Nikon has always been a game-changer in the photography industry with its state-of-the-art cameras and optical gadgets. If you’re looking for a lens to polish your photography skills, then the Nikkor 50mm can fulfill all your portrait photography requirements. The lens comes with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 and a fully automatic diaphragm.
Nikon has been developing all kinds of photography products since 1917. This includes cameras, binoculars, and camera lenses such as the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G. Due to the diversity of their product range, Nikon has successfully gained the trust of its consumers.
Nikon has always been able to keep up with the ever-increasing demand to shoot high-quality photographs. That is why Nikkor is an excellent option when it comes to choosing a lens. The 50mm is the best portrait lens for the Nikon D750 due to its improved optical design. This new design contains 7-optical elements in 6 groups, which helps reduce noise and distortion. These new optical elements make this portrait lens stand out as its previous version included only 6-optical elements in 5 groups.
A 50mm lens is a must-have to shoot portrait, wedding, and bokeh photos. If you are looking to buy a portrait lens to capture sharp and crisp photographs at a suitable price, the Nikkor 50mm is worth considering. We have reviewed all the features and specifications of this portrait lens to analyze its functionality, operations, and design in great depth.
General Specifications
- Focal length – 50mm
- Aperture Range – f/1.8 (max) – f/16 (min)
- Lens Construction – 7 elements in 6 groups that include 1 aspherical element
- Focus distance – 0.45 meters (min from a focal plane) – infinity
- Diaphragm blades – 7
- Type – Type G AF-S lens
- Filter-attachment size – 58mm
- Dimensions – 72mm diameter x 52.5mm
- Weight – 185 g
Additional Accessories
- 58 mm lens cap – LC-58
- Rear lens cap – LF-4
- Bayonet hood – HB-47
- Flexible lens pouch – CL-1013
The Nikkor 50mm already has an excellent reputation among many photographers in the industry. This is a lens used by many – ranging from professionals to amateurs, to hobbyists. Below, we’ve given a thorough review of the Nikkor 50mm that highlights all its features and its great compatibility with Nikon D750.
Performance And Functionality
The Nikkor 50mm is one step ahead of the older 50mm versions that came with AF-D lens type. This latest lens is equipped with a silent wave AF-S focusing motor that enables users to silently switch between automatic and manual focus mode in no time. This switching saves a lot of time when photographers are trying to capture a face from different angles during limited lighting, such as at sunset or sunrise.
The lens can be used in multiple focus modes that include autofocus with manual override (M/A) and manual focus with electronic rangefinder (MF). To use the autofocus with manual override, the user needs to switch the focus-mode to M/A. Once the mode is selected, you just have to rotate the lens focus ring while pressing the shutter-release button halfway down.
When this lens is used with D750, the equivalent focal length becomes 75 mm with an angle of view of 31 degrees. If you’re looking for a quick autofocus speed, silent operation, and focus-mode switching, this lens will be an apt choice.
Aspherical lens
By taking advantage of the current advancement in optical technology, Nikon has tried to achieve minimal aberration with this compact small-size lens. Minimal aberration has been made possible with the help of a non-spherical curved lens.
The Nikkor 50mm, with its compact optical elements, empowers users to take undistorted wide-angle photos at full aperture. The aspherical lens is proven to be extremely efficient in removing distortion from photographs by correcting the refractive index of light from the center of the lens.
Depth Of Field
The focus distance indicator and mark are present at the top of the camera. They indicate depth-of-field in meters as well as feet. The depth-of-field is an important parameter, especially for taking portraits. If you focus the lens on a close object, the depth of field is quite shallow. With the Nikkor 50mm, you can focus on an object placed at a minimum distance of 0.45 meters up to infinity.
At a distance of 0.45 meters, you can highlight your subject’s details in a high-quality photo captured by this incredible lens. However, this also means that the Nikkor 50mm cannot be used for macro photography because the maximum achievable reproduction ratio is 1:6.7. However, you can capture wide-angle photos with this lens without any kind of chromatic distortion.
When this lens is used with Nikon D750, the user can achieve a maximum diagonal 47-degree angular view.
FX Sensor Compatibility
This lens works well with both FX and DX sensors. However, it performs much better with an FX sensor Nikon camera, such as the D750. On an FX camera, users can take full-frame high-quality portrait images as well as bokeh shots.
Vignetting
When you capture a photo from any type of portrait lens, the photographs are usually precise and crisp at the center. However, the edges are a bit dull, with light fringes and contrast. This effect is known as vignetting.
Vignetting is a phenomenon observed in portrait photos where the shadows are created at the end of the lens due to obstruction of light from the built-in flash on cameras. With the 50mm, users must adjust the shooting distance to 2 feet or more to nullify vignetting. Another option is to remove the lens hood.
Super Integrated Coating (SIC)
SIC is an advanced optical technology deployed in the Nikkor 50mm that ensures sharp photos with a clear focus on your subject. SIC refers to the multi-layer optical elements coating in the Nikkor 50mm lens.
Capturing all details of your subject is possible when the super integrated coating paired with the silent wave motor and aspherical lens. The end goal is a minimal aberration and coma removal in wide-angle photographs. The efficient light transmission by the SIC ensures flare reduction and color uniformity throughout the photo.
The Nikkor 50mm addresses all kinds of dark fringes, light glare, and color consistency. By doing so, it helps photographers capture sharp portrait photos with a focus on the details.
There are also many excellent independent reviews of the Nikkor 50mm available on the net. These reviews can help you better understand people’s first-hand user-experience of this lens.
User Interface And Control System
The overall size of the lens makes it quite easy to manage while taking photos. The user can comfortably grip the lens and operate the zoom, focus, and other operations with great convenience. You can also carry it without hassle while you travel. The camera comes with a lens pouch that makes it easy to carry it around.
The lens also comes with a few markings on it that aim to guide you on different operations. These marks include:
- Lens hood lock, alignment, and mounting marks
- Focus distance indicator and mark
- Lens mounting mark
- Rubber lens-mount gasket
- CPU contacts
- Focus-mode switch
The user can shoot different types of portraits using the Nikkor 50mm. You can shoot graduation and family photoshoots or give portraits a beautiful bokeh background. All you have to do is manually adjust the focus distance, starting from 0.45 meters, and the aperture, which ranges from f/1.8 to f/16, to achieve naturally blurry backgrounds.
Diaphragm And Aperture
The diaphragm consists of 7 rounded blades that are fully automatic. These rounded blades can go down to an aperture of f/16. The focus rings are present at the rear and are 3/8 inches wide.
The aperture adjustment buttons are available on the camera body. So, the aperture can be tuned using the camera controls.
Structure Segmentation
The overall structure of the lens can be divided into two parts. There is a front part and a rear part. The front part of the lens moves in and out of the rear part while zooming. On the front part, the zoom ring is of smaller size compared to the focus ring, which is on the rear part.
On the other hand, the rear part moves during focusing. The focus rings are present at the rear and can be adjusted manually when in manual mode. The switch between M and M/A is available at the bottom of the lens.
Focus Rings
Users can rotate the focus rings without experiencing any resistance or stiffness. The focus rings can be rotated to a maximum of 100-degrees to focus on objects far away. This lens is equipped with an ultrasonic focus motor responsible for the seamless rotation of the focus ring. The Nikkor 50mm’s easy-to-use focus makes it ideal for portrait photography, especially when paired with the D750.
Lens Handling
Handling and caring for the lens is as important as using it. After use, the lens should be cleaned with soft cotton pads in a circular motion to avoid scratching the glass. The lens comes with both rear and front caps, and both should be attached when putting the lens away.
As mentioned earlier, this lens is not designed to withstand any type of extreme weather. It comes with all the accessories that are required to protect the lens while traveling.
Build Quality And Design
The Nikkor 50mm is heavy built with a diameter of 72mm. Its predecessor had a diameter of 52.5mm. However, this 50mm lens is also lighter than its predecessors. The Nikkor 50mm, with its aspherical lens, is quite a compact lens. The lens body is made of plastic, which is what keeps it lightweight. However, the build quality makes this lens a top-class product.
Basic Structure
Nikon is well-known for making durable photography products. The body of the lens is protected by a lens hood. It can easily be removed by rotating it away from the lock mark. However, the user should mount the lens hood when the lens is not being used in order to protect the lens.
Rubber Gasket
The rubber gasket is another protective measure taken by Nikon. It blocks dust particles from entering the camera.
An important thing to mention is that the Nikkor 50mm doesn’t come with gold rings around the focus rings. This means that the lens cannot tolerate harsh or extreme weather. Nikon advises its users to keep the lens sealed in extreme hot or cold weather and windy or rainy conditions.
Lens Hood
This is the protective cover of the lens that blocks all surrounding light from affecting photo quality. The surrounding light may affect images by causing flare and ghost lights.
Nikon advises its users to handle the lens hood with extreme caution while mounting and removing it. There is a symbol on the hood base, which must be aligned correctly with another symbol available on the camera body. It is essential to align the lens hood correctly to minimize the vignetting effect.
Conclusion
The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens is a good match for the Nikon D750 as it supports all kinds of shooting modes such as Scene, Aperture, Shutter, Manual, and the Autofocus modes. This lens can be used by both beginners who intend to take photographs as a hobby or for blogging purposes, and professionals who aspire to photograph high-quality portraits.
To take a perfect portrait photo, you must blur the background to ensure that your subject is entirely in focus, so you can capture a viewer’s attention. Portrait photographs know that details, precision, and consistency of colors is important.
Professional photographers use all kinds of post-processing techniques to remove vignetting, light glare, and rings. The Nikkor 50mm saves you from all this hassle by providing top-notch optical features that preventing these problems in the first place.
This lens is capable of shooting photos that are sharp at the center as well as at the edges. The lens is also quite affordable, keeping in mind the number of features it offers and its ability to capture sharp photos.
The Nikkor 50mm is a widely used lens among many portrait photographers today. Due to its excellent price point and high-quality results, it already holds an exceptional reputation among industry professionals.
