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Nikon MF 50mm f/1.2 AIS Manual Focus Lens (Nikon F, full size)

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.2 AIS Manual Focus Lens

Nikon F, full size


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5 reviews

  • Anonymous

    7 years ago
    purchased this product

    Gigantic Nifty-Fifty to have fun with!

    Wow, what a lens! I immediately fell in love with the workmanship, the handling and the results.

    Since the lens only offers manual focus, it's great for slowing down and relaxing. You have to take more time to focus. This
    leads to taking more time with composition and exposure.
    The focus throw is a little short but very smooth with a pleasant resistance.

    For its size, the 50mm f/1.2 is relatively heavy, but hardly noticeable on my D500.

    Wide open at f/1.2 and f/1.4 it lacks contrast and a little sharpness. In addition, the lens shows a lot of chromatic aberrations, which leads to a very special, softly drawn look. Definitely a matter of taste, I like it a lot. Already at f/2 contrast and sharpness increase dramatically and CAs decrease significantly. Between f/2.8 and f/5.6 the lens reaches its maximum and then drops again at f/16.

    Bokeh at f/1.2 is gigantic, soft, creamy with very special bokeh balls. It just looks great! From f/2 the bokeh balls become a bit angular, which has a charm all of its own. The bokeh is gorgeous!

    Focusing is not easy, especially at f/1.2 due to the extremely shallow depth of field. But if you hit the focus you are usually rewarded with a great picture. Otherwise it is a very pleasant and fun change not to have autofocus to help. Pure fun for me.

    It's not cheap but worth the money, even if it's not the youngest one anymore. (1978)
     

    Pro

    • Top sharpness and contrast already at f/2
    • Wonderful, dreamlike bokeh at f/1.2
    • Great colours and good to excellent picture quality
    • No autofocus, very fun to use
    • Excellent workmanship, only glass, metal and rubber
    • Fastest lens for Nikon FX and DX cameras

    Contra

    • Little contrast and a lot of CA wide open at f/1.2
    • No autofocus, rather difficult to focus especially wide open
    • No lens hood included
    • "Only" full stops for stopping down (f1.2, f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, ...)
  • volby

    7 years ago
    purchased this product

    A lens with character and fun factor

    I had owned this lens some time ago. After I had looked through the old pictures, I realised
    what qualities this lens has. You can't compare the image look with modern lenses which are especially sharp at open aperture.
    The
    lens has a fantastic bokeh, even with light reflexes and tonal value gradients as one was used to in analogue photography. The experience reports on the net are relatively accurate.
    F1.2 and F1.4 need to be mastered. This does not work with every subject. From f2 upwards, the lens is at its best on my 36 MP sensor. This applies to sharpness and contrast. The colours are equisite throughout. This lens is a classic that
    that challenges the photographer at large apertures. If you do everything right, you get a special kind of image. What is striking and worth emphasising is the cropping ability of this AIS50 lens.
     

    Pro

    • Picture look
    • The open aperture is suitable for "painting
    • Optical performance
    • Colours and tonal values
    • Lightweight and versatile
    • Processing
    • Silky smooth focus ring, premium
    • Price for this quality

    Contra

    • No AF
    • No poppy open aperture photos...if you want that
    • Open in certain situations strong CAs
  • 111robsu

    4 years ago
    purchased this product

    Happy

    Today there are also more advanced lenses, this one is a special or enthusiast lens. I am not an objective myself ;-) I simply had to have it for my black and white films. Sometimes you don't want a high level of sharpness right into the corners. Different bokeh than more modern lenses. 

    Pro

    • Special playback
    • Super solidly built, will outlive me, children are already looking forward to it

    Contra

    • Special reproduction ;-)
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