Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor

[Michael Erlewine]

A misty Shropshire morning.

That is a nice photo.

[Michael Erlewine]

Both Bjørn and I have dedicated extension rings for the old and new...

What length extension and how close can you get when you use it?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

For my Noct, I'm using the PK-12 (chipped). Haven't measured the magnification but probably around 1:3 or better.

[Michael Erlewine]

For my Noct, I'm using the PK-12 (chipped). Haven't measured the magnification but probably around 1:3 or better.

I probably can't find an inexpensive Noct. Is this new lens "good enough?"

[Bjørn Rørslett]

It is not designated for the absolute peak sharpness. Other criteria prevail. Thus maybe, maybe not your cup of tea, Michael. You really need to try it in realistic situations.

'Inexpensive' and 'Noct-Nikkor' are two concepts that don't mix well.

[Michael Erlewine]

It is not designated for the absolute peak sharpness. Other criteria prevail. Thus maybe, maybe not your cup of tea, Michael. You really need to try it in realistic situations.

'Inexpensive' and 'Noct-Nikkor' are two concepts that don't mix well.

I know. It troubles me that it is not sharp wide-open, which is what I use the most, but it actually looks like it has a nice style of its own.

[stenrasmussen]

I discussed this very lens with my dealer yesterday. We agreed that the rendering is far more important than MTF championship. The transition from sharp (eh...) to washed out background is smoother than most other lenses. Add good colour and appropriate contrast and coma behaviour and you do have a lens with character. Yes, the Sigmas and Zeiss are great but with differenct objectives as it were.
I do think the Noct-Junior is crazy expensive but once the dinero is dropped I am sure the satisfaction in using it outweighs the monetary "loss".

[Erik Lund]

Very nice image Jacques, really nicely rendered!

The 58 1.4 AFS is really a master at 'painting' the scene vey life like, similar to the 35mm 1.4 AFS btw, also both seems to cope very well with stopping down- I need to try this more with the 58mm so far I have ventured into f/5.6 and all went well.

Food for thought;

Not sharp
Not APO
Not flat field
Not distortion free

But the images can be so crisp and nicely pleasing...

[stenrasmussen]

The shorter the focal length and the more APO, rendering starts taking on a clinical look.
As with lots of things I believe the market for surgical tools is starting to saturate and that artistic needs start peeking through the layer of perfection.

[Erik Lund]

Very poetic, but nothing new I guess 

[Jacques]

Celebrating the struggle women had go through to get the right to vote, I think sharp enough at f3.5 ?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A quick snapshot to show what Noct-Nikkor can achieve in combination with a PK-12 extension ring. At f/1.2 of course.

[Michael Erlewine]

A quick snapshot to show what Noct-Nikkor can achieve in combination with a PK-12 extension ring. At f/1.2 of course.

Nice shot and interesting. I love the dreaminess of the background. Question: If I were to stack the main in-focus bunch of flowers, would there be enough sharpness? I understand that it is NOT sharp wide open, so one might want to shoot at two f/stops, one for background and one for foreground, but combining them would be a mess with PS.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Difficult to say, Michael. I suggest you get an AFS 58/1.4 loaner or rent one to try out the combination.

[Martin Zimelka]

I shot a subject at 1.5 meters with both the AF-S 58mm f/1.4G and the AF-S Micro 60mm f/2.8G. (I only had a few minutes to try the AF-S 60/1.8 Micro)

While shot at f/4, which probably wasn't a choice favouring  the 60 Micro, it's still interesting to see how well the 58G does.

1:1 magnification. Nikon D810. (Open the image in a new tab/window to see it full size)