Tai Shimizu

iOS & Mac Developer

Creator of the iOS photography apps Gridditor & Filterstorm, the Mac drawing app Inkist, the Mac HDR app Light Compressor, and the experimental web browser Torii.

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Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 Pre-AI Review

Overall: 4 out of 5

Optics: 4

Price on Used Market: ~$50 USD

Value at $50 USD: 5

An old silver and black design, the Nikkor-C 50mm f/1.4 non-ai performs similarly to the current model. There is a later S·C version which added a red coating and reduced flaring.

Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 Non-AI

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai nikkor s 50mm f 1 4 thumb.jpgTaken with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AIS

Assorted Information

Max Aperture f/1.4
Min Aperture f/16
Aperture Blades 7
Close Focus 0.6m/2ft
Filter Thread 52mm
Hard Infinity Stop? Yes
Built in Hood? no

Image Quality

The Nikkor-S like the the 50mm f/1.4 AF-D has an aperture with 7 straight blades, while the 50mm f/1.4 AF-S has 9 rounded blades.

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai sculpture thumb.jpg

Boke is good, but with some highlighting around edges which can make backgrounds look slightly busier. The lens also suffers from significant coma when wide-open. Otherwise it’s a bit soft at 1.4, good on DX crops for portraits, but sharpens up by f/2.8 and remains so through f/8.

Operation

The focusing ring is metal, not rubber, and turns smoothly almost 1/2 way around the barrel, which I think is a good distance for 50mm. Filters will not turn with focusing, but it’s not an IF design, so the front does move a couple millimeters from close focus at .6m/2ft to infinity. My only real complaint is the metal is colder to the touch in winter than rubber would be. Otherwise I quite like the feel of it.

Grand Central Clock — Nikon D700 (full frame) & S·C Version

http:  taishimizu.com pictures Nikon D700 first impressions nikkor s c 50mm f1 4 non ai grand central clock thumb.jpg

Full Frame

Noticeable but correctable vignetting is present from at f/1.4 to f/2.8.

Compared to...

My bunny Thor poses for the 50mm s·c non-ai, and the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AF-D on a full frame D700.

AF-D @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai nikon 50mm comparison nikkor 50mm f1 4 af d thumb.jpg

Non-AI @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai nikon 50mm comparison nikkor s c 50mm f1 4 non ai thumb.jpg

As you can see from the thumbnails here, the AF version has some, but less vignetting.

100% crops

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai bunny eye 100 percent 50mm comparison.jpg

Not too much difference, the AF-D (bottom) has slightly better contrast at f/1.4, but the difference disappears by f/2. If I have time, I’ll put up some samples. Also, Thor didn’t seem to want to keep his eyes all the way open for the non-ai lens.

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai bunny chin 100 percent 50mm comparison.jpg

Which is which? Give up? The top is the AF version, bottom is the non-ai. A couple generations didn’t really do much to image quality. The AF version does focus a bit closer, is lighter, and autofocuses, but it feels cheaper, especially the focus ring.

Taken @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai bones thumb.jpg

Final Word

50mm is an especially interesting focal length now, because it’s uses are fairly different on Full Frame and APS-C cropped cameras. On full frame cameras it’s the old standby normal lens, versatile, and famously all Henri Cartier-Bresson ever really needed. On a DX cropped sensor it becomes a 75mm equivalent short tele, good for portraits.

A 50mm f/1.4 is a lens everyone should probably own, and this is a great manual focus choice. It’s a complete steal for $50. The only problem is most of the copies you’ll see are not AI’D, which means they won’t work on any but the cheapest SLRs Nikon sells today without conversion. The good news is the modern version’s aren’t expensive either, and are great as well. This is a great lens to get for an old MF body that will take non-ai lenses, but there’s not much reason to skip the 50mm f/1.4 AFS.

More Photos with this Lens

All images with a DX Crop except those marked with a film type.

Taken @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai butterfly hand thumb.jpg

Automated Tellers — Nikon D700 (full frame) & S·C Version

http:  taishimizu.com pictures Nikon D700 first impressions nikkor s c 50mm f1 4 non ai chase atm thumb.jpg

Portrait @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai headshot thumb.jpg

http:  www.taishimizu.com pictures 2009 06 22 walk to work Nikon D200 Nikkor S 50mm f1 4 dog thumb.jpg

Taken on Nikon FE & Fuji Velvia 50

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai manhattan bridge thumb.jpg

Taken on Kodak TMax 400

http:  taishimizu.com pictures 2009 Kodak TMax 400 over the cube wall thumb.jpg

Taken on Nikon FE & Fuji Velvia 50

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai ice skating thumb.jpg

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai i can fly thumb.jpg

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai arches thumb.jpg

Taken @f/1.4

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai 1 up thumb.jpg

Taken on Nikon FE & Fuji Velvia 50

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai clouds thumb.jpg

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai brooklyn bridge cars thumb.jpg

Taken on Nikon FE & Fuji Reala 100

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai baoguette thumb.jpg

More Photos of this Lens

This lens looks at home on my Nikon FE

http:  taishimizu.com pictures nikon nikkor s 50mm f1 4 non ai nikkor s 50mm f 1 4 mounted thumb.jpgTaken with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AIS

note, the original version of this review erroneously state the -S designation was for aperture blade count rather than glass element count. I apologize for the error.

Posted by tai on 2009-08-30 11:52:19. Comments (6) | Tiny link

Previous Entry: Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 AIS First Impressions

Next Entry: Canon Interface Epiphany

Comments

Letter code

Note that the letter code refers to the number of glass elements in the design, not the number of blades...

Nice pix!

Posted by John Wilton (anon) on 2010-05-11 01:01:45.

tai

Whoops, my mistake. I’ve edited the review.

Posted by tai on 2010-05-11 06:06:24.

50 1.5 pre AI but converted

Is there any issues with fitting this old lens to a D700 ?

art@ajacks.com

Posted by Art Jacks (anon) on 2010-11-04 19:39:30.

On d700

No problem using it on d700 or d800. I have done both

Posted by Rich in tx (anon) on 2012-12-19 00:50:37.

Perfect Review!

That review is something to admire! Good job.

Posted by nath (anon) on 2013-02-20 06:05:49.

Good Review !

I bought this lens used in a very good condition for 60$ bugs and i love it. The build quality is really good and the photos taken with it are really good.

It is also really good for low light movies (aswell as photos) , i got a 35mm 1.8 and its quality is in comparison to the 50mm 1.4 really bad and plasticy.

Posted by Leon B (anon) on 2013-10-25 11:33:06.
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