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Nikon 50/1.2
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:29 pm    Post subject: Nikon 50/1.2 Reply with quote
I can't find many examples from this lens around the forum, so here's a couple from a trip I took yesterday.

Wide open and straight out of camera, zero editing. The sharpness at this aperture is surprisingly good. Using a 5D Mk2.






PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
How do you find focus at f1.2? Do you have a custom focus screen fitted?
I don't find the OVF on my D600 adequate at these apertures, the rangefinder dot is OK, but focus and recompose can throw out focus when DOF is so thin. I try to focus on the eyeball, as focussing on the eyelashes can leave the actual eyeball soft.
My solution is to use live view, with a LCD loupe attached, then the in-focus edges buzz a bit. Seems to work anyway - I will try and get some examples up.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gary, great photos , what was the f/ number?
I love this lens although it's pretty hard to focus wide open, the DOF is very narrow...


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Basilisk wrote:
How do you find focus at f1.2? Do you have a custom focus screen fitted?
I don't find the OVF on my D600 adequate at these apertures, the rangefinder dot is OK, but focus and recompose can throw out focus when DOF is so thin. I try to focus on the eyeball, as focussing on the eyelashes can leave the actual eyeball soft.
My solution is to use live view, with a LCD loupe attached, then the in-focus edges buzz a bit. Seems to work anyway - I will try and get some examples up.


I have the Eg-S focusing screen and it helps, but with the dof so thin here it doesn't make a big difference really. Good eyesight is more important.
When working with such a thin dof I'll multi shoot the subject while making minor adjustments to focus, that way I'll nail the focus most of the time. I don't mean rapid firing, just focus-shoot, refocus-shoot, refocus-shoot, etc.

If I'm using a tripod it's because the subject is stationary, so I can take the time to check focus with live view, focus peaking, whatever. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Igor wrote:
Gary, great photos , what was the f/ number?
I love this lens although it's pretty hard to focus wide open, the DOF is very narrow...

These were shot at f1.2
Yeah it's really hard to focus with this lens wide open but it's worth putting the effort in. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
Igor wrote:
Gary, great photos , what was the f/ number?
I love this lens although it's pretty hard to focus wide open, the DOF is very narrow...

These were shot at f1.2
Yeah it's really hard to focus with this lens wide open but it's worth putting the effort in. Smile


From your shots it seems like it was worth the effort. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
uddhava wrote:
SonicScot wrote:
Igor wrote:
Gary, great photos , what was the f/ number?
I love this lens although it's pretty hard to focus wide open, the DOF is very narrow...

These were shot at f1.2
Yeah it's really hard to focus with this lens wide open but it's worth putting the effort in. Smile


From your shots it seems like it was worth the effort. Smile

Thank you Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quick sample here @ f1.2



A recently bought lens (AI version, 7 blades) so I am still playing around with it. As I mentioned, live view with a magnifying loupe seems to be the best option for focussing


PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice example.
Mine also has seven blades. The focus is a little dry now but it still works perfectly, like most Nikons of this age.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Basilisk wrote:
How do you find focus at f1.2? Do you have a custom focus screen fitted?
I don't find the OVF on my D600 adequate at these apertures, the rangefinder dot is OK, but focus and recompose can throw out focus when DOF is so thin. I try to focus on the eyeball, as focussing on the eyelashes can leave the actual eyeball soft.
My solution is to use live view, with a LCD loupe attached, then the in-focus edges buzz a bit. Seems to work anyway - I will try and get some examples up.


Why I have kept a D700 with a KatzEye focusing screen instead up going to a D600 or 800E. The green dot is not accurate at all and the standard focusing screen is optimized for ƒ/2.5 or thereabouts. Without focus peaking, standard DSLR's without the ability to interchange focusing screens simply aren't a meaningful platform for MF lenses. To me, the biggest disappointment of the Dƒ and the greatest appeal of the Sony a7.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
james wrote:
Basilisk wrote:
How do you find focus at f1.2? Do you have a custom focus screen fitted?
I don't find the OVF on my D600 adequate at these apertures, the rangefinder dot is OK, but focus and recompose can throw out focus when DOF is so thin. I try to focus on the eyeball, as focussing on the eyelashes can leave the actual eyeball soft.
My solution is to use live view, with a LCD loupe attached, then the in-focus edges buzz a bit. Seems to work anyway - I will try and get some examples up.


Why I have kept a D700 with a KatzEye focusing screen instead up going to a D600 or 800E. The green dot is not accurate at all and the standard focusing screen is optimized for ƒ/2.5 or thereabouts. Without focus peaking, standard DSLR's without the ability to interchange focusing screens simply aren't a meaningful platform for MF lenses. To me, the biggest disappointment of the Dƒ and the greatest appeal of the Sony a7.


I haven't tried the D700, and I don't know how good live view is, but by adding a cheap magnifying LCD loupe to my D600 LCD it does function almost like a Sony viewfinder. Try it. The aliasing on the in-focus edges causes a buzz, a bit like focus peaking. I use picture profile settings with maximum sharpness (doesn't affect raw) to increase the effect. I can get repeatable in-focus shots at f1.2 fairly quickly.
Major downside is battery drain.

On the other hand if someone gave me an A7, I wouldn't throw it away Wink
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