All Nikon "50" mm tested

Given the recent discussion about the quality and relative merrits of the
various "50" mm Nikkon lenses, I guess the following tests I collected
from somewhere, some time ago, is suitable.

I think the MTF values are averaged MTF figures, and the best and worst values
are at 20 lpm. They are listed sagital/tangetially if the values differ.

The MTF values are weigthed 10, 20 and 40 lines pr. mm. All lenses are
probably tested at infinity.

 

MicroNikkor 55/2.8
- ------------------
"Very sharp even wide open".

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/2.8 0.79 0.84 - 0.40/0.60
f/4 0.83
f/8 0.86 0.87 - 0.40/0.59

MicroNikkor AF 60/2.8
- ---------------------
"Not as sharp as the AI model, but even very good. Snarpness
decreases wide open towards the corners (possibly due to
curvature of field)".

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/2.8 0.71 0.85 - 0.20/0.36
f/4 0.80
f/8 0.85 0.86 - 0.67/0.77

Nikkor AF 50/1.4
- ----------------
"Not so sharp wide open, but fine already at f/2.8"

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/1.4 0.55 0.56 - 0.28/0.05 (yes, very low at corner tangentially)
f/2 0.68
f/2.8 0.74
f/4 0.80
f/8 0.85 0.87/0.85 - 0.80/0.58

Nikkor AF 50/1.8
- ----------------
"Avoid using f/1.8, then it becomes a top-class lens. At f/8 it is
just short of the theoretical limit... and then it is fairly cheap".

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/1.8 0.62 0.66/0.70 - 0.26/0.39
f/2.8 0.78
f/4 0.82
f/8 0.86 0.87 - 0.78

Nikkor (AI) 50/1.2
- ------------------
"One of the fast lenses in the test. Very interesting to compare to
the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2, which is much more expensive. The Noct
gets slightly a bonus, due to the sagital/tangential curves
being more similar af f/8. But overall, this lens is more even with
a better corner sharpness wide open".

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/1.2 0.45 0.46 - 0.22/0.04 (yes, not the best seen...)
f/2 0.73
f/2.8 0.79
f/4 0.82
f/8 0.83 0.86/0.83 - 0.81/0.50

Nikkor (AI) 50/1.8
- ------------------
"Somewhat weaker than the AF, especially at the wider stops."
[I () have seen another test in which the non-AF
version is nearly identically to the AF version, just with
a slight edge to the AF and the AI version is slightly better
wide open center -- so I guess different samples behave differently!]

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/1.8 0.56 0.67 - 0.30/0.22
f/2.8 0.71
f/4 0.78
f/8 0.84 0.87 - 0.74/0.62

Noct Nikkor 58/1.2
- ------------------
See comments under Nikkor (AI) 50/1.2 above.

MTF 20 lpm best - worst
f/1.2 0.49 0.54 - 0.00/0.10 (yes -- really 0.00)
f/2 0.66
f/2.8 0.75
f/4 0.81
f/8 0.84 0.86 - 0.72

 

Yes... I know MTF is not everything, but I guess this will give
some starting point for a comparison.

If you go for maximal sharpness, nothing beats the AF 50/1.8
at f/8. Most of the others are close (except for the 50/1.2
tangentially).

Wide open, the Noct does _not_ seem to perform well. I guess
that the corrections Nikon have made are primarily to remove
coma (i.e. asymetric pointspread). In fact, none of the fast
lenses (1.2 and 1.4) seems to be good wide open...

Hope this helps (some),- -- Per.

P.S.: I didn't get many replies on my flash query, so I still
have lots of unanswered questions. I may try a repost in the
near future :-)

Per Baekgaard -- Pine Tree Systems
Snedkervej 12; DK-2630 Taastrup; Denmark
Phone: (+45) 43710704 Fax: (+45) 43714342
mailto: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4397/

 

Views since - 1 Aug 2003