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Just in case anyone was interested...my travels have shown me these two RARE beasts on sale on EVILBAY....

Nikon AI-S Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-Ais-Noct-Nikkor-58mm-f-1-2-RARE-Excellent_W0QQitemZ280401364001QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories?hash=item4149394421&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14#ht_1275wt_1165

Nikon AF 28mm f/1.4
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-AF-28mm-f1-4-28-1-4-f-1-4-SLR-DSLR-RARE-MINT_W0QQitemZ280401364421QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories?hash=item41493945c5&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14#ht_1206wt_1165

Disclaimer: I have no association with the seller and am posting this here in case there was someone that was interested.

Cameron,

The price of these seems very expensive compared to Canon 24 1.4 L USM and 50mm 1.2 L versions (Which i assume will be the comparative models)

Is this because these models are not being made anymore?

Both are highly regarded but I have to say overrated as well, to my knowledge. Your extra folds of cash don't buy extra folds of image quality unfortunately.

My trinity of 28mm f2, 35mm f1.4 and 50mm f1.2, plus the AFD 85mm f1.4 (makes a quintet I believe ) cost less than either one of them... D:

I cannot say they are worth the money but there both are hand ground lenses that were only produced in limited numbers. It is page that the noct is far better than the 50 1.2 though. I'd prefer the quintet already mentioned (even more if they were fast af-s and all 1.4 or faster) i can only dream though

Grev wrote:Both are highly regarded but I have to say overrated as well, to my knowledge.

x2
have never even seen a 28/1.4 mind you but have used a 58/1.2 and while it is a beautfiul lens to shoot with, its certainly not worth that. the price nikon users have to pay for nikons lazy ass not updating older primes. i suspect that once nikon updates a few of these lens' the ass will fall out of that 2nd hand fast prime niche market.

just to illustrate how completley and utterly ridiculous this is, for around the same money you could get a Canon 85/1.2 and 50/1.2 NEW.

Rooz wrote:but have used a 58/1.2 and while it is a beautfiul lens to shoot with, its certainly not worth that.

Chris, was the lens you used a Noct? There's a 58 f/1.2, and a 58 f/1.2 Noct. The Noct is optimised for shooting in available dark.

yep, was definately a noct. if i heard him say noct one more time i was gonna throw up. lol

excuse my ignorance, but i had no idea that the noct was specialised...what does that mean ? i always thought it was just the max aperture that was the reason that the lens was so good in low light ??

Rooz wrote:yep, was definately a noct. if i heard him say noct one more time i was gonna throw up. lol

excuse my ignorance, but i had no idea that the noct was specialised...what does that mean ? i always thought it was just the max aperture that was the reason that the lens was so good in low light ??

Look on it as the difference between a Boeing 737 and a Hornet F18, they both fly but boy is there a difference

well...not really the best anaology chris. i'm not trying to compare a 18-55 kit lens with a noct !!
so whats the actual difference ?

i actually didnt even know there was a 58/1.2 nikkor that wasnt a noct. i thought thre was a 50 and a 55.

Chris,

The Noct is optimised for shooting in available dark. The glass is different, or ground differently. I can't recall the exact details, but there are significant differences.

For instance, where a typical fast lest will work wide open, but is at its best at, say, f/8, the Noct will be at its best wide open.

I believe the other 58mm f1.2 is a really old lens.

I don't know, I'd like to have them but the price really is a too much.

gstark wrote:Chris,

The Noct is optimised for shooting in available dark. The glass is different, or ground differently. I can't recall the exact details, but there are significant differences. For instance, where a typical fast lest will work wide open, but is at its best at, say, f/8, the Noct will be at its best wide open.

thanks, i never knew that. very interesting. i'll have to read up about that !

The noct is an abbreviation for nocturnal, supposed to be sharpest wide open
stumbled on this web site that shows the production of the noct as being 8951 built from nov 1981 to1998, and the 28 1.4 as being 7333 built from sept 1993 to 2005
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

great site link. thanks for sharing.

actually if you go to that site, near the bottom in the links, go to (nikkor-the thousand and one nights)
then go to tale 16 for the story of the noct. lots of articles from nikon about the development of lenses, interesting reading

Rooz wrote:well...not really the best anaology chris. i'm not trying to compare a 18-55 kit lens with a noct !!
so whats the actual difference ?

Neither was I. Basically the Boeing is the stock standard 1.4 and 1.8 standard lenses and the Hornet is the Noct