Noct-nikkor?

[photoSmart42]

I was looking around for some Nikkor lenses for my GH1, and ran across the Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 Ai-S. Looked promising until I saw the $3,000+ price tag on it. What's so special about this lens that makes it so much more expensive than other comparable lenses (FL 58mm/1.2, FL 55mm/1.2, Konica 57mm/1.2, Nokton 50mm/1.1, etc.)?

 

[Vivek]

What's so special about this lens that makes it so much more expensive than other comparable lenses (FL 58mm/1.2, FL 55mm/1.2, Konica 57mm/1.2, Nokton 50mm/1.1, etc.)?

Simple. You can not mount and use the others on a Nikon camera.

 

[photoSmart42]

So the AI-S lenses are compatible with modern Nikon DSLRs then, even though they're MF lenses? That would explain the price then.

 

[Jeremy]

The Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 was VERY limited run of a few thousand using a hand-polished front element and was made for low light shooting.

There is also a Nikon 50mm f/1.2 Ai/AiS which can be found much, much cheaper.

 

[m3photo]

Re: Backwards Compatibility

So the AI-S lenses are compatible with modern Nikon DSLRs then, even though they're MF lenses?

Indeed they are. What is more, on a D700 for example you can pre-dial the focal lengths and maximum apertures of your old lenses in the menu and using Aperture priority for instance the camera then "knows" what aperture you're setting and all this is recorded for you in the Exif when you're working with the file afterwards. The camera also has a so-called "rangefinder" focus confirmation by way of a round green dot in the viewfinder and two arrows indicating in which direction to turn the focus ring to match the focus point you've preset. All this makes using old manual focus lenses a treat; alas something Canon decided to do away with when they switched to the EF system, only now thanks to Zeiss can Canon users benefit from a few "proper" manual focus lenses. I say "proper" because personally I can't stand the lack of a "real" manual focus sensation with AF lenses turned off.
Nikon fan/AF rant over.

 

[terryc]

I was looking around for some Nikkor lenses for my GH1, and ran across the Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 Ai-S. Looked promising until I saw the $3,000+ price tag on it. What's so special about this lens that makes it so much more expensive than other comparable lenses (FL 58mm/1.2, FL 55mm/1.2, Konica 57mm/1.2, Nokton 50mm/1.1, etc.)?

I own this lens and it is a beautiful and has a very special signature. I wouldn't part with it under any circumstance.

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/nikkor/n16_e.htm

Check-out the above link - it is worth reading.

Best regards, Terry

 

[photoSmart42]

Thanks all. Learn something every day =).

Cheers!

 

[impo]

I used to have one and I remember it having the smoothest bokeh of any lens I've set my hands on. I regret selling it... now the price is too high for me to even think about buying another .

Here's an example: