The AF-Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4D is Nikon’s current version of their fast ’standard’ prime lens, and while this specific model was introduced in 1995, the basic optical design dates back to the manual focus 50mm 1:1.4 AI of 1977. It features a traditional layout of 7 elements in 6 groups utilizing spherical surfaces only, which Nikon claims will deliver distortion-free images with superb resolution and colour accuracy, plus high contrast even at maximum aperture. The 50mm focal length classes it as a ’standard’ lens on the FX format, with none of the ‘perspective distortion’ characteristic of wideangle or telephoto lenses, whilst on the vastly more popular and widespread DX format it behaves like a short telephoto, ideal for portraiture.
The 50mm 1:1.4 is one of the older lenses in Nikon’s lineup, and this is reflected in several aspects of its design. The lens features a traditional aperture ring, which will no doubt be appreciated by photographers who grew up with mechanical manual-focus 35mm SLRs such as the FM range (although the only DSLRs on which it can actually be used are the high-end D1-D3 and D100-D700 bodies); however autofocus is ’screw-drive’ from the camera body, and therefore won’t work on the entry-level D40, D40x and D60.
The Nikon 2160 105mm f2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens is the world’s first macro lens featuring Nikon’s exclusive Silent Wave Motor and Vibration Reduction. Designed for close-up and macro photography, this camera lens is versatile enough for virtually any photographic situation.
This Nikon 105 millimeter lens features Nikon’s new VR II vibration reduction technology, which allows photographers to shoot hand-held shots at up to four shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, providing sharper images in general and in close-up photography. This lens also features a high-resolution and high optical performance, with a Nano-Crystal coat and ED glass elements that enhance overall image quality by further reducing flare and chromatic aberrations, and contributing to improved color, contrast and clarity. Constructed with an f2.8 lens, this unit includes an internal focus, which provides fast and quiet auto-focusing without changing the length of the lens, retaining the subject’s working distance through the focus range. This lens has a non-rotating front design that is convenient for use with circular polarizing filters and the R1C1 wireless close-up Speedlight system. Specifically engineered for both Nikon digital and 35mm SLR cameras, the Nikon ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor lens helps ensure high quality and high performance for all photographers, from amateurs to professionals, and includes front and rear lens caps, an HB-38 bayonet lens hood, and a CL-1020 flexible lens pouch. The 2160 weighs 27.9 ounces and measures 3.3 x 4.5 inches (diameter x depth).
The AF-S VR 105 f/2.8G IF-ED brings the benefits of vibration reduction (VR) to the domain of Macro photography. It offers high-resolution, high-optical performance for both digital and 35mm film format SLR cameras. This lens incorporates Nikon’s second-generation vibration reduction system (VR II) that allows flexible hand-held shooting by stabilizing the image to the equivalent stability of a shutter speed that is 4 stops faster when compared with a conventional lens (as determined by Nikon performance test). The SWM (Silent Wave Motor) and IF (Internal Focusing) ensure quiet autofocusing with quick and convenient switching between autofocus and manual operation. Optical performance is enhanced by an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element that minimizes chromatic aberration, and Nano Crystal Coat which drastically reduces flare, enabling finely defined, clear images.
Excellent lens and great value too
By projectmgr (san mateo, ca)
Ok, I have had this lens a couple of months now.
What at first seemed like a very good lens is now one I consider
exceptional. In fact it is now my favorite for several reasons.
First of all this lens consistently produces beautiful, even toned and complimentory Bokeh to my images. Bokeh is that term used to describe the elements of a photograph that are out of focus.
This lens has an extremely short depth of field and performs best on close subjects after f/5.6.
My observation of the VR function is this…. that Nikon intended that feature to be more useful when this lens is used for portraits. Up close and for sure when using the wider apertures depth of field is so brief that you need to stop down to capture the breadth of a bumble bee or the center of a flower completely in focus.
In either application this is destined to be a favorite Nikkor lens for many of us. For me it is already!
Focus is very fast and quiet. Build quality is solid! Hefty when held alone or nicely balanced on the D200 with MB200 battery dual battery holder.
I like the lens shade a lot and the packaging is as always, first rate. Comes with 5 year extended warranty, velvet pouch and front and rear caps.
If I could only take one lens this would be it without hesitation.
Matches up extremely well with the SB800 flash units.
I predict this will become a legendary portrait lens.
Good luck!
Lens making is an art – Nikon artisans craft Nikkor optics from the finest materials, taking pride in adding their intellect and technique to bring the world’s finest lenses to life. They push the leading edge of lens making, harder and harder, in their effort to provide the “glass” that makes the world’s greatest pictures.PRODUCT FEATURES:D-type lens design provides distance information as part of flash and ambient light exposure processes;Classic normal lens provides speed and compact design;Multi-layer coating minimizes flare and ghosting;Exceptionally lightweight and compact – ideal for travel photography;Stops down to f/22 for excellent depth-of-field control.
One of the best lens for portrait and low light photography
By Sidarta Tanu (Richmond, VA USA)
I don’t even know where to start. This lens produces sharp pictures and great color and contrast. And for its price (which seems to climb recently), it is worth more than 5 stars rating. I initially get this lens for low light action and sport photography (as this lens is famous for being one of the fastest lens together with its brother 50mm f/1.4), but I also found out that this lens is also perfect for portrait and other general purposes (macro etc). This is definitely a very versatile lens.
As much as I want to encourage everyone to buy this lens right away, let me mention some of the limitation that you would see (which I think will be helpful to go over before deciding to buy this lens):
First, being a prime lens, you will need to move your feet a lot to compose your picture. If you are used to zoom lens, don’t underestimate this limitation. It takes me a while to get used to it, and sometime I still find people looking at me wondering why I am moving forward and backwards. the good news is that most of the time, they don’t think I’m weird, but they are actually wondering if I’m a professional photographer.
Secondly, the focal range of 50mm, which is considered the normal lens and great for portrait lens. but on many DSLRs which is not full frame (unless you have a full frame Nikon DSLR like the D700 or D3, then 50mm is 50mm), this lens become a 75mm equivalent which is in the border of a short tele lens. I actually like the 75mm equivalent though I often have to move backwards when taking picture of a group of people.
Third, in some situation the autofocus might not able to focus (which is common for many other lens too). It is hard for the autofocus to lock when aiming at a wall that is one color (usually black or white), or on a clear sky (day or night). This kind of makes sense to me actually. IN these situations the AF assist light doesn’t help either so you can opt for manual focus or set the focus to infinity when you can’t find focus lock on scenic/landscape or sky photography. So far I don’t have many problems with the autofocus.
Sharpness increases as you stop down to f/2.2 or f/2.5. I actually use f/1.8 most of the time and the results are still nice. Personally, I’d rather use f/1.8 aperture settings than stopped down (e.g to f/2.8) and compensate with higher ISO setting which often gives me grainy picture. But if your object is not moving (static) then it is better to stop down to f/2.8 or more.
If you are wondering whether you should get a fast lens or a lens with VR (Vibration Reduction), here’s my take: In overall, VR does help a lot (as it will reduce camera shake) and will produce better/sharper picture than equivalent lens without VR (especially if the object is static). If the object is moving (sports/action) then VR feature alone might not help (depending on how fast the object is moving and how much light is available), and a fast lens often end up being a far better solution, even without VR feature as it will allow much faster shutter speed to freeze motion. Using tripod (and a remote) will substitute for the need of VR feature. In general I would recommend getting a fast lens with VR feature (and usually it is expensive) such as the 70-200 f/2.8 VR, but if one can only get for one or the other, then find out what do you want to use the lens for and then use the guideline mentioned here.
If you are wondering whether you will get the benefit of buying f/1.4 lens over a f/1.8 lens, just remember that the f/1.4 lens is about 60% faster than f/1.8 at its widest aperture setting. With this information, you can decide if the additional speed will justify the additional cost. The bokeh is nicer as well in f/1.4 lens but I think speed is usually the main factor in deciding whether to get the more expensive f/1.4 lens.
Here are the summary of pros and cons for this Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF lens:
Pros:
1. Very fast (f/1.8)
2. Very sharp pictures (especially when stopped down to f/2.2, f/2.5 or more.)
3. Great for sport/action photography
4. Great for indoor and low light situation
5. Great for portrait
6. Bokeh is almost as good as many expensive Nikon tele-lens
7. Fast autofocus
8. Good for wedding photography (or no-flash event). However, if this is your main objective then you might want to get the 50mm f/1.4 version or 28-70mm f/2.8 lens)
9. 75mm equivalent which can be considered a short tele lens (I actually like the fact that it’s 75mm equivalent vs 50mm in DSLR. if you need more zoom, you can get the Nikon 85mm f/1.8, or the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR). If you have full frame DSLR(like the D3 or D700), then this #9 pros is not applicable.
10. Inexpensive
Cons:
1. Being prime lens, you need to move your feet a lot to adjust/compose
2. Autofocus issue on some situations (read detail above)
3. Plasticy build
4. Autofocus is not the most silent but very reasonable
5. 75mm equivalent with 1.5x multiplier on non full frame DSLR (many people find this is an odd range for normal lens. I actually like it). If you have full frame DSLR(like the D3 or D700), then this #5 cons is not applicable.
6. Autofocus does not work with D40, D40x, D60 and D5000. The newer 50mm f/1.4G AF-S lens or 35mm f/1.8G AF-S lens will autofocus with those cameras.
Bottom line: This lens is so versatile (and inexpensive) that I think everyone should own in addition to all the lenses that they already have. Being a very fast lens, it enables me to take pictures in low light (sport/action photography) that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.
After knowing its limitation, I would predict that 99% of you that decides to buy this lens will find this lens very useful. And if you decide that you don’t like it (which I think not more than 1%), I’m sure there will be a lot of people who wouldn’t mind buying it from you (with some discount of course).
Again, I would recommend everyone to get this lens. In some ways I can say that this lens makes me a better photographer.
The Nikon 4.3x, 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor lens is ideal for telephoto shooting opportunities. It incorporates many of Nikon’s most advanced lens design attributes such as Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass, Silent Wave Motor technology (SWM) and Enhanced Vibration Reduction (VR II), in a design engineered for use with both Nikon DX format digital and 35mm film SLR cameras. With a high-powered 70-300mm focal length range, the lens is ideal for sports, action, wildlife, travel and portrait photography, among other telephoto applications. When used on a Nikon DX format digital SLR, this lens approximates the picture angle performance of a 105-450mm lens on a 35mm SLR camera.
Beyond the lens’ incredible optical versatility is the benefit of Enhanced VR II Vibration Reduction–an innovation that makes it possible to take substantially sharper handheld pictures at slower shutter speeds than would otherwise be possible. This provides the distinct advantage of being able to shoot more effectively in a much broader variety of challenging conditions. With the new Nikon VR II advantage, users can take pictures at shutter speeds as many as 4 stops slower than they ordinarily could shoot without the image degrading blur associated with camera shake at slow shutter speeds. Nikon’s advanced VR technology further enhances picture taking potential with a choice of two modes to match most shooting conditions. VR Normal Mode primarily compensates for camera shake, and includes automatic panning detection, as well as automatic tripod detection. VR Active Mode effectively compensates for vibration in situations where it is more pronounced and more frequent, such as when shooting from a moving vehicle.
To further ensure outstanding optical performance, the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor features two Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements and three complex aspherical lens elements that provide for higher resolution, high-contrast images while minimizing chromatic aberration, astigmatism and other forms of distortion. The lens also features Nikon’s compact Silent Wave Motor technology (SWM), which combines fast and precise autofocusing with super-quiet operation, as well as Internal Focusing (IF) construction that allows the lens to focus without changing its external size, improving balance and handling characteristics.
The AF-S VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is a high-performance super telephoto zoom lens that has been designed to meet the demands of both digital and 35mm format SLR users. It offers a 4.3x zoom with a range of 70-300mm (105-450mm on a DX Nikon D-SLR) and features ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements that ensure superior optical performance. This lens incorporates Nikon’s second-generation vibration reduction system (VR II) that allows flexible hand-held shooting by stabilizing the image to the equivalent extent of using a shutter speed that is four stops faster when compared with a conventional lens (as determined by Nikon performance test). The SWM (Silent Wave Motor) and IF (Internal Focusing) ensure fast and quiet focusing action, and the nine-blade rounded diaphragm makes out-of-focus elements blend smoothly to produce natural-looking, harmonious backgrounds.
55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor lens with 35mm equivalent of 82-300mm * Vibration Reduction allows in-focus shots with longer exposure times (up to three shutter speeds slower) * Silent Wave Motor for fast, quiet focusing * ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass lens element for superior optical performance * attachment/filter size: 52mm *
This lens is sharp even at wide apertures, the VR (image stabilization) works great, autofocus speed is more than acceptable, and it it is very light and compact. The fact that it costs $250 and has effective VR is pretty amazing – no other company offers a lens with this feature for anywhere near this price.
As for image quality, search the various internet photo sites, such as dpreview and nikonians for sample photos taken with this lens by real users. The results are impressive! My copy produces similar results. The previous reviewer must have a bad sample.
Of course, the lens is slow (like almost all consumer zoom lenses), in that its widest aperture is smaller than a professional zoom or prime lens, so it’s not a good choice for action photography in lower light conditions (like indoor sports without flash or outside sports at dusk). But a fast telephoto zoom will cost at least three times as much and weigh a ton.
![Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Zoom Nikkor Lens](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Xedpi5HFL._SL500_AA300_.jpg "Nikon 55 200mm f/4 5.6G ED IF AF S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Zoom Nikkor Lens")
