Author Topic: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor  (Read 73858 times)

Birna Rørslett

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #180 on: May 13, 2020, 17:30:22 »
Definitively. You get the "green dot" in the first place  :)

Frode

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #181 on: May 13, 2020, 17:37:54 »
Definitively. You get the "green dot" in the first place  :)

Sounds promising, that would really increase my usage. Do you know if Fotocare is doing such «operations»?

Birna Rørslett

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #182 on: May 13, 2020, 18:18:47 »
Not any longer. I cannot deliver the parts as my production has ceased. You might look into the 'Dandelion' chip on eBay. However, apparently that chip is not compatible with the "green dot", at least not on my cameras. You do get the other benefits of proper EXIF data, though (unless you have an odd focal length or aperture value not settable by the Dandelion).

golunvolo

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #183 on: March 03, 2021, 10:46:58 »
My 58mm 1.4g needs +18 af compensation but then, this happens wide open. Extra low light situation: 1/80 sec;   f/1,4;   ISO 3200


   D5, 58mm 1.4g @f1.4

    Prices are not getting much lower with time in the second hand market that I can see. Copies are around 800-900€ here in Spain. I´ll buy another one if I lose mine in a heartbeat.

John Geerts

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #184 on: March 03, 2021, 14:50:41 »
Great portrait Paco.

And great lens.  What are the advantages/differences  if you compare it with the AF-S 50/1.4 ?

Erik Lund

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #185 on: March 03, 2021, 15:12:55 »
My 58mm 1.4g needs +18 af compensation but then, this happens wide open. Extra low light situation: 1/80 sec;   f/1,4;   ISO 3200


   D5, 58mm 1.4g @f1.4

    Prices are not getting much lower with time in the second hand market that I can see. Copies are around 800-900€ here in Spain. I´ll buy another one if I lose mine in a heartbeat.
Very nice shot! a lot of fist but gives the shot character ;)
Re fine tuning of focus, remember that many large aperture lenses, fast lenses, has focus shift as the lens is stopped down.
I have a feeling that Nikon adjust for around f/2 - f/2.8
Erik Lund

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #186 on: March 03, 2021, 15:25:07 »
Very nice shot! a lot of fist but gives the shot character ;)
Re fine tuning of focus, remember that many large aperture lenses, fast lenses, has focus shift as the lens is stopped down.
I have a feeling that Nikon adjust for around f/2 - f/2.8

Yes this is likely. But the 58/1.4 is advertised for its wide open characteristics:

"High reproduction capability of point light sources even at the maximum aperture
Sharp, high-resolution images can be reproduced even at the maximum aperture"

So how is one to focus it at wide aperture if autofocus doesn't work correctly or if fine tuning it for wide open use result in incorrect focus stopped down? (I'm not saying this is the case. Just thinking about the possibility. I generally pull back a bit to adjust this lens so that the distance to target is about 2.5-3m, as the softness of the lens at close distances can make auto fine tune fail. I've also fine tuned it stopped down a bit, but I don't have a firm recollection of which approach produced the best results.)

I have had a lot of grief with focusing with this lens, but it does have the capability of adorable results. Also stopped down to f/2.8 portrait images can be very beautiful. Nice colour and contrast, in particular, and ability to deal with backlight. However, at wide apertures and near distances it is very soft. This is just the characteristic of the lens and one can cope with it, but I wish it autofocused more consistently.

I nevertheless use the lens, but I've wrong wary of using it wide open as a general purpose fast prime. Portraits? Wonderful results. Documentary photography? Nikon's more recent 105/1.4 and 28/1.4 produce much sharper results wide open, and especially the 28 is very pleasing. The 105 has a bit too much swirly bokeh for my taste. I'd like to have a similarly performing 50mm or 58mm in the F mount as the 28 and (to lesser extent) 105.

I understand that Nikon likely wanted a lens where the in- and out-of-focus areas appear as natural as possible. In more recent lenses (by Nikon and others), it has become common to have the in-focus part really shout at the viewer (SHARP!). But perhaps I would prefer something in-between. Not soft, but not screaming sharp, either. :-) I actually felt the 85mm f/1.4 AF-S has been among the most pleasing of this generation of lenses. The 28mm and 85mm are probably my favorites. The 105/1.4 is nice in that it is so sharp it allows some cropped shots in indoor event photography, it allows freezing a moving subject effectively due to the large aperture and is sharp enough that it can take a crop without problems, and the result can still be excellent. But those swirlies and cat's eyes make my stomach spin. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs...

Erik Lund

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #187 on: March 03, 2021, 16:06:31 »
I agree on all points.
Just pointing out that one should be aware of the intended aperture setting when fine tuning and choosing a setting for the AF-S G and E f/1.4 lenses.
For lenses with this behavior there is no perfect solution found in the firmware or hardware.
Yes to all your listed lenses and for the same reasons sharpness and what aperture one want's to shoot at therefore I'm not afraid of using older lens designs for instance AF-D lenses like 105mm f/2.0 DC or 50mm AF-D f/1.4 but also old AFS designs like the 80-200mm ED AF-S f/2.8 is a remarkable well polished performer in all aspects where you really can fine tune sharpness with the chosen aperture and no big focal length or focus breathing issues.
Erik Lund

John Geerts

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #188 on: March 05, 2021, 19:33:09 »
Yes, it is a magnificent lens.

Here on the Z7

Fons Baerken

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #189 on: March 05, 2021, 21:27:07 »
Yes, it is a magnificent lens.

Here on the Z7

Yes a fine lens with subtle character

MEPER

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #190 on: March 05, 2021, 22:01:30 »
How would the 50/1.8 Z-lens compare at 1.8?
This lens seems to be a "poor-mans noct nikkor"?

Erik Lund

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #191 on: March 06, 2021, 16:19:14 »
How would the 50/1.8 Z-lens compare at 1.8?
This lens seems to be a "poor-mans noct nikkor"?

The  50mm f/1.8 Z-lens is very gery different to the Nikkor 58mm AF-S f/1.4

The 50mm f/1.8 Z is sharp and APO corrected to a much higher level on a Z7 it's just super sharp and contrasty

The 58mm AF-S f/1.4 is well rounded, painting and pleasing and smooth Bokeh

Erik Lund

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #192 on: March 06, 2021, 16:37:30 »
Interesting......could be fun to see the two compared on a Z6 or Z7 both at 1.8 and maybe also the 58 at 1.4 to see what the noct was made for....
The images I have seen with 50/1.8 Z.....also shows very nice bokeh.....

Nikfuson

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #193 on: March 06, 2021, 17:31:49 »
I actually regret selling my Neo. Got the 50/1.8S but don’t use it that much. Have been playng with the idea to swap it out for a Neo.

MEPER

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Re: Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 AFS The New Noct-Nikkor
« Reply #194 on: March 06, 2021, 17:40:22 »
The problem is the price difference between the two?
I was happy when I realized the performance of the 50/1.8 and then realized the price. Then I got one.....even that I have a Z50 in the moment but expect to get a FX in the future.
So why not keep the 50/1.8 as you won't get much "noct" in exchange?