As a DX lens, the 85mm ƒ/3.5 VR is compatible with both DX- and FX-sensor based digital cameras, though the latter will provide a vignetted image unless used in the DX crop mode. The effective field of view in DX mode, or on a DX sensor-based camera, is 128mm.

The 85mm ƒ/3.5 VR micro ships with the HB-37 lens hood, a bayonet-mounted circular lens hood. The lens takes 52mm filters, and is available now for approximately $530.

Sharpness 
The 85mm AF-S ƒ/3.5G VR Micro is a sharp lens, though it must be stopped down to obtain maximal results for sharpness.

Used wide open at ƒ/3.5, the lens shows results in the area of 1.5 blur units across the majority of the frame, with a slight pocket of corner softness in the top left to the tune of 3 blur units. Curiously this corner gets slightly worse at ƒ/4, while the rest of the frame gets slightly sharper, and then at ƒ/5.6 overall sharpness is improved. By ƒ/8 some excellent results for sharpness appear, at 1 blur unit across the frame (and two units in the top left corner), the corner drops to 1.5 blur units at ƒ/11, and diffraction limiting sets in at ƒ/16 where the entire frame shows 1.5 blur units. By ƒ/22 it's 2 blur units across the frame, and ƒ/32 shows just over 2 blur units.

• 52mm Front Cap
• Rear Cap
• Soft Lens Case
• Brand New Factory Fresh Import Model