Nikon F: which 50?

msbarnes

msbarnes

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Which non-AI 50 would you suggest?

I'm really attracted to that Nikon so i want to build a kit for not too much money. I thought I'd start with the 50mm. I know that I want the 105mm f2.5 for sure.

I read that the 50mm f1.4 wasn't that great and that the 50mm f2.0 was better. Then there are some 58mm f1.4 lenses...not sure which to get. It probably doesn't matter...but any suggestions are welcome.
 
I like the AIS 50/1.8 pancake. Great performer and compact size.
It will work on the F body.

Note: not the E version
 
I like the Nikkor-H 2.0, but another great option is the Micro-Nikkor 55mm 3.5. The Annie Liebovitz kit at Rolling Stone was the 35mm 2.0, the micro-Nikkor 55 and the 105mm 2.5. Of course, she was mostly in the people-shooting business, lots of portraits.
 
Any, except for the E or AF versions, as these lack the coupler and don't fit a (metered) F... Seriously, there is nothing wrong with any of them - except maybe for the non-Noct 1.2 and the 45mm GN. Which are not bad either, but usually way overpriced compared to the other (at least equal) Nikkors and to their original sales price.
 
Love the Nikkor Auto-H 2/50 f2 is plenty fast and this is one superb lens. Also the out of focus area is not as hideous as the 1.4/50 Nikon's. The 58mm Nikon is again a great lens. A little longer so a super slight tele for Portraits and such. Not as sharp as the 1.4 50mm but the focal lenght is special and for Portraits superb.
 
msbarnes said:
Which non-AI 50 would you suggest?

I'm really attracted to that Nikon so i want to build a kit for not too much money. I thought I'd start with the 50mm. I know that I want the 105mm f2.5 for sure.

I read that the 50mm f1.4 wasn't that great and that the 50mm f2.0 was better. Then there are some 58mm f1.4 lenses...not sure which to get. It probably doesn't matter...but any suggestions are welcome.
Click to expand...

The opposite was true in my experience: the 1969 Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 was a much better lens than the slower models of the time. I tried both, thinking to save some money on the slower lens, and I quickly realized it was going to be a much better deal to go with the f/1.4 model.

And as to the 50/1.4 being substandard, take a look here ...
www.mir.com... Nikkor 50mm lens supplement:

Nikon Nikkor-S (C) Auto 1:1.4 f= 50mm standard lens As stated this lens appeared in March 1962. This lens has 7 elements in 6 groups, which optical formula changed several times during its production. In fact this lens, as the modern AFD-Nikkor, is still in production. Changes in optical formula and its exterior were in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984 and as an AF-version in 1986 (see matrix). Also the AF-version has been changed at least three times. This very favorite lens - even in the digital era - still is one of the best standard prime lenses ever produced. More than 4 million lenses were build since its introduction.
Click to expand...

The older Nikkor-S 58mm f/1.4 was an interesting lens too. My uncle had one of those. I always liked the slightly longer focal length.

For years I had a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E ... the one finished to look like a Nikkor, not the original all-plastic model. I bought it for $10 at a flea market somewhere in the early 1980s. It was a fine performer, presuming you used a lens hood and no filter as it was not multicoated and tended to flare a bit.

At present, I have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S for my Nikon F ... A lovely, early-1980s vintage lens, although a bit bulky and heavy compared to the older 50/1.4 I had back in the day.

Nikon's 50mm lenses get a lot of disparagement, but unless you're comparing them with Zeiss Planar 50 or Leica Summicron/Summilux 50mm lenses, and maybe a couple of others, they perform better than the vast majority out there.
 
Any of the 50's are good lenses. While I've shot the 1.4's, I really prefer the 1.8's. Not a huge difference in speed and lighter. The later lenses are sharper wide open, but even the old non-ai lenses were good.
 
I like the 50mm f/1.8 AiS Long Nose...
Sharp and contrasty.. Nice Bokoh also
Not bad at f/1.8 either.....f/4 I think... on Tri-X (Arista Premium 400)
8110935058_edfb357041_b.jpg
 
I have almost one of every Nikkor 50mm made and I always go back to the 50mm/1.8 AIS lens. That having been said I would take a Nikkor pre-Ai 50/2 or 50/1.4 any day of the week.
 
"Nikkor-H.C 2/50

Very sharp, totally useable at f2. Excellent contrast and flare resistance.
Cheap."

As Harry Lime has pointe out, this lens is somewhat of a milestone 50mm from Nikon. I have been reading the latest Erwin Puts' book today, and here is what he says about it while commenting on the 1st version of Summicron R 50:
"This lens (Summicron), together with the Nikkor-H 2/50 were the best of their class and became the standard for the type. It is remarkable that the R lenses never achieved the high esteem that the M lenses were given, even if the R lenses had sometimes better imagery."
In other words, he is suggesting that the Summicron R together with the Nikkor H were better than the then (1964-1976) available Summicron M (3rd version), which is quoted today between 900 and 1400 USD on the secondary market.
 
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