best lens for low light

[andreart]

is there the best lense with very goood image quality in low light with f lower

than 2.0

 

i have simga 30mm 1.4 nikkor 50mm 1.4 and nikkor 85mm 1.4, but image quality at

f1.4 isnot so good ! is there some better lense ?

[steve_levine]

You have two of the best, the 50/1.4 & 85 /1.4. Nikon makes a 35/1.4 that is a great lens too. Quite often the shallow depth of field at close distances, wide open with these lenses. Is mistaken as poor sharpness.

 

 

In fact many times a slight turn of the subject's head, and you lose both eyes in focus.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Andrejs - what specifically is the problem? Do you have any sample photos?

[andrew robertson]

Also, few ultra fast lenses are at their sharpness wide open. Few photographic lenses

indeed are at their sharpest wide open.

[sam_thompson2]

I suppose you can look into getting a Noct Nikkor.

[juanjo_viagran]

ouch, if you don't like the DOF of the Nikon 85mm 1.4 I have no recommendation for you my friend.. :/

 

maybe the 2G's Noct Nikkor..

[alvin_wong]

<p>The point of a f/1.4 aperture is to gather more light, not be super sharp. Generally speaking, you shouldn't expect a lens to perform best at the widest aperture. If you want more depth of field or more contrast, you should stop down the lens. And as Steve said, be extra careful with focus when the lens is wide open.</p><p>In other words, only use f/1.4 if you need the light. On the other hand, once you become acquainted with the "look" of f/1.4, you can utilize this to your advantage.</p>

[stephen_kinosh]

AT one time I had a SMCT ( Super multi coated Takumar ) 50mm 1.2 for my Pentax Spotmatic. Wow. The things I could do with that lens. Wish I would have kept it when I sold the Pentax. COuld have got a NIKON adaptor and been REALLY happy!

 

If you can locate one ( I sold my with the camera to a gent in HOng Kong. Probably just wanted the lens anyhow.)

 

Steve

[ron_wilder]

I have to agree with Alvin. The three lenses you have are among the best for both sharpness

and low light....but you really can't both. Like everything else in life my friend, it's a

compromise. Just up the ISO a bit, shoot a few stops up from 1.4 whenever and you'll be

happy.

[lex_jenkins]

Some Micro-Nikkors and repro lenses are sharp at or near wide open. The specialty Nikkors tend to be pretty expensive, but you can occasionally find bargains on repro lenses on ebay. The tricky bit is figuring out a way to mount them on your camera.

[steven_magedoff]

There are other variables you need to consider besides just the aperture. Which camera are you using. What shutter speed and ISO are you using? Are you using a tripod? If you are shooting hand-held at 2.0 but with a slow shutter speed even the slightest movement will soften the images. What exposure mode and AF mode are you using? You didn't say what was wrong with your image quality. I shoot concerts and two of my favorite lenses I use when I am in the pit is the Nikon 50mm 1.4 and the Nikon 85mm 1.4 because they are fast. I have to shoot at a shutter speed of at least 250 so sometimes I am pretty much shooting fairly wide open when the lighting is on the dim side. I get excellent results from both lenses, even at 1.4.

[andreart]

i have nikon d2xs and d200. juse them a lot at f 2.8, but at f1.4 they dont have the good quality (sharpness,etc). i am searching some lenses with image quality at 1.4 is the best. can you advice that lense ?

[breogan_gomez]

I have used a nikon 50mm f/1.2 MF with my d40x and center is really sharp even at f/1.2. Main problem is that focus plane is so narrow that only a small part of the picture is in focus. But, with this lens, I've found that focused areas are very detailed.

[oskar_ojala]

It is really, really hard to make a lens that performs excellently at f1.4. There are some optics made for NASA and for military applications by Zeiss that may fit the bill, but the cost is enormous. The 58/1.2 noct-nikkor has a very good reputation, but also a high price.

[albertdarmali]

I saw samples from Zeiss 100mm f/2 wide open, I have to say I was bloody impressed with sharpness and contrast. I think it might even beat the legendary Nikon 85mm 1.4 when they are both wide open.

[gan_esh]

Andrejs,

 

The Nikkor 85mm 1.4 AF-D is one of the best lenses of any brand out there. If you can't get good quality at f1.4, there's something wrong with your technique or you've got a bad copy.

[35mmdelux]

Of the lenses you mentioned, only the 85/1.4 latest is in the running. I have the Sigma 30mm/1.4 and its nowhere in the same league as my Leica glass. Check out the Zeiss 85/1.4 Sonnar and 50mm/1.4 Planar. Ken Rockwell says these were origianlly built for the Contax but now being mfg for Nikon f mounts.