Nikon 50mm F1.2

Hi guys,

4 years ago my friend gave me this Nikon Lens 50mm f/1.2 but I cannot recognise which year was made and the actual value of it now... Truly there is some person that want buy it but i don't want sell it and I got curious why many peope want it.

 

Here below the photos :

According to the following source, your lens would have been produced between 1978 and 1981, likely sometime in 1978. A total of 73K+ were produced.

 

Nikon Lens Versions and Serial Nos

According to the following source, your lens would have been produced between 1978 and 1981, likely sometime in 1978. A total of 73K+ were produced.

 

Nikon Lens Versions and Serial Nos

 

Hmm... Beat me to it by

1 minute...

http://bayouline.com/o2.gif

Definitely a desirable lens.

 

I'd want to see it in hand to guess at a value, but assuming the glass is good they seem to be $250-300 on Ebay.

What's the least expensive digital camera you could install that thing on?

This is the Ai version of the lens, has 7 aperture blades, the Ais version uses 9 aperture blades. Otherwise- the same lens, still in production.

It's a great lens, I use mine on the Nikon Df. Paid $400 for an Ais version mint, in the box.

Prices are up since then.

 

Easily worth $300.

 

If looking for a less expensive camera to use this on, I would look for a used Nikon D700 or D610

What's the least expensive digital camera you could install that thing on?

 

well, in my case:

It will mount, do TTL metering (stop-down) on pretty much any Canon EOS digital camera with an inexpensive adapter.

 

It will also similarly mount on Canon FD cameras, but they are (of course) not digital.

I'd vote for D700 to use it on also. They're fairly inexpensive these days, and even if the resolution is a bit low by current standards they're still good, especially with older lenses. The only real weak point is that the EN-EL3e batteries haven't been made by NIkon for several years now, although there are plenty of good used ones in circulation and also some decent aftermarket.

Just recently have seen some very good prices on refurb D 610. I have the 55 1.2 - works beautifully on any of my digital Nikons.

I could use it easily on my m4/3 body which I paid $180 for using a cheap oriental made Nikon adapter which I paid less than $10 for. I've used all of my Nikon lenses on this body successfully.

The only real weak point is that the EN-EL3e batteries haven't been made by NIkon for several years now, although there are plenty of good used ones in circulation and also some decent aftermarket.

 

Where did you hear this? B&H, Adorama, and a bunch of the other Nikon authorized sellers all have EN-EL3e batteries in stock! New EN-EL4a batteries for D2, D3, MB-40 (F6), MB-D10 (D300 & D700) are also still available!

Hi Jaycoop, welcome on this board :)

 

I have used a copy of this lens on film ( Nikon 801S), on digital D300/s and currently on my D500, and always have had good results, when closed to F/2 - F/4 pinsharp, and wide open up to F/1.8 this lens, when the lightis good ( golden hour, blue hour) it can produce a wonderfull " halo" effect ( do not know if this is the right termonology in English..) arround subjects..

Where did you hear this? B&H, Adorama, and a bunch of the other Nikon authorized sellers all have EN-EL3e batteries in stock! New EN-EL4a batteries for D2, D3, MB-40 (F6), MB-D10 (D300 & D700) are also still available!

 

Sorry, that's what I get for not checking.

 

With that said, B&H and Adorama still list them in stock and Amazon shows 3 available. Nikon has them listed as out of stock on their website.

 

Two thoughts-I seem to recall that either Japan or the EU quit allowing exposed battery contacts like the EN-EL3 and EN-EL3e had(not applicable to the EN-EL4a). I'm not sure if that was just for new designs, or if it hampered their ability to continue producing old battery types.

 

The second is that I wonder if Nikon's "out of stock" means that they're not making them anymore, and what B&H and Adorama have are old stock still in the pipeline. That's of course speculation, but the newest cameras that used that battery would be ~10 years old by now. The same would be true of the EN-EL4a, although I wouldn't be surprised if there are enough D3s still in service to keep some demand for them, but that's also an ancient camera in the digital world(and the D2 series even older). Of course you CAN use them in the D300 and D700 with a battery grip and both cameras make a really nice overall package with that battery.

 

The one I really was thinking of was the Fuji battery that was electrically identically to the EN-EL3e but has a stupid firmware lock such that if you put one in an S5, it will power on but just give you a battery error. I have a few genuine Fuji and a few aftermarket ones, and I've had mixed luck using them in Nikons-sometimes they work and sometimes don't. The S5 is a D200 with a Fuji sensor and the required battery and truly should be interchangeable with the EN-EL3e.

It's an expensive soft-focus lens just for the bragging rights of f/1.2!

What's the least expensive digital camera you could install that thing on?

I've used mine on a pre-owned Sony a6000 - cost £150 + £15 for a Nikon to E-mount adapter.

 

It can't be chipped, so you're stuck with manual aperture control whichever camera you mount it on.

 

If you want a really shallow depth-of-field and a manual focus lens, your money's better spent on a longer lens of more modest aperture. Like Samyang's f/2 135mm, or a 105mm f/1.8 Ai-S Nikkor.

It can't be chipped, so you're stuck with manual aperture control whichever camera you mount it on.

 

It can be CPU chipped, but it's not a DIY project. And not inexpensive I would guess. :-)

 

The Unicorn CPU Nikkors: 50 and 55 1.2s

Erik Lund over on the NikonGear forum also added a Dandelion CPU chip to an AiS 50/1.2 about 5 years ago for Bjørn Rørslett. If I remember correctly, it involved milling a relief in the rear lens element!

IMO, sort of a special effect lens, as it gives a nice glow wide open. Being fast, you'd think it would be good for low light, but the inability to focus accurately on most digital bodies under those conditions won't let you take full advantage of it. Nice on mirrorless, but makes things a bit front heavy.

I have to say I would really like one of these (this and 16mm 3.5 fisheye). I have the 55 micro 2.8 version, plus the 50mm 1.4 AIS (which in my view is an excellent sample) and a Japanese 'pancake' 50 mm 1.8 (close focussing) which again I would say is very sharp indeed. I've experimented with both 50mm on an extension ring and had some very useable results. Websites showing pictures using the 1.2 testify to how it can be used artistically. Yep - I'm sorely tempted - especially by the later 9 bladed iris version.

I have to say I would really like one of these

Save your money and buy a cheap F-to-M42 mount adapter. One with a glass 'infinity focus' element in it.

 

The spherical aberration 'glow' got from using the f/1.2 50mm lens wide open is almost identical to what's shown in this thread.

 

A 50/55mm f/1.4 (Super)Takumar, or other Pentax/Praktica thread lens, will set you back maybe $60, plus the cost of a cheap M42 to Nikon adapter. The spherical aberration effect you get will be almost indistinguishable from that of a 50mm f/1.2 Nikkor.

Edited August 16, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

Thank you Rodeo Joe - I will investigate!

Nikkor 50/1.2 Ais version, On the Nikon Df, ISO6400, 1/100th sec, Wide-Open at F1.2.

 

 

Nikkor 85/1.8 Factory Ai conversion, 1/6th second hand-held, Wide-open at F1.8, ISO 12,800, on the Nikon Df.

This is at night, on a pier. Not much light.

The Df is very good for manual focus lenses. I bought mine the first day it was in the local camera shop. I brought the Vivitar 135/2.3 with me, told the store manager if I could focus that lens on it, he had a sale. No problem with that lens on it, everything else is easy..

but the inability to focus accurately on most digital bodies under those conditions won't let you take full advantage of it

How well does it work with focus peaking?

How well does it work with focus peaking?

I've only tried it a couple times and it seems to work OK. IMO, focus peaking is highly subject and lighting dependent, so YMMV applies.