Nikkor F1.2 has anyone tried one?

I have the 55mm f1.2 - the DOF at 1.2 is minute

and if MF - how's your eyes ... even the focus confirm "flickers" if you are at f1.2

The number is on there - it looks like an AIS lens but just check ........ mine is a converted to AI model

you can usually get them in the UK at that price
 
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I have a 50mm F1.4 and its lovely. I was more wondering if the glass quality will be good.
 
Mr Bump said:
I have a 50mm F1.4 and its lovely. I was more wondering if the glass quality will be good.
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just amended my reply - I have the 55mm f1.2

I think that it is all about the f1.2 "look"
 
Mine would be fully manual use anyhow, I probably wouldn't use it much at F1.2 as I don't use my F1.4 that much at that point. But it does make for a bright viewfinder and for very low light conditions.
 
IMO the DoF is almost unusably shallow at f/1.2. Even using modern focussing aids, it's not an easy job, easier on split prism/micro prism screens but still not easy. Not got any examples to show, the test roll I shot with the one I borrowed were all carp so binned them all. FWIW, I was using it on an F80.
 
I've got the 55mm f1.2 and I love it, it has a look all its own, yes it's a challenge to use, yes the depth of field is slightly narrower than a gnat's dangly bits but if you take the time to get the best out of it it will reward you.
 
RaglanSurf said:
I've got the 55mm f1.2 and I love it, it has a look all its own, yes it's a challenge to use, yes the depth of field is slightly narrower than a gnat's dangly bits but if you take the time to get the best out of it it will reward you.
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Whats the quality like stopped down a abit?
same/better than the F1.4 etc?
 
Mr Bump said:
Whats the quality like stopped down a abit?
same/better than the F1.4 etc?
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I really don't know, I only ever use it wide open. That's the challenge, I might chuck it on the Digi and check.
 
how much beefier is it than the F1.4 version?
 
I always ponder the idea of a 50mm f/1.2 every few months, and always decide against it. The 50mm f/1.4 is an exceptionally good lens, offers excellent performance (especially stopped down), without the additional weight and hair thin DOF which makes f/1.2 difficult. Sometimes it feels a bit like chasing the large aperture for the sake of it (like the Canon 50mm f/0.95, which is highly sought after but essentially useless wide open). The f/1.2 is probably ever so slightly sharper at the f/1.4-f/2 range, but for the average hobbyist scanning on an Epson flatbed, I'm not convinced by the benefits.
 
I imagine its VERY rewarding if you nail focus at f/1.2. I only ever shoot wide open these days and the results when you get them are superb. They reckon 80mm f/2.0 on MF is the equivalent to 50mm f/1.2 and it's definitely not too thin for me. Depends what you want to do though I guess.
 
I quite like the idea of simply having just a few great lenses to be honest, for the Nikon stuff I have 2x absolute crackers my 35mm F2.5 Series E pretty much sits on my FE2. I also have a 50mm F1.4 for that camera and a 50mm F1.8, also somewhere a 105mm F2.5.

My thoughts are I want to build a kit for the F2 and I have a 50mm F1.4 and a 35mm F2.8..

soooooooo its do I add the 55mm F1.2 to replace the F1.4? or have for special days
 
I use a 50mm f1.2 with my FM3a and it can be a wonderful combination the reason I went for the F1.2 is because it became available and I did not own the f1.4, if I had the f1.4 already in my line up then I would have used the money for another body.
 
medwaygreen said:
I use a 50mm f1.2 with my FM3a and it can be a wonderful combination the reason I went for the F1.2 is because it became available and I did not own the f1.4, if I had the f1.4 already in my line up then I would have used the money for another body.
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yeah I know what you mean thing is with the FE2 and the FM2n and F2 I kinda have my perfect group of bides.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
I imagine its VERY rewarding if you nail focus at f/1.2. I only ever shoot wide open these days and the results when you get them are superb. They reckon 80mm f/2.0 on MF is the equivalent to 50mm f/1.2 and it's definitely not too thin for me. Depends what you want to do though I guess.
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You NEED a Noctilux f/0.95 for the Leica, Gareth! (And the very best of luck nailing focus wide open with it!!!)
 
Nod said:
You NEED a Noctilux f/0.95 for the Leica, Gareth! (And the very best of luck nailing focus wide open with it!!!)
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I bet it's pretty epic when you do nail it though. Will have a look at some images later in Flickr. Not for £6,000 though!
 
I had a 50mm f1.2 AIS and it is unquestionably an awesome lens but once stopped down a bit it's no different to any other one. I shot these shots with mine at about f2 I think with a Nikon FA and they have a lovely quality to them (helped largely by the lovely light conditions and the Portra of course) but I don't think they would have been noticeably different with the a different 50mm lens.
8682437937_cd0a5b2f07_b.jpg

8683550822_a003f4b94e_b.jpg

8683550726_073a4521da_b.jpg
 
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