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I hate them all!

lens nikkor attention-seeking behavi

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18 replies to this topic

#1
Dogbytes

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Of course I don't, but I find forum Topic Titles are a bit like email Subject lines - I'm inclined to over dramatise...

 

Anyway, I have been taking part in Merco_61's weekly 'One week, one camera, one lens' mini-challenges and possessing only three lenses (24/50/85), I just do a week with each one. The thing is that useful as the 24 and 85 are, on occasion, I do tend to find myself looking forward to '50mm week'.

 

50mm has always been my favourite focal length although I did enjoy a brief flirtation with a 300/4 (which I will replace at some point). The thing is that I would really love to try an AF-S Nikkor 58mm f1.4 G N, like REALLY love to try one. They're rarely available used, so, presumably, those who buy them keep them. Here in the UK they cost about £1100!

 

Question is… Do I sell my three, add some cash, take the plunge and get a 58/1.4?

 

Just a thought...



#2
Merco_61

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Why not rent one for a week and either get it out of your system or *know* that you *need* it after the week is over.

 

Lensesforhire charge £83 for 7 days, just as an example. Lenses for Hire



#3
Dogbytes

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It's a possibility...

#4
Dogbytes

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The danger with that, of course, is the possibility that I might like it as much as I think I will! :D :D :D



#5
Merco_61

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The good thing is that you will know, one way or another.



#6
Brian

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Open a thread asking for examples from the lens, here and on other forums.

 

When this lens first came out, several buyers returned theirs and asked for different samples. There must have been some sample variation, at least with the original batch. I would check around.

 

If this lens had been F1.2- I could see getting it. I'm a "Bokeh Fanatic", and a "Fifty-Fanatic". I just could not see paying what Nikon was charging for this lens. Of course I spent an Equal amount of money on the 1949 Nikkor 5cm F1.5... which was Absolutely Worth It... and will probably long outlast any new AF lens.



#7
nikdood17

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If one is "speed happy" then that is that. I was a professional photographer over a 50 year span and never owned a 1.4 lens. I did borrow a 50mm f1.4 lens from my employer and shot a photo at f1.4 that was used in Life magazine. Now that I am retired I do happen to own a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor which I bought for approximately nothing. Swell lens. I won't lecture here about owning too much gear as I probably have 100 film camera bodies and lenses. But I'm getting rid of all my Minoltas and keeping my Nikons. Well, I may keep a Minolta rangefinder or two, but no film SLRs.



#8
Dogbytes

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If one is "speed happy" then that is that. I was a professional photographer over a 50 year span and never owned a 1.4 lens. I did borrow a 50mm f1.4 lens from my employer and shot a photo at f1.4 that was used in Life magazine. Now that I am retired I do happen to own a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor which I bought for approximately nothing. Swell lens. I won't lecture here about owning too much gear as I probably have 100 film camera bodies and lenses. But I'm getting rid of all my Minoltas and keeping my Nikons. Well, I may keep a Minolta rangefinder or two, but no film SLRs.

 

Having had a pic used in 'Life' and owning that much kit, you are operating at a skill/quality level and, I might add, quantity (100 bodies and lenses!) that I could never aspire to. When I get another lens, it tends to be 'instead of' rather than 'as well as'. The only addition I'm considering is a longer lens, a 180/2.8 or 300/4, mainly to take pics of my dogs.

 

I has been argued that f1.4 lenses are simply no longer necessary - sensor quality at high ISOs being what they are. I tend to agree with the logic but, then, it's not all about logic.

 

I had an AF 50/1.8D which was a perfectly good lens and I quite recently swapped it for an AF-S 50/1.4 G. The AF-S lens is bigger and slower focussing (although maybe a touch more accurate with it) BUT it has a look that I love and I use it at 1.4 very often. I think it is a under-rated lens and I'm very happy with it.

 

However, and this discussion has been touched elsewhere, there is more to lenses than the mathematics and you either like the 'look' certain lenses bring or you don't. You are far more experienced than I am and you may well be able to quantify it better but the nearest I can get is a combination of the bokeh, the colour rendition, the rate at which the OOF areas actually go out of focus and probably a couple of other things. Leica M glass has it, my AF-S 50/1.4 has it to a degree whereas the 50/1.8D didn't and my curiosity regarding the 58/1.4 centres purely around these qualities. We are told that the 58/1.4 was designed to prioritise 'look' over 'sharpness' and I'm curious to see to what degree they succeeded.


Open a thread asking for examples from the lens, here and on other forums.

 

When this lens first came out, several buyers returned theirs and asked for different samples. There must have been some sample variation, at least with the original batch. I would check around.

 

If this lens had been F1.2- I could see getting it. I'm a "Bokeh Fanatic", and a "Fifty-Fanatic". I just could not see paying what Nikon was charging for this lens. Of course I spent an Equal amount of money on the 1949 Nikkor 5cm F1.5... which was Absolutely Worth It... and will probably long outlast any new AF lens.

 

I have seen examples of images from the lens here and elsewhere but to draw any meaningful conclusions I think I would have to have one and use it.

 

Interesting about sample variation - but I think that's more common than we sometimes assume. From reading tests on the AF-S 50/1.4 and comparing their conclusions with my own, I think I may have been lucky and got a good one.

 

Value! Aways difficult to quantify. My attitude is that if a lens has something that you like, or need, or fits your way of working better than the next best lens then it is 'worth' it. It's a matter of do you have the cash available or will it ever make it to the top of your priorities list...

 

For me, unless I go back to my old job, I will never have that much cash available because no camera lens will never make it to the top of my priorities list! However, I do like these discussions and I may well hire one at some point - just to scratch the itch. :)



#9
Merco_61

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Open a thread asking for examples from the lens, here and on other forums.

 

When this lens first came out, several buyers returned theirs and asked for different samples. There must have been some sample variation, at least with the original batch. I would check around.

 

If this lens had been F1.2- I could see getting it. I'm a "Bokeh Fanatic", and a "Fifty-Fanatic". I just could not see paying what Nikon was charging for this lens. Of course I spent an Equal amount of money on the 1949 Nikkor 5cm F1.5... which was Absolutely Worth It... and will probably long outlast any new AF lens.

 

The returns early on might have been because of expectations from the "sharpness is everything" crowd, who were disappointed when the flagship normal was less sharp than the 50/1.4G. It's qualities aren't in the speed or sharpness of the lens. All effort has gone into how it draws, both in the focus plane and the transition between sharp and unsharp. It is more Zeiss-like than any other AF Nikkor ever. The AF-S 24/1.4, AF-S 35/1.4 and AF-S 105/1.4 are all made under the same philosophy.



#10
Brian

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I the specific case that I read, the examples posted by the replacement lens were definitely better than the image samples of the first lens. 

 

Getting the "wiggle" (a term that my optical engineer used) of an Aspheric optic exactly correct is non-trivial, I suspect some early lenses went through a learning process after seeing the examples that had been posted.



#11
alden

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If you want an really nice sharp affordable f/1.4 lens, take a look at the Korean made 85mm manual focus that goes by different brand names: Rokinon is the most commonly used brand name.

 

https://www.amazon.c...kinon for nikon

 

I got mine from an Ebay seller for a bit less.

 

Not quite Nikkor quality, but for the money, it's hard to beat.



#12
leighgion

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I has been argued that f1.4 lenses are simply no longer necessary - sensor quality at high ISOs being what they are. I tend to agree with the logic but, then, it's not all about logic.

 

 

I don't know anything about the specific lens in question, but I need to be blunt about this bit: it's the logic of morons. 

 

Any individual photographer might say they have no personal need of a fast lens. Fair enough, that all depends on the type of photography you do. However, to say that high ISO performance has reached the point where a f/1.4 lens is unilaterally unnecessary can't be characterized as anything but stupid. The only way this could be rationalized as true would be if photographers, while using modern equipment, artificially limited themselves to only shooting at what would have been considered workable light levels back from the days when pushing Tri-X to 1600 was the cutting edge of performance. Under those conditions, yes, being able to shoot at 6400 would give you a break on the speed of your lens, but that's not reality when it comes to photography as a whole.

 

The fact that we have superior high ISO performance now just means the bar has been moved as to what kind of photography is possible. Leveraging the combination of my 50mm f/1.4 and FX ISO performance, I'm taking photos that would previously have been impossible and I'm still not spoilt for performance. Give me more and I'll do more. 



#13
Dogbytes

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It's not about the speed. I already have a 50/1.4 Nikkor and that is as fast as AF Nikkors currently go. It's about the imaging characteristics of the lens.


If you want an really nice sharp affordable f/1.4 lens, take a look at the Korean made 85mm manual focus that goes by different brand names: Rokinon is the most commonly used brand name.

 

I don't know anything about the specific lens in question, but I need to be blunt about this bit: it's the logic of morons. 

 

The fact that we have superior high ISO performance now just means the bar has been moved as to what kind of photography is possible. Leveraging the combination of my 50mm f/1.4 and FX ISO performance, I'm taking photos that would previously have been impossible and I'm still not spoilt for performance. Give me more and I'll do more. 

 

It's not about the speed, as I said earlier in the thread. I already have a 50/1.4 Nikkor and that is as fast as AF Nikkors currently go. It's about the imaging characteristics of that particular lens.



#14
Brian

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I love fast lenses.

 

19589835165_78f7a94ab0_o.jpgSkyline Caverns by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

50/1.1 Nokton, wide-open, on the M Monochrom. Able to shoot Black Bears in Caves at Midnight.

 

27786342042_b0323997d3_o.jpgSkate and Fun Zone by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

Or my daughter skating lit by the disco lights. Manual focus with a rangefinder under these lighting conditions- takes a little practice.

 

and ...

 

24635685299_5c1a9144c9_o.jpgthree_Sonnars by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

I LOVE THEM ALL!



#15
Dogbytes

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About 7 years ago I had this set up, a bit awkward to use but cheap and i really liked the images it produced. I'm struggling to get that now.

L1030311.jpg PA202793.jpg PC123531.jpg


I love fast lenses.

 

50/1.1 Nokton, wide-open, on the M Monochrom. Able to shoot Black Bears in Caves at Midnight.

 

and ...

 

three_Sonnars by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

I LOVE THEM ALL!

 

Okay Brian, you don't have to rub it in! :D :D :D



#16
dcbear78

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The 58mm is one of two Nikon lenses I actually want (200mm f2 the other). Both are well and truly out of my price range though. And I can't see that changing any time soon.

#17
Brian

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The Nikkor 50mm F1.2 is the easiest-to-focus SLR lens that I have for the Df.

 

22503055220_408b6e5f2c_o.jpgLuray Caverns by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

50/1.2 Ais, wide-open, ISO 12,800, 1/50th second. Not enough light for the focus assist to be of help, I have the standard screen in the Df. Focused on the eyes, the pupil is a good point source for the fast lens. Remember manual-fous days? Easier to focus a fast SLR lens when using it stopped down as the viewfinder was brighter and points in the image "snapped" into focus. 



#18
alden

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Yes, rule of thumb for portraits is to always focus on the pupils of the eyes.

 

That's a beautiful portrait, and notice that it is just a little soft focused. That is what a good portrait is supposed to look like.



#19
Dogbytes

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The 58mm is one of two Nikon lenses I actually want (200mm f2 the other). Both are well and truly out of my price range though. And I can't see that changing any time soon.

 

I'm in total agreement. The 200/2 sample pics I've seen are stunning - but it's a big beast. Possibly the world's best portrait lens?

Mind you, speaking of portrait lenses, that new 105/1.4 would fit in my bag very nicely alongside a 58/1.4...







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