Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI Manual Focus Standard Lens. Near
Mint Tested. See Test Images.
This is
a
near pristine example
of one of Nikon's high quality AI lenses from the 1970's and 1980's when Nikon
didn't make anything except high quality pro lenses. This is the last and best optical design AI
specification lens. This one, lens number 4399590, was
number 453,889 in a total manufacturing
run of 910,681 units of the AI 50mm f1.4 lens made by Nikon Japan between March
1977 and June 1981. This one was made almost exactly half way through the production
run, so we can be pretty confident that it was made around May 1979.
Key
features
See
Hi-res images taken with this lens on Youtube...
It has
stunning optical and mechanical performance (see the pictures attached and at
the Dropbox link further down) in a compact package, weighing around 255g. This
50mm is extremely well made, having far better optical and mechanical
properties than the more modern AF lenses Nikon makes today. As with others I
have tested, this lens seems to me to have excellent edge sharpnesss. Have a
look at the test images and see if you agree.
See
full review of this lens on Ken Rockwell's lens review page
Lens
compatibility
Use on
Digital Cameras
It
works on all digital cameras with varying ease.
N.B.
Most modern Nikon digital cameras have an electronic rangefinder bottom left of
the viewfinder. One can use this with MF lenses to get precise focus
On the
D810, D800, D800E, D750, D700, D610, D600, D500, D300s, D300, D200, D7200, D7100, D7000 series
cameras, it can give full matrix metering and aperture-preferred auto (A) and
manual (M) modes, and encodes the shooting aperture and focal length in the
EXIF.
The
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AI works on the lesser cameras like the D80, D70 and D40, but
without any metering - you'll have to use an external meter or guess using the
LCD.
Use on
Film Cameras
The
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AI is ideal for manual focus cameras like the FA, FE, FM and
F2AS.
The
F100 and most film cameras offer centre weighted metering with this lens, while
the F4, F6 and FA are unique among film cameras in offering matrix metering
with it.
For
further reading on the subject, please visit Ken Rockwell's most instructive
website on the subject
Overall
Lens Condition: Near Mint
Mechanical
/ Cosmetic: Near Mint
The
lens is in near pristine
mechanical and cosmetic condition. It is unmarked bar some slight
rubbing on the top edge of the filter ring (the thread is perfect though) and
two tiny clusters of scratches near the Ft / M and 0.7M marks. They all need a
magnifying glass to be seen.
The focus ring action is buttery smooth with no play at all in the action. The painted lettering is
bright and completely intact bar a slight reddening of the f/5.6 mark. The
aperture ring is smooth and 'clicky' and free moving. The iris blades are nice
and snappy. The iris is in perfect condition and free of oil. The bayonet mount
is also in as new condition.
Optical:
Mint-
There is
a pinhead sized coating mark on the front element. It needs a point light
source and a magnifying glass to be seen. It has no effect at all on image
quality. There is no dust in the lens. The optics are otherwise
flawless. There is no
fungus, haze, mould or Balsam separation. This lens produces punchy, colourful
and contrasty images straight from the camera as can be seen from the test
images. The rear element is pristine.
Image
quality
Image
quality is superb. The Ken Rockwell review explains the characteristics of this
lens in some detail. The images attached attest to the quality he sees. I shot
the images on a Sony A7R II 42.4MP Mirrorless camera. It also works flawlessly
on my Nikon D7200 and Nikon film cameras, but I wanted to show off the
astounding resolution the lens is capable of and also to show its full-frame
capability. The 100% crop (when viewed on your PC screen at about 10"
across would be equivalent to a full-size image of about 8 feet by 5 feet.
The
Ebay Upload Images
The
test images were shot in and around St. Paul’s Square in Birmingham, UK. The first
image is of the hotel on the square. It was shot wide open in daylight at f/1.4 like crazy people
and lens testers do! I have attached 100% centre and edge crops of this image.
It is dead sharp and contrasty in the middle with the characteristic CA and
Spherical Aberration that is typical of this lens model at f/1.4. The next
image is a 100% crop of the same scene, but this time at f/2. The CA there was
at f/1.4 has completely gone. The next two images are of the same scene, but
this
time they are centre and edge
crops at f/5.6. They are perfect. This lens is fantastic across the frame
stopped down to f/5.6.
The next two images of the building
on the edge of the square were
shot at f/1.4 and f/4 respectively.
Again, they are cropped at 100%. The final
image of
the gravestone was shot
at f/4 and I’ve cropped it at 100%.
The
Youtube Images
On
Youtube, I have published a series of images of the shop from f/1.4 all the way
through to f/16. Notice that there is a small amount of Chromatic Aberration
and Veiling at f/1.4, but it's very well controlled and the image is dead
sharp. This produces images with an almost dreamlike quality at night: just
what this lens was designed for.
The CA
is gone by f/2, and it's just about perfect at f/2.8. Look at the edge crops at
f/2.8, f/5.6, f/8, f/11 and f/16. This lens is great at the edges. It continues
to be razor sharp all the way to f/16. This is a very good lens. I've also
uploaded some other images taken in and around the test area.
What's
in the box?
Lens, front
and rear Nikon lens
caps.
Please
check out my other Nikon listings on eBay