Nikon 85mm underwater anyone?

I'd be interested to know if anyone has shot the Nikon (or Canon) 85mm underwater. Having lusted after this lens for a while, I finally broke down and sprang for it. It certainly lives up to to it's reputation of being exceptionally sharp and with really attractive bokeh that makes the image seem to pop from the background. I could imagine some really nice fish portraits against a colorful reef background for example.

Here's an image of our cat Cabrita, followed by a 100% crop

The Canon equivelant I read is a bit slow to focus. Which sometimes can be a bit maddening when things are moving around on you underwater (including your self). Actually I was thinking of getting a Canon version but using it to record video on my 5D MII but while using a tripod to capture what goes on on top of a reef and setting it to some soft music in post production. Just something else to consider with this lens since it will allow a lot of natural light in and you won't have artificial hotspots getting in the way.

Let us know what you end up doing.

Thanks

I have the Canon 85mm f/1.2 - the new one, but I have also owned the old version (the new version is much better). I have never tried it underwater however.

Wide open the depth of field is very shallow. You didn't say what f-stop was used for your cat, but only the eye and hairs right around it is in focus, the rest is not. That can be a very cool effect, but you need to be very careful with it.

I have the Canon 85mm f/1.2 - the new one, but I have also owned the old version (the new version is much better). I have never tried it underwater however.

 

Wide open the depth of field is very shallow. You didn't say what f-stop was used for your cat, but only the eye and hairs right around it is in focus, the rest is not. That can be a very cool effect, but you need to be very careful with it.

Yes, this was shot at f1.4 and there is zero DOF, which I think can contribute to the effect, really pulling the eye to the focal point of the picture. Unlikely there will be many keepers, particularly underwater, but the contrast between the incredible sharpness of this lens on a camera like the D800 with controlled out of focus areas I think has potential for some different images. Focus speed appears to be quite quick with this lens, it is the newer G version with silent wave focusing motor, but I'm sure the shallow DOF will add to the challenge underwater.

I have been using the Nikon 85mm lens for the past 6 months or so. I am very happy with it. I found that the 60mm was not adequate (for me) for small subjects, and the 105mm tended to hunt too long to get a focus. The 85mm has been a very good goldilocks solution.

I just finished a trip to Gangga Island Resort in north Sulawesi and Kasawari Resort in Lembeh, and I shot the 85mm for all of my macro. Here are a few examples, for what it is worth.

and the set of photos is here (although I have just started loading them).

I shoot a Nikon D200, and I have fallen into the pattern of just packing a Tokina 10-17 for wide angle, and the Nikon 85mm for macro.

Hope this helps,

Erwin

OK; yes I presume you are shooting the 85DX Macro. These are nice.

I have the 85 1.4 G, not a macro lens, so would not shoot this close. The 1.4G would only be a fish portrait type of lens.

Thanks

Never mind. (Sorry about that.)

OK; yes I presume you are shooting the 85DX Macro. These are nice.

I have the 85 1.4 G, not a macro lens, so would not shoot this close. The 1.4G would only be a fish portrait type of lens.

Thanks

The 85mm Micro-Nikkor is probably the best Nikon 85mm lens for UW use. Too bad they did not introduce this back when the D2X was new.

There are many 85mm Nikkors. I have three of them and they are all manual focus - a very old 85/1.8 (1960's vintage), an 85/2 AI, and an 85PC.

There are three 85/1.4 Nikkors that I know of, one manual focus and two auto focus models. I think the new 85/1.8 G lens would be better than the 85/1.4 G unless you absolutely needed the 1.4 aperture and demonstrated that it worked well. You will have to decide how you were going to shoot it - You will need a diopter with a dome - with a flat port you will have to content with the RI of H2O.

The subject in the attached photo is under water though I was not. I was a passenger in a Cessna 206 on floats. Taken in the early 80's with an 85/2 on Kodachrome 64. Those are sockeye salmon lined up in ranks. This is the Newhalen River not far from where the Pebble Mine is planned.