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

  • Serg

    Excellent lens and article as always at the highest level!

  • Alexey

    A very interesting lens! Arkady, thanks for the article - I read it with pleasure! I think this lens is a must-have for a professional photographer.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I am trying. I really want to experience it in full frame.

      • Maria

        hello! the pictures are simply gorgeous !! especially portrait ones! please tell me which camera was used with this stele. how much do I understand nikon d800? did you edit it in the program, if so, what parameters were set on your carcass?)

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Photos taken on the Nikon D200. No processing.

          • Maria

            thanks! and on d800 the result will be the same? does it make sense to overpay, or do they have minimal differences?

          • Maria

            while I was writing the second question, I didn’t notice that you already answered the first one. sorry))

      • Maria

        just one day, I carefully look at the choice of a semi-professional camera and noticed such a thing from photographs with nikon that these units give some kind of weightlessness, air, refinement, nobility and sadness and therefore are most suitable for shooting portraits and nature in autumn, in the spring and summer, in principle, too, but in the summer of St. Petersburg and in that vein. in general, for the sea and palm trees in terms of color rendering, it will be somewhat dreary. do you think?) if you agree, what would you recommend for traveling to hot countries and to the sea and with which stele for macro shooting and close to nature?)

      • Serge

        So what's the catch? )

        • KalekseyG

          “I used Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.2 for half a year
          AI-S, which I like more than version 55 / 1.2,
          However, I sold it, as it is suitable only for
          unhurried creative shooting. "

  • “Also, the funny thing is, 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. "

    Arkady, there is an opinion that this happens on open apertures, when the rear lens of the lens calls into the bayonet mount. He cuts pieces from disks of blur.

    • 10111

      The image is formed by each point on the surface of the lens, so nothing inside the camera can cut circles.

      • Sergei

        And no! The rear lens, like all lenses in the lens, does not form an image on the matrix at every point on its surface, since the matrix is ​​roughly not round. Part of the image of the lens is still projected onto the borders of the matrix.

  • SONY

    > Phones and digital cameras (soap dishes) do not have a mechanical shutter as such.

    Actually there is. At least in many. It works after working off the exposure so that the device can read the image from the matrix with maximum quality. If you turn off all sorts of clicks from the speaker, you can hear a quiet real mechanical click.

    > The focus ring is very comfortable, but has a slow travel - it only rotates 90%

    Maybe 90 °?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Degrees fixed. Let's just say that many do not. We can meet and you will try to hear the shutter of my Nokia 7610.

      • Sergei

        I’m sure that the phones definitely don’t have any mechanical shutter with shutters) And any sound from the phone’s camera is autofocus. My phone snaps a bit too

  • Jury

    Thank you for the interesting review! Advise where you can buy the new Nikon 50 / 1.2Ai-S?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      New is very difficult to find. You can usually take used and test it out well.

    • Lydia

      I can sell

      • B. R. P.

        This is f 2

        • Lydia

          Great) I still sell))) I do not need it (((

  • Catherine

    Arkady, please tell me, I found such a Nikkor-s 50 1.4 Non-AI lens for sale, which means Non-AI, will it fit onto my D 3100 without any problems?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Yes, it will sit down without problems, here confirmation link. NON-AI is the same as PRE-AI

  • Dmitriy

    are you selling ???

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I do not sell photo equipment.

    • anonym

      B&H New York store $ 650

  • R'RёS,R ° F "RёR№

    if anyone needs used equipment including 50 1.2 call 066 744 51 96

  • question

    I want to buy 50 1.2 for any system, can anyone sell, tell me, write on soap

    • Sergei

      there is a new nikkor 50 / 1,2 Ai-S for nikon, wait 35-40 days from the USA with world guarantees, the price is 28 rubles without bargaining and I don’t know how much it will be shipped. I’ll just order it myself through a classmate and I’ll send 000 cheaper! no prepayment needed, I can send cash on delivery
      msmm@mail.ru

    • Alexander

      Selling 50mm 1.2 nikkor 12000 rub perfect condition lenses clean japan .. delivery

      • Paul

        I will buy if the version is Ai-S, and not just Ai

  • Arthur

    The word "moreover" is written together according to the rules of the Russian language (with all due respect), you persistently write this word separately in each of your reviews :-)))

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Thank you for your attention. Fixed. If you still find mistakes, do not hesitate to write.

  • Sergei

    in the paragraph "Working on junior DX cameras" there is an error - This means that the camera will not measure exposure. word BUDT. :)

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Thank you for your attention. Fixed.

  • Sergei

    Autofocus “fixes” are indeed very useful lenses! Especially if you have an animated image in front of you: children are very mobile and, believe me, you will be tortured to shoot them by winding the sharpness ring, all desire and creative impulse will disappear ... I have Nikon AF-S 85 1.4G for about a year. Great lens! Suitable in most cases, beautiful boke. My advice is this: collect money, do not regret it and still buy a good fix. If you are careful, it will be an excellent purchase for many, many years to you and all your family! (And you also need to add that Nikon AF-S 85 1.4G is a telephoto lens, that is, it constantly zooms in ~ 2 times. helps not to “stick” very closely to the object being filmed, confuses the person less, it remains more natural, there is no stiffness in the expression on the face). For questions, my address is: X-raysp63@ya.ru

  • Alexander

    The main plus in comparison with Soviet fifty dollars is shooting in backlight. Here's my test of a 55-1.2 Nikon 1977 / 78 http://abrezd.livejournal.com/9411.html

  • J-fx

    Arkady, can you say anything for 55mm 1.2? just also found on sale, and besides another focal and 7 petals, I did not see a difference on the open one from 50 1.2 AiS, although I have often met the opinion on the network that the first lens is better for some reason, but why better - I did not understand

    • Arkady Shapoval

      C 55 did not work, I can not say anything.

  • Victor

    Having looked at the test pictures of Alexander, I was convinced that he chromatite is also godless like my nikkor 50 / 1,4 D. .. Even on a kopeck piece, such a HA that is already horror, disappear only at 5.6 judging by the pictures. .. it's not very good in my opinion, but now an option for 14 thousand rubles has turned up, the condition seems to be excellent - what do you think? Take or keep a screwdriver 50 / 1,4

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Solve out of needs. Regarding HA - they disappear at 2.0, but the freezing remains, one should not be confused with the other.

      • Victor

        Sorry for the ignorance, but what is friging?

  • bob

    Arkady, does the semi-author allow? aperture adjust exposure in live view by turning the aperture wheel on the lens?

  • bob

    Arkady, is it possible with this lens to set the exposure by laivi turning the diaphragm wheel?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Does not allow.

      • bob

        And if you remove the diaphragm lock lever?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Take off physically? Then allow, you can simply bend the diaphragm foot on the lens. But not all Nikon lenses have an aperture control ring.

  • J-fx

    Hello, I purchased this lens and noticed that the aperture has an interesting feature - it switches correctly and is displayed correctly on the D200 camera (of course, its parameters are entered correctly), but - when the value of 1.2 on the camera display is reached, the aperture ring can be scrolled a little more, but the characteristic click of the diaphragm switching does not occur

    and if this is done with the lens disconnected, then you can see that with this “fine-tuning” the diaphragm is fully opened (the petals become invisible), while at the value 1.2, which is determined by the camera (before the ring is adjusted to the stop), the petals are still slightly visible

    I hope I explained correctly, if you need to clarify, tell me what actually wanted to know - the above-described normal phenomenon? could you check this on your copy and write how this lens behaves in this aspect

    thank :)

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Now I do not have 50 1.2, I sold it, I can’t check it.

    • MC

      I have 50 \ 1.2. Aperture at 1.2 behaves the same as described by J-fx. Obviously this is a property of this lens.

  • Lesha

    Hello, Arkady) I would like to once again thank you for the good advice on buying a Nikon Nikkor 17-55 2.8 lens (if you remember)
    Could you help with the choice of portraiture up to 3-4 thousand? Maybe more, the main thing that would be good) Thanks in advance)

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You need to look at 85tki. 85 1.8 d / f can be taken for 4000 UAH.

      • Lesha

        Yeah, okay. Is there any significant reason to take a portrait?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          This you must decide for yourself.

  • Lesha

    It's just that I can't find a portrait portrait on Nikon d90 ... If it's not difficult to write the names of those that you advise. thanks

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Nikon 85mm f / 1.8D AF Nikkor, Nikon 85mm f / 1.8G AF-S Nikkor

      • Luiza

        Tell me, will the Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm 1: 1.4D not work on the Nikon D90?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Yes, it does.

          • Luiza

            Andrey, excuse me for the same hackneyed question about the portrait lens, I am facing the choice of a 50mm f1.2 and 85mm 1.4 d portrait lens. what is better to take for an amateur, a cat. he mostly photographs a family, I like a blurred background, I have a d90, I read reviews that a “fifty dollar” on a crop is not a portrait lens at all, but a complete garbage, but on the other hand, attracts aperture 1.2. I talked with the seller of photographic equipment, he advised "fifty dollars" ... .. ????? what can you tell from your experience?

            • Arkady Shapoval

              By the way, Andrey is not here, so I will answer - it is much more difficult to work with 50 1.2. Better in your case 85 1.4 af-d

          • Luiza

            And five, will the 50mm f1.2 metering on the d90 work? thank you in advance!

          • Luiza

            Excuse me, please, Arkady! =) And thank you very much for your help, almost on the road for the 85th =)

  • Basil

    I want him! )))) But where to buy it ??? I live in Belarus, Minsk, while no one can help me! ))))

    • anonym

      if you ask about Nikon 50mm f / 1.2 I purchased it on ebay. Japan, because of its large rear lens, it was difficult to install Lushkov’s dandelion, but still managed to install it. The exposure in the machine works fine, focusing manually when the sound signal is accurately hovering.

  • Vladimir

    Good afternoon, Arkady, tell me, on the Mark II - Nikon 50mm f / 1.2 AI-s Nikkor-will be installed via an adapter and are they chip-based. Sincerely, Vladimir.

  • Brave

    Although the Nikon 58mm f / 1.2 Noct-NIKKOR is the same, it just costs astronomical money, I wonder if anyone from the CIS has this? This is not a lens, but a goal for a collector.

  • R'RёS,R ° F "RёR№

    F1.2 is that good?
    http://photokaravan.com/Blogs/Mymr/263

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Not bad for a film :)

  • Vladislav

    Thanks for the article, I always read your reviews with pleasure.

    There is a small mistake: “Moreover, the depth of field, even at 16, is not at all large ...” - in this case, “small” - is written together.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Fixed

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/comment-page-1/?replytocom=351060

Version en español de este artículo https://radojuva.com/es/2012/01/review-nikon-50mm-f1-2-ai-s/comment-page-1/?replytocom=351060