50 1.2 AIS worth it?

AKUK · Feb 8, 2015

I think Tokina do an AF version too but a zoom would probably benefit you more if speed is going to an issue when getting the shot.

Manual focus certainly takes some getting used to and you can miss the moment with ease. Some lenses are better than others for manual focus. For portraits I prefer something that requires a lot of rotation of the focus barrel to nail critical focus. When dealing with faster situations, you need something that requires less turning of the focus. The only drawback to this is that sometimes the amount of the barrel you have to play with can be too small for the focus distance range and hitting the target becomes difficult. AF certainly has it's advantages.

cgw · Feb 8, 2015

Did you actually see the lens? Misreading of the lens is common and quite a few 50/2s get listed as 50/1.2

nerwin said:
A while back I came across someone on eBay selling a 50 1.2 AIS in great condition for $70...I don't think they realized they had a gem and been shooting my self in the foot ever since because I didn't buy it. I know Nikon still makes this lens as of today..but what I am wondering..would this lens be even worth to own? I got a 50 1.8G which I enjoy, but having f/1.2 would just be awesome to have. Canon makes modern 1.2 lens..why can't Nikon?!

Any of you own the 50 1.2?

Curious whether it wasn't actually a 50/2. The marking 50 1:2 is often misread as 1.2 by hopeful/clueless sellers who often don't show the telltale aperture ring.

It's a trophy lens that really doesn't dramatically outdo the far cheaper 50/1.4 AFD or later manual versions. Rented one a few years ago and was underwhelmed.

The super-shallow DOF proved a bit of a mirage in terms of utility.

nerwin · Feb 8, 2015

cgw said:
Did you actually see the lens? Misreading of the lens is common and quite a few 50/2s get listed as 50/1.2

nerwin said:

A while back I came across someone on eBay selling a 50 1.2 AIS in great condition for $70...I don't think they realized they had a gem and been shooting my self in the foot ever since because I didn't buy it. I know Nikon still makes this lens as of today..but what I am wondering..would this lens be even worth to own? I got a 50 1.8G which I enjoy, but having f/1.2 would just be awesome to have. Canon makes modern 1.2 lens..why can't Nikon?!

Any of you own the 50 1.2?

Click to expand...

Curious whether it wasn't actually a 50/2. The marking 50 1:2 is often misread as 1.2 by hopeful/clueless sellers who often don't show the telltale aperture ring.

It's a trophy lens that really doesn't dramatically outdo the far cheaper 50/1.4 AFD or later manual versions. Rented one a few years ago and was underwhelmed.

The super-shallow DOF proved a bit of a mirage in terms of utility.

Oh no, it was a 50 1.2. Barrel was completely worn out, but the glass is great.

bribrius · Feb 8, 2015

summer is coming. yard sales, flea markets... Never know what you can find...

astroNikon · Feb 8, 2015

I nearly bought a f/1.2 AIS lens but ended up getting a f/1.4G lens instead. I barely use it at f/1.4.
With my eyes in fluctuation I'm glad I got one that AutoFocuses.

bribrius · Feb 8, 2015

astroNikon said:
I nearly bought a f/1.2 AIS lens but ended up getting a f/1.4G lens instead. I barely use it at f/1.4.
With my eyes in fluctuation I'm glad I got one that AutoFocuses.

i have the 1.8 g. curious. Is the 1.4G even sharp at 1.4? I dont even use my 1.8 at 1.8.

AKUK · Feb 8, 2015

In a word, no. The 1.8G has better centre sharpness and a larger area too, than the 1.4G. It pretty much maintains that up until about f/5.6 when they are pretty close. However the 1.8G does suffer with corner softness and never really achieves even sharpness across the frame until you hit the really small apertures, by which time diffraction has set in. At the moment the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is the best out there for sharpness. Wide open it is quite phenomenal across the entire frame. £650 though Vs £280 for the Nikkor and £320 for the older, non-Art version of the Sigma.

nerwin · Feb 8, 2015

If you already have the 50 1.8G there is no reason to get the 1.4G..you are not gaining much. IMO of course.

cgw · Feb 8, 2015

The 50mm Sigma Art is also huge, heavy and takes the same size filters(77mm)as my Mamiya RB67 lenses. Then there's the USB gimmickry and so-so bokeh. Amazing how the lesser Nikkors still produce such stunning images.

AKUK · Feb 8, 2015

I'm still using the humble little 50mm f/1.8D. Stopped down it's very good and excellent bang for buck.

nerwin · Feb 8, 2015

*cough cough* 50mm f/0.95.... *cough*

TTLui · Feb 9, 2015

I own a 50mm 1.2 ais lens. (I also have the 50mm 1.8G and 58mm 1.4G)

It is a wonderful lens to use for photo/video as long as you are good at manual focusing. For the modern DSLR cameras you rely more on the little dot and arrows in the corner, but it will be very difficult to use when the subject is moving. (at least for me) A view finder magnifier like the DK17M (for D800/D4 etc.) may help with the manual focusing as well if you do not wish to use the dot in the corner.

It creates a rendering completely different than the 50mm 1.8G. The construction and quality of the lens is far more superior (all metal), and turning the manual focus ring feels dampened and extremely smooth compared to all the new lenses these days.

If you like pixel peeping, at 1.2, it wont be as sharp as the 1.8G, it has some haze to it, (the closer the subject is to you, the sharper it is though) But the overall picture will have a completely different feel/rendering than the 1.8G.

If you downsize your photos resolution to a web sized image, the image will be sharp and still retain that unique look. When people see your photos they know you are using something special. (shot at 1.2 at least)

Attached is a picture taken of my sons hand at 1.2 (at low light) when he was 3 days old. Picture was downsized. I used this lens specifically for this purpose of documenting the first couple months of his life, which was literally a blur...

ruifo · Feb 9, 2015

I love my 50mm f/1.2 AI-S. I also have a 50mm f1.8D. The 1.2 AIS is unique, and probably the sharpest Nikkor lens at f/2, by far. It's sharp even at 1.2, if you can narrow the right focus at such shallow DOF. It has a very unique signature at 1.2 and 1.4, a very dream looking bokeh that mixes with a bit of fuzzy light. Very nice to my eyes for night shots and portraits. It's great for landscapes as well, focused at infinity, once it's very sharp and has a hard stop at infinity focus.

I've been using it mostly with this kit, that I highly recommend for a better manual focus experience:

D810 (accessories below also work with D800/D800E/D700/D4/D300 etc, any "pro"-like Nikon body)
Nikon DK-17M 1.2x Magnifying Eyepiece
Nikon DK-19 Rubber Eyecup

Here a few samples:
Nikkor 50mm f 1.2 AI-S - an album on Flickr

Stay alert. If it's been sold for $70 it might be broken or have fungus inside. Good luck.

astroNikon · Feb 9, 2015

btw, I have the 50/1.4G (also had the 50/1.8 G) but I also have the 50/1.8 AF-D.
I prefer the AF-D due to it's small size and it seems just as fast focusing even being a screw drive focus. The G is just one big piece of plastic - same outside bodies for the 1.8 and 1.4, just wider glass and less filler plastic in the 1.4G. If I had my choice, I'd get a 1.4 AF-D instead to fiddle with.

I've never really pixel peeped compared them. It's just nice having that f/1.4 ability just in case I need it. I was going to get into some artistic photography and wanted the f/1.4 specifically for stuff, but priorities since then changed.