new kid on the block

So I managed to get my hands on a relatively affordable Made-in-China Nikon AF-D 50mm f/1.4D lens. Although its not that new, the glass is pretty pristine. There are heaps of photos online about how the lens looks like but today I'd like to talk about a few properties of this lens.

 

 First of all, its sufficiently sharp at the center at f/1.4.For optimum sharpness, stop the lens down to f/2. Edge resolution peaks at f/4 and above.

As a matter of fact, the DX-only Nikon 35/1.8G lens is sharper at the center wide open as compared to the 50/1.4G. I wish Nikon had produced a FX lens with the same optical properties as the 35/1.8G at that same affordable price point.

 The autofocus speed of the 50/1.4D is pretty fast - at least 2x faster than the 50/1.4G lens from infinity to close-focus.

I guess you know what I'm about to mention here. The seven bladed aperture blades produce heptagon shaped out of focus highlights, which aren't very pleasing to see if you're used to the rounded highlights of its cheaper cousin, the 50/1.8D. You can also notice some vignetting at the edge of the FX sensor.

 The heptagon highlights become more prominent as you stop down the lens.

With the Sarawak elections around the corner, I can't see how the our government is making good their promises to the people, especially in light of the recently released video by Datuk T.

As with other large aperture primes from the film era, purple fringing is quite significant, especially at areas where contrast is quite high.

With a minimum focus distance of 0.45m, this lens isn't suited for macro photography, but it should make the food on your table appear sufficiently delicious.

Thats all for now folks. Have a very good evening.

Cheers.