Interesting dual-personality lens that I enjoy at times. Biggest con imo is too much distortion.
Robert Scott
April 20, 2022 6:39 am
It is, indeed, like two different lenses… at f/1.2 through f/1.6, it is a pleasant portrait lens that can create a mysterious and very subtle glow in some conditions, as well as giving subdued contrast and very slightly soft details; especially outside of the image center area.
But once you get to f/2, the sharpness and contrast jump back to “normal” and from f/2 down, it’s the very sharp and contrasty lens you expect a 50mm prime to be. I think the unique results are well worth the challenge of being able to focus it consistently wide open; I ordered a custom focusing screen (has a micro-prism center spot) for my D750 so I can more easily take advantage of this lens.
Thomas Herren
January 6, 2021 6:31 am
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity it buy it new for CHF 620.00, and I really love using it at f/1.2. The dreamy rendering of close-up/headshot portraits is more pleasing in my view than any skin softener in picture editing ☺ If you are looking for an affordable specialty lens, this is it.
Airy Magnien
July 22, 2020 6:34 am
The review says it all – it is a lens with two personalities; very sharp from f/2, quite dreamy below. Yields very good rendering of highlights and popping colors at smaller apertures. I have two copies (AI and AIS); the AI seems to vignette slightly less. I use it routinely for street shots (esp. shooting demonstrations or other street events).
Radu Dinu Cordeanu
July 2, 2019 3:38 am
I just discovered this review and I am glad You like this lens. For me it was love at first sight. It is a strange lens made for foreground at 5 m or less or for portrait.
Bob Ridge
June 23, 2019 9:27 am
I inherited one 20 years ago covered in fungus, but had it CLA’d at Nikon in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is quite soft at 1.2 but has a very nice glowing characteristic much as you have described in your article. It also has an extra click between 1.2 and 2, and the aperture does close slightly. I also guess around 1.4. In Japan at least, Nikon still sells this manual lens, as well as the 50/1.4, and the 55/2.8, 20/2.8 and 24/2.8. Best wishes from Japan.
Ricky SF
February 17, 2019 8:27 pm
I noticed two unusual things with the lens…
When rotating the aperture ring to f1.2, it goes passed it just about 1mm. There’s also a small click between f1.2 and f2. Is this supposed to be f1.4 but just not written on the ring? It just felt a little odd.
Should I just buy a different copy or this normal?
Hello, I noticed the same issue regarding the aperture ring moving slightly beyond 1.2. this ‚confuses‘ the aperture reading id my D800. However once you’ve got a tactile feel, you hand will ‘remember’ not to move beyond that point and everything is ok. This is a fantastic lens btw
Nelson
December 30, 2018 9:11 pm
Hi Nasim, Great review and I decided to keep this lens after reading. I bought this lens for many years and finally brought it with me to Kashmir last month. I shoot it mostly on f/1.2 on portraits. More than half of them out of focused and how nice I wished it came with AF. However, I kept most of the images despite didn’t nailed on the subject’s eye because of its creamy bokeh that makes the images look like art. I am still wondering should I get the 50mm F/1.4G or F/1.8G, even after reading your reviews several times!
Himadri ganguly
October 28, 2018 12:04 am
flic.kr/p/2bZfvTe Look at the image ! Thanks to you I decided to go for it than 1.4g and with raynox 250 on d810 produced this image SOOC and won many an accolades Simply the glass for ‘dream production ‘
michael kevin
September 2, 2018 7:23 pm
I bought one of these “used” from Japan a couple of years ago. It appeared as to have never been taken out of the box, as the seller claimed. It has been my favorite walking around lens ever since & can’t wait to see how it functions with the Z7.
Interesting dual-personality lens that I enjoy at times. Biggest con imo is too much distortion.
It is, indeed, like two different lenses… at f/1.2 through f/1.6, it is a pleasant portrait lens that can create a mysterious and very subtle glow in some conditions, as well as giving subdued contrast and very slightly soft details; especially outside of the image center area.
But once you get to f/2, the sharpness and contrast jump back to “normal” and from f/2 down, it’s the very sharp and contrasty lens you expect a 50mm prime to be. I think the unique results are well worth the challenge of being able to focus it consistently wide open; I ordered a custom focusing screen (has a micro-prism center spot) for my D750 so I can more easily take advantage of this lens.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity it buy it new for CHF 620.00, and I really love using it at f/1.2. The dreamy rendering of close-up/headshot portraits is more pleasing in my view than any skin softener in picture editing ☺
If you are looking for an affordable specialty lens, this is it.
The review says it all – it is a lens with two personalities; very sharp from f/2, quite dreamy below. Yields very good rendering of highlights and popping colors at smaller apertures. I have two copies (AI and AIS); the AI seems to vignette slightly less. I use it routinely for street shots (esp. shooting demonstrations or other street events).
I just discovered this review and I am glad You like this lens. For me it was love at first sight. It is a strange lens made for foreground at 5 m or less or for portrait.
I inherited one 20 years ago covered in fungus, but had it CLA’d at Nikon in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is quite soft at 1.2 but has a very nice glowing characteristic much as you have described in your article. It also has an extra click between 1.2 and 2, and the aperture does close slightly. I also guess around 1.4.
In Japan at least, Nikon still sells this manual lens, as well as the 50/1.4, and the 55/2.8, 20/2.8 and 24/2.8.
Best wishes from Japan.
I noticed two unusual things with the lens…
When rotating the aperture ring to f1.2, it goes passed it just about 1mm. There’s also a small click between f1.2 and f2. Is this supposed to be f1.4 but just not written on the ring? It just felt a little odd.
Should I just buy a different copy or this normal?
Hello, I noticed the same issue regarding the aperture ring moving slightly beyond 1.2. this ‚confuses‘ the aperture reading id my D800. However once you’ve got a tactile feel, you hand will ‘remember’ not to move beyond that point and everything is ok. This is a fantastic lens btw
Hi Nasim, Great review and I decided to keep this lens after reading.
I bought this lens for many years and finally brought it with me to Kashmir last month.
I shoot it mostly on f/1.2 on portraits. More than half of them out of focused and how nice I wished it came with AF.
However, I kept most of the images despite didn’t nailed on the subject’s eye because of its creamy bokeh that makes the images look like art.
I am still wondering should I get the 50mm F/1.4G or F/1.8G, even after reading your reviews several times!
flic.kr/p/2bZfvTe
Look at the image !
Thanks to you I decided to go for it than 1.4g and with raynox 250 on d810 produced this image SOOC and won many an accolades
Simply the glass for ‘dream production ‘
I bought one of these “used” from Japan a couple of years ago. It appeared as to have never been taken out of the box, as the seller claimed. It has been my favorite walking around lens ever since & can’t wait to see how it functions with the Z7.