Fast Nikon Normal?

[rpilottx]

I am thinking of selling my M4(primarily due to lack of use) and hanging on to the F as my film camera. Now I own the 24f2.8, 55f3.5 Micro, 105f2.5, and 200f4 lens for the Nikon. They are arguably the lenses that made Nikon famous and perhaps are as good as anything made today.

Having said that I am wondering what very fast (1.4 or 1.2) normal would be recommended? I don't know much about the fast 50's for Nikon as I just did not use that focal length in college back in the early 70's. So what is recommended?

 

[Chris101]

If money is no object, go for the 58mm f/1.2.

 

[punkromance]

Nikon has an amazing 50/1.2 AiS. I always thought the 1.4 was lacking so when I upgraded from the 1.8 I went for the 1.2 and never regretted it.
I'm not much of a pixel peeper but it's sharp as sin wide open to the point where even I'm impressed, and reaches optimal sharpness at f/2.
I have a couple of photos here on my flickr but I'm sure you can find better examples. Can't remember what he goes by on here, but NoctNate probably has some amazing photos with it.

 

[FrankS]

Beautiful lens!

 

[Vickko]

Well, there is the Nikon 58mm f1.2 Noct-Nikkor. Will be expensive, but is stunning lens.

Then, there are the more "normal" 50mm f1.4, the faster 55mm f1.2 and the old classic 5.8cm f1.4.

I always found this review interesting:
http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_norm.html

I may have a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens up for sale shortly. And seriously thinking of selling my 58mm f1.2 Noct-Nikkor.

....Vick

 

[maddoc]

Funny, I have the 24/2.8, 105/2.5, 200/4 and 50/1.4. The latter was the least used Nikon SLR lens of them ... Nowadays, I would go for the 58/1.2 ...🙂

 

[dof]

I'd recommend the Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.4.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I have an Ai-S 50mm f/1.4 and an Ai-S 50mm f/1.2 both from the new serial number ranges started in 2006. At f/1.4, the 50/1.4 probably has an edge over the 50/1.2, but by f/2 they're both excellent. I intend to sell my 50/1.2, but keep forgetting to get a round tuit.

 

[Freakscene]

Get the Noct-Nikkor. Seriously.

Marty

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

I warmly recomend Nikkor 50mm f1.2. At 1.2 it has this glow that's simply stunning and works very well in certain portraits. And from f2 onwards it's the sharpest Nikkor 50mm out there or at least battling with the best. Amazing lens, only 50mm I have used since I got it on my Nikons (or e-p2 for that matter).

An example, taken with e-p2

 

[Ranchu]

The 1.4 AF-S is very good if it fits your camera, I like it a lot better than the other 1.4s but I sold mine because I prefer the 50/2. I haven't used the 1.2.

 

[niels christopher]

I'am currently using the AF-D 50mm f/1.4 but also used the AIS 50mm f/1.2. Both are good lenses, though, especially wide open, nowhere as sharp as a 50mm Summilux pre asph, for example.
The AIS f/1.2 tends to show a little glow when used wide open, also a lot of vignetting under certain circumstances. But then again, show me a f/1.2 lens that does'nt do so. From f/2 and beyond it's razorsharp, indeed.

I never used the Noct 58mm f/1.2, but I can't imagine it's worth the price, when you can get a "normal" (and still very good) 50mm f/1.2 for less than a quarter of the price.

 

[peterm1]

Shot with the first model Nikon AF 50mm f1.4. This image was shot at f1.4 so far as I recall and if you look closely you will see that the point of focus is the knee (so much for AF!) The AI/AIS versions are similar.

The early version of this lens (pre AI) is also pretty good except for its coating which is not of the same standard. All of these are slightly softer fully open but still render very nice images.

I have owned them all and so speak from personal; experience.

[/IMG]

 

[peter_n]

Bjørn Rørslett doesn't rate the f1.4 Zeiss as highly as the 50/1.4 AF-Nikkor D, the AF 50/1.4 G, or the 50/1.8 AiS.

Personally I rate the AF 50/1.8 non-D, my copy of which is as good as my 50/1.8 AiS.

 

[FrankS]

I would not choose to use an AF lens on a vintage Nikon F body. It wouldn't feel right.
(Yes, I know they can be manually focused.)

 

[sahe69]

I'm not much of a pixel peeper but it's sharp as sin wide open to the point where even I'm impressed, and reaches optimal sharpness at f/2.
I have a couple of photos here on my flickr but I'm sure you can find better examples. Can't remember what he goes by on here, but NoctNate probably has some amazing photos with it.

Punkromance, nice pics on flickr! Just out of curiosity, how do you find focusing this lens on D700? Are you using the standard focusing screen for that or...? For me that's been always a struggle on this camera with other than mf wides, hence I'm mostly using AF lenses on it. (The use of the focus indicator is not very practical either in many situations, IMO)

Sorry about the OT to the OP🙂

 

[Frank Petronio]

The 50/1.2 AIS is a nicer design than the earlier 50/1.2, it has more aperture blades and works on digital bodies nicely. Great bokeh and build quality, I should buy one again myself.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The 55/1.2 is sharp over the center 2/3rds of the image, edges suffered. The multi-coated version has a T-Stop of T1.25, pretty amazing.

 

[splitimageview]

I vote 50/1.2 AIS. One of the most enjoyable lenses I've ever used - a high 'keeper' rate.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I've used a few (1.2, 1.4, 1.8) and the one I like the most is the 50 1.4 Ai with a longer focus throw than the Ai-S version.

I also downloaded and printed many years ago a test someone did with all of them and the same shot at different apertures, and the best results there were also for the Nikkor 50 1.4 Ai. But all of them work very well, of course...

Cheers,

Juan