I got a good deal (I think) on the table.

[hankejp]

Talking with a co-worker yesterday about the 50mm lens, telling him that I'm thinking about getting one. He said he has a few of them and would let me borrow one to try out.

Well this morning he brings in a 55mm f/1.2 and said he would sell it to me and 6 different filters for $100.

Do I jump on this? I'm thinking yes. That son of a gun is like a rock. It is heavy.... I don't even want to work now. I just want to go get my camera and play.

 

[JerryPH]

What brand is it, and is it REALLY a lens that does F/1.2? Is it an auto focus or manual? Post a pic done with it, with EXIF and I will let you know.

It does sound like a nice deal, though.

 

[hankejp]

What brand is it, and is it REALLY a lens that does F/1.2? Is it an auto focus or manual? Post a pic done with it, with EXIF and I will let you know.

It does sound like a nice deal, though.

What is EXIF? I got a picture of it. It is a manual, but that is fine with me. The picture isn't very good. It was taken with my Ipaq:

 

[Chewbecca]

Wait.
Will he let you borrow it and try it out first?
You'd have to manually focus a 50mm f1.8 on your D40 anyway.
Try it out first. THEN make a decision.

 

[hankejp]

Wait.
Will he let you borrow it and try it out first?
You'd have to manually focus a 50mm f1.8 on your D40 anyway.
Try it out first. THEN make a decision.

Yeah I have it with me now. I will be taking some pictures tonight with it and see how they turn out. That's what I figured anyway on the manual focus too. I looked on Amazon and 50 mm 1.8's are going for $114, and with this deal I'll be getting 6 filters too.

 

[josealb]

As they already mentioned, you'd have to manual focus anyways unless you're buying the new 1.8 with SWM which is around 500 dollars so if the lens you're getting is really a 1.2F nikkor lens I'd tell you to get it. Be careful though and make sure that it's not some kind of fake because it sounds really strange to me to have such a lens for that price.

As JerryPH already said, take a picture with the lens and with the exif information and post it here so that we can tell you if the lens is worth buying. The exif information is a code the camera embeds in the image that contains information about shutter speed focal length aperture and lots of other details

good luck!

 

[Chewbecca]

Yeah I have it with me now. I will be taking some pictures tonight with it and see how they turn out. That's what I figured anyway on the manual focus too. I looked on Amazon and 50 mm 1.8's are going for $114, and with this deal I'll be getting 6 filters too.

er...I'm not lens expert, but I googled that lens and if I found the right lens it's a really OLD lens. Like, 1965 old.
I *think* that lens you took a picture of, is the same lens that is the first lens pictured all the way on the left in this link:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index3.htm


Er...I'd check your manual to see if that lens can even be used on your D40.
Granted, as I've stated, I'm NOT a lens expert, but I'd hate to see you try to mount a lens that might be bad for your camera.

I'll be back, hopefully, with more findings BEFORE you put that lens on your D40...hopefully.

 

[Mike_E]

Go ahead and steal- um, buy it!

If it's not too scratched or eaten away with fungus. Shine a weak flashlight through it with the aperture wide open and if you see what looks like spider webs in it- oh well, I'll give 'em $50 for it. (google all of this- i don't have a lot of time for details)

BTW the lens can be used with the D40 with out damaging it.

 

[Chewbecca]

Ok, you'll be able to mount it, but you won't be able to meter with it. And of course, it won't autofocus, but we knew that.
I posted the question somewhere else to get the answer for you.

 

[Chewbecca]

er...think he'd sell it to me for my D300, though, for a small price...like $100?

ETA: nevermind. that lens would actually damage my D300. At least that's what I've been told.

 

[JerryPH]

I believe it fits. It is a manual focus lens. I did some quick research and these lenses in proper working order and excellent condition go from 200-400 dollars US. If there is no mold (and these lenses, because of their age, if kept in humid locations, WILL develop mold), and in excellent working condition, $100US is a good deal.

But... since you have the lens, there is no reason for you not to take AT LEAST 200 pictures using all apertures at different levels of light from bright sunlight to darker low light conditions, and scrutinize each picture.

 

[Steph]

According to the serial number this is a 55mm f1.2 lens built between 1971 and 1972. It is an Ai lens (to Nikon experts, don't Ai lenses meter on most Nikon dSLRs?). More info here.

 

[JerryPH]

This lens will properly meter on his D40.

 

[Chewbecca]

I'M SO CONFUSED, DAMMIT.

 

[hankejp]

I'M SO CONFUSED, DAMMIT.

Lol....

Just looked at it with a flash light. No evidence of mold or webs. Being that I am pretty new to photography, I'm not quite sure yet what metering is. I will have to do some googling during my lunch. Damn I wish I had my camera here now.