The Nikon 45mm...

[PatrickT]

Anyone use this lens? I'm looking specifically at the older version (GN) since they can be had for fairly cheap nowadays. Good lens? Sharp? Sample photos? Looks like it't be a great walk around lens with an F...

Any thoughts how it would compare the Series E 50/1.8?

Thanks!

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Patrick,
I've not handled this lens. But I just wanted to put in a word for the Voigtlander 40mm SLII lens, Ai-S mount. Its one of the best lenses I've used with respect to sharpness, color saturation, and handling. And it focuses much closer than the 45's. Check it out at CameraQuest.

 

[kdemas]

I have the GN non-ai, very nice lens. Basically a Tessar design whose rendering I always like. I also have a 45mm P lens that I like a great deal.

The 50/1.8 is a more "modern look" in it's rendering. It's actually a very goo little lens as well.

 

[Riverman]

Patrick,
I've not handled this lens. But I just wanted to put in a word for the Voigtlander 40mm SLII lens, Ai-S mount. Its one of the best lenses I've used with respect to sharpness, color saturation, and handling. And it focuses much closer than the 45's. Check it out at CameraQuest.

Second that. I picked up my CV 40 from Camera Quest earlier in the year. Perfect walkabout lens. As Jamie noted, the lens is really top notch in terms of color, sharpness and build quality. If I had to settle for only one lens for my Nikon - this would be it.

 

[sparrow6224]

Given the quality of Nikon's other standard lenses the only reason for the 45mm is, for my taste, the unique perspective of that focal length. Nikon's 50mm F2 is an unbeatable Nikkor lens in terms of clarity, sharpness, contrast, color rendition. The 55 micros used as normal lenses are also amazing. And for walking around, an FE or FA or even FG with the 50mm f1.8 Ais pancake (NOT the E series) can't be beat. An amazing little lens. But I do love the 45 perspective: a little more open than 50 but not quite "wide"as the 40 can sometimes look. And of course of standard lens FLs, 45mm is closest to the true "normal" of 43 point whatever.....

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks for the input guys.

I've thought about the Voight 40/2....seems like a great lens, but maybe a bit out of my price range at the moment. I also like the idea of using something older.

sparrow...When you refer to the Nikon 50/2, is there a specific version that is best? The main reason for me asking about the 45mm was to have something (very) small to slap on my F to walk around with. Anywhere from 40-50mm is good with me. I already ahve a 50/1.4 that's a little too large for my tastes (for walking around). How large is that 50/2? and the 50/1.8?

 

[sparrow6224]

The 50/2 comes in Ai or pre-Ai (the H referred to by JSU being one of these; I think there's also another....) -- Anyway all of them are as big as or, in early F period releases, bigger than your 50/1.4.

I think for what you want you can pick up the 50/1.8 for less than $100 in many cases. (Don't go for the E series which is not as good by a long shot -- not all E series lenses are 2nd rate by any means but the 50 just isn't good enough compared to the Ai/Ais versions.) The pancake is really delightful but I think it would be TOO small for an F. I mean, if you want a light walking around kit you might go for one of the compact cameras, no? Anyway the pancake is very small and excellent; the regular non pacake Ai or Ais is perhaps a smidgen better and remains smaller than your 50/1.4 though not by a huge amount.

 

[sparrow6224]

ACtually I take one thing back: the 50/2 Ai versino is not as large or heavy as the 50/1.4 but it's not significantly smaller/lighter. One great thing about it is that it has a deep setting inside the barrel -- you'll have to see a picture to see what I mean. It's deep set like a 50mm macro. This protects the glass and avoids all glare/ghosting/flare etc.

You can read intelligent analysis of all these lenses here:
http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_norm.html

In the end for price and sheer image quality given what you're looking for, I'd put them in this order:

50/2 Ai -- lighter than its predecessors and lighter than the 50/1.4 but not as light as ....
50/1.8 pancake AiS
50/1.8 "long nose" as I think I've seen it called. Not the pancake in other words. A bit heavier or else the same as 50/2 Ai.
45/2.8 P I think image quality is sometimes equal to but never better than the above 50s; size is great; cost is by far the highest.

 

[sparrow6224]

Finally, in my opinion, the 50/2 Ai has the highest image quality of any of the bunch.

 

[sparrow6224]

Okay, final schpiel. I see on some quick research you're talking about a pre-Ai 45mm f/2.8 that I know nothing about and have never read about. (It LOOKS really cool, though....) But it's selling on KEH for about $149 in BGN condition. The 50/1.8 AiS is $109 BGN; and the 50/2 can be had for $79.

 

[sparrow6224]

On KEH, the 50/1.8 AiS they call "Late" is the pancake. THey have one, in EXC condition, for $139. The other AiS models say "Early" and aare the long nosed standard size variety. One of those is available for $109 bargain.

 

[alistair.o]

ACtually I take one thing back: the 50/2 Ai versino is not as large or heavy as the 50/1.4 but it's not significantly smaller/lighter. One great thing about it is that it has a deep setting inside the barrel -- you'll have to see a picture to see what I mean. It's deep set like a 50mm macro. This protects the glass and avoids all glare/ghosting/flare etc.

Not quite; my experience is that it will flare and benefits from a hood. This picture is late afternoon sun, a Nikon 50mm F2 Ai before I put the hood on:-

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=155376

Hope this helps.

 

[sparrow6224]

Right you are then. Maybe I had no trouble with mine because I never go outside. Have to remember that.

 

[The Dark]

You must be talking about this lens
I have one and it was a gift from a friend. So far I have only used it on my Nikon FM and only on cheap color films. In my opinion better get the AiS 50mm 1.8 Pancake.

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated. It seems as if the winner will be the 50/1.8 Pancake. Sounds like a good compromise, although I'd like to have a slightly wider angle of view.

I already enjoy my 50/1.4 H (or whatever...it's pre-AI) so I think something smaller would be the ticket. I'd say that ideally the Voight 40/2 would be the best, but I can't get one of those for ~$100 🙂

But damn if I wouldn't get the chrome version of the 45 2.8P just because it looks so damn cool with the F:

 

[awilder]

I would strongly suggest the current 45/2.8 P over the old version for two reasons. The IQ of the P has the best rendering of any 45-55 mm NikKor out there. Beautiful bokeh and needle sharp especially from f/4 on. The 50's may be at least as sharp but their overall image is far less pleasing given their harsh bokeh. The only drawback of the 45/2.8 P is that it's too compact making the controls a bit fiddly and it's pricey but image rendering is well worth the money. The GN Nikkor is an ergonomic nightmare as it focuses in the opposite direction of every other Nikkor and the GN mechanism greatly extends the longer distance range of the focusing scale so it's a bear to focus as it takes forever to critically focus, so much so that scale focusing would be easier. If you really want one and can't find one to play with, make sure there is a return option if buying from the internet like a classified or Ebay as the focus coupled aperture can sometimes feel a lttle rough.

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks. I was initially put off by the 45/2.8P based on Ken Rockwell's review of it (I know, I know...). Interesting to hear that it's the better version and a good performer. It seems like the one to get over the older one.

Hmm, decisions, decisions...

 

[kdemas]

Just so you know...good old Ken did his review without ever handling the lens. Enough said.

Thanks. I was initially put off by the 45/2.8P based on Ken Rockwell's review of it (I know, I know...). Interesting to hear that it's the better version and a good performer. It seems like the one to get over the older one.

Hmm, decisions, decisions...

 

[Contarama]

Tokyocamerastyle has an incredibley cool photo of a black F2 Eye-level with the 45/2.8P...a little anecdote I asked tokyocamerastyle about that camera and he informed me that the camera used to belong to the father of the person in the picture. IMO the 45/2.8P is maybe the most handsome Nikkor you can mount on an Eye-level F or F2...as to performance I don't know...

 

[jpressman]

I have the 45 2.8P that I got with a FM3A originally. Sold the camera and kept the lens. I use it with my D80 now in aperture mode, since it's chipped. With zone focusing it makes great looking images, quick to shoot, and a small package to boot.