Has Anyone Used Nikon 45 f2.8 Pancake with D800?

[Andy Murphy]

<p>I like the 45 f2.8 on my D700 and I plan to purchase the D800: Has anyone actually used that combination? </p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>I'd rather have a 50mm f1.8D for way less... or a 50mm f1.4D for the same price. This lens has never been one that got the stellar reviews those others do, and the D800 is big enough that the tiny size of the 45 isn't a big advantage.</p>

<p>imho... I'd skip it.</p>

[Rene11664880918]

<p>Uhmmm! You have that lens and you are getting a D800, right? Perhaps you can tell us....</p>

[Andy Murphy]

<p>Hi,<br>

Probably most of my pictures with the D700 are taken with the 60 f2.8G lens, followed by the Series E 75-150 f 3.5 zoom: The appeal for me is that, I have a 45 f2.8, I know it is a tessar, softer than most modern Nikon lenses & slow, f2.8, for a normal lens. But, as Bjorn Rorslett notes in his review, "Geometric distortion is virtually absent so this (45 f2.8) is a perfect lens for architecture & similar applications." And, when I want to travel, the 45 on the D700 slips perfectly into a small Hadley Billingham bag I have with room for a 2nd lens.<br>

Once I purchase a D800, I'll see if it's overwhelmed by the 36 MP.</p>

[borgis_karl_johan1]

<p>check this link<br>

http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/06/30/recommended-lenses-for-the-nikon-d800e/<br>

<br />for some info.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Well... it's got good center sharpness... but it's an f/2.8 manual focus lens, and being tiny doesn't help that much when your camera is that large, does it? Since you already have it, might as well use it if you like it - why wouldn't you - but if you were looking to buy something you'd be better off with something like a 50mm f/1.8G. (Have you seen what that 45mm 2.8p goes for on eBay these days? It's crazy. I've sniped a 50mm 1.2 AIS with a camera attached for less than what the 45mm goes for.)</p>

[Andy Murphy]

<p>Thanks for the thoughtful advice: Ming Thein is very thorough, even tested & recommended the 45 f2.8 p with the D800e. <br>

SIDEBAR:I've always thought it interesting how limited editions, whether successful or not commercially, tend to succeed after production ends. Bought Erwin Puts Leica Lens Compendium new & have seen it on eBay for > $1000+; Sheaffer's PFM (Pen for Men) from early 1960's failed in market at $20/copy but sells used for $200/$300+; Parker pen T1 titanium pen & ballpoint sold for about $15/$20 in 1970 (I bought a t1 ballpoint in Detroit for $20) but, because drill bits were being destroyed in drilling the titanium rods production was discontinued, giving us a pen & ballpoint, if you have mint copies for > $1200. So, it's not unexpected 45 f2.8 succeeds after production.</p>

 

[mihai_ciuca]

<p>Andy, 45/2.8 AI-P is performing very well on D800 so you do not have to worry about that. I do not use it much on D800 but it is one of my preferred lenses on D7000 - this is a great combo! </p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<blockquote>and being tiny doesn't help that much when your camera is that large, does it?</blockquote>

 

<p>Yes. Most lenses make the camera considerably deeper, which can be the difference between a large coat pocket or top of a bag, or neading a whole compartment. It also reduces the chance of a cantilever force on the lens mount. If the 45mm wasn't so preposterously over-priced, I'd be very tempted to get one. I've been seriously considering (although I've yet to get around to it) a series-E or older manual 50mm f/1.8 lens, some of which are very nearly as thin and are probably optically sharper - though there are plenty of people who seem to pick the 45mm design on the basis of its bokeh and, possibly, deliberate residual aberrations rather than for absolute sharpness, especially wide open. (To be honest, none of these lenses is very good wide open, and even the AF-S update would best be described as "better".)</p>