NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: richardHaw on November 13, 2016, 02:39:25

Title: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: richardHaw on November 13, 2016, 02:39:25
http://nikkor.com/story/0060/

 :o :o :o
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Erik Lund on November 13, 2016, 13:14:09
Thank you! :)
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Akira on November 13, 2016, 13:15:56
Rick, thanks for the reminder!
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Airy on November 13, 2016, 18:58:37
I went immediately to read it... and others too.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Roland Vink on November 13, 2016, 21:07:40
Thanks, that are a good series.
Confirms what I've had listed on my database for years: the 50/1.8 Series-E, AIS pancake, AF and AFD models all have the same optical design (with differences to the coatings)

I still think the "long nose" AI and AIS models are better ...
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Akira on November 13, 2016, 21:15:23
Thanks, that are a good series.
Confirms what I've had listed on my database for years: the 50/1.8 Series-E, AIS pancake, AF and AFD models all have the same optical design (with differences to the coatings)

I still think the "long nose" AI and AIS models are better ...

Maybe because the tolerance could be different also.  The pancake Ais was originally intended as kit lens for EM instead of Series-E version.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Bjørn Rørslett on November 13, 2016, 22:36:57
I agree about the "long nose" versions. They are excellent in optical terms, if you pay some attention to the background since the bokeh might not be equally superior. However, the same can be said of most 50 mm lenses.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Roland Vink on November 13, 2016, 23:18:16
In my experience, the long nose 50/1.8 has better bokeh than the subject of this thread - smoother centrally, although double-lining appears towards the edges.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Airy on November 13, 2016, 23:32:20
I'd anyway look elsewhere if bokeh is the point - Voigt 58/1.4, or Tamron 45/1.8, or Summicron R 50/2, or Zeiss 50/2 all seem to fare better in this field.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Moritat on November 22, 2016, 21:06:02
I would certainly agree that the long nose 50mm 1.8 is a terrific lens. Probably one of Nikon's best bang for the buck lens ever. At f2 or smaller, it's about as sharp as the 50mm 1.2 AIS.  Over the years I've had several copies of the 50mm 1.8 E which I considered to have average performance at best.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Airy on November 22, 2016, 22:30:12
I'd anyway look elsewhere if bokeh is the point - Voigt 58/1.4, or Tamron 45/1.8, or Summicron R 50/2, or Zeiss 50/2 all seem to fare better in this field.

Just two examples, Voigt 58/1.4 @2.8 and 4.0, respectively. The iron grids are especially "difficult".
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: richardHaw on December 30, 2016, 15:05:30
I got myself an Ai 50/1.8 because of you guys. :o :o :o

The Ai-S longnose is a bit rare here. I might do a test between this Ai longnose and the pancake 50 and see how it goes.

I had a series E almost 10 years ago when I was still living in Singapore and that was a very sharp lens but the bokeh can be a bit abrupt. I regret selling that thing.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Roland Vink on December 30, 2016, 19:08:53
The AI-S long-nose is rare in Japan as it was for export only. Its place in Japan was the pancake AI-S 50/1.8 (the subject of the 1001 article) which is why this version is rare internationally.

Unless you need the AI-S version, I would go for the AI long-nose as it is the same optically, it has a longer focus throw and the aperture ring is full-size (on the AI-S the raised grip is reduced from 3 rows to 2 so there is less to grip). The AI was made for all markets so should be easy to find anywhere :)
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: John Geerts on December 30, 2016, 21:52:03
The AI-S long-nose is rare in Japan as it was for export only. Its place in Japan was the pancake AI-S 50/1.8 (the subject of the 1001 article) which is why this version is rare internationally.
I couldn't find it in Europe after  looking for it for more than a year (2009-2010). In the end I got a (cheap) mint sample from the US.
Title: Re: Nkkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S 1001 nights
Post by: Akira on December 30, 2016, 22:21:25
I also prefer Ai, too, and I actually had one.  The longer focus throw was a treat, especially when focusing in live view or using with mirrorless cameras.

Unlike 105/2.5, the septagonal aperture opening is edgy also on the Ai version.