Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at
4:31 pm
AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G 50mm wide-aperture standard lens with high-quality optics and Nikons exclusive Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for whisper-quiet operation. Features a large maximum aperture of f/1.4 that ensures a bright viewfinder image, and is ideal for low-light shooting situations or when a shallow depth of field is desired…. more >>
Rating: 
(out of 8 reviews)
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Tagged with: 14/50mm • Lens • Nikkor • Nikon • nikon 1,4/50mm nikkor af-s 1,4/50mm g lens review
Review by Kennedy for Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
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This is a review from an enthusiast, not a pro. Pros please consult pro reviews!
I was tired of the crummy pictures I was getting from the D40s varizoom kit lens. If, like me, you’re photographing family and friends 95% of the time, then a 50mm prime lens will change the way you take pictures.
As a portrait lens it is perfect – the soft focus results you get with wide apertures are far better than I ever got by using the long end of the varizoom. If you need to get wide, just stand back.
And if you’re shooting in available light, which we all are, then f1,4 is a necessity if you don’t want 5000 bland flashlight photos on your hard drive. The lens delivers beautiful contrast, razor sharp focus where you want it, and creamy soft focus backgrounds. I’m bowled over by the pictures I’m getting out of it. You will never go back to your varizooms.
Build quality: the lens is well made, compact, with a confident auto-focus (that is, it can keep up with my 2 year old, who is in perpetual motion).
There’s a lot of direct comparisons with the (actually more expensive) Sigma 1,4. I also tried that lens in the shop, as the salesman assured me that it it was a better piece of glass, but I simply found it heavy and cumbersome by comparison. The Nikon lens is much more smaller, solid without being heavy, and keeps the camera light and quick to use.
Very, very much recommended.
Review by Mr Elnadi for Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
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As a semi-pro photography enthusiast, and after few years with a multi-purpose 18-200mm Nikkor lens with a D200 and D300, I was always searching for my first prime lens that would guarantee sharper focusing for portraits and other artistic capabilities, I was specially interested in achieving good Bokeh effects (blurry backgrounds), with good skin tones and shallow depth of field without simulating those on PhotoShop.
When I read the early reviews of that lens I was eager to get my hands on one in early Dec, especially that I needed to send my 18-200mm for repair which was a good excuse to get and keep the 50mm 1.4g instead of staying with no lens for few weeks.
I am not regretting the decision a bit. The Quality of this fast prime lens is simply SUPERB in comparison to the Nikkor 18-200, with its silent motor it offers amazing narrow depth of field capabilities between 1.4f – 2.2f ! The skin colours are more accurate, the focusing is brilliant for close-ups and portraits; you’ll see skin and hair details that you never dreamt of achieving before with other multi-purpose lenses. It took me few days to get the most out of the narrow depth of field but at the end it felt like I’ve upgraded my D300.
Although it wasn’t available on Amazon when I purchased it, this lens is worth every penny and definitely sets new standards for Nikon as a possible bestseller, and is here to stay for a long time. The one feature that I would really liked to have is a VR which could’ve helped with slower shutter speeds, but even though the feature is missing (for now) I would highly recommend the lens anyway for anyone who is serious about artistic/portrait photography. Go for it and you’ll never regret it.
Review by Happy Snapper for Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
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Bought this from Calumet alongside a D300 and 16-85 VR zoom, specifically for portraits of my young son. The 1.4 fast speed has been invaluable, together with quick focussing and the ability at faster apertures to blur backgrounds. This lens does all of that well, and the results have been stunning.
If you are looking for your first prime, you might (in the DX system) also look at the 35mm f1.8 as well, which is considerably cheaper. I’ve used both, and whilst there is not much to choose between them this 50mm edges it slightly, particularly in terms of sharpness at higher speeds.
Very Highly Recommended.
Review by Peter H for Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
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I bought this in my local camera shop, just before Christmas when these were hard to come by. It’s not my first prime lens (since I’ve been taking photographs regularly for over 25 years) but it is my first “fast” one. When I researched it, comments seemed rather mixed, but I eventually decided to get it anyway. I’m using it with an FX-sensor body and can now confirm that it is SUPERB. Used carefully, wide open, it gives wonderful pictures with a razor-thin depth of field. Slightly stopped down (f2.0 – f2.4) it gives great isolation of the subject from the background, with excellent across-the-frame sharpness and no noticeable vignetting. I haven’t experienced any problems with focus speed and it always seems to “nail” the focus in real-world use, even at very low light levels (i.e. no obvious back or front focusing issues on my sample!) It’s well-made, light, small(-ish for a 50mm prime) and smooth and quiet in use.
Is it worth the money? I can’t say – the premium over the 1.8D, or even the 1.4D, is steep (and getting steeper, it would seem.) Is it a joy to use? Yes. Does it nail the shot every time? Yes. Have I taken it off my camera body yet? No (and I do have some other very nice, but slower, lenses.) So, if you want to invest in a fast 50mm lens for Nikon and you have a body that handles “G” lenses, I can certainly recommend this one (although I understand it is not very good for architectural photography, but I can’t imagine why you would buy this version for such an application anyway.)
Review by M. C. PETER for Nikon 1,4/50mm Nikkor AF-S 1,4/50mm G Lens
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Nikon and other optics manufacturers set the standards back in the 1960s, when the first commercially successful SLR cameras were launched. The 50mm or 55mm lens was the first standard – now called “prime” lens – which was generally supplied with the camera. However, and no matter how cheaply the first “prime” lenses were sold, they were normally provided in a less advantageous format than what was required by the so-called “discerning” photographer, or indeed by the professional.
So it was that, if you wanted a top-class lens, not only did the optical engineering have to be faultless, but the lens had to let in enough light for fast operation in the 60s available-light mode, fashionable and challenging as that was. Unless you pushed your Kodak Tri-X to 1600 ASA, you were not able to obtain indoor shots at such concerts as the MJQ at Leeds(1966)with much chance of success. Here’s where the best lenses played their part.
With a maximum aperture of f 1.4, the Nikon 50 mm became a leader. This same focal length today, used with a digital SLR gives the near equivalent of the old 85mm standard portrait lens, but with f 1.4 aperture. Of course, it has been much improved since the good old days, and is worth absolutely every penny. A lens for every photographer worth his salt. Buy one now.