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Lens review

Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D

20 January 2010
Arkadiusz Olech

11. Summary

Pros:
  • very good price/quality ratio,
  • excellent image quality in the frame center,
  • good image quality at the frame edge,
  • chromatic aberration not bothersome,
  • negligible distortion,
  • silent and quite fast autofocus,
  • high transmission.

Cons:

  • too low image quality near the maximum aperture,
  • distinct coma,
  • bothersome astigmatism near the maximum relative aperture,
  • significant vignetting,
  • autofocus could have been more accurate,
  • we expected better work against bright light in the case of such a simple construction.

The Nikkor 1.8/50 isn’t a faultless instrument because it would be impossible for a 120 $ device to be so. For that sum of money we still get quite a lot so it would hard to complain especially that in the most important category, concerning the resolution, the Nikkor definitely shows its true caliber. Contrary to popular opinion its build quality can’t be seriously criticized either. It’s certainly not on a par with other Nikon “primes” (mind you, they are several times more expensive) but it is noticeably better than competitors’. I am more than sure that every Canon enthusiast would pay willingly these 25 $ more to get a Canon 1.8/50 with the same build quality as the Nikkor’s. To sum up the Nikkor 1.8/50 is a compulsory device in every amateur photographer’s arsenal. After putting it on and shooting several photos with it the return to the soap reality of cheap kit lenses of different kinds is rather difficult.


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Sample shots:

Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 7.31 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.47 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 7.24 MB
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 6.66 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 6.63 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 7.18 MB
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/2500 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 7.98 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/640 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.32 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/1.8, exp. 1/4000 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 7.24 MB
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.5, exp. 1/1000 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 6.56 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/2000 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.84 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/1000 sec., ISO 100
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 9.15 MB
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Nikon Nikkor AF 50 mm f/1.8D - Summary
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/1.8, exp. 1/1250 sec., ISO 400
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.88 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/500 sec., ISO 400
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.89 MB
Camera: Nikon D3x
Parameters: 50 mm, f/2.0, exp. 1/1000 sec., ISO 200
File: JPEG, 6048 x 4032 pix, 8.59 MB



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