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Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E FX — Bokeh & Optical Ray-Tracing Simulator
Interactive 3D portrait ray-traced through the published JP2000-292689A optical prescription (6 elements in 5 groups) with a 30.4 mm entrance pupil and 0.39 m minimum focus.
Optical & Portrait Specifications (Upper Body Framing)
| Optical & Portrait Metric | Measured / Patent Value | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Patent Prescription | JP2000-292689A · 6 elements in 5 groups | Traced surface by surface in WebGL2 |
| Entrance Pupil Diameter | 30.4 mm (at f/2.8) | Controls distant background blur disc size |
| Corner Bokeh Roundness (90% Field) | 97% at f/2.8 · -0.1 EV | Mechanical vignetting (cat’s-eye vs. round corner highlights) |
| Background Field of View (Compression) | 23° horizontal | Width of the background room visible behind the subject |
| Upper-Body Working Distance | 3.41 m | Camera-to-subject distance for head-to-waist framing |
| Effective Focal Length (Breathing) | 87.3 mm (+2.7%) | Actual framing focal length at portrait distance |
| Depth of Field (Sharp Zone) | 40 cm (3.22 m – 3.62 m) | Sharp zone at wide-open aperture |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.39 m | Closest focusing distance from the sensor |
Questions
How much background blur and corner cat's-eye does the Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E FX produce?
Wide open at f/2.8, the Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E FX has a 30.4 mm entrance pupil (85 mm ÷ 2.8) and 97% bokeh roundness in the 90% corner (-0.1 EV corner falloff). In an upper-body portrait at 3.41 m, the sharp depth-of-field zone spans 40 cm (3.22 m to 3.62 m) with a 23° horizontal background angle of view.
Does the Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E FX show focus breathing at portrait distance?
Based on patent JP2000-292689A, tracing the focusing group at 3.41 m gives an effective framing focal length of 87.3 mm (+2.7% vs. the nominal 85 mm). You can toggle "Match subject size" in the simulator to see the framing shift live.
What optical design is inside the Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E FX?
The patent prescription (JP2000-292689A) specifies 6 lens elements in 5 groups. The interactive Optical X-Ray above traces rays through every surface in real time.
Related comparisons
- Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-s
- Nikon 85mm f/1.4 G FX
- Nikon AF 85mm f/1.4D IF
- Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8D
- Nikon 85mm f/3.5 VR DX
- Nikon Nikkor SW 90mm f/4.5
Compare with similar portrait lenses
- Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
- Leica TELE-ELMARIT-M 90mm f/2.8
- Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S
- Canon RF 85mm F2 MACRO IS STM
- Sony Sonnar FE 55mm F1.8 ZA
Also see: depth of field, bokeh, crop factor, lens compression.