Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China)

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Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China)

Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China). The photo shows not the weariness of enlightenment, but the glare of the walls of the light cube in which I shoot types of lenses. Both lenses, MIJ and MIC, have very good optics.

Radozhiv already has a review of the lens Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4Dwhich featured a version made in Japan. Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D was also produced in China. There are a lot of rumors about the image quality and build between Japanese and Chinese lenses. I got the chance to turn it in my hands and shoot with both lenses at the same time.

I found these main differences between the Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in Japan) and the Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China):

  1. Version mij (Made In Japan) older than MIC (Made In China). MIJ was produced from approximately April 1995 to 2000, while MIC was produced from approximately 2000 to the present day.
  2. Versions have a different inscription, which is responsible for the country of origin. 'MADE IN JAPAN' is written in bright white paint, while the 'MADE IN CHINA' lettering is very faint, as if the manufacturer is shy about this fact.
  3. The versions have different optical coating. The front MIJ lens is more brownish and the MIC is more blue. In this regard, even in JVI the different color of the image is slightly noticeable (in fact, if you do not know about this difference, then it is impossible to notice the difference).

In the photo below you can clearly see the difference in enlightenment:

Two Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D lenses, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

Two lenses Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

The difference in the inscriptions in charge of the country of manufacture:

Two Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D lenses, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

Two lenses Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

Enlightenment of the rear lens is almost identical:

Two Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D lenses, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

Two lenses Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D, left - made in China, right - made in Japan

I looked very closely at the mechanics of the lenses and did not find any differences in them - the lenses are absolutely the same assembled, have the same speed and focusing tenacity. True, you can find information on the Internet that MIC lenses have more plastic parts in their bodies, but I couldn't find the difference :). Also, there is information on the Internet that optical elements for MIC and MIJ are produced only in Japan, but in the case of MIC, the assembly of lenses is already carried out in China, therefore, even on the MIC copies, Japanese optical glass is actually installed :).

I did not find much difference in image quality. If you look very closely, you will notice that the MIJ is very slightly 'yellow' compared to the MIC.

Japanese

Japanese

Chinese

Chinese

Crop 1: 1, 90% compression, 720 x 888 pixels

1: 1 crop, 90% compression, 720 x 888 pixels. Shot with Sunny white balance.

Here link to the archive with paired shots on both lenses, the first shots in a pair are shots from a Japanese lens.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China) on the ZK

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.


Results

The differences that I would consider when choosing between Japanese or Chinese Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D, I could not find. But, of course, I like something more about the Japanese lens, perhaps it's that damn 'MADE IN JAPAN' inscription, which sometimes makes you overpay for yourself :).

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

Add a comment: Dima

 

 

Comments: 54, on the topic: Review Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D (made in China)

  • Alexey B.

    My Chinese No. 6234321 (apparently later than the one presented in the review) has a front lens with greenish enlightenment.

  • Alexander Gvozd

    A decent lens! I first had a Japanese assembly - I sold it, then I regretted it, but in the end I bought it again, only with a Chinese assembly (there were doubts), but I didn't notice the difference in the quality of the picture. You have proven it once again! With this “small” glass, with good hands, you can work in many genres and create “big” pictures! Thanks for the comparative review!

  • Anatoly

    You look .. but I was wrong ..))
    Respect to the author - for a really objective look at the glass (Honestly, I expected a youthful bias towards the inscription made in china? But the author approached the question professionally - he evaluated only the quality of the product itself, not the label from the store)

    Thank you.
    Respect to the author.

  • Amatich

    Thanks Arkady.

  • uladzimir

    It is necessary to approach objectively: every year more and more high-quality products are made in China, in particular in terms of photos. Take the same Yоngnuo flashes. What kind of slag was in the beginning and what they are now. I'm not talking about flash triggers, their (Chinese) ones are better than native Canon ones, for example. And all sorts of consoles, bat.blocks - all this became very affordable thanks to the Chinese manufacturers. Optical glass is now used by almost everyone in China. Therefore, it is not surprising that this outsourced lens in China is no worse than its own.

  • Yuriy75

    In China, assembly is carried out, not development. Therefore, differences may be in the operation of autofocus, backlash, etc. And since the Japanese monitor the build quality, there should be no differences in principle. Nobody in the world wants to work except the Chinese. For this they respect and respect. Thanks to the author for the objectivity and lack of complexes. :)

  • R'RёS,R ° F "RёR№

    I bought myself one because of the speed of focusing, for reporting.

  • anonym

    Good review! Thanks!

  • Dmitriy

    I am using this MIC lens. All is well. I think there really are no significant differences with MIJ. I don’t know about MIJ, but in my “Chinese” the internal (so to speak) part is very loose - many users complain about this. This, of course, does not affect the quality of the picture, but emotionally - it just kills =) This fact has already been labeled: "rattle" =) I tried, one instruction at a time, to tighten the bolts inside, but this did not give a noticeable effect. I think that the most important problem of backlash is the presence of only two guiding elements inside, which have a gap, and which naturally give backlash. I think if the developer added another guide of the same kind, the lens would become more solid, or something, and not so loose. Also, at 1.4 - not as sharp as we would like - there is a soft effect. There are also HA, but not as strong as on a similar glass from Canon, and it is easier to fight them. And the rest is an excellent lens.

  • Dima

    Hello! I own such a lens with a Nikon D300s camera, I have the following problem: I adjusted the correction on the +3 camera to it, but when I shoot under different lighting conditions, the lens misses and you have to adjust it. Is this some kind of defect or norm for this lens?

    • Edward

      I have such a lens, in conjunction with the d800, and the D7100 - everything is fine
      try updating the firmware in the camera, this may help

  • Andrew

    Everything would be fine, but only now everywhere they sell not such a "China 50mm" as in the review. And it seems to me that the quality is not the same ...

  • Dima

    According to your photos from the archive, the Japanese are a little sharper!

    • R'RёS,R ° F "RёR№

      but the Chinese are lighter, probably the wider aperture)

    • Denis

      true?

  • IZELBOR

    And in Chinese, I don't see jackals, by which you can navigate where to manually turn the focus ... ..

    • Edward

      everything is there, everything is exactly the same

  • Alexander

    good day. please tell me, does it make sense to change 50 1.8G to 50 1.4 D? I have a camera with a screwdriver.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I do not see the point in this. Optically 1.8g is better.

    • Edward

      here are the tests from dxo
      1.8G - 34
      Sharpness 23P-Mpix
      Transmission 2 TStop
      Distortion 0.4%
      Vignetting -1.6EV
      Chr. aberration 8 µm

      1.4D - 37
      Sharpness 22P-Mpix
      Transmission 1.5 TStop
      Distortion 0.4%
      Vignetting -2.2EV
      Chr. aberration 9 µm

      1.8G slightly sharper, 1.4D slightly lighter
      but 1.8G has M / A and the focus is quiet
      and 1.4D because of the diaphragm ring is easier to use for other systems

  • Alexander

    thank you very much, otherwise I was already thinking of selling it)) now I won’t

  • Olga

    I want to get a fifty dollars. I plan to shoot for Nikon d8000. Is it worth it to overpay for version G or version D is not inferior? focusing speed and noise do not matter, color rendering and sharpness are of interest. I read that the D version is sharper, but in G the color rendition is better.

    • Yarkiya

      If you shoot on d8000, then no difference.

    • Denis

      vice versa G sharper

    • Alexander

      Already have such a camera?

      • Valery A.

        Three times they know, it means there is.

  • Vasily N.

    I’m just selling such a lens, if anyone needs it, write narzaev@mail.ru price = 8 tr

  • Alexander

    Here I was also worried about the backlash question. Now I realized that this is not a malfunction. I have a Chinese, judging by the number, from the very first. But as a telephoto lens I use Japanese 70-210 AF 1: 4-5.6.

  • Koba

    Popular lenses are often produced by manufacturing companies in China ... Not because this greatly reduces the cost of production (and so they are sold for almost five times the cost !!!), but because in China they are sold almost as much as in the rest of the world, from - why it is profitable to produce it here, and get rid of customs import costs. Of course, companies will also benefit from a reduction in production costs. China still does not produce all types of optical glass, this business is not particularly developed here, so most of the lenses, that is, components for the company's lenses, will most likely be imported from Japan or other countries. This cannot affect the quality of the lenses themselves, since everything is assembled on exactly the same equipment as in Japan, according to the same standards. Defective lenses are destroyed, as in Japan. We must remember that many of the lenses made in Japan are also unusable if the production was miscalculated, or the optical design itself was not suitable. More expensive and more complex lenses are not produced in China, since the shooting gallery is small and because of this, it is not worth creating new production lines in another country, especially since their cost is very high and the savings will be either insignificant or, on the contrary, the cost price may even increase. But China is gradually mastering the production of new types of optical glass, and sooner or later the companies will certainly expand their production lines in China, and the Chinese themselves have learned to produce good lenses, although in most cases they are not autofocus, but also of very high quality at affordable prices. Unfortunately, no one has yet provided dear Andrey with excellent lenses Laowa 105 stf, Laowa 15/4 shift macro, Laowa 12mm f2.8, Laowa 60mm macro 2: 1, Zhongye 85 / 1.2, Zhongye 20mm f2 macro 4,5: 1 etc.

    • KalekseyG

      Pity Andrei. ))))

      • B. R. P.

        He fell up Andryukha!

    • Alexander

      Oh, well, just an idyll ... I wanted to buy Chinese glasses after your voice of praise. But ... China is China, and it will be for many years to come. Can't be equated with Japanese product. They even sell T-shirts of amazing quality. I was myself, I saw it myself and I bought a Japanese product myself

      • Valentine

        Biased attitude. If the product is made according to the same specifications and technologies, then it comes out of China with the same quality as Japan. In addition, Chinese factories are often built later than Japanese and receive newer and more modern equipment. If you say that low-skilled Chinese work there, then you are mistaken. In critical operations, people with the right skills are placed in both China and Japan. And by the way, the Japanese also engage in operations that do not require qualifications of poorly educated Japanese (from the countryside). The quality of Nikon's Chinese branded products, etc., can be lower only when the manufacturer deliberately lowers it by cheapening the materials and construction. If this does not happen, the quality is similar.

      • Alexander

        My friend, during a business trip to the United States, bought a brand new Columbia jacket in a “US” company store. The most luxurious jacket, quality is perfection. But already at home, in Novosibirsk, my son found a sewn-in strip with the inscription made in China. turned to Google. It turns out that ALL the production of jackets is located in the countries of South-East Asia. Quality control is American. the Asian labor force is diligent, responsible and cheap.
        I have not been scared for ten years by the inscriptions made in Vietnam, China or Thailand. What I wish you.

        • anonym

          You confuse lemons and bananas.
          Need an example? About 6 years ago Toyota recalled hundreds of thousands of cars assembled in America. But she did not recall cars assembled in Japan and imported to America, despite the presence of an identical unit - the problem was precisely in the local supplier of this part. Despite quality control.
          In mass production, no one tests 100% on the output control, they check a very limited number of GPs and often selectively from batch to batch.
          Therefore, for many products using complex raw materials, manual labor, different suppliers, the place of assembly is important, including because of the choice of subcontractors and logistics for them.
          Clothes, of course, can be sewn anywhere.
          By the way, from China sewing clothes is displayed in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam, the price of a laborer in China is now high.

          • Onotole

            Remind me of what kind of defect we are talking about - Toyota, both then and now, recalls a bunch of cars, both domestically assembled and foreign for millions of different reasons.

  • Arkady

    If someone wants to sell NIKON 50 / 1.4 D of excellent quality for an acceptable amount in у.e., please inform. I guarantee payment.! (khat.shefer36@icloud.com)

    • Arkady

      No one suggested. Bought a brand new Chinese for $ 359 50 / 1.4 D in NY in the B&H store. For indoor filming, the best simply do not exist. I wish you all success!

  • Alexey

    And if a more general question - 50mm focal is not enough for reportage shooting?

    • BB

      On the crop, most often for reporting - a lot :)

  • Nicholas

    Tell me, is it just that sometimes I have this Chinese lens in the center of the frame blue or is it their common disease? It does not always happen, but with a certain amount of light entering the lens. Sinitis in the dark. :(

    • Pokemon

      I had this at 50 / 1.4D, made in China.
      There were also AF errors on the open 1.4 aperture.
      Sold it, which I do not regret.
      This cyanotic spot in the center of the frame also raised questions. I thought for a long time that this was my copy so squinted.

      • Pokemon

        It was often in the dark, with a covered diaphragm.
        Against a light background or less often, or it was not so noticeable.

      • Nicholas

        It is interesting only in Chinese copies or in Japanese too. I just don’t want version G. And again I don’t want to step on the same rake)

        • Pokemon

          Honestly I do not know. Arkady praised 50 / 1.4G, it seems.
          If you can find Japanese 50 / 1.4d, it is better to check before buying. And such a moment - do you use a UV filter in Chinese 50 / 1.4d?
          If so, try filming with and without it - see the difference. Perhaps buying a lens hood (Nikon hr-2 model) can still help. As for me, this can be overcome with a UV filter and a hood - I don't think that with such a constructive flaw they still make them.

          • Pokemon

            It seems to me that the bluish spot in the center of the frame can be compensated for by putting a good UV filter and a hood. You can also try. If you are not hunting, it is better to sell. Perhaps this is a feature of the lens due to the blue coating. The Japanese lens has an amber color and, according to Arkady's impressions, the lens “warms up” the picture, which is much better than the Chinese 50 / 1.4d.

            • Nicholas

              Thanks! I rarely use it now, I will probably sell it. Or maybe take Sigma at 1,4 EX?

  • 1Ds_mk3

    “But, of course, I like something more about the Japanese lens, maybe it's that damn 'MADE IN JAPAN' inscription that sometimes makes you overpay for yourself :).”
    It's simple - it's a price to pay for peace of mind. Payment for the fact that you receive a thing that did not go through the playful hands of the former collective farmers, who now twist the White Lords in a causal place and call them Laovaya contemptuously.

    • Andrey

      I have a Japanese 1.4D. Against a dark background, a bluish spot appears from f / 4 and above. But up to four everything is relatively fine

  • Sergei Mikhailovich

    I had such a Japanese (used). The devil pulled to change to a new Chinese. Both lenses are great. The mechanics are absolutely identical, and they shoot the same way. But when shooting against the light, the “ghost” of the Chinese does not look so obvious and it is bluish, not lilac. Who does not understand what it is about - see the Richard Haw website (richardhaw.com).
    Nikkor AF 1.4/50D works for me on F100 and F4S. For the D780, I chose the AF-S 1.8/50 because of its quietness. But, it seems to me, this Nikkor 1.4 / 50D is much stronger and more reliable.

    • Dmitriy

      Please tell me how D glass behaves on a Nikon D 780 camera?

    • Dmitriy

      I would like to switch from D700 to D 780 optics park D glass is available, then I’m not considering Z 6 Z 5, thank you.

      • Arkady Shapoval

        Exactly the same as on the d700

        • Dmitriy

          Thank you very much Arkady.

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