How is the Nikon 85mm f/1.4 lens?

I've been really into photography for quite a few years now. I started with just using my moms canon. Then I finally bought my own, Nikon d3300. The only lens I've used to take pictures is just my kit lens. I've been looking into them and I'm really set on getting the Nikon 85mm. It's very expensive and I just want to make sure it's really worth all of that money… Thank you!

Outrageously expensive, and probably a bit long for general use.

You'll save money - and gain flexibility - with the 55-200mm or 55-300mm AF-S.

It's a wonderful lens.
Are your skills good enough to handle a very sharp lens and make use of the f/1.4 aperture? F/1.4 and f/1.8 at 85mm means you have a very narrow depth of field (DOF).

You need to ask yourself why you need such a lens. True, it's a gem, but will you actually be using it that much once the wow factor is gone. If you're doing portraiture, this will be a wonderful lens.

For much less money you can also get the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 which is also a highly regarded lens.
Even less money, the 50mm f/1.8. On a crop sensor camera, it works well as a portrait lens.

A super portrait lens but your kit lens will do almost the same at 55mm. But the 85mm will be better in low light. Is that important to you, low light?

If you had one of the Nikon full frame digital SLR cameras, it would be an excellent portrait lens, however, you have a cropped sensor camera, so in order to use this lens, you would have to be quite far away from your subject.

The portrait lens most used by photographers who own a cropped sensor camera is either the 50 mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 or a 60 mm f/2.8 macro (dual purpose)

When you ask such a question regarding certain focal length lenses, you need to give us a hint to what purpose you think you need such a lens.

The 85 mm is really a special purpose lens used for shooting portraits or as an Astro, medium field lens if you are into that.

If you want a telephoto lens for shooting sports or action, then you need a longer lens

If you know exactly what to do with it and are spending sleepless nights over one then I say f/1.4 is always worth all your money. Then at 85mm, it's probably worth even your college fund!

Even if the lens was $50, it would not be worth buying if you do not use it. So a good portion of the right answer to your question will be based upon how often you use the lens.

I strongly suggest that you rent it first from places like lensrentals.com. The cost of renting it for a weekend will be far less than the amount of money you'd loose on the depreciation if you were to sell it after realizing it wasn't the lens for you.

To compare sharpness, bokeh and other aspects of the lens, go to http://www.photozone.de/...lens-tests. Their tests show that the $1,600 Nikon IS NOT AS GOOD as the $1,100 Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART lens. Skip the Nikon and go with the Sigma instead.

Personally, I'd skip both and go with a 70-200 f/2.8 instead. You might be thinking that you have to have f/1.4 to get that super creamy bokeh. Not so. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are more than good enough, and what they may lack in bokeh, they more than make up for in versatility. Personally I would strongly suggest that you get a 70-200 f/2.8 first, and then go with an 85mm.

But like I said earlier, rent these lenses. For less than the cost of a filter, you can get real life use and know for sure which lens is right/best for you.