Nikon 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s Nikkor review

View NIkon 50mm F1.2

View NIkon 50mm F1.2

Yes there is no mistake lens Nikon 50mm 1: 1.2 Nikkor (AI-s) has a maximum aperture value of f / 1.2, and this one of Nikon's three fastest lenses for SLR cameras: Nikon Nikkor 55mm 1: 1.2, Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.2 (from review) and Nikon Noct-Nikkor 58mm 1: 1.2. Each of these lenses has several modifications (F, K, AI or AI-S), but optically the modifications are almost identical. Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.2 has only two versions - AI and AI-S, the review presents the latest version AI-S type

Sample photo on Nikon 50mm F1.2

Sample photo on Nikon 50mm F1.2

TTX Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.2 AI-s

Optical design: 7 elements in 6 groups
Focal length: 50mm
Aperture limits 1.2-16
Minimum Focus Distance: 50cm
Number of aperture blades: 9 pieces
The weight: 365g


Sample photo on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S

Sample photo on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S

Waiting for an updated version.

It's funny, but Nikon optics enthusiasts are looking forward to upgrading the super fast aperture fifty to the autofocus version, even giving the name of the new Nikon Nikkor AF-S 50mm 1: 1.2. My opinion is that fifty dollars by type Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4G и  Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D it’s enough for high-quality and convenient work, well, and professional photographers, if they need it, can easily use manual fifty dollars with aperture F / 1.2.

Sample photo on Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S

Sample photo on Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S


First impression

Lens small, heavy and beautiful. Lenses give very beautiful highlights, the lens is very well assembled. As if holding a piece of solid metal, this inspires some confidence in the lens. It attracts a huge rear lens if they will make the autofocus version, I don’t even know where the developers will stick the microprocessor contacts, perhaps because of this they do not make the new version (although Canon has long had an autofocus analog -Canon EF 50mm f / 1.2L USM).

Photo at Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S

Photo at Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S


Glass and metal

The lens is made of glass and metal, therefore it is very heavy, but at the same time very reliable. The focus ring is rubberized. Larger lens and camera weights can achieve less excerpts when shooting handheld. As practice shows, old lenses are very, very tenacious.

Photo with blurry background on Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S

Photo with blurry background on Nikon 50 mm F1.2 AI-S


Works on both FX and DX

Lens Suitable for full-frame FX cameras, and for cropped DX cameras. If you use it on a Nikon DX camera, and then switch to full frame, the lens will still work fine.

Portrait on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S

Portrait on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S


DX viewing angle

When used on a cropped DX matrix, the camera will give a viewing angle narrower than on a full frame. The viewing angle on DX cameras with this lens will be equal to the viewing angle for 75mm lens at full frame. More details in the article about Crop Factor. Due to the decrease in viewing angle and large aperture - The lens is very suitable for photographing portraits on DX cameras.

Landscape on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S

Landscape on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S


Huge aperture

Probably the most interesting characteristic of the lens is its aperture. The maximum aperture is F / 1.2, which is more than any other Nikon lens. So far, Nikon hasn’t come up with anything better, and if he does, F / 1.2 will always be legendary aperture. How this diaphragm helps in the work is described below.

Portrait on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S

Portrait on Nikon 50mm F1.2 AI-S


Manual focus on Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s only

You should always remember that the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s does not have auto focus and even the most sophisticated D4s and similar cameras will have to be focused manually. A green dot in the lower left corner of the viewfinder will indicate correct focusing. The focus ring is very convenient, but has a small stroke - it rotates only 90 degrees, which is quite small. But it's still pretty easy to focus. You can read more details on how to focus and generally work with manual optics in the article. Soviet lenses (which are all manual).

Portrait on Nikon 50mm 1.2

Photo 50mm 1.2


About metering

It is very important that there is an understanding that with the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s A number of modern digital SLR cameras can only work in manual camera control mode. And that means the camera will not measure exposure. All settings excerpts, aperture and ISO will have to do it yourself. A complete list of cameras that support or do not support metering exposure with manual non-studded lenses you can find here or here.

Portrait on a fast Nikon 50mm 1.2

Portrait on a fast Nikon 50mm 1.2


Iris control

I have to control the diaphragm using the aperture ring on the lens. Semi-automatic control - focusing always with the aperture fully open, and when the shutter is released, the aperture itself closes to the specified value. It is very comfortable. Senior cameras correctly perceive and fit into EXIF such aperture values: 1.2, 1.4, 2.0, 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8.0, 11.0, 16.0. On the lens itself, you can only find values ​​for 1.2, 2.0, 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8.0, 11.0, 16.0. Well, manual diaphragm control is a very, very useful thing, especially when using a reverse macro adapter or using it on other systems. To shoot video is also a very convenient thing from the last century. For example, on modern G-type lenses, the aperture ring is completely absent.

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2


Focus method

When focusing front element does not rotate, this will allow you to easily use all kinds of filters. Since the lens is quite unusual, it is not used by amateurs, but professionals who like to shoot with various kinds of gradient or polarizing filters. When focusing in the tube, the entire lens block travels, thus lengthening the trunk of the lens. It’s bad that there is no internal focusing, such as in Nikon 85mm F1.8D. The front filter is only 52mm in diameter. Finding a filter is easy. The whale lens of the 18-55 class also has a diameter under the filter equal to 52 mm. The lens has a scale of focusing distances from 0.5 m to infinity.

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2


Depth of field indicator

Depth of field indicators available only for aperture 8, 11 and 16. Moreover, the depth of field even at 16 is very small. The very depth of field at F / 1.2 is just very shallow and you need to work hard to get into the sharpness.

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2

Photo on Nikon 50mm 1.2


Sample photos on Nikon 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s Nikkor

All photos in this review without any processing in a good style Radozhiva. Upload from RAW → JPEG, downsize to 1600 * 1200 Q80%, imprint data.


Does 1.2 really help in dark conditions?

Yes, it helps, but not so much to give a lot of money for such a lens. Aperture F1.2 is “lighter” than F1.4 exactly 1.36 times. And if at 1.4 can be removed from shutter speed 1/60, then 1.2 can be removed from shutter speed in 1/80. Or, if 1.4 can be removed from the same shutter speed at ISO 1200, then at 1.2 you can shoot at ISO 800, whether you need such a performance increase is up to you. The difference in normal lighting between 1.4 and 1.2 is almost impossible to notice.

But the difference between 1.8 and 1.2 is already quite felt, it is 2.25 times. If you really want something like that from manual optics, but there is no money, feel free to buy Nikon 50mm F1.8D or Helios-81N, which are also fast-moving fixes and also provide gorgeous picture quality at a much lower cost.


Regarding the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s picture

Maybe the difference in shutter speed between 1.4 and 1.2 it is difficult to feel, then the difference in the picture is on the face. Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 lens AI-s gives a very plastic picture with good color reproduction and good contrast. Maximum aperture fully operational. HA are present, but on F2.0 they are completely retracted and on the F2.0 aperture the lens shows simply fabulous sharpness. To achieve the same sharpness as the Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.2 AI-s on Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4G you will need to close the aperture to 2.8. The best ratio is maximum aperture \ image quality is achieved at F2.0, but even at 1.2 very wonderful pictures are obtained. The lens has very, very little distortion - ideal for photographing portraits. In the backlight it can catch hares, it is not afraid of side light.

The Nikon Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s bokeh is very, very good, although all markers taste and color are different. Bokeh is interesting due to the huge aperture 1.2. Also, a funny thing, in the out-of-focus area in front of the focusing object, the luminous points turn not into even circles, but into circles with the top and bottom cut off. Why so, I can not explain.

Photo on a fast Nikon 50mm 1.2

Photo on a fast Nikon 50mm 1.2


All Nikon 50-58 / 1.4 / 1.2 autofocus lenses

  1. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4 AF Nikkor (first version, MK I) - the lens was produced only in Japan from 1986 to 1991
  2. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4 AF Nikkor (second version, MK II, also known as the 'N', or the 'NEW' version) - the lens was only available in Japan from 1991 to 1995
  3. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4D AF Nikkor (third version, MKIIIbetter known as 'D'-version) - the lens is available from 1995 to this day. There are two subversions that are no different.
  4. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4G AF-S Nikkor SWM (fourth version, MKIVbetter known as 'G' version) - the lens is only available in China from 2008 to this day.
  5. Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 58mm 1: 1.4G Nano Crystal Coat SWM Aspherical (version better known as'58/1.4') - the lens is only available in Japan from 2013 to this day.
  6. Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm 1: 0.95 S Noct - The lens is available from 2019 to this day. Premium Lens for Mirrorless Cameras Nikon Z... It does not have automatic focus, but has a record aperture. Complex optical design with 17 elements in 10 groups, with 4 ED elements and 3 aspherical elements.
  7. Nikon Nikkor Z 50 / 1.2 S - The lens has been produced from 2020 to the present day. Professional S-line lens for mirrorless cameras Nikon Z... Complex optical design with 17 elements in 15 groups, with 2 ED elements and 3 aspherical elements

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.


Conclusions

Super fast, sharp, with a great picture. Of the shortcomings of the small stroke of the focus ring and a lot of weight for a fifty dollars. I strongly recommend to all bokeh lovers to try it in practice.

The lens can be bought brand new, for example, here.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Alexander

 

 

Comments: 145, on the topic: Review Nikon 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s Nikkor

  • Rustam

    Arkady, welcome! Which of the oldest fifty-fifty 1.2 / 1.4 from Nikon in practice has the highest resolution?

  • Alexander

    with advertising through the paragraph is not possible to read! This is a complete paragraph.

    • anonym

      It's strange. I have only 2 advertisements on my screen, while one of them is an e-catalog. Maybe my hands "from there" grow.

    • Vitaly N

      Put an antivirus and stop visiting sites with porn and the yellow press. Well, or continue to produce viruses until the advertisement is in every paragraph. You just have a complete scribe.

    • B. R. P.

      ad block gonna help u.

  • Nectarine

    PHONES have real shutters - take my Nokia Lumia 1020 or Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

    • Dick

      Men also have such a Nokia 1020. Expected

      • Pokemon

        Ahem. Yes, also shore 808 and 1020.

  • Alexander

    in Ryazan this can be rented
    https://vk.com/fotoclubrzn

  • Alexander

    Hello Arkady! What do you think about this lens, because it does not look like the lens on your website. Does everything described above fit this lens?

  • Alexander

    Hello Arkady! What do you think about this lens, because it does not look like the lens on your website. Does everything described fit this lens?

    • Alexey

      and if you look carefully? 1.2 from 2 can not be distinguished? :)

      • Alexander

        That's for sure. Well, what can you say about this lens? Where can I find information about it?

          • Alexander

            Thank you! Interesting lens.

          • Alexander

            While I was looking for information about him, it was already sold. Sorry.

            • Roman

              Strongly on the amateur. Take autofocus 1.8 and do not worry.

        • Alexey

          Arkady, why can't I answer?

          • Alexey

            what nonsense. why can not I insert links ???

            • Arkady Shapoval

              Comments with more than 2 links go to moderation. If there is no "answer" button, then the attachment thread has reached the end. Write a new comment.

Add a comment

Copyright © Radojuva.com. Blog author - Photographer in Kiev Arkady Shapoval. 2009-2023

English-version of this article https://radojuva.com/en/2012/01/review-nikon-50mm-f1-2-ai-s/?replytocom=351463

Versión en español de este artículo https://radojuva.com/es/2012/01/review-nikon-50mm-f1-2-ai-s/?replytocom=351463