before you open the production to "full throttle". Lots of checks and balances in CM because of the money involved.

Denver Shooter

Vipmediastar_JZ

Some samples I found on the Fb wedding group

http://adrianwagnerstudio.com/nikon-nikkor-105mm-1-4e-lens-review-sample-images/

WestEndFoto

Thom has reviewed this lens. It looks like a real winner and is a significant upgrade from the 85 1.4G.

paulr

Will be testing this this lens in Cuba next week. Here is a sample of the Otus 14/55 version lit with speed lights only.

MegapixelSchnitzel

Now that's an outstanding character study. A real cigar with some smoke wafting off the tip would've made it an 11 out of 10. Way to go, Paulr.

Nikoniser

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2016/11/nikon-105mm-f1-4-e-mtf-bench-tests/

Wow..just wow.....

" Again, despite giving up a stop of aperture, the Nikon 105 is a bit better at f/1.4 than the Canon is at f/2.0 in the center, perhaps a tiny bit behind in the outer half of the image. But that’s giving up a full stop of aperture sharpness."


So what I have picked up so far is :

It is sharper wide open at 1.4 than all its competitors other than the Zeiss.

Its nearly free from spherochromatism. ( which was the reason I sold my 85mm 1.4 )

Autofocus is accurate.

Honestly after the debacle that the soft 58mm 1.4 was and the disappointing 24-70 I was beginning the think that Nikon had lost its Mojo, but this shows they are right on track.

starralazn

Sample variation seems a little scary, although he says that sharpness wise its pretty good...
I'll be waiting until next year anyways, so maybe the manufacturing process will be better then? I doubt it though, lens character ftw

WestEndFoto

It will be a little painful to buy a 400 2.8 and put off buying this lens. I have often thought about buying an Otus, but no more.

Nikoniser, not sure why you think the new 24-70 has a serious issue. Sure the centre is less sharp, but it is sharp across the frame, so that is a wash.

Nikoniser

If the new 24-70 was as good optically compared to the competition as this new 105mm lens is, them it would be a great lens, a classic. As it is, it is a disapointment, it didn't match the much older canon 24-70. It doesn't come close to matching the new Sony 24-70. Hell even Tokina and Tamron are beating it in many metrics despite being half the price.

For me personally, it answered a load of questions I was not asking. Nikon asked me "do you want to pay an extra 1000$ to walk around all day with a longer heavier lens that is softer at 50-70mm at f2.8 and in return, you can have some nicer corners and VR" and my response was "no way !"

Your mileage may vary =-)

vtc2002

For me the old version of the 24-70mm I was able to frame a shot knowing that I was going to crop the soft corners off and have a sharp image. The new 24-70mm takes that option away and adding the other factors that @Nikoniser listed for me is a disappointment. I tried the new version and compared it to the older version. I did not like the results of the new version. It may be the right lens for someone else.

I had the opportunity to try the 105mm at B&H on Saturday and it is incredibly sharp. Is it worth 1100 to 1000 more respectively? It will be up to the individual. I think there will be a price reduction in the 1st quarter of 2017 that will help sales. If I did not own the 85D & G and the 105 and 135DC I would buy the new version without a doubt even at the current price. If the Nikon releases a D8** or D9** with a 40+ megapixels I could see people upgrading their 85 or 105 to this lens.

Vipmediastar_JZ

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2016/11/nikon-105mm-f1-4-e-mtf-bench-tests/

I been eyeing this lens. Time to sell some zooom's and a kidney. Anybody need a lung? I have 2. lol.

Seriously I thought I had a good kit already but this may make me change the kit

DenverShooter

Vipmediastar_JZ said:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2016/11/nikon-105mm-f1-4-e-mtf-bench-tests/

I been eyeing this lens. Time to sell some zooom's and a kidney. Anybody need a lung? I have 2. lol.

Seriously I thought I had a good kit already but this may make me change the kit

LOL

Denver Shooter

Ironheart

Yeah, I think the angry man is going to have a coronary. The MTF and summary of the lensrentals article is on the main blog:
http://nikonrumors.com/2016/11/02/nikon-af-s-nikkor-105mm-f1-4e-ed-lens-mtf-bench-tests.aspx/
Looks like I'll have to make my own half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a twist of lemon latte's for the next 200 days

Vipmediastar_JZ

I went to a Peter Hurley event and while I was there I played with the 105 1.4 lens
These are test shots

Click on photo to view album in flickr

CirenSnapper

Hello, I just got this lens yesterday here in the UK. Its is exciting to unbox as its a heck of a piece of glass and it feet good to me on my 810 with battery grip. But, when I first tried it out, I was very disappointed: as I zoomed into the area I had focussed on it was decidedly unsharp - the comparisons with the 200 F2, which I am also fortunate enough to own, seemed wide of the mark. It took some playing around with AF fine tune via Focal (eventually requiring an adjustment of -18) before i was getting sharp focus in the exact spot intended when using the lens wide open. Now seems OK, but i need to give it a work out. I will take the lens out on my 810 over the weekend and then post some shots for your appraisal

rmp

I look forward to hearing the results.

CirenSnapper

First sample shot, handheld wide-open:

CirenSnapper

Second sample shot - handheld and wide-open:

rmp

They are very sharp, clean pictures. I have a 105 macro, so a second 105 seems a bit redundant, but those pictures are very sharp. Thanks for posting them.