Noct Nikkor 58/1.2 reborn - patent

[FrozenInTime]

New Nikon patent for Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2

http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2012-11-23

http://nikonrumors.com/2012/11/22/new-nikon-58mm-f1-2-lens-patent.aspx/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NikonRumors+%28NikonRumors.com%29

I once had the orignal 58/1.2 but it was not as sharp as the 50/1 Noctilux - the aberrations being more uniform and diffuse rather than butterfly-like at towards the corners.

It seems fast standard lenses are once again in vogue.

 

[larmarv916]

Well this is very exciting for sure.....it will mean nikon is willing to raise the bar their game and offer what they see as major step forward. Should be fun. This if affordable should be a great deal for consumers. Now the issue is when will we see it.???

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I don't see any sense in a 58mm lens, other than an attempt to make a boutique lens based on nostalgia. There were technical reasons back in the day for making a f/1.2 lens 58mm. The focal length just doesn't make any sense, though, for a modern lens, especially for crop sensor cameras.

I would expect it to be very expensive.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I don't see any sense in a 58mm lens, other than an attempt to make a boutique lens based on nostalgia. There were technical reasons back in the day for making a f/1.2 lens 58mm. The focal length just doesn't make any sense, though, for a modern lens, especially for crop sensor cameras.

I would expect it to be very expensive.

Have you ever used a 58? It's a delightful focal length. I had a 58/1.4 Nikkor which I should never have sold and I still have a 58/2 on an Exakta. Also, it's easier to correct a longer lens, especially at this speed.

My suspicion is that they may be looking at a competitor to the new Zeiss 55/1.4, a lens delivering ultra-high resolution even at large apertures soo that it can replicate the look of MF (DoF, bokeh) on 24x36 ultra-high-resolution sensors .

So there are good technical reasons for making such a lens, and yes, it is likely to be very expensive.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

Hehe, Great news for those DSLR Video shooters. I guess they don`t even think about the film crowd.

 

[mfogiel]

I have a lot of fondness for the 55-60mm FL for portraiture. Personally, I dislike to print in the 3:2 ratio, so I am limiting my frame to 24X33mm most of the time, and therefore the diagonal comes out at 41mm. For a 58mm this gives a similar angle of view to a 110mm lens on 6x6 or a 135mm lens on 6x7.
In the SLR world, I have the Minolta Rokkor 58/1.2 PG, which is so good, that it easily justifies an acquisition of a dedicated body. I think it has been the last bargain from the era when people ditched film cameras, but now, alas, is picking up the price due to the mirrorless crowd.
Here's a shot wide open:

201212621 by mfogiel, on Flickr

 

[Vickko]

No mention that the Nikkor is still aspherical. And even today, no need for an aspherical to be expensive.

Those who read Japanese, is the new 58mm f1.2 spherical?

 

[raid]

There is nothing wrong with this focal length for film cameras and for full frame digital cameras. It will be also an awesome tele for micro 4/3 cameras for portraits.

 

[jarski]

great news, hope this materializes. good to have options, there is also Voigtlander 58/1.4, modern version of old Topcor.

 

[willie_901]

The focal length is not that important.

If the new 58/1.2 performs as the original version does, its purpose is to deliver coma free images at f 1.2.

If coma free images at f 1.2 are not important to you, then paying for this lens would be a really expensive way to have a F mount lens, f 1.2, AF lens. I'm not even sure how well Nikon's AF would work with a f 1.2 lens.

 

[Joosep]

Wow. Great news!

I used to own a Topcor 58mm 1.4 and loved it.
58 goes alot better with 35 than a 50 imo.

 

[FrankS]

I don't see any sense in a 58mm lens, other than an attempt to make a boutique lens based on nostalgia. There were technical reasons back in the day for making a f/1.2 lens 58mm. The focal length just doesn't make any sense, though, for a modern lens, especially for crop sensor cameras.

I would expect it to be very expensive.

Crop sensors are so 2011!

😉

 

[furcafe]

On the modern (post M4-P) M bodies, 60mm is closer to the actual FoV coverage for the 50mm framelines, anyway, @ least for everything beyond 1m.

My Hexanon 60/1.2 is among my favorite lenses, despite having to approximate the FoV in the Leica VF by extrapolating an image area somewhere between the 50mm & 75mm marks.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

"Crop sensors are so 2011!"

Along with rationally priced cameras and lenses, it would seem!

 

[FrankS]

"Crop sensors are so 2011!"

Along with rationally priced cameras and lenses, it would seem!

Buy used film cameras.

 

[FrozenInTime]

No mention that the Nikkor is still aspherical. And even today, no need for an aspherical to be expensive.

Those who read Japanese, is the new 58mm f1.2 spherical?

Try installing Google chrome browser - it automatically translates many languages into English ( though Japanese word ordering remains amusingly Yoda like )

Two aspherical surfaces ? "By placing one side by the front group and the rear lens group an aspherical surface, spherical aberration correction, Sajitarukoma aberration, the aberration Merijionarukoma"

 

[flip]

My Hexanon 60/1.2 is among my favorite lenses, despite having to approximate the FoV in the Leica VF by extrapolating an image area somewhere between the 50mm & 75mm marks.

+1 Agree. Sometimes Goldilocks wants to pull the covers onto the floor between the beds.