Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 useful on MFT? Other f/1.2 lenses?

[addieleman]

Is there anyone who has this lens and uses it on a µ4/3 camera? How does it perform wide open? At what aperture does it become really good? Any good alternatives, maybe the Minolta 50mm f/1.2?

I have a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 which is very good by f/2.8. If I can get a 50mm f/1.2 at the right price, I'd like to get more speed with good quality.

 

[kevinparis]

all these were shot on an e-p1 with a Nikkor 50/1.2 all wide open - as far as I recall

Nice lens

Nikkor 50/1.2 on E-P1 - a set on Flickr

K

 

[chylld]

I use a Voigtlander 50/1.1 as my portrait lens - lovely effect wide open, though not very sharp and quite a few artifacts. Stopped down to 1.7 however and it's nearly perfect!

 

[joele]

I use the Pentax-A 50mm f1.2... It works well half a stop down (though still has some fringing in high contrast situations).. Wide open I find it has low contrast and bad purple fringing, can be OK still when converting to B&W but harder to deal with the results for colour photos...

I will get some samples up ASAP (I keep meaning to do it), I have a lot of unprocessed RAW files in lightroom at the moment.. lol..

The other thing I like about it is it will focus down to around 40cm which is much better than the m lenses (aorund 1m)..

EDIT: As for price I think they go for about $500 to $600 on ebay these days, maybe the M series is slightly cheaper, either way it doesn't matter as on u4/3 you obviously control the apeture on the lens not through the camera so it just depends what you can find at the time..

 

[Luckypenguin]

Could f1.2 ever not be useful :smile:

My newly acquired Canon 55mm f1.2 S.S.C. is appropriately dreamy at f1.2 but sharpens up quickly. However if you're paying market prices it is a very expensive jump from f1.4 to f1.2 and there are many good f1.4 lenses available.

This is the only picture I currently have from the Canon (aka the cannon!) at f1.2.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55915417@N08/5285314046/" title="PC231157-PPR by Lucky.penguin, on Flickr">

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"500" height="375" alt="PC231157-PPR" /></a>

B&W is very forgiving of lens aberrations at large apertures, colour not so much.

 

[Brian S]

The Nikkor 55/1.2 is sharp over the center 2/3rds of a 35mm frame. On a Nikon DX format camera, or mu-43 camera, you get the sharpest portion of the lens. The 50/1.2 was introduced to improve the edge-to-edge sharpness, important for 35mm and of course, FX format Nikons.

Usually, the 55/1.2 cost much less than the 50/1.2. You can get older Non-AI versions (pre-1978) which work perfectly on mu43 cameras, again cost less.

 

[Brian S]

F1.2 lenses are big and heavy.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcamerapictures/1581506355/" title="Nikon SP and Nikon F2AS: Favorite Nikons. by anachronist_user, on Flickr">https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2052/1581506355_25440013d9_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" height="500" alt="Nikon SP and Nikon F2AS: Favorite Nikons." /></a>

I use the Nikkor 55/1.2,

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcamerapictures/2175931119/" title="Donuts that Go &quot;Ouch&quot;. by anachronist_user, on Flickr">[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2175931119_8938f8d838_z.jpg?zz=1" width="422" height="640" alt="Donuts that Go &quot;Ouch&quot;." /></a>

The 55/1.2 is older, goes for less than the 50/1.2. The 55/1.2 is sharp over the center 2/3rds of the image. On 1.5x and 2x crop cameras, the Nikon DX and u43 respectively, you get the best portion of the image.

Focus on the doll's foot, lower left corner.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcamerapictures/2175931125/" title="Christmas by anachronist_user, on Flickr">[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2175931125_9e88604658_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" height="416" alt="Christmas" /></a>

I've never had reason to complain about this $200 lens.

Wide-open, on the Nikon F2AS shown above.

 

[Brian S]

The F1.2 is now my "Third Fastest Lens" that I can use on the u43. The fastest is the Canon 50/0.95. It is twice as heavy as the F1.2, uses 72mm filters.

Picked up the 50/1.1 Nokton last week, tried it out on the Leica M8 this past weekend.

Wide-Open on the Leica M8:






I will try it out with my M-Mount adapter. Size and weight about the same as the Nikkor 55/1.2.

One note: This lens and the 35/1.2 Nokton BOTH required building up the RF cam by 0.05mm. Manufacturers make different assumptions about film bow, etc. Using on my Digital camera, I "optimized" it for wide-open on the digital Leica. It is quite sharp compared to other superspeed lenses that I own. This lens is a bargain at $1000 compared to other RF lenses. On a mirrorless camera, the RF cam is irrelevent.

 

[Stephen Geis]

I asked the same question you asked before getting this last summer, but now that I have it, I am glad that I did - it gets a lot of time on my GF1 body.

As Brian pointed out, this is a big, heavy lens. And with with the adapter, its looks like a super zoom when paired with a MFT body. The build quality is great and it feels very solid when paired with my GF1 (I personally like the heft). Since the GF1 doesn't have in-body IS, the weight can work against you though when shooting low light (especially if your hands shake like mine).

Here a few low light shots from July 3rd that I don't think my other lenses could capture. Candlelight and sparklers for illumination - wide open at ISO 800 between 1/25 and 1/40:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aBNHz8PJTjHZw9GEzoD8Dg?feat=embedwebsite">http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZMyKKPBoI/AAAAAAAADTo/zCCx-8oNpOk/s640/P1060894.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YMmVgDqn4pQhSeW7Oqp2ag?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZNPo3v95I/AAAAAAAADTs/fd7ehLdKyDQ/s640/P1060969.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IzVz1K35z2RmIJQ93HSRCQ?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZNldvme4I/AAAAAAAADT0/zQv8l9zvFT4/s640/P1070003.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

I find it super easy to focus on the GF1 - I have four children aging in range from 4-10 and I am able to use it to capture candid moments

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GDz1kGtTWiuFj7nmqLEPEA?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZJZFl0hDI/AAAAAAAADS8/w0Ov4eajyMg/s640/P1030606.JPG" height="640" width="639" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/K2FGySyg1fW7HX3XRJtDvg?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZJFAe--qI/AAAAAAAADS4/I6idquKnw88/s640/P1020146.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uk2u5BKYWSRG68SNHt4R8g?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZKs-JraHI/AAAAAAAADTM/fOJ3Bn_712Q/s640/P1070137.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PPmBSSGMPhwBuczwnH1XaQ?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZJs4zy-ZI/AAAAAAAADTE/AnGjtSpFwiw/s640/P1060752.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7SeNqsUYoQgfKe3PzW0EhA?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZSLQT0D5I/AAAAAAAADUA/4jpjfv9dVsY/s640/P1030659.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

Personally I like it a lot for portraits

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3TgNVkhrlYc-l_ms8xXV8g?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZScAaysaI/AAAAAAAADUE/0mqrDfrEpTQ/s640/P1020262.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5o_QQpVMyQQziXrcNTpxJA?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZStVxYKLI/AAAAAAAADUI/H9f-gMt69Js/s640/P1060689.JPG" height="640" width="638" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/THvSCq72oZ_wDDnAqNPjjg?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZLZPo6WyI/AAAAAAAADTY/04KRe9PdfGY/s640/P1070265.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

Although it also does good for still life too:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G5P28lw7qWBUrQSVFzIFdA?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZMdt8BvYI/AAAAAAAADTg/k8U7Hobzvp4/s640/P1060824.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wgt0y88Ij_7EQ2LIdHN3ww?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZMlxDgyJI/AAAAAAAADTk/Tcgc7WQYLgs/s640/P1060836.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

By f2.8 to f 4 opens up nicely (focus on the faucet)

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L9tJ1Ad5qHCKqaPi0a72TA?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TTZIuc3nNMI/AAAAAAAADSw/wLcTFES7O8M/s640/P1160586.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Nikon50mm12?feat=embedwebsite">Nikon 50mm 1.2</a></td></tr></table>

And it is a good video lens too ...

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/17464619" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/17464619">Water Main Break</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/stephengeis">Stephen Geis</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

And as an added bonus, it works on your Nikon bodies too ...

(On an F3, shot wide open)

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FxTXtKjTmvkavmVZ9Azfjw?feat=embedwebsite">[ATTACH=full]155922[/ATTACH]"424" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/AroundTheHouse?feat=embedwebsite">Around the House ...</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0fHLyUwiZQJ-uvgIi0YI3g?feat=embedwebsite">[ATTACH=full]155923[/ATTACH]"424" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/AroundTheHouse?feat=embedwebsite">Around the House ...</a></td></tr></table>

All in all, one a solid, all-around lens, one of my favorites ...

 

[addieleman]

Wow, thanks guys for all the useful feedback and samples! Looks like I'm going to get the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 or maybe a Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 AI so that I can use it on my D300s as well. A Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.1 looks even better wide open, but it's a bit outside my price bracket.

 

[Brian S]

I'll have to put up some shots with the Canon 50/0.95 mounted on the EP2...

 

[nseika]

Those are wide open ?
I often got glows in my copy of the 50/1.2 when wide open. Does the object lighting has much to do with it ?

 

[Stephen Geis]

Those are wide open ?
I often got glows in my copy of the 50/1.2 when wide open. Does the object lighting has much to do with it ?

Most of my shots were wide open. I have a UV filter on my lens and in low light I sometimes get green spots (see lower right in my second night photograph). My understanding is that it is reflections of light sources from my UV filter.

Green spots on night photos - Photo.net Nikon Forum

I haven't taken my filter off (keep forgetting to do so) to see if that is the cause. Only occurs at night.

Is this the same thing that you refer to as "glows" when shooting wide open?

 

[nseika]

Different. That one looks like reflections.

I mean… maybe others call it a dreamy look.

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And this one with other lens at f/1.4 (wide open). Especially noticable in brighter part of the pictures.
Seems like normal thing on most old fast lenses at full opening

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[addieleman]

I mean… maybe others call it a dreamy look.

At what aperture do the halos/glow disappear? I'd be very pleased if it was a lot less at f/1.4.

 

[Brian S]

All of my shots with the 55/1.2 are wide-open, on my 35mm SLR. I have never seen a problem with flare or reflections with this lens.

 

[nseika]

Possibility if this is because of the smaller sensor ? There are topics about making baffles somewhere to reduce it, but hasn’t got the guts to try it.

At what aperture do the halos/glow disappear? I'd be very pleased if it was a lot less at f/1.4.

At the aperture ring, it’s only

1.2 [a phantom click, probably 1.4] 2

Not much choice, but it’s usually negligible on the next stop (f/2)

 

[Luckypenguin]

It might not be possible to set an old f1.2 lens to f1.4 using the preset aperture stops. My Canon goes from f1.2 to f2 with only one half click in between.

 

[addieleman]

Possibility if this is because of the smaller sensor? There are topics about making baffles somewhere to reduce it, but hasn’t got the guts to try it.
At the aperture ring, it’s only Not much choice, but it’s usually negligible on the next stop (f/2)

It looks very likely to me that the smaller pixel pitch of MFT camera sensors reveal more lens defects than e.g. a 12 MP full-frame camera like the Nikon D700 or a 35mm film camera.

It might not be possible to set an old f1.2 lens to f1.4 using the preset aperture stops. My Canon goes from f1.2 to f2 with only one half click in between.

Nikkor lenses with a max. aperture of f/1.2 offer a non-designated click-stop for f/1.4 between f/1.2 and f/2. I know this from a Nikkor 55/1.2 I've owned before. My Nikkor 50/1.8 also offers a non-designated click-stop for f/2 between the numbers 1.8 and 2.8 on the scale.

On another note: studying the various image samples it seems bokeh can be a bit nervous wide open, especially visible in this one from Stephen Geis. Sorry Stephen, had to upload your picture to my own gallery to make it visible here.

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Last week I couldn't resist buying a Minolta MD Rokkor 50/1.4 for € 40. I think I'm going to evaluate that one first on its performance at f/2 before slashing out € 500 for a good Nikkor 50/1.2 because I expect to have to stop down the Nikkor to f/2 anyway for good performance. OTOH, I might just loose my patience and buy the Nikkor.

 

[nseika]

Doesn’t remember well, but last night I shot mostly in 1.2 and 2.0. The point of light here looks round enough, so maybe it’s wide open

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These two should be at f/2

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