AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4 D

The F6 and the AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4D with the F3 and the Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS in the background 

 

AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4 D
s/n: 4025747

My first SLR had a 50mm lens, now, my favorite manual focus lens is the Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS. It is a normal perspective to what our eyes see. My next favorite is the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AIS - Japanese Pancake Version and the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AIS. I have owned two or three Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS. It’s a really normal view of the world through a nice 50mm lens.

I purchased this one from a professional photographer, he handed it to me standing there in his pajamas and robe, literally less than twenty four hours back from Tunisia and Saudi Arabia on assignment, “It’s a good one!” “Yes, I know.” 

I told him, “I like it because it is compatible with my F3, F6 and D780.”

My scrutiny for purchases very tight, I already have the Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS which will fit the three cameras above however I want a dedicated AF prime 50mm. At least three of my zoom lenses cover the 50mm focal length in addition I have a and I used to own the AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8 D and last but certainly not least, I currently own the AF-S Nikkor AF-S 50mm f1.8 G FX. That lens, as tack sharp as it is, well, it’s about to be culled from the quiver. It’s a gelded lens, a G series, no aperture ring, electronic aperture control, although the lens will fit the F3, it can only be used at the maximum (smallest size) setting. Not what I want out of my kit.

To be clear, I’m moving towards reducing my kit to a minimum of overlap and as few gelded lenses as possible. The only one I plan to keep is the AF-S Nikkor 14-24 f2.8 G ED FX which is a sick beast of a lens that is so damn badass…

That’s six different prime 50mm lenses, this AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4 D is the seventh 50mm prime.

Why so many?

It’s what I know as a normal view, a normal picture. 

That is an important perspective for me to include in my kit. I have a specialized Manual Focus 50mm prime lens for the F3. It’s always on this camera. And then an Auto Focus 50mm prime that I can also use as a Manual Focus 50mm prime. The Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS and the F3 are inseparable. If one goes, they both go and they are not going anywhere. The AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4 D could replace it, but it’s not.

I did this on purpose, I wrote the above to show two things, one, to show how a lens junky thinks and describes his reasoning and two, to show just how important this lens actually is. One small switch takes it from AF to MF, someone that did not know would miss it.

The aperture ring lock “switch” for Auto Focus.

I’ll go ahead and hit publish to post the page. I’ll follow up with some pictures out of my F6. That’s the camera this one is going to be stuck on…

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AF Nikkor 50mm f1.4 D

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