Learn & Explore Tip of the Day

June 19, 2013

Take plenty of pictures. With the split-second nature of sports, it is extremely hard to capture every moment perfectly. Shooting a lot will increase the odds of getting the one great photo you'll want to share. Put the camera on continuous shooting to maximize your efforts.

June 18, 2013

Keep an eye on your LCD after you take photos of people, and when you find a particularly flattering shot, show it to them. Nothing makes a person relax like knowing that the photos you’re taking make them look good.

June 17, 2013

Sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows? You can get some great shots in the light of a fire, but remember that if the fire’s in the picture, the camera’s meter can be fooled by the brightness of the flames. Compose and meter your exposure on your subjects’ faces to expose them properly.

June 16, 2013

Take plenty of photos during your Father’s Day celebrations. Remember to print multiple copies, so everyone can have their own photographs of dad to cherish.

June 15, 2013

Planning to take a vacation by the beach? Look for a compact digital camera that’s waterproof, such as the Nikon COOLPIX AW110, S31 or get an underwater housing for your camera. You’ll be able to take your camera under water and capture what goes on below the surface.

June 14, 2013

Use panning for a different action shot. Slow down your shutter speed and follow the subject (panning) with your camera as you take the picture. This will blur/streak the background and keeps your subject in focus. Try to shoot about 1/30 of a second as you follow the action.

June 13, 2013

When shooting groups of five or more people, make sure you stagger them. Put tall folks in the back and the shortest ones in front. It may seem simple, but blocking out just one face can ruin a group portrait. Always tell them, “If you don’t have a clear view of me, the camera can’t see you.”

June 12, 2013

Want a unique video of sports action? Use the slow-motion mode that many Nikon digital cameras offer. By shooting the action faster than normal and played back at normal speed, your subject’s movements are slowed down and look more deliberate.

June 11, 2013

When shooting bodies of water, use a polarizer filter to reduce glare. It will increase the contrast of the overall image, making colors seem deeper and more vivid.

June 10, 2013

When photographing animals of any kind—pets, birds in flight, animals at the zoo—try to zoom in as close as you can or use a longer lens to isolate the animal from its background. By getting a close-up view you have a greater chance of capturing a wonderful expression on the face of the animal, which will give you a more interesting photograph.

June 9, 2013

Spend a day taking photos using the effects modes that your camera offers. Check your camera manual to see where to find the effects available on your specific camera.

June 8, 2013

Baseball games provide a lot of angles. Get low, near first base. From there you can see most of the infield action, plus home plate. Try shooting through the backstop with a long lens as the pitcher warms up. But don’t get too close to the action. You don't want to get hurt.

June 7, 2013

Check the weather before an outdoor event. Protecting your camera and lens is critical. Consider buying a rain hood for your camera. It will protect your camera and allow you to keep shooting. If you don’t have one, use a gallon-size plastic bag or trash bag with rubber bands to protect your gear.

June 6, 2013

When composing a sports picture, leave some room for the action. For instance, if a runner is going left to right, leave more room on the right side of the frame for him/her to run into. This will make a big difference on the impact of the image.

June 5, 2013

Change your white balance during a sunrise or sunset. Take your camera off auto white balance and switch to Cloudy or Shady white balance. This will add more strength to the reds, oranges and yellows. Auto White Balance tries to keep colors neutral.

June 4, 2013

Posing a bride and groom for photos is sometimes difficult. Concentrate on close shots of just the two of them, with clean backgrounds. Then create a fun group shot having them in the center, with others gathered around them. Just make sure no one gets in front of them. After all, it’s their day.

June 3, 2013

Use a polarizing filter to lessen or eliminate reflections from glass. This works really well on windows of stores or cars. But the trade-off is that your exposure will be a bit longer, as the light is cut down by almost two stops.

June 2, 2013

Try shooting panoramas if you’re at a sport stadium, beach or park, for more interesting images. Some Nikon Digital Cameras have an Easy Panorama mode or a Panorama Assist mode, which make these photos easy to capture.

June 1, 2013

Use a small flashlight to light up a scene. Put one behind or under an object at night to create an interesting glow or use it instead of a flash. Take long-exposure shots using a flash as a light source and you can create interesting glowing sections of your photos.

May 31, 2013

At a gathering of friends or family take an extra camera and let everyone know they can take pictures with it. Leave it out and let anyone grab it and shoot away. Then use one of the photo sharing sites to make sure everyone can get a copy of the photos they took.

May 30, 2013

At a wedding, watch what the photographer is doing and pick something different to shoot. If the photographer is shooting the cake cutting, take pictures of the band. If the photographer is shooting the bouquet toss with a wide-angle lens from behind the bride, use a telephoto to capture people trying to catch the flowers. You’ll capture a part of the wedding that wouldn’t have been documented otherwise.

May 29, 2013

Look around you when you’re shooting at sunset. The objects that look boring during the day magically come to life when the rays of the sun hit them. Buildings, cars and anything reflective take on a special quality at sunset.

May 28, 2013

Patience is a virtue. But it’s a necessity when taking pictures of children and pets. Slow down, watch and keep shooting. A healthy dose of patience can really pay off in much better pictures.

May 27, 2013

Bring your camera when you go to your local Memorial Day Parade. You can make great pictures of your children as they get ready, as well as while they’re marching on the parade route.

May 26, 2013

When photographing cars, try getting a different perspective. Use a wide-angle lens to capture the hood ornament with the hood stretched out behind. Get low and shoot up on the car. Grab a ladder and shoot a bird’s eye view. You’ll create a photograph that captures a car as art.

May 25, 2013

Babies are great subjects because they’re so darn cute. Focus on the teeny body parts with a macro lens. Pudgy hands, small ears, and teeny elbows—they’re even cuter when they’re the subjects of your photo.

May 24, 2013

Ask people to write down their e-mail address on a piece of paper and take a photo of that paper along with their photos. That way you’ll always have their e-mail address on file. Send them a copy of the photo as a thank-you for their time.

May 23, 2013

May 22, 2013

Planning to take a vacation by the beach? Look for a compact digital camera that’s waterproof, such as the Nikon COOLPIX AW100, AW110, S30, S31 or get an underwater housing for your camera. You’ll be able to take your camera under water and capture what goes on below the surface.

May 21, 2013

When shooting nighttime landscapes, use a low ISO (400 or below if possible) while working from a tripod. Open your aperture to F/4 or F/5.6. This will allow you to have a shot full of detail and of good quality. Remember that night shots need a subject, just like day shots.

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AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

Distortion-free, high-contrast images with superb resolution and color rendition.

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$369.95

Product Number: 1902

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Supplied Accessories

Ultra-fast f/1.4 prime lens for exquisite sharpness and bokeh

With outstanding NIKKOR optics and an ultra-fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, the AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D delivers superb resolution and color reproduction and a classic 50mm angle of view. Its manual aperture control ring enables smooth adjustments during Live View shooting. Fast enough for shooting in just about any light, it’s an ideal walk-around (multi-purpose) lens for photography and HD video recording.

View Lens Construction

View MTF Curve

Beautiful background blur

Achieve more natural depth of field

Nothing quite isolates and captures the subject of a portrait like a lens that is capable of achieving spectacular background blur (bokeh). When you need to isolate your subject from its background—whether shooting stills or HD videos—the AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D renders a beautiful, natural background blur at its wider aperture settings. Manual control of that aperture means you can make smooth adjustments, even during Live View shooting.

View Sample Photos

The beauty is in the details

Fast enough for shooting in any light

Shooting with only available light can prove challenging, but the AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D is fast enough for nearly any type of light. Its f/1.4 maximum aperture and outstanding NIKKOR optics broaden your range of shooting opportunities. Create images you never thought possible.

Super Integrated Coating

Nikon Super Integrated Coating is Nikon's term for its multilayer coating of the optical elements in NIKKOR lenses.

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Sample Photography

Lens Simulator

Lens Construction

MTF Curve

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Specifications

Mount Type

Nikon F-Bayonet

Focal Length

50mm

Maximum Aperture

f/1.4

Minimum Aperture

f/16

Format

FX/35mm

Maximum Angle of View (DX-format)

31°30'

Maximum Angle of View (FX-format)

46°

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

0.15x

Lens Elements

Lens Groups

Compatible Format(s)

FX
DX
FX in DX Crop Mode
35mm Film

Diaphragm Blades

Distance Information

Yes

Super Integrated Coating

Yes

Autofocus

Yes

Minimum Focus Distance

1.5 ft. (0.45m)

Focus Mode

Auto
Manual

Filter Size

52mm

Accepts Filter Type

Screw-on

Dimensions

(Approx.) 2.5 x 1.7 in. (Diameter x Length)
64.5 x 42.5mm (Diameter x Length)

Weight

(Approx.) 8.1 oz. (230g)

Supplied Accessories

52mm lens cap
Rear lens cap

*Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

**Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
***Refer to the product manual or the Compatible Lenses Specification for additional details.

52mm Circular Polarizer II$105.00

HR-2 Screw-on Rubber Lens Hood$23.50

LC-52 Snap-on Front Lens Cap 52mm$17.00

52mm Screw-On NC Filter$49.00

LF-1 Rear Lens Cap$13.50

52mm Screw-on Soft Focus Filter$77.00

CL-0715 Soft Lens Case$14.00

Filter Case$21.50

HR-1 Rubber Lens Hood$20.50

HS-9 Rubber Lens Hood$42.00

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*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D 4.6 5 48 48

A fast 50mm lens with good performance I bought this 50mm lens with my D700, to replace my old 50/1.4 AI lens for an autofocus version. This 50/1.4 AF-D lens performs nicely, with surprisingly fast and accurate focus tracking. The only real gripe I have is that it does not come with a lens hood - this is one reason I gave it a 4 star rating!!! There are plenty of situations where the lens hood helps to improve contrast. It took me some time to discover it. My old 50/1.4 AI does have a metal hood which is VERY useful. This metal lens hood also fits the newer 50/1.4 AF-D. Sharpness and contrast suffer a little when shooting wide open (f1.4), but nothing to complain. Bokeh is very nice and smooth. Like others commented, it can produce heptagonal shapes which I like. Colors are very nice and saturated, with good contrast (see above about hood). Last not least, the AF-D version feels solid, but doesn't have the robust and precision engineered built of the manual focus AI (or AI-S). The inner lens barrel (the one that extends/retracts when focusing) somewhat wiggles a little, manual focusing is far less smooth. This is another reason I gave it "only" 4 stars. When I don't need autofocus, I use my old 50/1.4 AI. There is something about that old lens that is hard to describe, but it does show in the pictures (micro-contrast, perhaps better sharpness). For those who don't care about manual focus lenses or must have autofocus, the 50/1.4 AF-D is an excellent and affordable choice. I also recommend getting a lens hood - preferably the metal type as it's rock solid and provides added protection to the lens, aside from improving the picture quality. May 16, 2011

solid performer A small, sharp lens. I use it on FX and am generally pleased. It is sharp and small. I am generally very happy with the images I get, but there are a few niggles: It vignettes a bit wide open and loses some contrast there, but improves when stopped down just a bit. It also is subject to flare, so I suggest getting and using the HR-2 hood. I must also note the cheap end cap - a white plastic "thing" that presses on. My other Nikkors have a real screw-on end cap end cap - why does Nikon allow this? Overall, it is a very decent lens. I selected the 1.4D over the AFS 1.4G because of the aperture ring, which makes it useful on older cameras. April 15, 2011

Can't Complain This was my first nice piece of glass. The AF with my D7000 is super fast. I also played with an AF-G but this noticeably faster. The camera and lens don't feel like they're constantly hunting for focus. It's plenty light, but feels solid. I'd have preferred a 35mm but that lens is crazy expensive. This 50 1.4 is a great, entry-level "wide open" lens. April 14, 2011

Great Glass. Extreme Sharpness when stopped down I owned this lens for a couple years before upgrading to the 50 1.4 G. The optics are excellent and do not let down. Shot wide open leaves a little to be desired, especially in challenging lighting conditions compared to full pro level primes. I upgraded to the new one because of the common focusing issues with this model. The new one isn't significantly better optically and will give the same images in a controlled environment. I'm finding that the better autofocus with the new lens and its ability to deal with lighting issues has been an asset to me. This lens looks better that the new one and has an aperture ring. Wish that they would have kept aperture rings on their new lenses. March 2, 2011

Good Lens This is a great lens for any low light situation. My only complaint is that it is not sharp until f2.2. I prefer the new G series lens over this one. July 31, 2010

beutiful lens for limited depth of field photos This lens have to be used with knowing what you are doing, taking just photos at f/1.4 using a DX camera , more likely you going to be disappointed, with great care photographing f/1.4 using a DX camera works beautifully under stable controlled shooting, Shooting at F/2.8 is safe. Using film Shooting at F1.4 is safe and same with FX format July 30, 2010

Rock Solid I've used this lens at work for shooting product shots, and portraits, and I also have one for my personal D300s, and I love the lens. At work I've had it for a couple of years, and it's rock solid. I like that it opens so wide, and use it to get some great DOF effects, but haven't had the chance to shoot it in low light yet. Because I've got a DX camera, it doesn't always give me the frame size I want, and I can't always "foot zoom" enough to frame my subject, so I would consider a 35mm for the same job, but only if it's built as solidly as this one. July 30, 2010

Low light short focus Love this lens. I find that I use it more than expected. I shoot commercially and clients love the short focus look on their products. I can also shoot in about any low light situation and get the shot. Two years of use without a problem. July 30, 2010

50mm 1.4D Very good lens, for the money, better than the G model. Small, sharp, opens waaay up (1.4). Had both the D, G models, kept the D. Put on a metal lens hood, still small, handy. Crisp, edge to edge. July 30, 2010

Fun Lens Sharp portrait photos. Excellent standard lens. Reliable construction. July 30, 2010

Solid prime that could be better Versatile normal prime when traveling light. Decent at f1.4 but sharpens up nicely at f2. July 30, 2010

You get what you pay for I use this on a D3. Comparing this to my other Nikkor fixed-focal length, the 85mm f/1.4D, the 50mm f/1.4D has lower contrast (especially wider open), is softer, and focuses a bit faster. The 85mm has a nearly indescribable pop and look to its images that the 50mm lacks. But it's also three times more expensive, too. It is an excellent focal length for an all-around portable lens. Bokeh is good, but shows heptagonal bokeh from its 7 diaphragm blades. I quite like the heptagonal effect, though. July 30, 2010

autu focus went bad on me after 6 month good lens but short lived AF. It died on me when taking portaits. July 14, 2010

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AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

3 Answers

Is this lens compatible with the D80? And will the autofocus work with it?

Mar 14, 2012 by

Bob

Florida

on AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

+1point

1out of 1found this question helpful.

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