50mm f/1.8 Has the Best Optics at a CHEAP price!

Nowadays, when zooms are the norms, a fixed-focal-length lens is often overlooked. At a price of well under $100, this AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 can knock all the variable aperture zooms (particularly in the range 35-70mm, 28-80mm, 28-70mm) off their feet!

This lens is a real knocker. At 50mm, it has a perspective almost the same as the human eyes, an excellent lens for taking a full-length or head-to-shoulder portrait. It has the best and well corrected optics there is in a lens. Compared to other zooms (for example, the Nikon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D), the 50mm is much faster at f/1.8, very bright in the viewfinder, and of course, you can shoot it at wide open with results that those slower zooms can never come close. The lens is very light and compact. I regularly load it on my camera to photograph a family picnic, or for a walk in a park, and much more.

The one I have has very smooth focusing ring, with distance scale markings on it, and also has depth-of-field scale for f/11 and f/22. The ring is wide enough for a good grip. Its AF operation is fast with minimal noise. It can focus from about 1.4 feet to infinity. The front barrel extends to about 0.5 inch at close focusing (no real problem). The front barrel does not rotate (good for polarizing filters). The lens has a metal mounting but plastic barrel. So this lens has to be handled with care. Another good thing about this lens is that you can achieve a great depth of field, because you can stop it down to f/22 (unlike the standard portrait lens 85mm f/1.8D which has a minimum aperture of f/16). Packed with an excellent optics at 50mm and an ability to achieve shallow depth of field (f/1.8) for portraits or greater depth of fields (f/22) for landscape, this lens cannot be beaten.

The 50mm f/1.8 is extremely sharp (center to corner) with excellent color and contrast. Like virtually all fixed-focal-length lenses, it does not surfer from ghosting or flare effects; it does not show any linear distortion either. With six elements in five groups, and multi-coated, this lens works like a charm throughout its aperture range. You can achieve sharp image at f/1.8, but be careful about your main subject or it can become fuzzy due to the shallow depth of field. I had this lens for a number of years now, and I cannot find any short comings in terms of optics. With this lens you can use an ISO 100 film to shoot on a cloudy day, with no problem. With your 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D, you need to use at least an ISO 400. But you spend more money for the ISO 400, not to mention the grainy effects and/or picture-sharpness degradation, which may have already been affected by the zoom's optics.

Compared to the 50mm f/1.4D ($250), the 50mm f/1.8 is a real bargain.

Update: (6/12/2002)

I would like to make a few notes regarding the current version of this lens. Nikon had finally incorporated the “D” technology into this wonderful lens! I had played with it for two weeks shooting a couple of rolls, and I am very impressed!

The new version has the “D” technology that can take full advantage of the auto-exposure and flash in 3D matrix metering mode of Nikon N65, N80, etc. It appeared that Nikon had redesigned this lens, with newer integrated optical coatings with a very nice exterior look, including built for good handling. According to the specs, both lenses have the same weight, with 6 optical elements in 5 groups. The newer one has a much better look and feel, with the focusing ring very well damped and solid. I have not compared the optical results between the two lenses, but suspect there should be no optical variation; perhaps the newer one should perform better too.

For those who want or prefer to take full advantage of their camera’s 3D Matrix metering system, this 50mm f/1.8D should prove to be a very desirable lens. I honestly think this one will be a serious competitor to the Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D version with two practical reasons.
1. The 50mm f/1.4D is only 2/3 stops faster but over 2 ounces heavier than the f/1.8D.
2. The f/1.8D (or the old f/1.8) is optically better and cheaper than the f/1.4D version.