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Top three 50mm lenses for D850?

dave.gt

Well-known member
I am actually in search of a good buy from the Nifty Fifties!!!:thumbup:

Interestingly, a D850 has visited and become a welcome guest.:) with a problem, it does not play nice with the established residents of the 50s community here.

The "new" D850 needs a 50mm lens and of the three I have, not a single one is up to the task of rendering a decent image. Hmmm... I have heard good things about the value leader, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens.

Has anyone had a good experience with this lens? :)

What seem to be the top three 50s for the D850?
 

Oren Grad

Active member
FWIW, Thom Hogan doesn't think any of the Nikon 50's is fully up to the demands of the D850, at least if you're trying to get the most out of it.

You can read his reviews of the current ones here...

Nikkor FX Prime Lens Reviews | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

...but I'll add that even beyond what he writes in the reviews, he's been griping about Nikon's offerings in the 50mm focal length for a long time, in comments that have appeared here and there in his writings. In his "choosing a prime lens kit" article, he leaves out the Nikon 50's but mentions the Sigma Art and the Tamron 45/1.8 as affordable options worth considering:

Choosing a Simple Prime Kit | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan
 

Oren Grad

Active member
I'm not a fan of the Zeiss 50/1.4. Wide open, depending on the distance between subject and OOF background, it can sometimes produce ni-sen (double-line) bokeh that to my eye is very harsh and distracting. That may or may not matter for you depending on your taste and how you intend to use the lens, but it's something to watch out for as you look for sample images or if you have the opportunity to test the lens yourself.
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
I used the D850, but think the Z7 has better 50mm options, such as the 50mm 1.8S. Which, imo, is one of the sharpest lenses i've used. It's been compared to the Otus 1.4. These new S lenses for the Z have established that 1.8 is the new 1.4, imo. I know this isn't a comparison thread, but thought I would add my two cents. Rent a 50mm 1.4 Art from Sigma. Good things said about that lens too.
 

Oren Grad

Active member
I guess by the end of my second reply I must have sounded like the little kid in the old Life cereal commercial - "Let's get Mikey, he hates everything!"

< sheepish :) >

I'm not a big 50 user and I'm not currently shooting Nikon full frame, so I haven't actually needed to solve this problem for myself. But if I needed a reasonably affordable but high-performing Nikon-F-mount 50 I'd indeed probably look first at the Sigma Art.

Good luck and let us know what you settle on!
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Well, I have shot more than 40 years of images with 50mm lenses probably used most of the time or with any number of zoom lenses between 28-200mm. And there was a time I used a 300mm. No telephoto beyond that. And certainly nothing wider than 28mm... until lately when I will soon be using the 14mm Rokinon for Astro sessions :).

I don't shoot action sports anymore but I do miss that. No more weddings... forget that, those are just not what I like to do. I need a short list of lenses, with the first one being a 50mm prime for general everyday carry. The Sigma Art does seem to be a very good buy!

It is a shame that the Nikon lenses seem to have distortion and negative reviews. I dunno, I will need to check them out as well.

For me, the D850 should last the remaining time I will be shooting. I only use those cameras I like and eschew those with features I do not like. If others want to use something else, that's fine, I have no need to discuss one camera system over another.:thumbup:
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
I'm not a fan of the Zeiss 50/1.4. Wide open, depending on the distance between subject and OOF background, it can sometimes produce ni-sen (double-line) bokeh that to my eye is very harsh and distracting. That may or may not matter for you depending on your taste and how you intend to use the lens, but it's something to watch out for as you look for sample images or if you have the opportunity to test the lens yourself.
Hi, Oren...

Today, I have literally reviewed thousands of images of the Milvus 50/1.4 and I have yet to find the double-line bokeh. Do you have any examples of that?

Nikon images online with double-line bokeh seem to be everywhere. Perhaps that is why I stopped shooting Nikon for a decade and used mostly Leica cameras and lenses. I am just now returning to the Nikon world, though not exclusively, and I am happy to do so with the D850. So far, I love the Otus lenses:bugeyes: and the Milvus lenses. The Sigma Art is really nice as well and it has AF.

This will be most interesting!

Thanks for the comments, JD and Oren... we shall see what happens!:cool:
 

Oren Grad

Active member
Hi, Oren...

Today, I have literally reviewed thousands of images of the Milvus 50/1.4 and I have yet to find the double-line bokeh. Do you have any examples of that?
Dave, I owe you, and anyone else reading this thread, an apology. It turns out that for the Milvus generation Zeiss finally got around to redesigning the 50/1.4. My comments apply only to the earlier versions - I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the new one.

My bad! I knew that on the one hand the optical design of the prior 35/2 has been carried over to the Milvus line while on the other the Milvus 35/1.4 is entirely new, but I mistakenly recalled the 50/1.4 as being in the prior category. I think part of it was that that behavior of the old 50/1.4 had persisted through many generations of the lens over many years. But of course, that's a good reason for them to have redesigned it! Mea culpa!

Just so you'll know what I was talking about, here's a mild example of the kind of rendering from the older versions that bugs me:

https://dustinabbott.net/wp-content/gallery/zeiss-planar-t-bokeh-gallery/Bokeh-Everywhere.jpg
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
The Sigma Art will be the best. Personally, I like the way the 50/1.4G draws, but I know I am a minority in that opinion and the Sigma Art is notably sharper.
 

Jeffg53

Member
Leica R Summicron, Tim Ashley wrote a piece on it some time back. I must confess to not using it or my Otus on the D850 but I would expect them to hold up well
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Dave, I owe you, and anyone else reading this thread, an apology. It turns out that for the Milvus generation Zeiss finally got around to redesigning the 50/1.4. My comments apply only to the earlier versions - I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the new one.

My bad! I knew that on the one hand the optical design of the prior 35/2 has been carried over to the Milvus line while on the other the Milvus 35/1.4 is entirely new, but I mistakenly recalled the 50/1.4 as being in the prior category. I think part of it was that that behavior of the old 50/1.4 had persisted through many generations of the lens over many years. But of course, that's a good reason for them to have redesigned it! Mea culpa!

Just so you'll know what I was talking about, here's a mild example of the kind of rendering from the older versions that bugs me:

https://dustinabbott.net/wp-content/gallery/zeiss-planar-t-bokeh-gallery/Bokeh-Everywhere.jpg
Ah, that is cool!:) no worries at all, I am always in a state of confusion and it is good to know that all of that research didn't completely fry what is left of my mind.:thumbup:

Thank you for that thoughtful reflection! The link you gave me ties nicely into those I came across. Very cool!

The double-line bokeh is one of those characteristics I don't like about my old Nikon glass. I always wanted to try out the newer lenses but then I found Hasselblad at the time.:):):)

Again, I appreciate all your help.:cool:
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
The Sigma Art will be the best. Personally, I like the way the 50/1.4G draws, but I know I am a minority in that opinion and the Sigma Art is notably sharper.
Having never tried the 50/1.4G, I am intrigued but still have not found really good examples of images to review that lens. So I will continue checking around.Thanks for your thoughts.:)

I must give it a test drive. It is a good thing that warm weather is on the way, I have a lot of work to do trying out 50mm lenses!:):):)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
I can do samples of my two, if you wish. I’m a bit busy at the moment so it will need to be easy.
Jeff,

How gracious an offer!!! Thank you! No great rush here, and anything you can put together is most appreciated.:thumbs:

Please make it convenient for yourself. I am certainly looking forward to it!:)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Leica R Summicron, Tim Ashley wrote a piece on it some time back. I must confess to not using it or my Otus on the D850 but I would expect them to hold up well
It is coincidental you should mention a Leica R Cron... a week ago I was wishing I had a decent copy for my lonely R4. Having been sidetracked years ago with chasing gear for specific purposes, I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed the creamy oof areas rendered by the R Cron. The R4 languishes in my desk, loaded with film and with a perfectly good battery.

Is there an adapter that works with the D850?

If so, yes, I am interested!!!!:grin:
 

Jeffg53

Member
I used Leitax adapters. They are a bayonet replacement. I have the 19, 50, 100 macro, 180, and 28-90 all Leitax’d. PM me with an address and I will Hightail the files.
 

JohnBrew

Active member
The Zeiss 50 Makro, Nikon 50 1.2, Zeiss Otus 55. I’ve never shot a Sigma lens so can’t say anything there.
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
The Zeiss 50 Makro, Nikon 50 1.2, Zeiss Otus 55. I’ve never shot a Sigma lens so can’t say anything there.
Hi, John,

I was just reading about the 50 1.2 while I had a minute before starting the day. It is only $699 NEW at BH PHOTO. I must look into some images from that lens for sure.

The Zeiss 50 Makro is interesting! Thanks for the heads up!!!:thumbup:
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
I second the recommend for the Nikon 50mm 1.2 AI-s, ifyou don't mind MF, then the Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-s is one of the best at f/2. Also, it retails for about $695 and is currently Nikon's fastest lens in production. Its build quality is on par with Leica M lenses, imo. My primary reason for mentioning the Z7 was only to take advantage of the IBIS and MF perfection, and a sensor that's very similar. The D850 is a stellar camera that requires just a little more finesse. Enjoy!

https://www.adorama.com/nk5012u.html?origterm=nikon+50mm+1.2+ai-s&searchredirect=true
 
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