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50mm for Nikon SLR
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:48 am    Post subject: 50mm for Nikon SLR Reply with quote
Hi,

I just bought my first SLR body (Nikon FE) and i'm so excited. Right now I'm looking for some suggestions of 50mm lens. Can you help me please? I wonder if I can use other brand lenses (CZ, olympus...) on my FE.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 1:00 am    Post subject: Re: 50mm for Nikon SLR Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
Hi,

I just bought my first SLR body (Nikon FE) and i'm so excited. Right now I'm looking for some suggestions of 50mm lens. Can you help me please? I wonder if I can use other brand lenses (CZ, olympus...) on my FE.


Hi

I've got a couple of FEs and I love them. I use an Ai 50/1.4 and an Ais 50/1.8 on my FEs. Both are great and both are reasonably cheap. I don't know about other brands. But if you can get a nice cheap Ai or Ais Nikkor 50mm, that would be best to start with imho.

And welcome to the forums. Very Happy


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apart from the Nikon 50mms the only one I can think of in Nikon mount is the Russian Helios-81 2/50.

There is also a Mamiya 1.4/50 in Nikon mount that came with the Ricoh Singlex but they are somewhat rare.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 1:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
There are very few lens brands that can be used on a Nikon body. That's because the flange distance on the Nikon is greater than most other SLR lenses. As such, adding any kind of adapter to the lens leaves the lens too far from the sensor/film to focus to infinity. You can adapt other lenses for use in closer shots, but they won't be able to focus to infinity.

Of course, any lenses made with Nikon mounts will work fine. These include Nikon and any 3rd party lens with a Nikon mount, the best of which are Zeiss and Voigtlander, plus Vivitar, Samyang, Tokina, Tamron, etc.

There is one exception: Leica. If you get a Leica R lens, there are adapters that replace the Leica mount on the lens with a Nikon mount. These will work on the Nikon body.

As for 50mm lenses, I have to say that Nikon doesn't make a bad one. Probably the best all-around 50 is the 50/1.8 Ai or Ais. Great lens. Classic.

I, too, have an FE. It's my favorite film Nikon to use (my other choices are an F2A and an F100). It works great, is light, and easy to handle. Because I've been collecting lenses, I have three 50s that will work on the FE: an old 50/1.4 S.C., a 50/1.8 Ais, and a 50/1.2 Ai. My favorite to use on the FE is the ancient 50mm f/1.4 S.C. It has been modified to AI, but would work on the FE even if it hadn't been modified. Fair warning: the old S.C. doesn't work well until it's stopped down a bit. I think the 50/1.8 is sharper at any aperture, but I just like the creaky old S.C.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:56 am    Post subject: Re: 50mm for Nikon SLR Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
Hi,

I just bought my first SLR body (Nikon FE) and i'm so excited. Right now I'm looking for some suggestions of 50mm lens. Can you help me please? I wonder if I can use other brand lenses (CZ, olympus...) on my FE.


Well you don't mention if you have plenty of money Wink ......you can't go wrong buying all Nikon glass, but as a film user I can only offer some lateral thinking/suggestions to what has already been mentioned above:- Either buy the Nikkor or series E 50mm lens OR/AND buy an extra camera (handy for backup) like e.g. Praktica MTL3 or MTL5 for about £5-£20 inc 50mm lens, and enjoy all those lovely old M42 screw lenses that are cheaper than Nikon lenses.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
You will find a lot of information here :

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index.htm

and here

http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html

Wink


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you all Smile

A friend of mine recommended getting the Nikon 55mm 2.8 macro as he said that it is super sharp. I wonder if 2.8 is enough for low light/ night photography? Also, do you think that 110e is reasonable for this lens ?


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
Thank you all Smile

A friend of mine recommended getting the Nikon 55mm 2.8 macro as he said that it is super sharp. I wonder if 2.8 is enough for low light/ night photography? Also, do you think that 110e is reasonable for this lens ?

That seems reasonable for a price. As a Macro lens, it is considered in the highest regard. I wouldn't necessarily choose it for the activity that you're inquiring. A faster lens would be preferable, and quite sharp, enough, for low-light/night shooting.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Apart from the Nikon 50mms the only one I can think of in Nikon mount is the Russian Helios-81 2/50.


I´ve got an Arsat N 1.4/50 mm lens in Nikon mount, made by Arsenal Kiev. Optically nice, at f/1.4 soft, but as sharp as my 1.4/50 mm Nikon Ai. There´s some noticeable barrel distortion, though. And the build quality is worse than Nikkors.

Some samples:
http://forum.mflenses.com/arsat-n-50-1-4-samples-t40925,highlight,%2Barsat.html


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
Thank you all Smile

A friend of mine recommended getting the Nikon 55mm 2.8 macro as he said that it is super sharp. I wonder if 2.8 is enough for low light/ night photography? Also, do you think that 110e is reasonable for this lens ?


I have the earlier 3.5 version and it is super sharp.

110 sounds a bit much, I paid 30 for mine, they are very common on ebay and seem to fetch 25-50 depending on condition.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you are searching for a 50mm lens there is no reason to look beside the Nikkor lenses. They are all well built and the opitcal performance is at least as a minimum on the same level as all other brand names too, very often better.

For an all purpoe 50mm lens you can buy the 1.8/50mm or with a higher price a 1.4/50 or with a lot more money a 1.2/50mm. You will find on the market a real large offer of these lenses.

If you like to shot more macro then the 55mm lens is very fine. Macro lenses are always very sharp but with a lack of bokeh and not the right solution for low light/night shots.

Wink


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
n0ovice wrote:
Thank you all Smile

A friend of mine recommended getting the Nikon 55mm 2.8 macro as he said that it is super sharp. I wonder if 2.8 is enough for low light/ night photography? Also, do you think that 110e is reasonable for this lens ?


I have the earlier 3.5 version and it is super sharp.

110 sounds a bit much, I paid 30 for mine, they are very common on ebay and seem to fetch 25-50 depending on condition.


A year ago, I picked up a 55/3.5 Micro (compensating) with an M2 extension ring for $30. I would have been happy with that, but even better: it's in pristine condition. Looks like it's never been used. There are some great bargains on 55/3.5 Micros, even today.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:26 pm    Post subject: Re: 50mm for Nikon SLR Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
Hi,

I just bought my first SLR body (Nikon FE) and i'm so excited. Right now I'm looking for some suggestions of 50mm lens.


Here's my view on how the 50mm lenses for Nikon F-mount differ from each other. There exists a lot of options for you to choose, more specifically: as many as photographers have their personal favorites.

http://forum.mflenses.com/nikon-50mm-f1-4-which-one-t24214,start,15.html


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just received today a Tokina 35-135/3.5-4.5 macro as a gift. Totally surprised. Does anyone know anything about this lens? (I just on Google but basically I foung nothing). Also, I want to ask: how do you read the FE light meter in low light situation?


PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
n0ovice wrote:
I just received today a Tokina 35-135/3.5-4.5 macro as a gift. Totally surprised. Does anyone know anything about this lens? (I just on Google but basically I foung nothing). Also, I want to ask: how do you read the FE light meter in low light situation?


Can't help you with the Tokina. Sorry.

As for the FE--In really low light? So low you can't actually read it?

Set the aperture where you want it, set the shutter speed to "auto". It usually works surprisingly well. Enjoy.
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