dSLR Dad

The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G prime lens brings a Silent Wave Motor to Nikon’s standard prime lenses.  With an ultra-fast f/1.4 aperture, this lens will allow you to photograph in extremely low light.  The other benefit of a big aperture is it’s very small depth-of-field when wide open.  This gives you those nice out-of-focus backgrounds, helping your subject really stand out.  To get a better sense of this, This Week In Photography has an excellent video which gives a visual presentation of how changing your aperture affects your photos.   Other notable features include:

• AF-S Silent Wave Motor enables autofocus for Nikon D40, D40x, and D60 dSLR Dads.
• Rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm should help out-of-focus elements blur more natural and not seem blotchy.
• Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC) enhances light transmission efficiency and offers superior color consistency and reduced flare. Nikon’s value alternative to ED glass in a standard lens.
• Full-frame design will work with FX and DX formats.
• Minimum focus distance of 1.5 feet.
• At 2.9 by 2.1 inches (Diameter x Length) and 9 ounces, it’s a bit bigger than the 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens. However, it is much more compact and lighter than Sigma’s own 50mm F1.4 EX DC HSM Lens.

With an estimated selling price of $440 it is more expensive than the 50mm f/1.4D, but lower than Sigma’s excellent 50mm F1.4 EX DC HSM Lens. But then again, the Sigma and f/1.4D are available now, whereas Nikon’s 50mm f/1.4G doesn’t ship until this December.

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G Resources

Product page (Nikon USA)

Tech Support (Nikon USA)

To learn more about how to get the most out of a fast prime lens, check out the first two books I tell everyone to buy.

Press Release

NIKON CELEBRATES THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF NIKKOR OPTICAL EXCELLENCE WITH AN ALL-NEW 50mm f/1.4 PRIME LENS

75 Years Later and 45 Million Lenses Produced, the NIKKOR Pedigree Continues to Thrive with the Introduction of the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 22, 2008) – Nikon Inc. celebrates 75 years of defining optical excellence with the release of the newly engineered AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 prime lens that is considered by many photographers to be an essential tool with a focal length that closely replicates the visual perspective of the human eye when used with an FX-format D-SLR. Nikon’s optical expertise and modern technological advances, such as the Silent Wave Motor, help to deliver outstanding operation that is critical for Nikon FX and DX-format photographers who demand the pinnacle of photographic performance.

Ideal for travel, event, environmental and general photography in a wide variety of conditions, the new AF-S 50mm f/1.4 lens combines a superb optical formula with an ultra-fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, making it destined to become an instant classic in this digital age. This compact lens continues the tradition of NIKKOR precision optics to provide photographers with sharp, high-resolution images and the ability to focus as close as 1.5 feet for added versatility. The integration of an ultra-compact Silent Wave Motor ensures fast, whisper-quiet operation.

“The traditional 50mm lens has been a mainstay of photography for generations and deserves a place in every enthusiast and professional’s camera system. Experienced photographers have always appreciated the incredible image fidelity and low-light ability that a precisely engineered 50mm lens can deliver,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR Systems Products at Nikon Inc. “In addition, seasoned shooters often prefer the photographic discipline imposed by the use of prime lenses. Now, a new generation of photographers is discovering the freedom of capturing images that would be impossible with anything but an ultra-fast-aperture lens. Our 75 years of high-performance optical experience and stringent quality standards have won the hearts of photographers around the world, as Nikon is also celebrating 45 million NIKKOR lenses produced. In fact, five million of these lenses were produced in the last year alone, further reinforcing our contemporary leadership in the digital SLR market.”

Thanks to the maximum aperture of f/1.4 and newly refined optical performance, the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G teams perfectly with the low noise at high ISO sensitivity performance of Nikon D-SLRs such as the D3 and new D700 cameras. When used on a Nikon DX-format digital SLR camera, the new AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G provides an ideal portrait picture angle, approximating that of a 75mm lens in use on a FX-format D-SLR or 35mm SLR camera.

A newly developed optical formula effectively corrects sagittal coma flare and coma aberration, delivering astonishing image quality and allowing more users to realize their creative vision with vivid clarity. Instances of lens flare and chromatic aberration are further suppressed through the use of Nikon’s exclusive Super Integrated Coatings, which also help ensure vividly accurate color balance. The rounded diaphragm opening combined with the nine-blade aperture contributes to a substantially more natural appearance of out-of-focus background elements.

The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G lens is scheduled to be available at Nikon authorized dealers beginning December 2008 at an estimated selling price of $439.95.*

*Estimated selling price listed is only an estimate. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 22nd, 2008 at 7:00 pm and is filed under Camera Lens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.