[Senna4ever]

We got Nikon's new 85mm f1.4 G AF-S lens in last week, so I mounted it on a D3x, and took my 5DmkII with the 85mm f1.2L and went down to Granville Island for an impromptu shootout.

From what I could see with the examples I had, the Nikon is a little bit sharper than the Canon, has higher contrast and much less chromatic aberration. I shot both cameras at equal ISO, with both lenses at f1.4, and focused using Live View zoomed in. In Lightroom3, I matched the white balance, hue & tried to match the exposure as best I could. You can see how both cameras render colour differently - the D3x is slightly cooler than the 5DmkII. Both shot at full resolution RAW - 21.1MP for the 5dmkII, 24.5MP for the D3x.

Just to give you an idea of size:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1703.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC07941.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC07937.jpg

...and now the test images, 5DmkII images on the left, D3x on the right:

5DmkII / D3x:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1669.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9495.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1669-2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9495-1.jpg

5DmkII:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1672.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9496.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1672-3.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9496-4.jpg

5DmkII / D3x:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1689.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9514.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1689-5.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9514-6.jpg

[Senna4ever]

5DmkII images on the left, D3x on the right.

5DmkII / D3x - you'll see the difference in CA in these following two shots:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1690.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9518.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1690-7.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9518-8.jpg

5DmkII / D3x:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1695.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9522.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1695-10.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9522-9.jpg

5DmkII / D3x - In this shot you'll see the 85L is less sharp, and you'll also see how much of a difference those extra 3.4MP make:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1696.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9523.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1696-11.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9523-12.jpg

5DmkII / D3x - in this shot you can see a bit of a 'glow' with the 85L, a result of the lower contrast & CA:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9529.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9529.jpg

100% crop:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/IMG_1700-13.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Senna4ever/Forum%20crap/DSC_9529-14.jpg

[Meowjin]

woh CA on the first photo.

[LiquidTurbo]

Nice review!
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Mananetwork]

Looking good on Nikons end!

[Senna4ever]

All of the new Nikon lenses with the Nano Crystal coating are amazing. In terms of sharpness (remember I'm pixel peeping here), you probably won't see any difference with prints smaller than 16x20 between the two, but the CA and lower contrast will be noticeable at wider apertures.

[J____]

the nikon looks pretty killer. But then again if your not pixel peeping side by side, it's hard to tell. How much is the nikon lens?

[Bonjour43MA]

Thanks for your time for doing this, Jason! The Nikon sure looks very impressive for being $350 cheaper and 1/3 stop slower.

Now.. could you do a similar comparison between the 24 AF-S / 24L , and the 35 AF-S / 35L? Pretty please? :D

Did you guys get the 24-120/4 VR yet?

[Matsuda]

I think I should organize another photowalk where senna brings these lenses for me to try =)

[Bonjour43MA]

The bokeh rendering seems identical as well, but the L seems just a TAD creamier...

[Senna4ever]

Now.. could you do a similar comparison between the 24 AF-S / 24L , and the 35 AF-S / 35L? Pretty please? :D

Did you guys get the 24-120/4 VR yet?
I should, eh? The 35m f1.4 AF-S is shipping sometime in October, so I will do a comparison then. The 24mm f1.4 lenses I can do sometime soon, I guess - but I pretty much know the answer already. :)

Yes, we got a few of the new 24-120 VR in, but I'm not putting it into the rental department though.....yet.

[ddr]

another interesting one to throw into the mix would be the samyang 85mm f/1.4
along with the 35mm f/1.4 that will be out soon

[Senna4ever]

the nikon looks pretty killer. But then again if your not pixel peeping side by side, it's hard to tell. How much is the nikon lens?

$1700~$1800, I think.