Best Aperture for Nikkor 50mm 1.8G?

[AaronLLockhart]

I know that most lenses operate best 2 stops above their lowest and 2 stops below their highest aperture. Is this the case with the 50mm Nikkor Prime? What aperture have you all had the best and clearest results with?

 

[Nikon_Josh]

The 50 1.8 is pretty good straight from 1.8 from the charts I have seen, check out Welcome to Photozone!. It has some reviews of the 50 1.8G.

My Sigma shoots nicely from 1.4 and I often shoot it at 1.4 cos otherwise their would be no point in owning a 1.4 lens. It is not as sharp as it is at say F2, but the slight softness at 1.4 creates a special look all by itself.

I guess my point is... don't listen to the chart watchers who say you shouldn't shoot at maximum aperture because the results are not as good. Ultimate sharpness is not always the key to a good photograph.

 

[oFUNGUSo]

been wondering about this......i notice i have a hard time getting sharp shots at 1.8 on my older 50mm 1.8 AF but at 2.2 is pretty easy. i have nothing else to compare too beacause its the only prime ive owned.....dont know if its me or the lens, but probably me

 

[o hey tyler]

My friend that I've been tutoring just got the 50/1.8G for his D3100. I tell him to AT LEAST stop it down to f/2.2, but it would be better stopped down to f/3.2.

He shats a brick over a shallow DoF... So it's hard to convince him to shoot on a smaller aperture.

 

[jake337]

Use whatever aperture is necessary to create the image you have imagined.

 

[fjrabon]

My Sigma shoots nicely from 1.4 and I often shoot it at 1.4 cos otherwise their would be no point in owning a 1.4 lens.

I don't totally disagree with what you've said, I shoot my 35mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 sometimes. However, even if you never shoot wide open with a fast lens, it still has a point. The point then becomes being able to shoot a stop or two down, razor sharp, and it still being pretty fast.

For instance, you can shoot a 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.0 and it's WAY sharper than a 50mm f/2.0 at f/2.0.

 

[IByte]

I try not to go past 3.2-2.5 on my nifty 50

 

[AaronLLockhart]

My results are MUCH sharper stopped down to 2.5 to 4 than they are at 1.8.

 

[jake337]

My Sigma shoots nicely from 1.4 and I often shoot it at 1.4 cos otherwise their would be no point in owning a 1.4 lens.

I don't totally disagree with what you've said, I shoot my 35mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 sometimes. However, even if you never shoot wide open with a fast lens, it still has a point. The point then becomes being able to shoot a stop or two down, razor sharp, and it still being pretty fast.

For instance, you can shoot a 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.0 and it's WAY sharper than a 50mm f/2.0 at f/2.0.

If you need to shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot, then shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot.


It's there when you need it or want it.

 

[fjrabon]

My Sigma shoots nicely from 1.4 and I often shoot it at 1.4 cos otherwise their would be no point in owning a 1.4 lens.

I don't totally disagree with what you've said, I shoot my 35mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 sometimes. However, even if you never shoot wide open with a fast lens, it still has a point. The point then becomes being able to shoot a stop or two down, razor sharp, and it still being pretty fast.

For instance, you can shoot a 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.0 and it's WAY sharper than a 50mm f/2.0 at f/2.0.

If you need to shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot, then shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot.


It's there when you need it or want it.

Yeah, though I think that the point people are making is that the vast majority of the time, you don't need to shoot wide open, and your pictures look worse because of it. It's pretty rare that I ever need to shoot anything more open than f/2.8. Usually you getter results bumping your ISO up a couple stops than shooting wide open.

 

[jake337]

My friend that I've been tutoring just got the 50/1.8G for his D3100. I tell him to AT LEAST stop it down to f/2.2, but it would be better stopped down to f/3.2.

He shats a brick over a shallow DoF... So it's hard to convince him to shoot on a smaller aperture.

Everyone does when the first get into the hobby.

It's the easiest way to bring the eyes to your subject with within a bad composition!


But when used well in a beautiful composition....

 

[jake337]

I don't totally disagree with what you've said, I shoot my 35mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 sometimes. However, even if you never shoot wide open with a fast lens, it still has a point. The point then becomes being able to shoot a stop or two down, razor sharp, and it still being pretty fast.

For instance, you can shoot a 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.0 and it's WAY sharper than a 50mm f/2.0 at f/2.0.

If you need to shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot, then shoot at the widest aperture for a given shot.


It's there when you need it or want it.

Yeah, though I think that the point people are making is that the vast majority of the time, you don't need to shoot wide open, and your pictures look worse because of it. It's pretty rare that I ever need to shoot anything more open than f/2.8. Usually you getter results bumping your ISO up a couple stops than shooting wide open.

Of course.

But getting sharper exposures at wider apertures requires perfect focus better lighting.

This isn't the greatest example because my focus plane is slightly off to be shooting at f1.4.(you can tell because only the Henn of Hennessy is tack sharp)

Check out the original file size:
All sizes | CSC_0494 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[Sw1tchFX]

It should be just about perfect at f/5.6

 

[Solarflare]

Just look up tests of your lenses on the internet. For example, I usually stop my 35mm f/1.8 down to 2.8 when in aperture priority, unless I want/need the additional light or the smaller depth of field, because I know that this gives me more sharpness and less distortion than f/1.8.

Its different for each lens though, theres more than just one variable with lenses, and lens errors come and go at all apertures.

 

[spicyTuna]

Most lenses are sharper stopped down just a little. I shot some portraits of my daughter with a 50 1.8D at both f1.8 and f2.2 and I can tell the difference in sharpness. I wanted the soft background from shooting wide open but decided the slight edge in sharpness over the slightly less blurred background was better.

You can test it yourself easily with a newspaper on a wall outside or in a well lit area. Set your camera on a tripod and shoot at every aperture then view your results on your computer.