The Real Deal

If you're shooting with a 50mm prime attached to your camera then I think it's a safe bet that you are looking for top-notch optical performance above all else. If ease of use were paramount then you'd have some super zoom. If you're going to go to all the trouble of shooting a prime, why not take it to the next level and get a prime that was designed to be manually focused, as opposed to one that left the manual focus ring on as an afterthought? I'm not going to imply that you are going to see a great deal of optical difference between the F/1.4 AIS and the F/1.8 AF-D, but you certainly will get a lot of convenience extras and build quality to make up for the added cost...

Overview: The lens is composed of 7 elements in 6 groups, has a 46-degree angle of view, and is 2 1/2" long and 1.6" wide. It weighs in at about half a pound, uses a 52mm filter thread and has a minimum focus distance of 1.5 feet. Its aperture range is F/1.4 to F/16 labeled in full stop increments. The lens is no longer listed on Nikon's website as a current lens but it is available new from several retailers and often lists for about $275. Build quality is magnificent with metal construction and a large rubberized focus ring. You will never confuse a manual focus Nikkor for one of the AF models.

I can't give you the history of the lens. I never was good with history:-). But I do know the lens has been around for a very long time.... probably longer than I've been around. The lens does have a reputation for having superior optics to its lesser cousin the F/1.8 AIS and the AF versions that have been derived from it.... from practical experience I can say that the reputation is not entirely based upon fact, at least not in my experience. I have an F/1.8 AF and I have owned F/1.2 and F/1.8 AIS manual focus lenses. I keep the F/1.4 for its build quality and its ease of use with manual focus backs. I keep the AF for those rare times when I need auto focus but still want a prime. I find them all the be interchangeable in terms of optical quality with the glaring exception of the F/1.2 AIS which I find to be softer than the rest.

In the field: The lens attaches to any reasonably current Nikon back that uses F mount lenses. Now metering and operation are another story. Read your manual for complete details. If it's a film based back then it’s a pretty good bet that you can use this lens on your SLR. I find that this type of lens performs best on a fairly heavy body. This is mainly a weight balance issue and it is certainly a matter of personal preference. I just don't like front heavy cameras and many of the plastic Nikon backs will be slightly front heavy with this lens.

The lens does not include a lens hood and that's a shame. Do yourself a favor and buy a generic 52mm collapsible rubber hood from your camera dealer. It's cheap and gets the job done. More importantly it can be left on the lens all the time quite easily. Nikon's version of the hood is the HN-1. You will want a hood because this lens is not immune to flaring and you will want the extra protection the hood will offer.

The lens operates extremely smoothly. The overly large manual focus ring is a constant reminder that this lens is meant to be handled. Focus is fast and accurate. As mentioned before, despite the multicoating the lens is prone to flaring and you would do well to practice a little discipline when pointing it at light sources. It is not terribly bad; I've certainly owned lenses that flared worse. Distortion is extremely low. Almost nonexistent and colors are very accurate with no noticeable aberrations. The lens is a blessing in low light and its large aperture makes it easy to compose in low light situations even if you aren't shooting wide open. As with most lenses, this one benefits from being shot a stop or two smaller than the widest aperture. Being a normal lens it is tough to blur out the background and still maintain crisp sharpness, but it can be done. In general this is a great snapshot lens and its fantastic for those who love the "normal" view. It is one of my standard 3 "go-to" lenses for traveling with MF gear.


What I like about the Nikon 50mm F/1.4 AIS
1. Build quality is far superior to the plastic AF 50's
2. This is the way to go if you choose to manually focus...the extra large focus ring makes for easy focusing
3. Price performance ratio is very high, but you are mainly buying this lens (as opposed to an AF F/1.8) for reasons 1 and 2 rather than for price. Optical quality it LARGELY the same for AF versions.
4. Fantastic optical performance.
5. The harmony of lens and camera is well noted. Attach it to an FM3A or F3HP back and you will see what I mean. Perfect balance and great ergonomics.

What I don’t like about the Nikon 50mm F/1.4 AIS
1. Nikon discontinued it...shame on them, the F/1.2 sucks in comparison.
2. Doesn't come with a lens hood. Come on NIKON!!! its a $12 item ( that probably cost $1 to make)... just increase the price $12 and give us the lens hood ...and throw in the lens case too!!