New nikkor 58 f1.4

Looking at the specs it looks to be an update for the Noct f1.2 albeit @ f1.4. I doubt I'll be getting one any time soon though, looks like it will be in the £1,800 area ... the specs suggest it has the potential to be extremely sharp.
 
PaulButler said:
Looking at the specs it looks to be an update for the Noct f1.2 albeit @ f1.4. I doubt I'll be getting one any time soon though, looks like it will be in the £1,800 area ... the specs suggest it has the potential to be extremely sharp.
Click to expand...

It would have been nicer if they have kept the f1.2.
 
It interests me as I like the focal length and I had the Nikon 58mm f/1.2 Noct-Nikkor earlier this year. Sigma are rumoured to be doing a 50mm f/1.4 ART lens which if it is like the 35mm may be worth a look. Zeiss also have their highly corrected 55mm f/1.4 Otus lens out soon, but the price is a bit steep.
 
Is it just me that thinks Nikon has gone crazy???

$1600 for a 58mm f1.4?!

Why did they even bring this lens out - there is already a decent 50mm f1.4 thats 4x less money.

F1.2 and I could see the method but as it is...this looks like a joke.
 
Hmm, not that expensive compared with the new Zeiss Otus 1.4/55mm at about $4,000!
 
Phil Young said:
Is it just me that thinks Nikon has gone crazy???

$1600 for a 58mm f1.4?!

Why did they even bring this lens out - there is already a decent 50mm f1.4 thats 4x less money.

F1.2 and I could see the method but as it is...this looks like a joke.
Click to expand...


It is designed to "Outstanding reproduction capability of point light sources located at infinity even at the maximum aperture". That is the whole point of this lens. If you don't see the point of it then you clearly don't need it. :D
 
This will be a fantastic lens, but the price is certainly crazy.

However, I can see some "serious amateurs" buying into that lens for the specs. I kind of doubt that many professionals will want to use it.
 
Laudrup said:
It interests me as I like the focal length and I had the Nikon 58mm f/1.2 Noct-Nikkor earlier this year. Sigma are rumoured to be doing a 50mm f/1.4 ART lens which if it is like the 35mm may be worth a look. Zeiss also have their highly corrected 55mm f/1.4 Otus lens out soon, but the price is a bit steep.
Click to expand...

The price of the Zeiss and the Nikons to me seems to suggest that getting a 50mmish 1.4 lens sharp wide open might actually be tougher than for a 35mm or 85mm.
 
It is designed for shoot in low light. I kind of think many professionals will want to use it for their line of work. Serious amateurs won't buy it because it is not F1.2.....
 
That is a crazy amount of money, think I'll just have to stick with my 50mm 1.4
 
Phil Young said:
Perhaps somebody could theorise what this lens should be able to do that the 50/1.4 cant?

Im seriously missing something here...
Click to expand...

Read the links, check the MTFs...

It's sharper, particularly around the edges and at f/1.4. Plus Nikon is making great play about the quality of the bokeh and out of focus areas.

It will make a great portrait lens on APS-C, and for D800 pixel peepers. No doubt it's also beautifully made for the price, with top quality control, excellent AF and mechanicals.

Edit: price probably reflects low production volumes. Can't help thinking it's a bit of a halo product to show what Nikon can do, vs Zeiss and Leica etc.
 
Last edited:
Phil Young said:
Perhaps somebody could theorise what this lens should be able to do that the 50/1.4 cant?

Im seriously missing something here...
Click to expand...

Design for shoot at F1.4, better bokeh and produce more 3D like image. Currently both 50mm G lens are not on lens recommendation list for D800. basically it is designed to be a near perfect normal lens.
 
HoppyUK said:
Read the links, check the MTFs...

It's sharper, particularly around the edges and at f/1.4. Plus Nikon is making great play about the quality of the bokeh and out of focus areas.

It will make a great portrait lens on APS-C, and for D800 pixel peepers. No doubt it's also beautifully made for the price, with top quality control, excellent AF and mechanicals.

Edit: price probably reflects low production volumes. Can't help thinking it's a bit of a halo product to show what Nikon can do, vs Zeiss and Leica etc.
Click to expand...

It is to plug the hole currently in Nikon's pro lens. They were missing a pro grade normal lens for D800 ( both 50mm G lens are not on D800 recommended lens list).
 
hyeongsoong said:
It is to plug the hole currently in Nikon's pro lens. They were missing a pro grade normal lens for D800 ( both 50mm G lens are not on D800 recommended lens list).
Click to expand...

I know neither of the existing 50s are on that list. But the reason for the Noct lenses is not to plug a whole in Nikon's line up.......
 
Moreorless said:
The price of the Zeiss and the Nikons to me seems to suggest that getting a 50mmish 1.4 lens sharp wide open might actually be tougher than for a 35mm or 85mm.
Click to expand...

The Zeiss is on another level in size, weight and price. It will be much better corrected than the 35mm or 85mm lenses, it looks like it was built without compromises. It's going for the whole 'medium format' look competing with the best medium format glass like the Leica 70mm f/2.5 ASPH. I don't think I'd buy the Nikon lens unless it was so stunning and highly corrected it was hard to resist.
 
boyfalldown said:
I know neither of the existing 50s are on that list. But the reason for the Noct lenses is not to plug a whole in Nikon's line up.......
Click to expand...

But this is not a noct lens. .... at least Nikon doesn't say it is.
 
Last edited:
boyfalldown said:
:shrug::shrug:.
Click to expand...

If you read the official Nikon announcement , this lens is not a noct lens.

From official Nikon announcement:

The AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G is a lens that makes the most of advanced optical design technologies long cultivated by Nikon to achieve high reproduction capability of point light sources even at the maximum aperture, and natural depth of subjects utilizing smooth and beautiful bokeh characteristics. With shooting of distant night landscapes, the lens minimizes the sagittal coma flare that makes a point light source look like a bird with its wings spread to render point light sources as sharp points with no distortion or fringes across the entire frame, even at maximum aperture, for clear and crisp night landscape shots.
In addition, the AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G renders subjects impressively with beautiful bokeh that moderately changes as the distance from the sharply focused point increases for natural depth that makes near human subjects or still objects appear more three dimensional.#

It is not a noct lens. It is not destined as a Noct lens i.e : Ai Noct NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2
 
Last edited:
hyeongsoong said:
If you read the official Nikon announcement , this lens is not a noct lens. From official Nikon announcement: The AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G is a lens that makes the most of advanced optical design technologies long cultivated by Nikon to achieve high reproduction capability of point light sources even at the maximum aperture, and natural depth of subjects utilizing smooth and beautiful bokeh characteristics. With shooting of distant night landscapes, the lens minimizes the sagittal coma flare that makes a point light source look like a bird with its wings spread to render point light sources as sharp points with no distortion or fringes across the entire frame, even at maximum aperture, for clear and crisp night landscape shots. In addition, the AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G renders subjects impressively with beautiful bokeh that moderately changes as the distance from the sharply focused point increases for natural depth that makes near human subjects or still objects appear more three dimensional.# It is not a noct lens. It is not destined as a Noct lens i.e : Ai Noct NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2
Click to expand...


That's not the whole press release. Anyway not going to do anything other then politely agree to differ
 
The well heeled will rush to purchase one, maybe putting a red dot on it would help sales :D
 
boyfalldown said:
That's not the whole press release. Anyway not going to do anything other then politely agree to differ
Click to expand...

It is got the spirit of 'Noct' lens but not designed as a true Noct lens. In many way it is better then Noct lens. They were clearly missing a pro standard lens for their new pro lens series ( 50mm F1.4 G ) is deemed not good enough. I think this is Nikons way of plug that hole and ready for the next gen even more res sensors. ;)
 
hyeongsoong said:
It is got the spirit of 'Noct' lens but not designed as a true Noct lens. In many way it is better then Noct lens. They were clearly missing a pro standard lens for their new pro lens series ( 50mm F1.4 G ) is deemed not good enough. I think this is Nikons way of plug that hole and ready for the next gen even more res sensors. ;)
Click to expand...


Seeing as you love lists, you'll be interested to know Nikon do, and have since it was introduced, list the 50 1.4 g as a pro lens.

As stated, I don't wish to argue with you, even though I think you are wrong. So I'll just polity disagree, no mater how much you talk about destiny
 
hyeongsoong said:
The Noct NIKKOR that was said to be named after "Nocturne" was released in 1977, the same year the release of the Nikon Photomic A. This lens, as was called "Noct", was designed for taking a picture at night with fully opened aperture stop.

http://imaging.nikon.com/history/nikkor/16/
Click to expand...

And heck knows why everyone raves about the 58/1.2 now - they never did back then! I used one quite a lot and it was flarey and soft as poo, which is presumably why it was discontinued.

None of those legendary old fast primes was much good, long before asphericals and multi-coating and high RI glass, yet they sell for silly money these days.
 
For me the 58 Noct wasn't a lens about being the sharpest optic in the world, on the D800 it rendered a bit like the Leica 50mm f/1 Noctilux on the M9 I found. It was contrasty and had plenty of character that a lot of the modern Nikon lenses lack for me.
 
Are there any samples of images taken with this lens other than those awful ones on the imaging Nikon site?

I'd be interested to see how that 9 bladed diaphragm does render the out of focus areas.
 
I'll stick to my siggy 35 1.4. I see it as being more useful than this over-priced in-betweener
 
Phil Young said:
So going by the intended use...with today's bodies, wouldn't anything under f2.8 be classified as a 'noct' lens?!
Click to expand...
Not really - this lens and the original noct were/are designed to be their best wide open (sharp/contrast etc) ... most lenses, even very good primes are better stopped down. Of course with the new 58mm the proof will be in the pudding or rather the shooting ;) Not that I'm likely to rush out and get one!
 
I'd rather they paid attention to replacing the likes of the 105/135 DC lenses with Nano and AF-S. This is the 13th prime lens now available for Nikon shooters within the 'normal' focal length area.

An odd one, especially at that price.
 
Radiohead said:
I'd rather they paid attention to replacing the likes of the 105/135 DC lenses with Nano and AF-S. This is the 13th prime lens now available for Nikon shooters within the 'normal' focal length area.

An odd one, especially at that price.
Click to expand...

much as I'd love them too, I doubt very much they'll ever replace those lens. The focal length and fast aperture maybe, but I doubt we'll see the DC again
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top