Best 50mm for D700?

Reviews seem to indicate the Sigma is the best.

Between the Nikon 1.4s, the D is faster focusing than the G, but the G is supposed to be sharper. I have the 1.4D and I'm happy with it.
 
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 is definitely better than the Nikon equivalent but it is a lot bigger and heavier and costs a little more. Based on you already owning the G versions of the 24mm and 85mm I'm guessing that cost isn't a major issue for you and I'm sure you'll overcome the weight and size issue.
 
I've had a Nikon AF, AF-D and AF-S and have still got AF-S version. The AF-S version is the one I'd recommend most highly. It focusses quicker (though still a bit slow compared to other primes), it's also quieter and has full time manual focus overide. IQ wise, they all seem much of a muchness. The only reasons I can think to buy the AF-D or AF version is to either save a little money or if you need an aperture ring for a film camera.

Not tried a Sigma.
 
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-Rob- said:
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 is definitely better than the Nikon equivalent but it is a lot bigger and heavier and costs a little more. Based on you already owning the G versions of the 24mm and 85mm I'm guessing that cost isn't a major issue for you and I'm sure you'll overcome the weight and size issue.
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Hi Rob.

I'm currently in the process of buying a house so now cost is much more of a factor. (i bought the other lenses when living with the parents lol!)

also the reason i'm looking at a 50mm is primarily because of the cheaper prices and lighter weights. I'm currently selling my FujiX100 due to using it very little, but the thing tempting me to keep it is its size and weight for those moments when I just want to take snaps on vacation without taking my big camera bag.

This led me to think that a small 50mm on my D700 wouldnt be too big to carry around and i'd still get quality pics (i'm a sucker for Bokeh:))
 
Small, light and low cost, the 50/1.8D would fit the bill.

The other option would be a 50/1.8 AiS around £75 used, manual focus but I have had no issues with MF on my D700.
 
redmonkee said:
Hi Rob.

I'm currently in the process of buying a house so now cost is much more of a factor. (i bought the other lenses when living with the parents lol!)

also the reason i'm looking at a 50mm is primarily because of the cheaper prices and lighter weights. I'm currently selling my FujiX100 due to using it very little, but the thing tempting me to keep it is its size and weight for those moments when I just want to take snaps on vacation without taking my big camera bag.

This led me to think that a small 50mm on my D700 wouldnt be too big to carry around and i'd still get quality pics (i'm a sucker for Bokeh:))
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The AF-D is cheap s/h, seem to be around £160 these days, focus is fast and accurate on a D700, and it's not a soft lens. It's my least used focal length, so I think the AF-D is the best compromise for me.
 
redmonkee said:
The things i'm looking for are fast focussing, nice bokeh and lightweight.
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Seems to be a case of pick any two: Sigma focuses fast, has the best bokeh but is no lightweight - 50mm 1.4G has nice bokeh, is lightweight but is slow to focus (slower than the 24 1.4G), 50mm 1.4D focuses fast, is light but the bokeh is poor, same with the 1.8D. Perhaps the 1.8G is the one that ticks all the boxes?
 
redmonkee said:
Cheers for the replies guys, much appreciated.

I've just been reading up on the new 50mm 1.8G, seems to have very good reviews and at £179 I think its cheap enough. Anyone used this lens?
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I have this lens. I have compared it to the 1.4G, and chose the 1.8G as I think the bokeh is better in the 1.8 than the 1.4
Although I have a D7000, I have had a play with it on a friend's D700, and my statement still stands.
There are a few direct comparisons on the net, and if you do a search I'm sure you will find out some useful info.
For the money, IMHO the 50mm f1.8G is a winner.
 
I have the sigma 1.4 which i purchased after trying both this and the Nikon version.

The siggy is generally agreed to be sharper centrally than the Nikon at 1.4, whilst the Nikon wins at edge sharpness at 1.4.

As it is used a lot for portraits I the central sharpness was of more importance to me.
 
redddraggon said:
Maybe at the Pixel density of a D7000, but you need to remember that the D700 pixels are 3 times bigger, it's not soft on 12MP FX.
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Perhaps...I have also reviewed it online (which I'll post the website later) and I believe that was on a D3s which also showed it's softness...
 
Phil Young said:
Perhaps...I have also reviewed it online (which I'll post the website later) and I believe that was on a D3s which also showed it's softness...
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Posting that review is not going to change what I already experience with my kit.

I can only what I say I see on my equipment, and on my D700 it's not soft, it's not the sharpest lens ever, but certainly sharp enough, and it's cheap, small and light.
 
redddraggon said:
Posting that review is not going to change what I already experience with my kit.

I can only what I say I see on my equipment, and on my D700 it's not soft, it's not the sharpest lens ever, but certainly sharp enough, and it's cheap, small and light.
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I've never seen any significant difference between any of the Nikon 1.4's in terms of sharpness or optical quality in general. In my experience they're all acceptably sharp even wide open. They get sharper beyond that but that is the case for all lenses I've ever used. The only thing I would say is that I always take time to calibrate lenses with such wide apertures as such a shallow DOF will magnify even the slightest focussing calibration error.
 
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