50mm for Nikon SLR

[n0ovice]

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.

[Yebisu]

[iangreenhalgh1]

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.

[Arninetyes]

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.

[Excalibur]

[Rolf]

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

[n0ovice]

Thank you all

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 ?

[aspen]

[Gurdie]

[iangreenhalgh1]

[Rolf]

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.

[Arninetyes]

[Esox lucius]

[n0ovice]

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?

[Arninetyes]