"new" 55 f1.2

[the solitaire]

Congratulations!

Rick just serviced my copy of this lens a while ago and did an outstanding job. Still my copy seems to be a bit rough, but I really like what the lens gives me. Made some of my favorite photos with the lens on DX as well as FX cameras

T4288x2844-00076 by b j, on Flickr

T4288x2844-00229 by b j, on Flickr

DSC_5744-Edit by b j, on Flickr

The shot below is at f2 where the lens really sharpens up

DSC_3978 by b j, on Flickr

Wide open again

Take a seat by b j, on Flickr

At f5,6

DSC_0650 by b j, on Flickr

And wide open again

_DSC3656-2 by b j, on Flickr

[armando_m]

Gorgeous images!

on the dog jumping the log, did you prefocus on the log, or followed the dog moving towards you ? anyway fantastic results

[Frank Fremerey]

Buddy. I anm overwhelmed by the collection of images. You are are true genious, but you know that anyway...

[the solitaire]

Frank, I'm a happy snapper. When it comes to manipulating light and perspective, Kristina is the true genius. I just try to empulate what I learn by watching her in her art and emulate what I learn into my own style.

Armando, prefocusing on the log would not give very good results. It's a mix of both. I studied Amy, and how she jumps over obstacles for a while now. I know where during the jump she looks the way I want her to, so I take the log as a reference point, prefocus slightly in front of the log (about 30cm) because i know she will hover in about this position right there, then wait for her to be at that position. I start shooting about 3 frames before she traverses this point, and from the 4th frame onwards try to adjust focus to track the movement. This usually gives me 2-3 keepers in a series of 6 or 7 images.

When I'm lazy I just prefocus on a spot in front of the log and make Amy repeat the jump a few times

[Erik Lund]

These images really show the rendering characteristics of the lens very well! The out of focus highlights are used very creatively. Thanks for sharing

[MILLIREHM]

For the time being I can mount it on the V1 + FT adapter

UPDATE: I REMEMBERED WRONG when posting this: "Based on my experience with the 58 mm f/1,2 Noct it can be mounted on FT/V1, but not used at f/1,2 due to the internal characteristics of the FT adapter"

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Based on my experience with the 58 mm f/1,2 Noct it can be mounted on FT/V1, but not used at f/1,2 due to the internal characteristics of the FT adapter

This is not correct. I'm using the Nocts, the 55/1.2 K and CRT 55/1.2 on the V1 or AW1 all the time. Even the 85/1 Repro works just fine. All of them functions perfectly at their widest aperture. (they are CPU-modified except for the 55/1.2 K).

The "speed" of the lens does not change when it is mounted to the CX format via the FT-1. The light meter responds properly and exposures come out perfect.

[Akira]

Nikon warns that there may be cases where the background bokeh of f1.4 and faster lenses wide open may be cut out under circumstances, which suggest that the peripheral portion of the image forming incident light may also be cut especially when the lens is focused at distant subject (and the rear element is close to the opening of FT1 mount adapter).

[Bjørn Rørslett]

True, but that does not influence the exposure as such. One can get strange cuts into the confusion circles, like with any other mask inserted into the light path. Just think of the "cat's eye" vignetting so typical of mechanical obstructions of the lens barrel in fast lenses.  However, a mask following after the exit pupil will not change the intensity of the illumination in the film/sensor plane.

[MILLIREHM]

This is not correct. I'm using the Nocts, the 55/1.2 K and CRT 55/1.2 on the V1 or AW1 all the time. Even the 85/1 Repro works just fine. All of them functions perfectly at their widest aperture. (they are CPU-modified except for the 55/1.2 K).

The "speed" of the lens does not change when it is mounted to the CX format via the FT-1. The light meter responds properly and exposures come out perfect.

I remembered wrong, as you stated it is actually usable . Can't reconstruct how I got this in my mind, cause it was years ago
Actually I might have experienced these confusion circle cuts which limit the use of that kind of lens a little bit

[armando_m]

I shot a few images using an aperture smaller than 1.2 and experienced what I think is an sluggish aperture control, as a number of images were overexposed

I got around this pressing the DOF button in the camera before pressing the shutter button

I need to gather some courage, and get better screwdrivers before attempting to go all the way to cleaning the aperture blades

An example of what happened, both images with the same exposure and lights

[charlie]

An example of what happened, both images with the same exposure and lights

But a completely different scene so perhaps not a good way to evaluate the problem?
Also a failing flash could vary its exposure as well, though the DOF button trick seems to lean towards a camera/lens error.

Why not try to recreate this under a more controlled setting? Camera on a tripod, constant light source, take lots of pictures and watch for varying exposure.

[MFloyd]

Very nice pictures of the Solitaire.  But I am somewhat disappointed about the bokeh which looks very unresty to me.

[pluton]

I shot a few images using an aperture smaller than 1.2 and experienced what I think is an sluggish aperture control, as a number of images were overexposed

I got around this pressing the DOF button in the camera before pressing the shutter button

Since the stop down activation is the assumed to be the same mechanism used by both the DOF preview button and the camera shutter firing cycle, you should be able to reproduce and observe the problem by watching the lens front and firing the shutter...or pushing the DOF preview button... numerous times.  I had a AiS 135/2 that had an intermittent aperture closing issue, but the technician who fixed it didn't say what he did to fix it.  Is it possible that the coil spring gets tired and weakened?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Lubricants leaking onto the aperture blades will cause the noted behaviour. Some lens designs are particularly prone to getting this problem, with the 55/2.8 Micro as the most infamous example. Also the AF 20/2.8 saw a good deal of these issues.