A Review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens

A wide-aperture 50mm lens is one of the most versatile prime lenses almost any photographer can use. If you are a Nikon shooter looking for such a lens for your work, check out this great review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G lens.

Coming to you from Christopher Frost Photography, this excellent video review takes a look at the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G lens. A 50mm f/1.4 lens has a wide range of applications ranging from anything like portrait work (including shallow depth of field) to low-light events coverage. The 50mm f/1.4G features 8 elements in 7 groups, is pretty light at 9.88 oz (280 g) and comes with a minimum focus distance of 1.48 ft (45 cm) for a maximum magnification of 0.15x, features nine rounded diaphragm blades for smoother and more pleasing bokeh, has a Super Integrated Coating to reduce reflections for less flares and ghosting and increased contrast, and a Silent Wave Motor with full-time manual focus override. The lens also works well with Nikon's adapter for their mirrorless cameras, which will help to future-proof it for any photographers who are using the Z system. Check out the video above for Frost's full thoughts on the lens. 

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Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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8 Comments

Sorry, 50mm is NOT the ideal focal length for portraits to make a flatering image of the person! 85mm is the minimum and I usually shoot with my 105mm when shooting professionally. Even if you are just starting out use at least a kit zoom with a minimum focal length of 85 up to maybe 200.

I own 1 camera with a built-in 24-240mm lens and usually zoom in quite a bit to get that nice compression. But why does everyone say the nifty 50 so popular?

Nifty 50 is popular because they are low cost, compact, and fast. I own 4 of them, most expensive was $200 new and they are by far my best low light glass because of the f/1.8 aperture. I see it often recommended as a first lens to buy after getting a camera with a kit lens.

By common consent 35mm lens rather than 50mm wins the day for general purpose photography especially for photo journalism; 63 versus 47 degrees in 35mm format allowing more room to play with. Note: SONY 35mm f2,8 Zeiss E lens rated slightly below SONY 55mm f1,8 Zeiss E lens in terms of image quality. Both these SONY prime lenses rather expensive. Owner of SONY 35mm f2,8 Zeiss E lens .

In fairness, he did say that the 50mm attached to a DX camera is a great portrait lens.

That lens does have aberrations, is soft closer up and at larger apertures. This is typical of their older manual focus designs.
If you looked at the image instead of the charts you’d have noticed a beautiful bokeh and a 3D rendering with great Microcontrast. This lens wasn’t designed to create a flat and perfect image but a pleasing one . Many of the old Nikkor lens designers designed in aberrations to create pleasing softness . And closer up portraits shot At larger apertures are a little more pleasing. The highlight roll off will be more gentle with great background bokeh and 3d rendering. Go back now and look at your pictures see if you see them in a different light .

Who is this comment aimed at, im confused?

I'm with Troy on this - I have recently got the 1.4G and at full open with pixel peeping I wasn't impressed - but the prints I took at F1.4 were great !

At F8 for landscapes it is sharp and contrasty everywhere.

For APS / DX users it has the same impression - bad seen at 100% on screen but great rendering of portraits on the prints and lightweight enough to carry for hours with the older DX camera bodies and its plastic lenshood.

I have a 55mm F2.8 macro lens if I want flat field reproduction - so this F1.4 AFS makes a great complement to that lens.

With so many now chasing the Z-format, these are now looking to be great value secondhand. Mine was mint and ciat £99 GBP - about $125 USD.