Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

The photographic merits and abilities of this lens with regards to available light shooting and incredible sharpness are well reviewed and well founded. I however, purchased it for it's main purpose of HDSLR video shooting in low/night light and I am bowled over at its performance.
Using it on my D90 it truly is a joy. Now being able to walk around an urban location at night and shoot preview stills handheld for the first time at the camera's native ISO (200) no using flash or seeking out brighter locations…remarkable! You can then assess your composition, colour and depth of field prior to setting/leveling up on tripod for shooting steady video footage. This is great for moving around at night quickly, only needing to confidently set up as required.
The lens is incredibly light, the focus ring beautifully smooth for focus pulling, with a nice minimal tension/feel to it. With a manual aperture ring (unlike the more expensive AFS version) it's also possible to meter and 'exposure lock' in a bright location or by using a torch etc. This forces the camera to select a low ISO leaving you free to manually open up the aperture for clean noise free low light footage with more control. This point is crucial for shooting HD on lower end HDSLR's, with this lens the camera is afforded a functionality more commonly achieved by the higher end cameras.
Add to this, the beautifully rendered bokeh, amazing results and quick auto focus as a stills lens, also its low price for a prime. Make this lens in my opinion a complete no brainer and must have for HDSLR video and photography alike.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

i read the review on warehouse before i purchase this lens and think its a brilliant lens to have....the only thing i have to say is that its manual focus on a nikon d5000 unless am using it wrong(hope not). so not compatible,overal sharp focus.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

This has fantastic image quality and needs to be in every Nikon shooters bag...

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

Having been in photography 35 yrs, standard lenses were all f1.8 (or thereabouts) then and all but my last two camera bodies came with such as standard.
I had the very capable and tiny 'pancake' f1.8 M/F Nikkor (that I can still use on my D700) but one day just wanted to handle and feel the classic 50mm Nikkor f1.4. Its use in animation and technical copying were legendary. I saw a documentary how one was used on an F3 to make the stop-go shots, before CGI, on Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was going to able to buy into an elite club for a couple of hundred; a (then) new 'D' A/F one at that.
You always know where you are with this lens. Aside of very specialist lenses, it is the fastest made and the viewfinder image at night is as bright as your vision. At ANY aperture, including wide open, you'll get an image bristling with detail that other lenses have to be stopped down to even approach.
With so many lenses now weighing nearly a kilo, with lenshoods seemingly to match, this diminutive but still perfectly handling and aesthetically pleasing 50mm feels so refreshingly different on the camera. One almost feels liberated.
I recently got great shots of supermarket trollies parked up in near darkness, at f1.4 and at different points of focus along the line of them.
It also makes an exemplarary copying lens for one's work, such as mounted prints, due to absolutely zero barrel/pincushion distortion.
There's also an added use for it off camera. Look through it in from the front whilst holding it about an inch away from, say, tiny print and you get a magnifying glass of extreme magnification and mind blowing detail!
In conclusion, I particularly recommend this lens to those who feel their standard zooms are making them lazy and want to get back to basics and to go on a kind of photographic 'retreat'.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

I loved the ability to lose distracting backgrounds and the ease of use of this lens. Great lens to work with, used recently for a wedding in very dark church did not want to use flash and this lens worked beautifully with my Nikon D700. Light to carry about all day good for candid shots and scenes. It has become part of my everyday kit, always in the bag ready for use. One of the best purchases I have made for some time.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

What can I say, this hasn't been off the camera since I got it, it makes you think more about composition and work harder for it, while giving more control in low light situations with crisp clean shots.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

What can I say. Everyone should have one of these in the bag.
Great little lens!

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

This is a very fast lens & not just because of the aperture of f1.4, also the autofocus is fast and accurate.
I have used this lens for portraits and found it to be pin sharp.

I also used this lens stacked to a telephoto lens to get magnifications of 4 times life size while photographing insects, flowers and fungi.

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

Fantastic lens, especially for close up/ portrait work. Great DOF, although the 1.8 is slightly cheaper, i think it's worth spending the extra money if you are planning on using is regularly. (Although ther price of the 1.8 does look much more appealing!)
I am so glad i went for the 1.4, considering the amount i use it!

Comments about Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF Lens:

I bought this lens as I wanted a fast lens for indoor use without flash. Combined with a Nikon D90 this gives great results, sharp images and works very well under low light conditions. The lens is also sturdy and well made and slightly cheaper than the more modern G version lens. The aperture ring makes it look like an older style lens but it works perfectly with Nikon DSLRs and autofocus is fast. As a 50mm on a DLSR the crop factor still means having to stand further back than is sometimes possible indoors. A 1.4 35mm or 1.4 28mm would be something ideal for me too.