6 replies to this topic

[Tiago Dias]

Hi everyone.

I have a D3200 with a 18-55mm     f3.5-5.6 052 AF-S DX that comes with the camera.

I am in photography for a few years and i do have a lot to learn.

 

My Father left me some lens from his old F70 and D70. I can use them all, but with no auto-focus.

One of this lens is a Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 D.

I saw that the 50mm 1.4D is a good lens.  My lens is old, i guess it has at least 10 years, not like the new ones.

I guess it was from the F70 so i cannot use auto-focus, that's ok i can leave with that.

 

But how good is it compared to a new model of 50mm 1:1.4D?

I didn't try it yet, it look fine but could be damage inside, i don't know, it has to many years without use

 

The lens is this one: 

http://photopixrevie...-1.4-D-lens.jpg

 

I guess it is not the last 1.4D model... is it?

Can you tell me if this one is a fine 50mm lens? If not the last model, how good is campared with a new one?

Thank you 

[Merco_61]

If it has the rubberized focusing ring and is a D version, it is the latest model. The 7-element 50/1.4 was last updated mechanically in June 1991 and electronically in April 1995 when it got the D chip. There have been updates to the lens coatings over the years, but as long as you use a lens hood they don't add significantly to the picture quality. The correct hood is a HR-2, but a HS-9 is a better choice if they can still be found. 

 

The 7-element lens isn't as sharp as the 8-element AF-S version, but it draws out-of-focus backgrounds better IMO so it might be better for portraiture than the AF-S.

[leighgion]

I've owned the 50mm 1.4D and now own the 50mm 1.4G.

 

Newer 50's have improved optical performance wide open, but your old 1.4D is still a very worthy piece of glass and you can't beat the fact you inherited it from your dad. 

 

Oh, and hi from across the border! I'm in Madrid. 

[nikdood17]

Best, more best, more betterer, better than best...on and on it goes. Shoot some photos with the lens and see if the images you get are good for what you are doing. And don't worry about what anyone else says. I'd bet Dad had the right idea.

[Ron]

The only problem I've noticed using D lenses in manual focus mode is that the focusing ring can be pretty sloppy. If that's the case, obtaining sharp focus can sometimes be a bit troublesome.

 

Otherwise, the 50mm D lenses I've used have optically been pretty good.

 

--Ron

[Dogbytes]

I had a 50/1.8D for many years (I bought it for my F5) and used it until recently on my D610. I still use 24mm and 85mm D lenses and they're very good. However, a few months ago I sold the 50/1.8D (to someone in Portugal) and bought an AF-S 50/1.4 G. The AF-S is slower to focus but, to my eye, has a significantly better 'look'. 

[USP]

That's a great lens.  It's FX format, so on your DX camera it will only use part of the lens and it will be more like a 75mm than a 50mm.  It will autofocus on any Nikon camera with onboard focus motor.