What’s the best possible prime for image quality and sharpness with d850?

JS103

New member
Hello again!

so I decided against the 24-70 and have decided that what I want to really invest in is the best optical quality possible for my d850. I’m used to shooting with a 50mm focal length. Strongly considering the sigma art 50mm but I’m unsure about 3rd party lenses. To be clear, what is the best possible prime for edge to edge sharpness and general image quality with the d850 around a 50mm focal length?
 

Texas

Senior Member
You (or I) won't be able to tell the difference among any of the ten "best" lenses at 50mm.
Don't over think it.
 

Chucktin

Senior Member
You would, IMHO, be better served settling on a focal length that is a "best fit" to your personal style.
Do you prefer to work with wide angles - 24, 28 mm? Or the "normals" - 35, 50? Or the portrait teles - 85, 105?
Make that decision and then pick a prime.
Your budget might also dictate the direction of your choice.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Hello again!

so I decided against the 24-70 and have decided that what I want to really invest in is the best optical quality possible for my d850. I’m used to shooting with a 50mm focal length. Strongly considering the sigma art 50mm but I’m unsure about 3rd party lenses. To be clear, what is the best possible prime for edge to edge sharpness and general image quality with the d850 around a 50mm focal length?
I've used a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens on my D750 for some time. Zero issues. Phenomenal lens, full stop. The other lens I could suggest would be the Nikon Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S which I've shot with as well. Between these two lenses I come away preferring the Sigma but many would choose the Nikon; it's definitely lighter and less expensive.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
What are you shooting that need super sharp detail, surely not people. How are are you printing. The question is too general. It is pretty obvious for sharpness corner to corner the new Z mount lenses beat out the F lenses wide open. How far can you stop down to meet the sharpness criteria, and how much do you like manual focus? The best primes in F mount are the manual focus but they might not be best in the aperture or color departments. The Sigma ART 50 is very good when stopped down to f/4, The 85 1.4 is better for people due to the compression effect, but the 105 1.4 has the best look in people shots.
Many times the sharpness issue is not inherent lens sharpness but technique. Better light will always trump lens, shutter speeds out of the mirror slap velocity has a lot of bearing on sharpness.
How are you determining sharpness? Zooming in 100% is how most determine sharpness but that is a had habit that actually hurts good photos. Good micro-contrast and enough light seeing at normal viewing distance and size tells you all you should care about and the best looking images at normal viewing image size often has no connection to the detail seen at 100%.

So the answer is...it depends...one that has the best edge contrast will often look shaper as a full image than a higher resolving lens that looks best at 100%.
Often the question is not the question one really wants to be answered. Sharpness is one trait of many that combine to give the impression of detail fidelity.
 

Blade Canyon

Senior Member
What are you shooting that need super sharp detail, surely not people.

This is a great point. With my D850 and the Tamron 24-70 2.8 (or most any other lens), the detail is so sharp you can see the fine light hairs on a woman's face, and they do NOT like that level of detail.

But I do understand the desire to get the sharpest possible lens to pair with the 46 mp D850 just to have the best combo. I bought the Sigma 135mm 1.8 ART because it was listed in some review as the sharpest lens of 2018.
 
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sutherland

New member
I don't own a D850, but I have a few primes and a D750. I would imagine what is 'great' on the D750 will be as good if not better on the D850.

I own the 20mm 1.8, 28mm 1.8, and 50mm 1.8. In my honest and humble opinion, the 50mm 1.8 at $216 is fantastic value and deserves a consideration. It's not my 'favorite' focal length, but it's a nice entry to Nikon's FX Primes.

My favorite 'walkaround' prime is the 28mm 1.8. I find the lens to be remarkably sharp and the focal length to be fantastic for street and landscape. In my opinion, it just gives a bit more 'space' and 'story' then a 35mm. I use my 20mm 1.8 when I am setting out for Landscape and know what it is I am aiming to shoot, otherwise, I will opt for the versatility of the 28mm 1.8.

As others have stated, it really depends on what you wish to photograph and how you engage in photography. There are some typical use cases for lenses (ex: 20mm for Landscape/City/Architecture, 35mm for Photojournalism, 50mm-85mm for Portrait), but I find that it's how you engage photography and what aids in your composition that will ultimately determine the right lens for you.

When it comes to shorter primes (less than 85mm), the 28mm works for me.
 

Ad B

Senior Member
Hi,

There are many reasons why sombody is buying a certain lens...
I'm a technical guy, numbers say more to me as some subjective opinions of other photographers.
Here is a screen print from DXO with all Nikon, Tamron and Sigma primes. Sorted at sharpness.
DXO.jpg

If you want the sharpest lens, take the Sigma 85 mm F1.4 Art, the Tamron 85 mm F1.8 or the Sigma 50 mm F1.4 Art.
 

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spb_stan

Senior Member
The DxO ratings are not measuring many of the traits that have been identified as being related to the perception of sharpness Some of the most well-regarded lenses do not score as high as some which have less desirable traits. There is a lot more to the perception of sharpness than simple optical resolution. A good portrait, one that most people would prefer when comparing the output of different lenses in the same session and lighting, absolute resolution not strongly correlated. One has to shoot lenses under conditions usually used to get a sense of what it actually delivers. You are suggesting that selecting a set of hi-fi speakers is best done by comparing specs? That has never been shown to correlate to perception. Or a painting needs to be judged by resolution(pigment particle size). I am an engineer and numbers are important in a lot of engineering but they have a lot less to say about art. Photography is art regardless of how technical it has become. Few people with very high spec cameras ever produce a desirable image that communicates something the viewer values.
 

Ad B

Senior Member
CRAP...
If topicstarter asks about the best possible prime for Image quality and sharpness...
And I give him a answer about sharpness, these numbers are hard, hard and again hard. Straight to the point.
No fussy, subjective "art" of something with hifi speakers... or subjective opinions about paintings... (it was going about photograhic lenses here???...)
Numbers about sharpness. 30, 34 or 36... which is the best? Not 30 or 29, I'll go for 36. Numbers, hard numbers.
I'm not writing about the rest of the image quality, just sharpness.
Oh sorry, I did my master on engineering, but still am a f.... normal civilian.
I was ... a hard working engineer, did my job good and sold my company 10 years ago (still not 60..).

It's for the topic starter if he can do something with the numbers. It could be a good part of making a decision.
I just didn’t want to make such a huge point of it… I will not do that again.
Oz
 

Blade Canyon

Senior Member
Strangely enough, DXOMark database does not have the Sigma 135mm Art lens, nor does the database allow the Nikon D850 to be chosen as the target camera body. Probably because both came out within the last year.
 

Chucktin

Senior Member
A friend who was an EE working as an Audio Engineer gave me some advice that has stuck with me. "Get the best (Phonograph) needle you can afford, everything else down stream of that depends on it's qualify".
It not hard to translate that into the OP initial query - What's the sharpest lens? But as we see here these discussions become "How many insubstantial Angels can dance on the head of a pin?"
Ergo there's never going to be one right, immutable answer. So OP, pick yer pizen, and work with it. Later you can change your mind or evolve to another POV. Good luck.
 
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