Nikon 50mm f2 AI vs H

Joseph Bell · Apr 10, 2019

Good greetings! I recently picked up a Nikon 50mm f2 AI lens. I shot a roll of Portra 400 and was certainly pleased with the color, contrast, bokeh, and handling.

That said, the version of this lens that seems to delight is the Nikkor-H. People sing of the H version's ethereal beauty and character.

I wonder if any of you have used the H version as well as the AI version. If so, have you noticed a difference between the two? I am wondering if the AI version lacks that certain special something, but perhaps this is only my addiction talking...

I would be most grateful to hear any and all of your empirical findings!

Thank you truly!

BradS · Apr 10, 2019

I own several examples of the H, H.C. and Ai versions of the 50mm f/2 Nikkor. Other than the fairly trivial, but obvious difference that the additional coatings makes H vs H.C and AI, there really are not significant differences between them optically. The H and H.C. do feel differnent in hand than the AI...but, again, this is not significant difference.

jim10219 · Apr 10, 2019

The big differences are the H lacks the auto indexing feature (obviously), and the H is single coated. The HC is multicoated, like the AI. The H also has the knurled metal focus ring, instead of the rubber one, and a few other cosmetic differences. I think the AI also focuses closer and is slightly larger due to that. The glass is the same between all three of them, and other than the effects of the coatings, they should all produce very similar images.

Really, the AI is the one to get, in my opinion. It's the Nikon 50mm I prefer most (haven't tried the 1.2).

Joseph Bell · Apr 10, 2019

Thank you truly for your thoughts! What kind of monster can't be happy with what he has?! Why do I seek a better 50mm f2 than what I have already? I seek the elusive character and magic, who doesn't, but really the character and magic is in the photograph itself! But perhaps you understand how these things go - I read some articles about the special qualities of the H (specifically) and now I assume that there is magic in the H and in the H alone?! Madness, etc!

MattKing · Apr 10, 2019

"There is no magic in anything that you can buy for photographic purposes. Buying another lens will not improve your photography."
It is important to say that three times, with your eyes closed, and then click your heels together.

jim10219 · Apr 10, 2019

It's important to remember that no lens is a magic bullet. For that, you'd need a Leica. But once you've collected a few shelves worth of Leica bodies and lenses, you'll realize that you'll need the larger negative of the Hasselblad to really solve your photography problems. 35mm just won't cut it. Of course, after another few shelves worth of Hasselblad gear, you'll come to the obvious conclusion that if 6x6 is leagues better than 35mm, then 4x5 has to be even better than 6x6. So you buy an Arca Swiss F-Field Metric and a bunch of APO Rodenstock lenses. Then it hit's you. You've wasted too much of your life looking for the perfect camera, and you'd have to be an idiot to chase this thing any further and buy an 8x10. So you have a custom made 16x20 camera made to skip ahead a couple of steps and spend 5 years searching for that perfect, one-of-a-kind lens that will cover that size of a negative and stay sharp, corner to corner. The image quality is great, but it's all just too heavy and complicated, so you decide to simplify and get back to your roots with a Contax T3. And after you've gotten to know the beauty, elegance, and simplicity of the Contax T3, you realize that for the first time in your life, you're finally ready to take a picture of something other than a USAF resolution chart, only you don't know how.

Fin · Apr 10, 2019

Bravo jim10219, bravo! For me, you win at Photrio today.

Besk · Apr 10, 2019

Love it!

Joseph Bell · Apr 10, 2019

MattKing said:
"There is no magic in anything that you can buy for photographic purposes. Buying another lens will not improve your photography."
It is important to say that three times, with your eyes closed, and then click your heels together.

Ha, bless you!

Joseph Bell · Apr 10, 2019

jim10219 said:
It's important to remember that no lens is a magic bullet. For that, you'd need a Leica. But once you've collected a few shelves worth of Leica bodies and lenses, you'll realize that you'll need the larger negative of the Hasselblad to really solve your photography problems. 35mm just won't cut it. Of course, after another few shelves worth of Hasselblad gear, you'll come to the obvious conclusion that if 6x6 is leagues better than 35mm, then 4x5 has to be even better than 6x6. So you buy an Arca Swiss F-Field Metric and a bunch of APO Rodenstock lenses. Then it hit's you. You've wasted too much of your life looking for the perfect camera, and you'd have to be an idiot to chase this thing any further and buy an 8x10. So you have a custom made 16x20 camera made to skip ahead a couple of steps and spend 5 years searching for that perfect, one-of-a-kind lens that will cover that size of a negative and stay sharp, corner to corner. The image quality is great, but it's all just too heavy and complicated, so you decide to simplify and get back to your roots with a Contax T3. And after you've gotten to know the beauty, elegance, and simplicity of the Contax T3, you realize that for the first time in your life, you're finally ready to take a picture of something other than a USAF resolution chart, only you don't know how.

Ha, well done and thank you

Eric Rose · Apr 10, 2019

I have an H and it's wickedly sharp and contrasty.

PGraham3 · Apr 10, 2019

@Joseph Bell
I totally understand your liking of the old Nikkor lenses. There's just something about them.
I sometimes shoot the old Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f2 lens, and I love it. If I'm not mistaken, the Nikkor-S has 7 lens elements, and the Nikkor-H, H.C., and AI all have 6 lens elements.
I find they all render a bit differently, which is pretty cool.
-Paul

M-88 · Apr 11, 2019

This source indicates the optical formula of H, HC and AI are the same, the only difference (optical-wise) being lens coating:

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0002/index.htm

Since the source is "Nikon" itself, there's no need to do empirical findings.

I have 50 mm AI as well and it's nice. Didn't know any Nikkor 50 mm would yield such pleasant bokeh at all. I'm not a fan of clinically sharp lenses, I like the ones with character.

elmartinj · Apr 11, 2019

I think as a user, the main difference would be in focusing distances and of course, the rendering (due to coating differences)

jerrybro · Apr 11, 2019

jim10219 said:
It's important to remember that no lens is a magic bullet. For that, you'd need a Leica. But once you've collected a few shelves worth of Leica bodies and lenses, you'll realize that you'll need the larger negative of the Hasselblad to really solve your photography problems. 35mm just won't cut it. Of course, after another few shelves worth of Hasselblad gear, you'll come to the obvious conclusion that if 6x6 is leagues better than 35mm, then 4x5 has to be even better than 6x6. So you buy an Arca Swiss F-Field Metric and a bunch of APO Rodenstock lenses. Then it hit's you. You've wasted too much of your life looking for the perfect camera, and you'd have to be an idiot to chase this thing any further and buy an 8x10. So you have a custom made 16x20 camera made to skip ahead a couple of steps and spend 5 years searching for that perfect, one-of-a-kind lens that will cover that size of a negative and stay sharp, corner to corner. The image quality is great, but it's all just too heavy and complicated, so you decide to simplify and get back to your roots with a Contax T3. And after you've gotten to know the beauty, elegance, and simplicity of the Contax T3, you realize that for the first time in your life, you're finally ready to take a picture of something other than a USAF resolution chart, only you don't know how.

Have you been watching me?

dourbalistar · Apr 11, 2019

The first letter designation in Nikkor lenses refers to the number of elements in the design. The AI, non-AI, AI-S, etc... refers to the meter coupling:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F-mount#Nikkor

This page has some comprehensive history about all of Nikkor's 50mm variants:
https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index.htm

And this site is a great reference if you want to identify your lens by its serial number:
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html

I have the Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, circa 1968-71. I don't have the AI version to compare it to, but my lens has great performance, especially for the price. You can see some of my samples here, and judge for yourself whether you find the lens' qualities to your liking.

M-88 · Apr 11, 2019

dourbalistar said:
The first letter designation in Nikkor lenses refers to the number of elements in the design. The AI, non-AI, AI-S, etc... refers to the meter coupling:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F-mount#Nikkor

This page has some comprehensive history about all of Nikkor's 50mm variants:
https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index.htm

And this site is a great reference if you want to identify your lens by its serial number:
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html

I have the Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, circa 1968-71. I don't have the AI version to compare it to, but my lens has great performance, especially for the price. You can see some of my samples here, and judge for yourself whether you find the lens' qualities to your liking.

Mhm. Which doesn't apparently apply to Nikkor-P or Nikkor-S, unless they have 16/19 elements.

Olympus did the same with early OM Zuiko lenses but ultimately dropped the nomenclature.

BradS · Apr 11, 2019

M-88 said:
Mhm. Which doesn't apparently apply to Nikkor-P or Nikkor-S, unless they have 16/19 elements.

Olympus did the same with early OM Zuiko lenses but ultimately dropped the nomenclature.

The leters refer to the latin...
H --> Hexa == six elements
P --> Penta == five elements
S --> Septa == seven elements.

M-88 · Apr 11, 2019

BradS said:
H --> Hex == six elements
P --> Penta == five elements
S --> Septa == seven elements.

Ugh... Making the life complicated... F. Zuiko - 6 element lens, H. Zuiko - 8 element and so on. Isn't it better?

dourbalistar · Apr 11, 2019

BradS said:
The leters refer to the latin...
H --> Hexa == six elements
P --> Penta == five elements
S --> Septa == seven elements.

To make it more confusing, it's actually a mix of Latin and Greek, at least according to the MIR site. Doesn't matter, it's all Greek to me!

Jerevan · Apr 11, 2019

The later K and AI seems to have a longer throw too (230 degrees) versus 175/180 for the earlier H/HC versions.

I really enjoy the H, and I recently got a H-C but I am still testing so can't say anything yet.

M-88 · Apr 11, 2019

I've heard that most AI lenses have long focus throw compared to their AI-S successors, generally. Never heard of comparison with non-AI counterparts, but either way I can't recall any 50 mm which would be like this one in terms of throw. Except for macro lenses of course. It's a tad annoying.

PGraham3 · Apr 11, 2019

Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f2 (rare 9-bladed version)
f/5.6
Fujicolor 100

I find the Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f2 renders quite nicely. It's a bit soft wide open, but sharpens up quite a lot at f5.6-8. It's a neat, classic lens.
-Paul

Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f2 (rare 9-bladed version)
f/2
Fujicolor 100

RalphLambrecht · Apr 11, 2019

Joseph Bell said:
Good greetings! I recently picked up a Nikon 50mm f2 AI lens. I shot a roll of Portra 400 and was certainly pleased with the color, contrast, bokeh, and handling.

That said, the version of this lens that seems to delight is the Nikkor-H. People sing of the H version's ethereal beauty and character.

I wonder if any of you have used the H version as well as the AI version. If so, have you noticed a difference between the two? I am wondering if the AI version lacks that certain special something, but perhaps this is only my addiction talking...

I would be most grateful to hear any and all of your empirical findings!

Thank you truly!

each and every lens is slightly different to the next:try before you buy!

Joseph Bell · Apr 11, 2019

Fine people!! I am truly grateful for your time and erudition. Thank you truly!

Nikon 50mm f2 AI vs H

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