Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Millenium - Misfocus at close distance @f1.4

[BlueOceanWaves]

Hi everyone, I have a question about my lens. I have been shooting with my Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 Millennium for a couple of months. I’ve noticed that photos taken at closer distances (under 6 feet or so) with the aperture set to f/1.4 often appear out of focus. Here’s a test photo that I borrowed a friend and shot with my Nikon S2.

When I took this photograph, I focused on her nose bridge/eye area. Yet the result shows that her outfit is mostly in focus. In fact, the areas around her face, head, ears, and even her hair are largely out of focus.

 

[splitimageview]

Have you tested other lenses on this S2?

 

[Duofold RF]

I used the same combination S2+50mmf1.4 Millennium ( from my S3 2000 kit) and I do not have any issues
Check the camera first and make sure the rangefinder is aligned at infinity. If you have access to an autocollimator, use it to check the lens and camera as a matched pair. If you don’t have an autocollimator, mount the camera on a tripod and place Scotch tape or a piece of ground glass at the film plane/gate. Verify whether the lens is actually sharp at the infinity setting. Then move to a close‑focus distance and compare what the rangefinder indicates with what you see on the ground glass. Do they match?

 

[BlueOceanWaves]

I have another example here: shot at nearly 7 feet at f1.4 1/125 (it is underexposed, indoors) Ilford fp4+. Focused on the lady’s nose bridge.

Neither her face nor the boy’s face are sharp or in focus. Or am I expecting too much at f1.4 (hand held), which is not going to be tack sharp? It reminds me of something to do with “Effective base-length” many people discusses about?

I used the same combination S2+50mmf1.4 Millennium ( from my S3 2000 kit) and I do not have any issues
Check the camera first and make sure the rangefinder is aligned at infinity. If you have access to an autocollimator, use it to check the lens and camera as a matched pair. If you don’t have an autocollimator, mount the camera on a tripod and place Scotch tape or a piece of ground glass at the film plane/gate. Verify whether the lens is actually sharp at the infinity setting. Then move to a close‑focus distance and compare what the rangefinder indicates with what you see on the ground glass. Do they match?

I will try the scotch tape method, that sounds like a good suggestion.

 

[BlueOceanWaves]

Have you tested other lenses on this S2?

Hi, yes. Sorry about the double post, I cannot locate the edit post option.

I have the original Nikkor 5cm f2 shot at a very close distance (most likely between 3 to 6 feet) with no issues on the focus. The focus was on the closer siphon. However, it was f2 and not at f1.4, which might be the difference?