Nikon 50mm f/1.4G Review

This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, which was announced back in September of 2008. For many years the focal length of 50mm lenses was considered a “standard” or “normal” focal length, because it closely resembles the perspective of the human eye. These lenses were widely popular on film cameras and the focal length was ideal for portraiture and everyday photography. As digital SLRs and zoom lenses started taking over the market, the popularity of 50mm primes also decreased.

The smaller size of APS-C sensors made the field of view of 50mm lenses narrower, while the flexibility of zoom lenses and their low price drove the demand towards convenience. Now that full-frame digital cameras are getting more and more affordable, the once-forgotten 50mm lenses are regaining their popularity among many photographers. In this review, I will provide a thorough analysis of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G lens, along with image samples and comparisons against other 50mm lenses from Nikon and Sigma.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.4G is a professional-grade lens for enthusiasts and pros that need a high-quality lens for portraiture, food and everyday photography. Its large aperture of f/1.4 is great for low-light photography and the shallow depth of field helps isolate subjects from the background, beautifully rendering background highlights, also known as bokeh.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.4G replaces the older Nikon 50mm f/1.4D model (introduced in 1986). Compared to the AF-D version that has 7 optical elements in 6 groups, the new 50mm f/1.4G has a completely different optical design with 8 optical elements in 7 groups. Thanks to this new optical design, the front element of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G does not extend or rotate, making it easy to use circular filters. The lens autofocus motor has also been replaced with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM / AF-S), making it possible to use the lens on entry-level Nikon DSLRs like Nikon D3100, in addition to being able to manually override focus at any time.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.4G features a rounded 9 blade diaphragm, which creates more circular bokeh shapes rather than the typical heptagon shape you see on the 7-blade 50mm f/1.4D version. Just like the older AF-D cousin, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G also features Super Integrated Coating, which helps reduce lens flare and ghosting. The lens is designed to work on both Nikon FX and DX sensors, although it is certainly better suited on FX sensors for everyday photography. On DX sensors, the lens is equivalent to a 75mm lens, which is perfect for portraiture, but a little too long for other types of photography.

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G Specifications

Detailed specifications for the lens, along with MTF charts and other useful data can be found in our lens database.

Lens Handling and Build

The Nikon 50mm f/1.4G has a solid build, with a plastic exterior and a metal mount. Size-wise, it is a little bigger than the newer Nikon 50mm f/1.8G (Left: Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, Right: Nikon 50mm f/1.4G):

Like the other prime AF-S cousins, the 50mm f/1.4G comes with a rubber gasket on the lens mount, which provides good sealing against dust making its way into the camera. The rubber gasket definitely helps not only in reducing sensor dust, but also in reducing the amount of dust that could potentially end up inside the lens. As I explained in my “what to do with dust inside lenses” article, it is quite normal for lenses to suck air in and out when focusing or zooming in/out. Although the front part of the lens does not move when focusing, the front lens element does move in and out inside the lens barrel. If you want to reduce the chances of dust and moisture making into the lens through the front of the lens, I would recommend to get a good 58mm clear/protective filter such as B+W 58mm MRC clear filter and leave it on the lens at all times. Not only will it help protect the front element of the lens and reduce dust, but it will also make it much easier to clean the lens when needed. It is definitely painful to clean the front element of the lens without a filter, because it is slightly recessed inside.

As for weight, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G is 50 grams heavier than its predecessor and 95 grams heavier than the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G. Filter size also increased from 52mm to 58mm, which is not good news if you already own the older 50mm f/1.4D and bought specialized filters – larger 58mm filters would have to be purchased separately.

I have received several inquiries from our readers about weather sealing on Nikon 35mm and 50mm lenses. The short answer is “No”, these lenses are not weather sealed. While I have been using my Nikon 50mm f/1.4G lens in hot/cold/dry/wet weather conditions and never had any issues, Nikon lenses without gold rings are not designed to withstand tough weather as professional lenses. That’s why Nikon does not specifically mention weather sealing in their marketing materials on these lenses. If you take a good care of the lens and use a protective filter in front of the lens, you should have no problems with using it in various weather conditions. Just remember to take extra precaution when changing the lens in very dusty/windy conditions. Since the rear lens element moves in and out during focusing, get used to rotating the focus ring to the infinity mark before mounting or dismounting the lens.

As for the focus ring, it is conveniently located on the front of the barrel, making it easy to manually focus with a thumb and index fingers while shooting images or video. The lens comes with the same “HB-47” lens hood as on the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G (both 50mm f/1.4D and 50mm f/1.8D are not shipped with lens hoods). The hood snaps on the front of the lens and sits tight without wobbling like some other Nikon lens hoods. The M/A and M switch on the side of the lens allows autofocus with manual focus override and full manual focus operation. The latest Nikon DSLRs like Nikon D5100 immediately recognize the focus position and provide notifications on the information (“I” button) screen.

From left to right: Nikon 50mm f/1.8D, Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, Nikon 50mm f/1.4D, Nikon 50mm f/1.4G and Sigma 50mm EX DG HSM.

Autofocus Performance and Accuracy

Despite having the new Silent Wave Motor, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, unfortunately, autofocuses slower than both its predecessor the Nikon 50mm f/1.4D and the new Nikon 50mm f/1.8G. When going from infinity to close focus and back (with the lens cap on), I was surprised to see the 50mm f/1.8G perform almost twice faster than the 50mm f/1.4G:

This is a huge disadvantage to the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, making it the slowest of the Nikon 50mm lenses. On the other hand, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G is certainly the quietest of the group – the slower AF motor is literally near silent. AF is accurate and focus tracking works quite well in continuous focus mode (AF-C) once the subject is in focus. Under very dim lighting conditions, the lens has a hard time acquiring correct focus, which is normal. Turning the AF-assist lamp on in AF-S mode helps a lot and AF accuracy is good from that point on.

My Nikon 50mm f/1.4G has a slight autofocus problem and had to be calibrated with the LensAlign lens calibration tool:

If you cannot consistently get accurate focus in daylight, your lens sample might have a front/back focusing issue.