New AF-S 50mm 1.4... Yeehaa

[Antsl]

New AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4
Nikon Australia have just informed me that this lens has an Australian RRP of $679.
Putting my old 50mm 1.4 lens onto eBay right now!

[gstark]

Putting my old 50mm 1.4 lens onto eBay right now!

Ant,

Given the continued failure of Nikon Oz to be able to supply stock of any new items, is that the wisest course of action? With availability not scheduled until December (and with the track record that Nikon Oz have, who knows when it will actually be), that could leave you short of a 50mm for maybe six months.

Apart from that, the specs don't look too bad, but I think I would rather have an aperture ring. Making the lens a G series makes this lens incompatible with many older bodies, and for this class of lens, I'm not convinced that that's a great idea.

[Antsl]

Given the continued failure of Nikon Oz to be able to supply stock of any new items, is that the wisest course of action?

Hi Gary.... if I was still using the D200 then there is no way I would be selling my current 50mm without first having the new one in my hands. With the D3 though I am comfortable getting by with the 24-70 for a while. As much as I do like the 50mm lens I am always frustrated using the current version wide open and so I am rather looking forward to the new lens to see if there is much of an improvement.

[aim54x]

I like the look of this one, G-type is not great (if i get this i wont be able to use this on my FM2 - if i ever wanted to)

I am happy with my AF-D 50mm f/1.8 atm, but may be convinced to upgrade to this later on. ATM I am going to hang out for a new AF-S 85mm f/1.4 and AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR that have been rumoured for so long (too broke to actually buy though)

[Oz_Beachside]

shot with a canon 85mm 1.2 the other day, now that was something! think the D3x is on my list

[Reschsmooth]

Apart from that, the specs don't look too bad, but I think I would rather have an aperture ring. Making the lens a G series makes this lens incompatible with many older bodies, and for this class of lens, I'm not convinced that that's a great idea.

That has always been my gripe with the G series lenses.

[DaveB]

Making the lens a G series makes this lens incompatible with many older bodies

That has always been my gripe with the G series lenses.

Fair enough. Canon solved this problem back in the '80s when they introduced EOS/EF (lots of pain for Canon users back then with compatibility problems, but not since). Nikon just put off some of the pain...

Oh well, if you're going to use old bodies you can use the older lenses. You obviously won't need things like the AF improvements. If Nikon were to introduce a non-G lens as the new model, presumably there would be a price increment.

[gstark]

If Nikon were to introduce a non-G lens as the new model, presumably there would be a price increment.

Which makes the price increment already announced even more difficult to swallow.

[StarForge]

Hmm... I wonder if I should order one of these from overseas and sell my 50mm f/1.2 AI-S ... hmm

[sirhc55]

From what I have read the Sigma 50mm outshines the new Nikkor

[gstark]

Hmm... I wonder if I should order one of these from overseas and sell my 50mm f/1.2 AI-S ... hmm

Why would you do that? What would you gain, apart from AF capabilities?

Do you have any older bodies for which the new lens may create compatibility issues?

And consider what you would be using by selling that lens ... the glass will be superb, the solid construction ...

[StarForge]

Why would you do that? What would you gain, apart from AF capabilities?

Do you have any older bodies for which the new lens may create compatibility issues?

And consider what you would be using by selling that lens ... the glass will be superb, the solid construction ...

I guess I'm trying to justify getting an AF-S 50mm and my camera bodies are both DX so no issues with G lenses

I really like my 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, but I find it impossible to photograph things that move with it. I think I'm just to inept when it comes to manual focus at large apertures. Somehow I think if I get an AF-S 50mm, I'd rarely pick up my f/1.2...

Having said that, I absolutely can't leave my f/1.2 at home, it goes with me everywhere even though its not on my camera!

If anyone has any tips on manual focusing their f/1.4, please do share

[Yi-P]

Oh I can sense the AF-S 85mm f/1.4 (possibly with VR) coming soon... I just can't resist if something like that comes out!!

[latch]

I've just bought a 50mm f/1.4D, and this is exactly what I suspected would happen once mine arrived in the post!

Actually, I'm not upset at all. For me, cost was such a big enough issue that I strongly considered the f/1.8 for a while. As I decided to get the faster lens, I began to read rumours about an AF-S version. I got the old AF D version straight away, because it had all the features I wanted (fast, sharp, light, shallow dof) without the price premium of the newly announced version.

I guess I could have waited and surfed the eBay wave following this announcement, but there were good arguments against waiting (like all the photos I can now take but would otherwise have missed).

I'll be very interested to follow the reception of the AF-S version. I assume it will continue the stellar optical quality of the 50mm f/1.4 tradition.

[MATT]

Oh I can sense the AF-S 85mm f/1.4 (possibly with VR) coming soon... I just can't resist if something like that comes out!!

Now that is something to wait for... As lon gas they dont mess to much with the optic formula..

MATT

[Antsl]

From what I have read the Sigma 50mm outshines the new Nikkor

Where have you read this? I would be keen to have a read too.
I want a better 50mm but the only thing that puts me off the Sigma is the size.... it definitely isn't a pocket sized lens.

[chrisk]

the sigma outshines the old nikkor, i dont think there is any rview of this new lens yet. of particualr note here is the new rounded aperture blades aswell. this isnt just a bolt on of af-s.

definate preorder from bhphoto for me, ($479USD). this ie EXACTLY what i was after. af/ swm. i could care less about it being a G lens. there are plenty of options out there for older bodies including the current 50/1.4. happy to sell it to anyone here who wants backward compatability once i get my new one.

i'm with you antsl...very, very happy. hopefully the 85/1.4 afs isnt too far behind.

[gstark]

it definitely isn't a pocket sized lens.

Have you seen the size of Chris's pockets?

[sirhc55]

From what I have read the Sigma 50mm outshines the new Nikkor

Where have you read this? I would be keen to have a read too.
I want a better 50mm but the only thing that puts me off the Sigma is the size.... it definitely isn't a pocket sized lens.

Try dpreview - they do a comparison between the new Nikkor, the Sigma and I believe a Canon

[StarForge]

Try dpreview - they do a comparison between the new Nikkor, the Sigma and I believe a Canon

Isn't that the old 50mm f/1.4 D? I read that review and comparison when it came out, but there's not been anything on the yet to be released new version.

[chrisk]

its the old af-d in the comparison.

[Grev]

Seeing I've got the AFD 50mm f1.4 and the AiS 50mm f1.2, I have to say the most important aspect to correct would be the veiling wide open, which happens on the 50mm lenses but is very bad on the AiS 35mm f1.4 (think Bjorn said it was internal flare).

Thing is I can tell that things are sharp on the sides for the 50mm f1.2, but the veiling just hides the sharpness and comparing this to the Canon primes (the f1.2 ones anyway), it's a nuisance because they can shoot wide open but the Nikons can't.

Hope this isn't too fragmented to read.

[feldy]

what effect does a new release like this typically have on the older models - ie existing 1.4 & 1.8?

-F

[monyx]

Putting my old 50mm 1.4 lens onto eBay right now!

Apart from that, the specs don't look too bad, but I think I would rather have an aperture ring. Making the lens a G series makes this lens incompatible with many older bodies, and for this class of lens, I'm not convinced that that's a great idea.

+1
Was thinking about getting the 1.4D box out of the closet ready for ebaying...as I contemplated my LC37C, ND8 and cheapo extension tubes would all be rendered useless with the 1.4G I quickly realised just how much more practical the aperture and 52mm diameter is for me.
Mark

[Reschsmooth]

Oh well, if you're going to use old bodies you can use the older lenses. You obviously won't need things like the AF improvements. If Nikon were to introduce a non-G lens as the new model, presumably there would be a price increment.

I understand what you are saying, but, and correct me if I am wrong (I am married, so it happens often ), but I can't see what they were correcting or improving by removing the aperture ring and definately removing the backward compatibility.

[chrisk]

anyone have any ideas on when this will be available ?

[Oz_Beachside]

anyone have any ideas on when this will be available ?

The lens will be available from December 2008.

[gstark]

anyone have any ideas on when this will be available ?

The lens will be available from December 2008.

With availability not scheduled until December

In just the second post in this thread, actually.

[chrisk]

sorry, i should have clarified, is that for Oz or for the US ?

[gstark]

Yes.

[shakey]

, but I can't see what they were correcting or improving by removing the aperture ring and definately removing the backward compatibility.

Reduction in cost of manufacture and the fact that 99% of people don't use an F3 or below. Nearly every Nikon camera produced in the last 20 years takes a G lens. Noone (apart from Bjorn ) seems to get hot under the collar about the great 70-200 2.8 VR lens being a "G" lens.

There comes a time when backward compatibility becomes uneconomic, and those older cameras probably wouldn't be able to use the in lens motor for focussing anyway. If you are stuck using an F3 or a similar vintage Nikon it comes down to an issue of whether the new optics deliver a better performance than the old optics. At this point, I'd suggest that no one knows.

I doubt that the exclusion of an aperture ring will have any more than a minor blip on the sales figures.