I love my new Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AFS

awesome

anyone got anything with the 1.8 version ?
 
excuse my ignorance but what makes this lens different to a lens that includes 50mm, such as the kit lens 18-55mm. i'm trying my best to understand the different type of lenses but i can't get my head around the lenses that have a set range iykwim what makes them different??? and is this the lens i've heard people refer to as the niftey fifty - whats it all about??

Hope you don't mind me hijacking your post - i'd reply with a "nice one" if i knew what it was about!!!
 
this is a prime lens i.e. fixed no zoom and has low aperature which allows higher DoF depth of field. generally these are sharp lenses.
 
p1tse said:
this is a prime lens i.e. fixed no zoom and has low aperature which allows higher DoF depth of field. generally these are sharp lenses.
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am i confused, or did you get the last two aspect back to front... as in:

fixed lens -> large aperture (i.e. low f/number) -> possible to get SHALLOW DoF and higher shutter speed or can shoot in lower light ->(hence good for portraits)

of course it may be that the fixed lenses go to lower apetures than zooms, you'd be diffraction limited before you reach that f/stop anyway.

and, of course, apologies in advance if i've misread your post here.:bonk:
 
kumimajava said:
am i confused, or did you get the last two aspect back to front... as in:

fixed lens -> large aperture (i.e. low f/number) -> possible to get SHALLOW DoF and higher shutter speed or can shoot in lower light ->(hence good for portraits)

of course it may be that the fixed lenses go to lower apetures than zooms, you'd be diffraction limited before you reach that f/stop anyway.

and, of course, apologies in advance if i've misread your post here.:bonk:
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Large aperture f1.4 / f1.8 = shallow depth of field, isolating the subject from a nice blurred background, also better for low light situations.

Also as focal length increases depth of field reduces.
 
For completeness - 3 things influence DoF for a given camera: Aperture, Distance to subject and focal length.

The larger the aperture (lower number) the shallower the DoF
The shorter the distance to the subject the shallower the DoF
The longer the focal length the shallower the DoF

As said, this is a fixed focal length prime lens. Primes generally can offer sharper results as the optics are simpler and optimised for that focal length. The lens in this case is the new AF-S version with quiet, fast AF in lens too, so happy on D40, D60 etc bodies without built in AF motors. It also has nice bokeh and handles specular highlights better than the older f/1.8 AF-D
Great for low light and shallow DoF work.
 
So what makes it better than a zoom lens then - just the fact it is better quality pics and has a much higher aperture?
 
Nice, I'm toying with the idea of selling my 30mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.8 to get this, would love a fifty that can AF with the D60, it's just a case of whether I can do without the 30.
 
queenies said:
So what makes it better than a zoom lens then - just the fact it is better quality pics and has a much higher aperture?
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The kit zoom lenses with variable f stop range are to some degree a compromise in design, as the components move. The prime lens fixed at one focal length can be optimised in design for that focal length, so it is easier to achieve a consistent optical unit, which will give better results.

A prime lens will always give a better result than the variable aperture kit zoom lens.

This is not true with the f2.8 zooms, which will match or even exceed the quality of the primes in the same range in some cases, but they will cost a great deal more money.
 
V8burble said:
For completeness - 3 things influence DoF for a given camera: Aperture, Distance to subject and focal length.

The larger the aperture (lower number) the shallower the DoF
The shorter the distance to the subject the shallower the DoF
The longer the focal length the shallower the DoF

As said, this is a fixed focal length prime lens. Primes generally can offer sharper results as the optics are simpler and optimised for that focal length. The lens in this case is the new AF-S version with quiet, fast AF in lens too, so happy on D40, D60 etc bodies without built in AF motors. It also has nice bokeh and handles specular highlights better than the older f/1.8 AF-D
Great for low light and shallow DoF work.
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oopps that's what i meant LOL
 
Martyn... said:
This is not true with the f2.8 zooms, which will match or even exceed the quality of the primes in the same range in some cases, but they will cost a great deal more money.
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from the canon stand point I might disagree with this last statement.
The pro quality 2.8 glass is very very nice but you might still get certain compromises. Following that in the Canon range you have primes at 1.8, then 1.4...and then pro quality prime lenses which can achieve f1.2 in cases (for questioners: though you don't have to shoot at that all the time)

so I would say that the 2.8 glass is often the best examples of variable zoom kit you can buy, but a good prime might well be equal to a very expensive zoom, and an expensive prime....Mmmmmm ooo la la etc
 
DizMatt said:
from the canon stand point I might disagree with this last statement.
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Yes but the OP is a Nikon user, the 14-24, 17-55, 24-70 and 70-200 are exceptionally good, however if you need extremely large apertures for specific effects f1.2 / f1.4 primes are the only way to go.

Primes used to be the only option for low light but looking at the new D3S and its ISO ability of 102400, you wonder how much longer that will be the case.
 
Thank you all for your explanations - i'm beginning to understand now!!!

(y)
 
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