Nikkor 50mm f/2 vs. 50mm f/1.8

The 1001 Nights entry regarding the 50mm f/2 AI: imaging.nikon....
The 1001 Nights entry regarding the 50mm f/1.8 AIS Nikkor Pancake, Japan Market Only: imaging.nikon....
My images shot with the 50mm f/2: www.flickr.com...
My images shot with the 50mm f/1.8 longnose: www.flickr.com...
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#Nikkor #50mm #pancake

[@brysimm404]

This is basically the KZbin version of being back in high school watching an overhead projector lecture.

[@GOLDDYNACO]

Finally some good old fashioned teaching where a knowledgeable guy points out what he says. Fantastic! Boy, how I have missed it!

[@jamesnoud5588]

Thanks Brian. I always enjoy these comparison videos. Keep em’ coming.👍

[@thefreshman07]

Snagged a 50mm f/2 as a birthday present to myself last year. It has become a favorite! Spherical aberration is quite evident at f/2, but the lens still resolves fine detail well. In my experience, the "veiled" look produced by this spherical aberration is quite flattering for portraits of women. If you want to reduce the effect, but remain at f/2 for its depth-of-field, I find that underexposing by 1/3 stop does the job. At f/2.8 and f/4, the claws really come out. The spherical aberration from f/2 is significantly reduced, and you get a much higher degree of apparent contrast. Those three settings are my favorites for this lens. Now and again I'll stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 if things are quite bright, and the results are satisfactory. As Brian alluded to in the video, the lens at these settings delivers a consistent, uniform image, so it's up to you as a photog to take an interesting picture. No hiding behind "effects"! I can't really remember the last time I intentionally stopped down to f/11 or f/16, nor can I remember being impressed when I did. Just one person's experience. Hope people find it helpful, or at least enjoyable, to read.

[@tomt5745]

Has a 50/2 mounted on my beaten up FE since the mid 90s and it makes all other lenses seem either dull, dry or slightly ...meeh. Can agree it needs f4. The 105/2,5 is fantastic, but so heavy and...dry. It is like looking at the world as a surgican. The 35/2 has some nice qualities, but by some reason it makes a rather dull flat meeh image compared to the 50. I could have a damaged lens, since i got if from an ex pro banging it around for years. For its cost the 50/2 is just great :)

[@alessio71r18]

Thank you, my knowledge of nikkor lenses is now increased. I own the 50 mm f/2 since 1990. I still use it today with a D7100. I love it

[@timryan6395]

I love the history lessons on lenses and bodies. Thanks for all the research- Love your content

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Thank you for the kind words

[@bebopganymede]

@@BriansPhotoShow love your content too. Thorough reviews.

[@scottparis6355]

I've probably had a dozen or more of these lenses over the years, because they often came "free" with used cameras. In my experience the f2 versions were often brilliant, while the f1.8 ones were just pretty damn good. (I don't have any real proof for that impression.) They were generally made to be inexpensive, which is the reason for the 6 blade apertures. Any of them, with their metal mounts and focusing helicoids, would be $600 lenses today. The only way to make a lens boring and "clinical" wide open is to design it with really expensive moving elements, aspherical elements, or other magic tricks.

[@33antonius]

Thank you I have them all and the 50mm AI f2 is certainly the best! It hardly ever needs any post-correction and shows the most contrast. It gives the most natural look and is not without reason coined the Japanese summicron. All these ai/ais 50 mm's are better than the 1.8, 50 mm produced today. These have all less contrast and more flat image.

[@tomt5745]

An old 50/f 2 has been sitting on my FE since the mid 90s. Could not be more happy with a lens :) Even has mounted a beaten up HN-3 on it (made for the 35mm/f2) to supress glare in my yellow filter

[@patriziodalessandro1693]

Hello. With reference to the 50mm f/1.8 pancake version (one row of rubber ribs on the focusing ring), I thought that the easiest and direct way to identify the "good" ones was looking at the first digit of the serial number. If the serial number starts with a "2", then it is the Japanese version, minimum focal distance (actually slightly less than) 0.45 m, orange f/22 (blue f/16, yellow f/11). One additional significant detail: all pancakes with a serial numbers starting with "2" have a 100% metal body, while those starting with "4" have plastic parts. To put it simply, the overall performance of the 50mm f/1.8 pancake japan version is extremely good Personally I would stay away from the lenses developed for the Nikon EM and marked with "Series E". Regards

[@jonnyem.8859]

I've always liked the 50mm non-ai f2 "H" silver copy, for the vintage "look" and the recessed glass.

[@612morrison]

Update from my comment 2 weeks ago on the 50mm pancakes. I've just received from Japan a 50mm f1.8 pancake Japanese only market and was surprised by the difference compared to the standard pancake and series E models. Its built like a brick and weights 27g more than the standard rest of the world pancake topping the scales at 173g or 6.1 ounces. I'll be trying it out over the next few days on one of my FE2's.

[@bradl2636]

Fabulous presentation Brian. Thank you. I own the 50mm f2 AI and the 50mm f1.8 AF-D. Both awesome. My copy of the 50mm f1.2 is soft in comparison. The 50mm f1.5 AF-D is middle of the road but needs to be stopped down anyway for best performance. Appreciate the time and effort that you put in to research these classic Nikkors for us.

[@XwaD666]

A very thorough, informative, and well prepared video presentation. As a collector of Nikon manual focus lenses you have my appreciation and subscription.

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Glad to have your support. Welcome!

[@richardsimms251]

September 6, 2022 : I have always enjoyed your presentations. I have many old Nikon lenses and film cameras especially several Nikon F3 HP which I continue to use regularly. Keep up your great work. Thank you again. RS. Canada

[@BriansPhotoShow]

My pleasure, and thank you for your kind words.

[@randallstewart175]

I cannot explain the matter, but the information about the origin of the 50mm 2.0 is wrong. A 50mm 2.0 was introduced with or very shortly after the 58mm 1.4 in 1959. At the age of 16 in 1962, I bought my first new camera, a Nikkorex F. I had to choose between the then recently offered 50mm 1.4 or the existing 2.0. I studied the two lenses closely , then stretched hard to pay for the 50mm 1.4. At that time, the performance of the 1.4 tested significantly better than the 2.0. I am of the opinion that the 2.0 was updated optically and marginally improved over the years, apart from coating upgrades. My reasoning is the the final version of the 50mm 2.0 AI (of which I acquired 2 copies in the last few years) is better than my old 1.4, and the 1.4 was better then the early 1960s 2.0.

[@marksieving7925]

The Nikkor-S 5cm F/2.0 (7 elements in 5 groups was introduced in 1959 and was in production through 1963. The Nikkor-H 50mm F/2.0 (6 elements in 4 groups) was introduced in 1964.

[@zachanderson303]

Great video really needed this as I just bought my first Nikon (a black FM)

[@brooklynbound1000]

I gotta say. I love nerding out on this.

[@ryanbeer5262]

50mm 1.8 af lives on my EM, great little camera. I should really pick up an f2

[@davidturina2830]

Thanks for summarizing all these information. There are just two things I'd like to point out: 1 the difference in minimum focus distance between the K and the previous ones was not because of the optics but because of the different length of the helicoid. Infact the newer is a few mm longer. It could be the same for the pancakes. 2 the 50mm 1.4 have the same double line bokeh "issue". The 1.2 does a bit better but still have some.

[@trotomas]

the 50mm 1.8 ai long nose should be more valuable that the pancake version but the problem is in the mechanics that the long nose has focus shift from f1.8 to f8, by the way i think the f2 was born to compete against the summicron (planar optics scheme), and the 1.8 pancake to reduce the production costs. I think the long nose has a bit more smooth out of focus area than the pancake. The f2 is the one that i use the most with tri-x. (or the pentax smc 55mm 1.8 k another lens that i really like, maybe the father of ultron design lenses) By the way good job as always

[@arnefackel5532]

In terms of image quality: Is the longnose better than the pancake or worse? I cant find the pancake Japan version nowhere.. And I'm deciding if I should just get the longnose, which is a lot easier to get here.

[@thewildgoose7467]

I have "a lot" of Nikkor glass including the 50 f1.4 pre-Ai and Ai versions, the 50 series E and the 50 Ai F2 which are all nice lenses. However, my most magical lens is one you covered in another video, the Nikkor-Q (Ai converted) 135mm f3.5. My other Sonnar (the 105 f2.5) is a really nice lens too but doesn't have that "special something" like the 135. If I had to get rid of all my Nikkor lenses one by one the 135mm would be the last I'd part with.

[@flowermaze___]

Great insight and research. Thanks! Any thoughts on the 1.4ai compared to the 1.8ai?

[@L4busaures]

Now this is the kinda content I wanna see!! Great video Brian

[@joshblank1]

Is there a difference in build quality or rendering between the F2 and the 1.8 ai (1986 mki or 1990 mkii)?

[@odukar2315]

Totally agree!

[@ronaldsand3000]

Actually because of the short production run, a clean copy of the 50mm Ai f2 can be a little hard to come by

[@BriansPhotoShow]

an AI-converted K-series is virtually identical

[@ronaldsand3000]

@@BriansPhotoShow Brian, Even so, because of the short production time of the K series lenses and then getting one already Ai converted in clean condition would be even far more difficult to come across

[@HarryPlaysGuitar7]

Well presented, thanks Brian

[@tsdelaney]

Right on the money, Brian! Great vid!

[@arrangearrange]

Great video. My own two cents: get a series E pancake and you’ll be very happy - light, good value, great image quality, but all of the Nikon f mount 50s are pretty cheap used these days…

[@612morrison]

Brian there's another slight difference in the 2 pancake lenses, the series e second edition might look the same as the ais pancake but it is (that's the ais one)16g lighter so why would the budget model be slightly heavier if there ment to be the same. And I've got them all except the Japanese only pancake but I'm looking lol.

[@michaelcase8574]

And all these lenses were probably designed on sliderules.

[@Sup90210]

Nice review. The Ai 50mm 1.8 is great for video as it has a long focus throw and more room to grip

[@yosopryoo]

Brian can you do review on history and different models of Nikon F2?

[@BriansPhotoShow]

I don't own an F2, but this article provides a very good brief summary: emulsive.org/reviews/camera-reviews/nikon-camera-reviews/the-nikon-f2-an-everyday-camera-for-the-21st-century

[@danfdd1]

Hi, is there any reason to prefer tha pancake versione over the long nose of the 1.8? except fort difference lenght. Thanks

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Depends which pancake version

[@yelsewmj]

@@BriansPhotoShow I think he meant the Japan-only pancake.

[@campbells0ups]

would like to know how the earliest 5cm F2 compares with the series E pancake. the coatings appear to be similair, im curious about the rendering between the two

[@bartwaggoner2000]

Great topic!

[@cronufc]

What a bloody awesome video, loved this 👏

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Thanks; glad to be of service!

[@cronufc]

@@BriansPhotoShow I really do love the old Nikkor classics, unfortunately I broke my Nikkor 50mm pancake (Japan model) earlier this year trying to service the helicoids and have a new one arriving from Japan on Monday. I’ve been using a Zeiss 50mm 1.4 Planar instead but I just miss the compactness of the Nikkor and also it had a wonderful look. I didn’t realise it shared the same optics as the 50mm 1.8d, it’s made me curious about that lens now since AF would be pretty handy. I wish they would add AF to the Nikkor 50mm 1.2 but I guess that will never happen. Thanks again!

[@johnrflinn]

I really like the Nikkor macro 55mm F 2.8 ais even though it is slower.

[@alexanderpopov4691]

Very interesting Analysis and Information shared. Myself I owened in the past the ais pancake version. And I ended with selling it and replacing with 50mm 1.4, cause I was not happy with the pancake and if to compare with canon fd 50mm 1.8 for example, then I would favor canon lens undoubtly.

[@matteovrizzi]

i just prefer the 7 blade design to get nicer starbursts!

[@colinbluth5461]

thanks for giving the answer upfront, proboly not good view time, but you earned a subscription from me, just for that, respect my good sir

[@OscarGomez-oo7im]

May be I am crazy... But my pair (Nikon FM2 and Nikomat FTn) to go to the streets hunting for photo opportunities are suited with a 50mm f:2 and a 28mm f:2.8. Still I have to find a 50mm better than the f:2 and a 28mm better than the f:2.8. in my bag are a 105mm f:2.5 (another oldie) and a 35mm f:2 that I use when the effect of the 28mm result too strong... Sure, at home are a 20mm f:2.8 and a 300mm f:2.8 that seldom go out... A least with the 28mm, the 35mm, 50mm and 105mm I never had a complaint about sharpness, distortion or tonal reproduction ( I just shoot B&W so color is not important for me). Maybe on top of crazy I am lucky but I won't trade this glasses for the famous Sumicron, Sumilux or any other concoction created by an excellent advertising campaign. Oh, YES, the Leica NUTS are going to attack my viewpoint but I will be responding when they show me a camera body with the streng and compatibility of the Nikon System thru all its life... I am still using a Nikomat... Why???... Happy shooting and great darkroom time to all of you!!!

[@413TomaccoRoad]

The pancake is more than 2mm shorter.

[@Druff71]

50 f2 is awsome

[@LEGOTROLL1]

Pentax 50mm is F1.7

[@batuksri]

There are two Ks in Nikkor. Why do you keep calling them Nykors? I get put off by mispronounciation, so I’m out.