I thought i would share the MF lens that i am using now (Tried and Tested) to let others know if its worth getting. I am using the D800 for both photos and videos and how they have performed. Sometimes i use these gears for selected time of commercial work and hence you know that if clients are happy with the quality, pro-sumers should see the relevance of it. My gears are:
1. Nikkor 24 mm F 2.8 AIS
2. Nikkor 50 mm F1.2 AIS
3. Nikkor 50 mm F.18 AIS Pancake
4. Nikkor 105 mm F1.8 AIS
I do have other lens such as the Nikon 20 mm F2.8 AFD, 35 mm F2 AFD and 60 mm F2.8 but i use them on a lesser extend nowadays.
1. Nikkor 24 mm F 2.8 AIS
Built like a small tank. I like the size and the combination of this with the Nikon 50 mm as my walk about lens. I used to favour extreme wide angle lens but have learned to realise that landscaping isnt getting the wideness but eliminating the distortion. I found this angle of view just appropriate whereas the 10 or 20 mm simply distorts too much. I favour this because the filter size of 52 mm is similar to the 50 mm. Hence i can just pack this and go.
This is good for landscape or architecture. Any wider it will distort. I used to use 20 mm AFD for wideness and correct the angle of view in post production. It works but i found that i am losing certain details as i do that. I have less 'room' to work with when shooting and hence every decision is import.
This lens is extremely sharp with the D800. I like the MF because of the sharpness. Comparing this with the 20 mm AFD and 35 mm AFD that i have, sometimes the AFD let me down.
I have not used the 28 mm F2.8 AIS and i think that is a good lens too. I will stick to this current lens because this with the 50 mm gives me all i ever need. As age catches up and with family, i need to pack and travel light. So, the old AIS lens seems to work well for me.
Talking about sharpness, colors and contrast, i think this lens brings them out beautifully. I have no complains.
Pros: Lightweight, 52 mm diameter means you share filter thread w 50 mm, 10 stop filters are cheaper at 52 mm compared to getting Lee filters, good color rendition and sharpness. shoots macro close enough
Cons: Limited view of the 24 mm means your framing is important
2. Nikkor 50 mm F1.2 AIS
The 50 mm F1.2 AIS was my first MF lens. It was a leap of faith at that time. If you are new to MF lens, it is either a love or hate situation. Nowadays, i dont even use AF lenses anymore. Back to the 50 mm F.12: its bokeh effect is simply too nice. Once you get the hang of how to use it for portraiture, pets, you simply do not want to get it off your camera. This lens works well for video too. I like the camera to subject distance because it places me close enough to direct my subject. Colors and sharpness are good. F1.2 has no problem with video but at times with pictures. If you frame your subject to be 3/4 of your frame, your sharpness is guaranteed. However if you try to use this as a telephoto lens, i.e framing the subject only about 1/8 of the frame, you get lots of framing. Using under direct sunlight can cause lots of fringing and CA as well. So best to shoot only in even and not extreme lighting. For food shots, i sometimes find that F1.2 is too shallow. But since you have the room to use F2, you get closer to the MTF and get better depth of field too. 50 mm also works like a semi-telephoto and eliminates any distortion.
The weight is heavy (solid glass inside) but its a trade off.
Pros: large F1.2 means you get good looking bokeh. Useful for portraits or food shots. Has a journalistic effect to it. Out of focus pictures can be quite artistic.
Cons: Heavy. Needs practise w the MF to get the picture sharp. Sometimes you have to shoot a few to select the sharp one.
3. Nikkor 50 mm F1.8 AIS PANCAKE
I bought this lens not knowing what i would do w it. But i realise the lightweight is a great plus point. It is sharp at F1.8 and focussing easier than the F1.2. When i do not demand a greater DOF or in no mood to carry the heavier 50 F1.2, this lens is for me. Works great for portraiture. At F1.8 or at F2, you get the depth of field that you need when shooting food or people. Also, as a pancake, it looks less threatening to people when you do street. For color wise, i find that this produces deeper, darker colors as compared to the 50 mm F1.2
Pros: Super lightweight. Not threatening. Good combination with the 24 mm as a walk about lens. So small and cute that your wife doesnt mind you having it. Low cost.
Cons: Wish sometimes it was a F1.2 (hehe...)
4. Nikkor 105 mm F1.8 AIS
This is a rare lens that is hard to come by. Like what uncle Ken Rockwell says in his website. This lens is sharp and good. Period. Nothing more to add.
The color rendition is like the the 50 mm F1.2: Nice, beautiful and sharp. I can find it as an extremely good tool for portraiture or sniping. It places some distance between you and the subject. In my own opinion, a bit too far because i do not have a loud voice. Portraiture is excellence because of the compression effect of a 105mm. Its better as a portraiture lens compared to the 105 mm F2.8 AFS. But as the glass is heavy, you need to learn how to balance and handle this tool well. Alot of the time you need to be able to turn the focus of the lens while balancing it. This is the only gripe i have when using this lens. When mounted on a tripod for photo or video work, this sharpness and colors is amazing. Use this as its intend (portraiture, pets, food). If you try to push it to use it like a 300 mm lens, you get lots of fringing and CA.
Pros: Ideal lens for portraiture/ video but only with a tripod (Works better than the 105 mm F2.8 AFS as a portrait lens). Colors are beautiful and realistic. Sharpness is amazing. Good build in lens hood.
Cons: Lens is front heavy and you may struggle with the focusing with all the weight on your hand. (The 105 mm F2.8 AFS may be a better balanced lens with a Pro-body than the 105 mm F1.8).
1. Nikkor 24 mm F 2.8 AIS
2. Nikkor 50 mm F1.2 AIS
3. Nikkor 50 mm F.18 AIS Pancake
4. Nikkor 105 mm F1.8 AIS
I do have other lens such as the Nikon 20 mm F2.8 AFD, 35 mm F2 AFD and 60 mm F2.8 but i use them on a lesser extend nowadays.
1. Nikkor 24 mm F 2.8 AIS
Built like a small tank. I like the size and the combination of this with the Nikon 50 mm as my walk about lens. I used to favour extreme wide angle lens but have learned to realise that landscaping isnt getting the wideness but eliminating the distortion. I found this angle of view just appropriate whereas the 10 or 20 mm simply distorts too much. I favour this because the filter size of 52 mm is similar to the 50 mm. Hence i can just pack this and go.
This is good for landscape or architecture. Any wider it will distort. I used to use 20 mm AFD for wideness and correct the angle of view in post production. It works but i found that i am losing certain details as i do that. I have less 'room' to work with when shooting and hence every decision is import.
This lens is extremely sharp with the D800. I like the MF because of the sharpness. Comparing this with the 20 mm AFD and 35 mm AFD that i have, sometimes the AFD let me down.
I have not used the 28 mm F2.8 AIS and i think that is a good lens too. I will stick to this current lens because this with the 50 mm gives me all i ever need. As age catches up and with family, i need to pack and travel light. So, the old AIS lens seems to work well for me.
Talking about sharpness, colors and contrast, i think this lens brings them out beautifully. I have no complains.
Pros: Lightweight, 52 mm diameter means you share filter thread w 50 mm, 10 stop filters are cheaper at 52 mm compared to getting Lee filters, good color rendition and sharpness. shoots macro close enough
Cons: Limited view of the 24 mm means your framing is important
2. Nikkor 50 mm F1.2 AIS
The 50 mm F1.2 AIS was my first MF lens. It was a leap of faith at that time. If you are new to MF lens, it is either a love or hate situation. Nowadays, i dont even use AF lenses anymore. Back to the 50 mm F.12: its bokeh effect is simply too nice. Once you get the hang of how to use it for portraiture, pets, you simply do not want to get it off your camera. This lens works well for video too. I like the camera to subject distance because it places me close enough to direct my subject. Colors and sharpness are good. F1.2 has no problem with video but at times with pictures. If you frame your subject to be 3/4 of your frame, your sharpness is guaranteed. However if you try to use this as a telephoto lens, i.e framing the subject only about 1/8 of the frame, you get lots of framing. Using under direct sunlight can cause lots of fringing and CA as well. So best to shoot only in even and not extreme lighting. For food shots, i sometimes find that F1.2 is too shallow. But since you have the room to use F2, you get closer to the MTF and get better depth of field too. 50 mm also works like a semi-telephoto and eliminates any distortion.
The weight is heavy (solid glass inside) but its a trade off.
Pros: large F1.2 means you get good looking bokeh. Useful for portraits or food shots. Has a journalistic effect to it. Out of focus pictures can be quite artistic.
Cons: Heavy. Needs practise w the MF to get the picture sharp. Sometimes you have to shoot a few to select the sharp one.
3. Nikkor 50 mm F1.8 AIS PANCAKE
I bought this lens not knowing what i would do w it. But i realise the lightweight is a great plus point. It is sharp at F1.8 and focussing easier than the F1.2. When i do not demand a greater DOF or in no mood to carry the heavier 50 F1.2, this lens is for me. Works great for portraiture. At F1.8 or at F2, you get the depth of field that you need when shooting food or people. Also, as a pancake, it looks less threatening to people when you do street. For color wise, i find that this produces deeper, darker colors as compared to the 50 mm F1.2
Pros: Super lightweight. Not threatening. Good combination with the 24 mm as a walk about lens. So small and cute that your wife doesnt mind you having it. Low cost.
Cons: Wish sometimes it was a F1.2 (hehe...)
4. Nikkor 105 mm F1.8 AIS
This is a rare lens that is hard to come by. Like what uncle Ken Rockwell says in his website. This lens is sharp and good. Period. Nothing more to add.
The color rendition is like the the 50 mm F1.2: Nice, beautiful and sharp. I can find it as an extremely good tool for portraiture or sniping. It places some distance between you and the subject. In my own opinion, a bit too far because i do not have a loud voice. Portraiture is excellence because of the compression effect of a 105mm. Its better as a portraiture lens compared to the 105 mm F2.8 AFS. But as the glass is heavy, you need to learn how to balance and handle this tool well. Alot of the time you need to be able to turn the focus of the lens while balancing it. This is the only gripe i have when using this lens. When mounted on a tripod for photo or video work, this sharpness and colors is amazing. Use this as its intend (portraiture, pets, food). If you try to push it to use it like a 300 mm lens, you get lots of fringing and CA.
Pros: Ideal lens for portraiture/ video but only with a tripod (Works better than the 105 mm F2.8 AFS as a portrait lens). Colors are beautiful and realistic. Sharpness is amazing. Good build in lens hood.
Cons: Lens is front heavy and you may struggle with the focusing with all the weight on your hand. (The 105 mm F2.8 AFS may be a better balanced lens with a Pro-body than the 105 mm F1.8).
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