Rank #2 in Best 85mm Lens 2026: Nine Ranked, and the Aperture Fields That Make No Sense
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G is a fixed 85mm prime for the Nikon F mount, listed at £383.03 with a rating of 4.7 from 2,315 customer ratings. It takes second place in this guide of nine 85mm lenses, and 84 of its 100 ratings are five stars, with a further nine at four stars.
Its listing is the one that files an aperture in millimetres: the minimum aperture field reads "16 Millimetres", although an f-number is a ratio rather than a length. The same sheet calls the Lens Type "Macro" while giving no magnification figure anywhere, even though the only genuine macro in this guide states 0.5x. It also records a "Zoom Ratio" of 1:1 for a lens the sheet itself calls a prime, and gives a "Screen Size" of 85 millimetres for a lens with no screen. Everything on this page is taken from the Amazon listing, not from our own testing.
How those 2,315 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.7 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £383.03 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 from 2,315 ratings |
| Lens type (as listed) | Macro |
| Minimum aperture (as listed) | 16 Millimetres |
| Zoom ratio (as listed) | 1:1 |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 9 |
| Photo filter size | 67 Millimetres |
| Mount | Nikon F |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Excellent lens for the money. Used from f4 it produces great images.”
Verified purchase“Portrait photography brilliant lens beautiful bokeh.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best 85mm Lens 2026: Nine Ranked, and the Aperture Fields That Make No Sense.
Questions people ask
Is the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G a macro lens?
The listing's Lens Type field says "Macro", but no magnification figure appears anywhere in the listing, so that claim cannot be checked from the advert.
What minimum aperture does the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G have?
The spec sheet states "16 Millimetres". An f-number is a ratio, not a length, so that figure does not tell you the aperture.
Does the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G have image stabilisation?
No. The listing's Image Stabilization Type field reads "no image stabilization".
Will the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G autofocus on an entry-level Nikon DSLR?
The bullet says it is compatible with entry level digital SLRs that do not have a built in autofocus motor, using the SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for quiet and accurate autofocus.
What filter size does the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G take?
The listing gives 67 Millimetres as the photo filter size.
How much is the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G and how is it rated?
It is listed at £383.03, with a rating of 4.7 from 2,315 ratings.
Comments
Reader comments are not checked against the manufacturer's claims above.
No comments yet
Be the first to add something we missed — a price change, a spec that turned out wrong, or how one of these held up.
Leave a comment
No account needed. Own one of these? Tell other readers how it actually performed.