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Writer's picture岩本貴志

Nikon, 50mm f1.2 review, melting bokeh and deep taste, a lens that makes taking pictures fun

content

  1. All modern lenses are sharp, but something dull

  2. One of the manager's favorites

  3. Live-action performance

  4. Aperture shape

  5. Practicality in astrophotography

  6. Color development of the lens

  7. Focus ring, aperture ring

  8. Making a lens

  9. At the end




1. All recent lenses are sharp, but something is dull


I am truly amazed at the sharpness and sharpness of the lenses released recently.

Good things are pricey and hard to come by.

If you take a picture with a high-resolution camera such as a landscape, it will capture amazing details, which is really refreshing.


However, I often feel something unsatisfactory depending on what I shoot.

"Something is dull, what is it?" Especially when taking pictures of people, I feel that dullness.

Anyway, it is sharp, the bokeh is round to the periphery, the edges are soft and perfect, and it is strong against backlight. But it's dry and doesn't feel warm.


Many new technologies have been introduced into the new lens, resulting in ultra-high performance with extremely few aberrations. That may have an effect.

The various aberrations that have remained moderately up to now may have added a certain special filter effect to the photograph taken as the taste of the lens, adding even more flavor to the photograph.

This is probably the so-called "lens taste".


Nikon 50mm f1.2, the caretaker's favorite lens




2, one of the manager's favorites


Here, I would like to introduce one of my favorite Nikon manual 50mm quasi-lenses, Ai Nikkor 50mm f1.2s.


I bought this lens more than 25 years ago when the manager wanted to start taking pictures in earnest, but I bought it back once I sold it. The reason for selling it off is that the lens was inadvertently fogged during storage, and it cost more than 20,000 yen for cleaning and repair.


When I sold it, I was afraid to buy the same lens again, so I switched to AF50mm f1.4s.

This AF 50mm f1.4s, the line is thick and weak against backlight, flare comes out immediately, the making is also plastic, and even if I take a picture of the star, the star image is not sharp and I just could not like it.


So, in the end, I decided to buy back the 50mm f1.2s again. Of course it is a used item.




3, live-action performance


This lens looks good for an old lens.


Depiction of the shortest shooting distance



With f1.2 at full aperture, it looks fluffy and blurry, but the core remains in focus and a little foggy lens-like effect is produced.

The brightness of f1.2 and the amount of blur are large.



Shortest shooting distance, 1x aperture pixel



While leaving the focus surface and core, the depiction is large and soft and melts.



Also, if the filter diameter is as small as 52 mm and it is open due to vignetting, the amount of light in the peripheral area will drop a little sharply, which also spices up the photograph.



The photo below was taken at full aperture, but with the astringency of the colors, moderate aberrations remain, creating an indescribable atmosphere that is not present in the overkill lenses of today.


Since the focus surface of f1.2 is very shallow, a professional-precision viewfinder is required for focusing.

If it is a recent camera, it will be sure to match it with the LCD. If it's mirrorless in the first place, don't you have to worry about that?



Taken at f / 1.2 open, fisherman's boat (Santome Principe)



Just by squeezing half the aperture from the open to f1.4, the whole screen becomes tight and the atmosphere changes drastically.

If you stop down to f2, the whole thing will be sharper.


Compared to f2.8, the aperture f2 causes a larger blur and makes the subject stand out more, so the impression of the photograph changes completely.

The general bright high-end zoom is f2.8, so I feel the value of using this lens just because I can shoot with f2.


Unlike today's bright lenses, it's extremely compact, so it doesn't hurt to keep it in your camera bag.

It weighs 360 grams, which is less than half that of the latest Sigma 50mm f1.4 815 grams.

Canon's AF50mm f1.2 with the same brightness weighs 580 grams.

Furthermore, the density is higher than the weight, so it feels more compact.

Focusing technique is necessary, but there is no doubt that it will be a strong assistant in portrait photography.

When I want to take the best picture here, when I can take it carefully, I use this lens quite a lot even in my recent work.

Even for important shooting, you only have to check the focus on the LCD one by one.

Even in autofocus shooting, the focus is checked after shooting for important shooting, so the same thing happens after all.


If it is a professional machine, D3 screen, the focus is decided. If your eyes are in good condition, it may be more than autofocus.

It was difficult to grasp the mountain of focus on the D800E, but with the D850, the mountain of focus was very easy to grasp, and manual lenses became practical.



Portrait at aperture f / 2.8, isolated island in West Africa, girl in Sao Tome and Principe


A portrait of this size and an aperture of f / 2.8 are just right.

Since the beginning of the blur is smooth, it gives a natural three-dimensional effect.


4, the shape of the aperture


The diaphragm has 9 blades, especially a crisp shape that is not a circular diaphragm.

Compared to today's lenses, which are full of circular apertures, this kind of crisp shape can produce the originality of a photograph.



Nine feathers squeezed, this shape at F2.8 when peeking from the back side


Small (F16) Regular nonagon with almost no distortion until squeezed.


If you take a high-intensity point light source with this aperture, 18 light rays will be generated from the light spot.

This effect is also interesting because it is not as persistent as the cross filter and spices up the photo.


Minimum aperture f16


The minimum aperture of this lens is f16. I'd like to see it up to f22, but the difference between f1.2 and f16 is 7.5 steps, is it the limit of mechanical interlocking?


As you can see from the picture above, if you set it to the minimum aperture, it looks like a distorted shape.


The shape of the aperture is also one of the tastes of the lens.

It doesn't mean that it should be round.



5, practicality in astrophotography

Even in the starry sky, if you squeeze it to f / 2.8, you can use it enough, the blue halo of Sirius is beautiful


The above picture was taken with Sirius in the constellation Orion by squeezing 50mm f1.2 to f2.8. Full size no trimming.


Even if you look at the atmosphere of the entire photograph, it can be said that the line is a high-performance lens that draws finely and delicately.

The star image formed dots around the screen, and a beautiful halo spread around the glow of blue Sirius and Rigel.


This halo that spreads around the bright star, one of the tastes of the lens that appears because some aberration remains.

Regarding the sharpness, it is not as sharp as the recent overkill lens, but it seems that you can do a good job if it is only in the center.


The photo below is taken from the center of the Milky Way, focusing on f2.8 as above.

Hoshino How much you can use for photography is where you are concerned about the star image in the surrounding area.

Below is a pixel-sized photograph of the peripheral part in addition to the central part.


f2.8, exposure 3 minutes


The area where the density of stars is the highest and limb darkening is easy to understand. Shooting in full size.

Again, the aperture is f2.8 and the exposure is 3 minutes.


It is easier to see the drop in peripheral illumination due to the innumerable faint stars in the Milky Way than in the photo of Orion above. You can see that the four corners and edges of the screen are suddenly darkened.

By the way, the amount of peripheral light such as vignette control is not corrected.



Same size as the pixel in the center of the screen



The center of the above photo is shown at the same pixel size. The star image is sharp and has high contrast, which shows the excellence of the lens. The D800E used has 36 million pixels.

Moderate aberrations clearly express the difference in brightness and color between stars.



Full size upper right corner, pixel size



It can be seen that a large sagittal coma aberration is generated in the outermost part. It looks like a swallow swallow is flying in the upper right direction.

With 36 million pixels and this size, it would be in the practical range.

When the aperture is further stopped down from F2.8, this aberration becomes smaller, and when the aperture is opened, it becomes larger.


Chromatic aberration is rarely seen even though special low-dispersion glass is not used.

Very good.



APS size lower left, pixel size equivalent to 24 million pixels


In the same photo, the APS size screen is cut out at the same size as the pixel at the lower left corner of the screen, and the entire screen is very sharp with almost no sagittal coma aberration.



Except for the full-frame end, you can see that it is a lens with power that is almost comparable to recent lenses.

If it is APS size, it is sharp without complaint over the entire screen.

If it is APS size, even if you open the aperture further and f2.0, it seems that you can use it for starry sky photography.



6, lens color development


As for color development, it produces a bluer and colder color than recent lenses, so be careful when using it with a new lens.

If you want to shoot strictly, you will need to rebalance the white balance.


This is a Nikon color from the manual era a long time ago.

The color development that the caretaker likes.

When I compare this lens with a recent lens under the same conditions, the recent lens feels very yellow and pale.

Actually, the new lens has more neutral color.

The color of this 50mm lens is very cool, and the contrast is strong.

The caretaker likes this astringent and cool color development rather than the recent lens color development.


The photo may be more delicious if it is seasoned a little rather than the color that you see.



50mm f1.2 attached to D3



It's an old camera, but it's a lot of fun to shoot with this lens in combination with the Nikon D3.

The combination of an old lens and 12 million pixels is very compatible.

It seems to be compatible with D3, and it looks delicious with deep bokeh.

The D3 has an excellent screen and is very easy to grasp the mountain of focus, so even in the MF, the focus is decided to be out of focus.

It is also big that there is no liquid crystal in the screen of D3.


Perhaps because it contains a liquid crystal display, the D800E can hardly be manually focused.

It seems that the cause is that the focus surface of the screen is not exactly accurate.

(The D850 has improved considerably, making it easier to grasp the mountain of focus.)


7, focus ring, aperture ring


As with most old manual lenses, this lens also has a moist and smooth movement of the focus ring, so you can focus manually regardless of whether it is a movie or a photo.

There is almost no ring operation sound, so you can use it with confidence even in videos.

Since it has an aperture ring, you can adjust the aperture quickly and intuitively with the sensation of your finger. Once you get used to this operation, you will be able to quickly set the desired number without looking at the aperture value.

From open to half, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1.2, 1.4-2-2.8-4. It is easier to operate the dial while checking the aperture value displayed on the light meter.

Moreover, there are no 1/2 or 1/3 increments, complete analog operation, and even subtle opening and closing can be done freely. As you get used to it, your finger will move naturally to the aperture value you want to set when shooting.


Furthermore, in movies, you can freely control the operation speed of the aperture ring during shooting.


8, making the lens


Lastly, what I especially like is the goodness of the lens and the finish.

As with all Nikon Ai manual lenses, the metal body is made with high precision, and the focus ring has a moderate stroke and smooth movement. Distance scale, aperture value, model number and serial number, all digging and color-coded paint for easy viewing, etc.


The black paint on the main body is of very high quality, which does not easily come off even after many years of use.



Rear ball with a large caliber to the limit



I feel that this Nikon 50mm f1.2 is a gem lens that has sufficient performance as a tool, but has a charm like a craft that feels craftsmanship as a thing.


As you can see from the above picture, the lens at the rear end is the physical limit, which is as large as possible. The metal parts that surround the rear lens, its thinness of less than 1 mm! I am often interested in commercializing it. (The lower left claw has been removed for use with the Sigma SD15.)

And this lens is still available for purchase as a current product, and even if I never buy it, I am happy that such a gem is still in production.


If you have a chance to see the camera lens at a mass retailer, please take a look at this 50mm f / 1.2.

You will be able to feel the solid charm that you cannot feel with the new lens.



9, finally


With a focal length of 50mm and a standard lens with a diagonal of 45 degrees, it expresses the subject in a natural way. The main subject, background, front and perspective are just right.

The aperture selection range is as wide as f1.2, and the atmosphere of the photograph changes drastically depending on the aperture value.


The width of the expression feels wider than the standard zoom lens of f2.8.


When I go out to shoot myself, I often wonder whether to use the AF24-70mm f2.8 zoom lens or this 50mm f1.2 lens.


Compared to short-focus manual focus and autofocus zoom lenses, the concentration during shooting is completely different.

Even before shooting, a strong image comes to mind, and the brightness of the lens often improves the results of the pictures that can be taken.


Previously, when I went to Equatorial Guinea to interview a nurse, I used this 50mm f1.2 instead of a zoom lens. The subject was impressively depicted, and the choice was correct.


The most basic operation of "focusing" in photography, now most of the operations are automated and left to autofocus.

We are now in an era where anyone can easily take sharp, in-focus photos.


It's undeniable that it's refreshing to be able to mass-produce photos that are in focus, but it's not very tasteful and I don't find it very interesting to take.

It's easy for anyone to do, and it's not worth it, and even if you do it, the fun will be halved.


If you want to enjoy the picture more, I recommend you to go back to the origin, look through the viewfinder with a manual lens, focus with your fingertips, and take a picture.


You may be able to see the detailed facial expressions of the subject that you couldn't see with the auto, and you may be able to read the movements yourself, or you may get a new image of the photograph.


At the time of shooting, it is released from the camera settings, autofocus mode, focus area, etc., and you can focus on the viewfinder screen anytime, anywhere, so it is refreshing on the contrary.

The same is true for the aperture setting on the aperture ring.


And by carefully releasing the shutter one by one, you will feel the weight of each photo and the joy of taking it.



 

This "Blog of Takashi Iwamoto's selfishness" has not been updated at all, and only the days have passed. If I had to write something for the time being, I started writing that something this time, and when I wrote it, such a sentence was completed.


I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the camera equipment, cars, and anything else I have used so far, with my own eyes, while talking about each prank on the side street. Besides, I have various ideas in my head, so I hope I can put them into shape in the future.



In May 2020, I made major corrections and attached photos.


I've been using the D800E as the main for a while, but from this year I'm about to hand over the main baton to the D850.


Please note that all the content in this blog is the discretion and prejudice of the administrator, and it is often far from the truth.

Some people feel that way! There are some weirdos like this! I think it's just right to see it like this.



 

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