Reviews for Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens

Very good lens

Strengths: Fast, low light photography. Does not need to use AF light on my D70. Very inexpensive for a fast 1.4 aperature.

Weakness: None

This is a very fast, greatly built lens for low light photography. Great focal length for portraits. I don't need to use the AF light to take photos in low light situations and this lens is lightweight and comes in handy even on vacations!

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Love the closeness to subject

Strengths: Close proximity, sharp, compact, lightweight

Weakness: Doesn't deliver very vibrant colors

It's a good value for the price, delivers sharp pictures, but the colors aren't as vibrant as say the 85mm 1.8 lens. It's still a fantastic lens allowing you to get as close as 1.5ft from your subject, great for close indoor situations. It's a significant price difference compared to the 1.8, but it's also not as "plasticky" as the 1.8.

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Great lens with great build quality

Strengths: Weight, F/1.4, AF-S D, beautiful bokeh

Weakness: none

This is the lens that you want to have for serious portrait photographers and semi-pros. The price is right for such a good lens. The bokeh is nice. I shoot this lens even at F1.4 in low-light situation and the DOF is very nice. The focus speed is fair, though not so fast as lens with VR. The lens is light and can be put into the bag at all time, which is good! The build quality is solid as always, since it is from Nikon.

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Nice Lense!

Strengths: Seems well built, very fast, sharp images.

Weakness: Made In China sticker?

After reading tons of reviews and debating whether to go for the 50mm 1.8 or this one, I eventually decided on this one. I like taking existing/low light photography so a fast lense was a no-brainer. Others have stated that the 1.8 is just a good, however I read several reviews from 1.8 owners that said that if they had to do it again, they would have gone for the 1.4.

The speed of this lens is amazing. I was pleasantly surprised at how my night shots in the city came out sharp, without the use of a tripod! Its too bad I can't afford a 1.4 wide angle lens as this lens is equivalent to approximately 75mm on my D50. However, the increase makes this an excellent lense for portrait photography.

The build quality seems good, however I don't really like having the "made in China" mark on the lens. You'd expect it be made in Japan for the $200+ price tag. However per the salesperson at B&H where I bought it from, the factories under Nikon and any other major camera manufacturer follow strict ISO compliance rules. These factories are also newer than their Japanese counterparts hence they contain the latest and greatest manufacturing equipment. Because of this, we can expect to see more and more equipment made in China. Believe what you will, but so far I've been really happy with the quality of the pictures this little lens takes along with its build. I highly recommend this lens, you will not be disappointed.

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Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF lens

Strengths: Good for low-light situations. Light weight. Sturdy.

Weakness: You'll be missing the ability to zoom if you're not used to fixed lens.

I was debating between the 50mm f1.4 and the 50mm f1.8. Price differences can be steep (almost $200 difference). I never actually played with the f1.8. However, I moonlight as a wedding photographer, so I figured the extra help for those really low light conditions can't hurt.

So far, I really like the feel of the lens. It's light weight yet sturdy. My photos look so much better, and I'm not as limited by dark indoor conditions as I used to be.

The only downfall I've seen so far is the fact that it's a fixed lens. So you have to do some leg work if you want to get the composition you want. Additionally, I still have to get used to the small depth of field when shooting indoors. But these are inherent to 50mm f1.4 lens, and do not speak badly of this particular lens itself.

If you photograph for fun, I would recommend the f1.8 (from all my research, not from having the f1.8 myself). But if you have the cash or will make cash from using your lens, I would highly recommend this lens.

Blanche

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Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens

Strengths: Speed & Sharpness

Weakness: A little pricey.

I bought this lens for it's speed (f/1.4) and I was not disappointed. This lens delivers in any kind of light and is extremely sharp edge to edge. It is a little pricey ($299 at Ritz) but I would definitely purchase it again.

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The brightest economical lens that your money can...

Strengths: Brightness for the price, small & light to carry all day

Weakness: The rubber lens hood after a while will start to come off, so I would recommend a metal lens hood if you can find one.

It's simple, small, bright, and I've used it in many dimly lit places like bars, or candle lit places. This is the best lens to take with you if you're not sure what to grab. It's light enough that it won't get in your way. And extremely useful despite it's economical pricing, and it's weight and size.

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Old but good

Strengths: Sharp, works with Nikon legacy film cameras and most high end DSLRs

Weakness: Flare is a problem, when shooting against light source, doesn't work with some new Nikon DSLRs

I purchased this one after doing some comparisons with its 1.8/50 sister. This lens seems to produce images with more sharpness and contrast. I will still keep the 1.8 though just because it handles flare better. Also, keep in mind that this lens has been discontinued by Nikon as of September of 2008, so if you still have some Nikon film SLRs grab this one while you still can. Its replacement, type "G" lens, that's due in December of 2008 will not work with older bodies and will cost 1.5X more.

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Great standard lens for Nikon

Strengths: Superb aperture, fast focus

Weakness: none

This is a basic 50mm lens with a superb aperture. The low light performance is outstanding. Auto focus is very fast. The design of the lens is also great. I did not find any flaw of this lens. So it is a kind of "must have" lens for Nikon user.

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Excellent Lens!

Strengths: Sharp, fast, well-built

Weakness: Learning curve

I'm very glad I decided to purchase this lens. I needed a good portrait lens and this lens is perfect for that! I love sharp, fast lenses and this lens is all of that. I did notice it's not as idiot-proof as some other lenses and you really have to be careful what you are focusing on to be sure it is in focus.

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Great versatile lens

Strengths: Sharpness and value

Weakness: It is plastic. It does not come with rear lens cap.

When I bought this lens. I compared it with the 50mm f/1.8. Even though almost every review I have read said that they are almost identical, for some personal preference, I chose this lens. First, it looks better (bigger glass), and to be professional, you need that kind of confidence in your mind. When you put it on your camera, you have the "Umm (with confidence)" feeling. If you know what I mean. So, if you have money to spend and need some confidence, go get one for yourself. For extra $100 in photography where everything is expensive, this is worth it.

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A perfect portrait lens.

Strengths: Crystal sharp and wonderful bokeh.

Weakness: Twice as expensive as the 50mm 1.8.

Although this lens is made in China (just like the 1.8), its bokeh is much better, and its picture quality is ultra sharp. Aside from being a good portrait lens, it is also a wonderful len for indoor/low-light shots and close-up shots (which work even better with close-up filters). With the 1.5 crop factor of my Nikon D300, the focal length of this lens is golden for portrait.

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Best Portrait Lens

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Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D Nikkor

Testseek.com has collected 7 expert reviews for Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D Nikkor and the average expert rating is 94 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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