Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S Review

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Introduction

June 2008

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S is the fastest lens in Nikon's lens lineup. This is one of three commercially made normal lenses that Nikon has made for the F mount that has a max aperture of f/1.2. The two others being Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 and the Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2. The Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S is the only one that's still in production. With it's very wide f/1.2 aperture very shallow Depth Of Field is possible.

Specifications

Lens Construction: 7 elements in 6 groups

Picture Angle: 46° (35mm/FX)

Minimum focus distance: 0.5m

Filter Size: 52mm

Lens Hood: HS-12*

Included accessories: Front cap, rear cap.

Diaphragm: 9 straight blades.

Price from: $499.95 USD**

* with the HS-12 on the D3 it causes more light fall-off then without it.(see sample images at the bottom of the page)

Positives

• Build quality. Good old Nikkor quality, built to last.
• Very shallow DOF(Depth of Field)@ f/1.2
• Performance, good contrast/sharpness. Very usable on f/1.2
• DOF/IR markings
• Speed, excellent for low light shooting.

Drawbacks

• CA, worst wide open, but it can still be seen until f/2, however it does perform better then the Noct-Nikkor.
• Hard to focus without a split prism. @ 0.5m there is less then 6mm that's in focus, so focusing correctly is crucial.
• Hood, the HS-12 causes the lens to have more light fall-off(vignetting). Not a problem on a 1.5x camera though.

Verdict

A close to perfect lens, it's a shame that Nikon still has not upgraded this lens to auto focus. When focused correctly the lens can produce stunning results wide open. The contrast is really nice for a fast lens like this as well. On a camera like the D3 this lens does show a bit of light fall-off (vignetting) which is expected for a lens with a wide aperture like f/1.2. There is increased light fall-off when used with the HS-12 hood on the Nikon D3, not sure of the reason for this as the HS-12 was designed for the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2. If only Nikon would make a split image prism for the D3, it would be a killer combination.
Compared to the Nikkor-S 55mm f/1.2, I find the bokeh on the 55mm slightly better, but the 50mm is a tad sharper. Both lenses are capable of stunning results when used properly.

A quick tip on better accuracy with MF lenses on digital bodies: If you focus past the focus indicator and then start focusing back to you see the correct focus indicator, you are more likely to hit the correct focus.

Features
Performance
Build
Value

Price from: $499.95 USD**

Alternatives

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D From: $104.95 USD

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D From: $284.95 USD

Zeiss MF 50mm f/1.4 ZF Planar T* Price: $517.00 USD

DX Alternatives:

Nikon MF Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 AIS From: $699.95 USD

Nikon AF Nikkor 35mm f/2.0D From: $299.95 USD

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Price: $439.00 USD

** Prices are subject to change. Listed prices is from January 20, 2009

Sample Pictures

Images have been imported to photoshop CS3 through Capture NX 2 thus leaving the original image settings as shot, I. E white balance, sharpening, etc .etc. Full resolution sample images are in RGB color mode. Check out my copyright page for information about usage of these images.