Nikon Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED Lens Review
The Nikon 105mm f/1.4E creates breathtaking portrait bokeh, but its heavy build, slow autofocus, and lack of weather sealing make it a tough recommendation for the price.
Overview
This lens is a portrait machine, plain and simple. It's heavy, expensive, and not versatile at all, but if you want that magical, three-dimensional separation where your subject just pops off the background, this is one of the best tools Nikon ever made. The one thing you need to know is that it's a specialist. Don't buy it for travel or video. Buy it to make stunning portraits that look like nothing else.
Performance
The optical performance is exactly what you're paying for. The bokeh is in the 91st percentile, and it shows. The out-of-focus areas are creamy and smooth, with none of the nervous, busy quality you get from cheaper lenses. It's sharp where it needs to be at f/1.4, and the Nano Crystal coating handles flare beautifully. Honestly, the only surprise is how slow and noisy the autofocus is for a modern lens. It lands in the 47th percentile, so don't expect to track fast-moving kids or sports with this thing.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The bokeh is legendary. It creates a beautiful, painterly background that makes portraits sing. 98th
- Incredibly sharp in the center at f/1.4. You get that 'look' without sacrificing detail on the eyes. 91th
- Build quality feels solid, even if it's heavy. The metal barrel inspires confidence. 88th
- The f/1.4 aperture gives you amazing light-gathering ability and subject isolation in any situation. 83th
Cons
- It's a brick. At nearly 1kg, your arm will get tired during a long shoot. 18th
- Autofocus is loud and dated. It hunts in low light and won't keep up with action.
- No weather sealing on a $1900 lens in 2024 is frankly unacceptable.
- Minimum focus distance is over a meter, so forget about any close-up detail shots.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 105 |
| Focal Length Max | 105 |
| Elements | 14 |
| Groups | 9 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/1.4 |
| Min Aperture | f/16 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
Build
| Mount | Nikon F |
| Format | Full-Frame |
| Weight | 1.0 kg / 2.2 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 82 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | No |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 1000 |
| Max Magnification | 1:7.7 |
Value & Pricing
At $1897, this lens is a tough sell. The value is entirely in the optical magic. If that specific look is critical to your work, it's worth every penny. If you're just a hobbyist or need a more versatile lens, it's a wildly expensive one-trick pony.
vs Competition
Don't confuse this with cheaper 85mm or 105mm f/1.8 options from Sony or Canon. Those are more balanced tools. The real spiritual competitor is the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art. The Sigma is even bigger and heavier, but it's arguably sharper and has better build quality, including weather sealing. For Nikon shooters, the older 105mm f/2 DC is a much cheaper, lighter alternative with unique bokeh control, but it's softer wide open and has slower AF. This Nikon 105mm f/1.4E sits in the middle: unparalleled bokeh quality, but with some frustrating modern omissions.
| Spec | Nikon Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED Lens | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Nikon Nikon S-Line Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Lens (Nikon Z) | Canon Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens | Tamron Tamron Di III Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony | Sirui Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Sony E, |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 105mm | 55mm | 24-70mm | 24mm | 17-70mm | 56mm |
| Max Aperture | f/1.4 | f/1.4 | f/2.8 | f/1.8 | f/2.8 | f/1.2 |
| Mount | Nikon F | Nikon Z | Nikon Z | Canon RF | Sony E Mount | Sony E |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | true | false | false | false |
| Weight (g) | 984 | 281 | 676 | 269 | 544 | 422 |
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM | Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | Telephoto | - | Zoom | Zoom | Zoom | - |
Verdict
This is a lens you buy with your heart, not your head. It creates a specific, beautiful portrait look that's hard to replicate. I can only recommend it to professional portrait photographers or very dedicated enthusiasts who live and breathe shallow depth of field. For everyone else, the weight, price, and lack of features like weather sealing make it hard to justify. If you need it, you already know. If you're on the fence, you probably don't.