Difference??

[kdabbagh]

I am looking around for a a Nikkor AF 50mm lens...

I found two
1. Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.4D found here--> http://www.vistek.ca/details/details...D=CameraLenses

2. Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8D found here -->
http://www.vistek.ca/details/details...D=CameraLenses

The latter is cheaper than the former by $200...what accounts for this price difference? Is it that the first one has a slightly higher aperture?
I want this for my D40x mostly for landscape and portrait shots because I heard from a lot of people it delivers good quality and vivid colours..

any advice would be helpful...thank you

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[Mav]

The 1.4 is 2/3rds of a stop faster which can make a big difference in night time photography, the bokeh is much much nicer than the 1.8 version which makes it better for portraits, and the depth of field you can get with the 1.4 is even tighter than the 1.8 which gives you more artistic freedom. The 1.8 version is "generally" considrered to be a bit sharper. I have the 1.8 version and it's the sharpest and contrastiest lens that I own easily. For a D40x, I think the 1.4 version would be a little overkill, and it'll be tough to manually focus reliably at any aperture larger than f/2.8 on a D40 w/o a different focusing screen. I'm going on vacation here in a couple of weeks, but after I get back I think I'm going to order a Katz Eye screen for my 40.

[kdabbagh]

The 1.4 is 2/3rds of a stop faster which can make a big difference in night time photography, the bokeh is much much nicer than the 1.8 version which makes it better for portraits, and the depth of field you can get with the 1.4 is even tighter than the 1.8 which gives you more artistic freedom. The 1.8 version is "generally" considrered to be a bit sharper. I have the 1.8 version and it's the sharpest and contrastiest lens that I own easily. For a D40x, I think the 1.4 version would be a little overkill, and it'll be tough to manually focus reliably at any aperture larger than f/2.8 on a D40 w/o a different focusing screen. I'm going on vacation here in a couple of weeks, but after I get back I think I'm going to order a Katz Eye screen for my 40.

hmm....so the 1.8 version would be good enough for my d40x...? I am still a beginner in the DSLR world and I just need a contrasty lens for doing some portrait and fashion shoots...I can't believe tho there's a 200$ difference...its insane

I checked out those Kats Eye Screens....how do they work exactly?

[CJL]

I have the 1.8 and it works great. I think you will be happy with it. I cant give a comparison since I have not used the 1.4 but I am happy with my 1.8.

[Sideburns]

1.8 is way cheaper, because it's designed to be cheap. It's one of the first lenses every Nikon or Canon owner picks up...

Great quality lens, and fast enough for plenty of good stuff.

[jstuedle]

Good quality glass/image, marginal quality build.

[Mav]

hmm....so the 1.8 version would be good enough for my d40x...? I am still a beginner in the DSLR world and I just need a contrasty lens for doing some portrait and fashion shoots...I can't believe tho there's a 200$ difference...its insane

I checked out those Kats Eye Screens....how do they work exactly?

It's easier to just try out an old film body at a local camera shop that carries used stuff than to explain. Old 35mm film bodies had much larger and brighter viewfinders along with a split prism (the circley thing in the middle) that helps you see detail at your focus point a lot better to help you see in focus or out of focus, and it'll also show differences at f/2.8 and larger apertures whereas the tiny little digital viewfinders don't. It doesn't affect autofocusing or metering at all so it's just a drop in replacement.

[Helen B]

I don't normally use my 50 mm f/1.4 AF on my D40x, so I gave it a try to see how difficult it was to focus at f/1.4. I used the electronic rangefinder, and the split prism of the K3 screen I have modified to fit the D40x (the Katz Eye screens appear to be cut-down $30 Nikon K3 screens). I could focus more accurately with the split prism than with the electronic rangefinder. The electronic rangefinder was good enough for f/2, the split prism for f/1.4.

I have calibrated both the AF and the viewfinder of my D40x, by the way. Normally I use the manual focus f/1.2 when I use a 50 mm on the D40x. There is no metering of course, because the lens has no CPU. The AF lenses will meter with the D40x, they just won't autofocus.

The 50 is a bit long for my taste for landscapes. I prefer a 24 mm or 28 mm on the DX-size sensor.

Best,
Helen

[kdabbagh]

I don't normally use my 50 mm f/1.4 AF on my D40x, so I gave it a try to see how difficult it was to focus at f/1.4. I used the electronic rangefinder, and the split prism of the K3 screen I have modified to fit the D40x (the Katz Eye screens appear to be cut-down $30 Nikon K3 screens). I could focus more accurately with the split prism than with the electronic rangefinder. The electronic rangefinder was good enough for f/2, the split prism for f/1.4.

So both the 1.4 and 1.8 don't auto focus? since i am a noob, i didnt understand the latter part of your post regarding rangefiners, prisms, and screens...but what i understood is that to fix the manual focus problem u need to buy some sort of screen..and that the katz eyes r just as good as nikons? right?

[Helen B]

The D40x will only autofocus with Nikon AF-S and Sigma HSM lenses. If you attach a plain Nikon AF lens, the D40x exposure meter will work, but you will not have autofocus. This is because the AF-S lenses have the motor in the lens, the AF lenses are driven by the body. The D40/D40x has not motor in the body.

The two 50 mm autofocus Nikon lenses are only AF, not AF-S, so they can only be used as manual focus lenses with the D40 and D40x. In manual focus you will have the 'electronic rangefinder' - which is the green dot on the lower left of the screen that shows when you are in focus.

The Katz Eye screens are $30 Nikon screens that are made by Nikon for a Nikon film camera, cut down to fit the smaller viewfinder area.

Is it becoming any clearer? This stuff is so much easier to explain face-to-face.

Best,
Helen

[kdabbagh]

The D40x will only autofocus with Nikon AF-S and Sigma HSM lenses. If you attach a plain Nikon AF lens, the D40x exposure meter will work, but you will not have autofocus. This is because the AF-S lenses have the motor in the lens, the AF lenses are driven by the body. The D40/D40x has not motor in the body.

The two 50 mm autofocus Nikon lenses are only AF, not AF-S, so they can only be used as manual focus lenses with the D40 and D40x. In manual focus you will have the 'electronic rangefinder' - which is the green dot on the lower left of the screen that shows when you are in focus.

The Katz Eye screens are $30 Nikon screens that are made by Nikon for a Nikon film camera, cut down to fit the smaller viewfinder area.

Is it becoming any clearer? This stuff is so much easier to explain face-to-face.

Best,
Helen

Thanks Helen, yes much clearer.

Is there a specific model of the Katz Eyes Screens I should look for for my d40x? If you have a link that would be great.....thanks

[Helen B]

Here's the Katz Eye screen for the D40 and D40x. It is $95, so you are paying $65 to have the K3 screen cut down.

http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--N...-prod_D40.html

Best,
Helen