Nikon 58 mm F/1.4

MultiFormat Shooter · Jun 22, 2020

Does anyone have any experience with this lens? I am thinking about picking one up, however, the online reviews seem to be all over the place, regarding its performance.

narsuitus · Jun 22, 2020

You would like to use it on which camera?

MultiFormat Shooter · Jun 22, 2020

narsuitus said:
You would like to use it on which camera?

A Nikon F6.

gorbas · Jun 22, 2020

Are you thinking about Manual focus or Autofocus version?

MultiFormat Shooter · Jun 22, 2020

gorbas said:
Are you thinking about Manual focus or Autofocus version?

Sorry, I forgot to specify the auto focus G version.

Alan Gales · Jun 22, 2020

I have never shot this lens but it's a speciality lens for portraits. Is it worth the much larger price over the 50mm f/1.4 G. Only you can decide.

I was recently in the same boat. I was looking at the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 APD over the normal XF 56mm f/1.2 lens. The APD version is much higher in price but with slightly better bokeh. Fortunately, I found a used APD lens at a great price on eBay. If I hadn't, I would have purchased the regular version.

I would do as I did and check eBay. With this Covid 19 going on, some things seem to be selling for lower prices right now. Good luck!

mshchem · Jun 23, 2020

Way Way overpriced IMHO. It's not spectacular in any way. For 1700 bucks new you could buy a used LN 50 1.4 and a mint 85mm F1.4 AF-D. The 85 AF-D would be a gem on a F6, bright, tons of nice bokeh.
That F6 deserves a nice metal lens barrel

Larry Cloetta · Jun 23, 2020

I’ve had one for about a year and a half, use it on a Z7. It’s not just for portraits, and it’s earned a spot in my don’t ever sell list. “Poor Man’s Noct” isn’t too far off in my opinion, and well worth the price to me. Might be more predictable on a Z7 than on an F6, however.
A picture is worth a thousand words, however, especially when opinions are all over the map on this lens, so skip the “reviews” and look at the results. It definitely has a certain “look” which may or may not appeal, but if the look appeals, it’s a special lens.
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1253369
If you go through this thread you’ll probably know if it is going to work for you or not.

Huss · Jun 23, 2020

Rent one and find out for yourself.

https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/nikon-58mm-f1.4g-af-s

etn · Jun 23, 2020

gorbas said:
Are you thinking about Manual focus or Autofocus version?

Is the manual focus one the famous/hyped Noct Nikkor 5.8 f/1.2 ?

ic-racer · Jun 23, 2020

I'd much rather see a 40mm f1.4 from Nikon. Like the Sigma 40mm 1.4. 58mm is too long for anything I do.

NortheastPhotographic · Jun 23, 2020

When I shot more weddings I lived and died by the 58/1.4G. Such beautiful rendering! It made people, groups, objects just look stunning. This is VERY much dependant on a calibrated AF system, which is harder to achieve with the F6. Plus film will further soften the images you get so I'm not sure if will have the same lustre as it does on digital. Frankly if I had an F6 and wanted to use the 58, I'd send both to Nikon for calibration match. They did it on another lens and it helps. Lens review people who are worried about charts and another technical metrics do not like the 58mm. Lucky for them Sigma makes an excellent 'IQ' 50. For people who want their images to look like they were shot with a Pentax 67 wide open, you grab the 58/1.4G.

The 58 made my digital images look like medium format film when well processed. Using film though I'd tend to just grab a medium format camera, if that makes sense. When shooting actual 35mm I tend to gravitate toward sharper lenses because you're fighting against the format a bit.

Huss · Jun 23, 2020

NortheastPhotographic said:
..When shooting actual 35mm I tend to gravitate toward sharper lenses because you're fighting against the format a bit.

That's why I use the Sigma Art 50 and 35 with my F6.
And F75...

darkosaric · Jun 23, 2020

Lots of people will tell that Voigtländer Nokton 58mm 1.4 is better choice for this purpose. And cheaper too, but manual focus.

NortheastPhotographic · Jun 23, 2020

darkosaric said:
Lots of people will tell that Voigtländer Nokton 58mm 1.4 is better choice for this purpose. And cheaper too, but manual focus.

Yes, the CV 58 is gorgeous, sharper than the Nikon, and if you’re a GFX user, it covers the format. I will still say at weddings you want AF so the Nikon would be my choice. But if I had a GFX I’d have a CV 58 to use on it.

abruzzi · Jun 23, 2020

etn said:
Is the manual focus one the famous/hyped Noct Nikkor 5.8 f/1.2 ?

one of the very early Nikon F lenses was the 5.8cm f1.4 before they came out with 50mm 1.4.

https://www.destoutz.ch/lens_5.8cm_f1.4_142338.html

MultiFormat Shooter · Jun 24, 2020

Wow, there's a good deal of good information in this thread! I'll have to digest it all, and figure out how I want to proceed. Thanks, all.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 24, 2020

narsuitus said:
You would like to use it on which camera?

all Nikkor lenses are at least worth a try!

StepheKoontz · Jun 24, 2020

I'd one of my favorite lenses. Sharpness "pixel peepers" hate it. Where is shines is the smoothness of the transition from in focus to out of focus. Many lenses have a sharp/abrupt/choppy transition around the focus plane, while makes the DOF look super shallow when you are trying to throw a background out of focus. Lots of people feel it's over priced "for what it is", these same people say the same thing about Leica glass etc. It's also on my "never sell" list.

MultiFormat Shooter · Jun 24, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
It's one of my favorite lenses....Where is shines is the smoothness of the transition from in focus to out of focus. Many lenses have a sharp/abrupt/choppy transition around the focus plane, while makes the DOF look super shallow when you are trying to throw a background out of focus.

Do you use it with a film body?

gorbas · Jun 24, 2020

etn said:
Is the manual focus one the famous/hyped Noct Nikkor 5.8 f/1.2 ?

Sorry, no, Nikkor S 1.4/5.8cm, first f1.4 normal lens for Nikon F

Huss · Jun 25, 2020

You can rent the lens from lens rentals.com and try for yourself. Better than paying $1500 and having buyer's remorse.

flavio81 · Jul 6, 2020

gorbas said:
Sorry, no, Nikkor S 1.4/5.8cm, first f1.4 normal lens for Nikon F

The owners of this lens are part of a secret inner cult and will not disclose details on the lens' qualities.

Henning Serger · Jul 25, 2020

MultiFormat Shooter said:
Does anyone have any experience with this lens? I am thinking about picking one up, however, the online reviews seem to be all over the place, regarding its performance.

This lens has a different design concept than the other Nikkors in that focal lens class: The main subject in the middle of the picture should be separated in an optimal, three-dimensional way. The picture should get a certain, more visible "depth". Or often called "3D-Pop".
To reach this goal one important measure is to give the lens a significant amount of field curvature (curvature of the sharpness field). Normally field curvature is considered a design flaw in lens design, and lens designers try all to avoid it as much as possible (to get "plan" lenses). Because most customers want an even sharpness across the whole image.That is not possible when a lens has significant field curvature. That is also the reason why this 1.4/58 G Nikkor lacks sharpness at the borders in normal lens tests: In these tests plan, flat test charts are photographed. And that is the main reason why pixelpeepers don't like it.
But if you evaluate this lens in real field testing, using it for the subjects it is designed for, things look very different and much better.

Larry Cloetta has given the link to the huge thread with examples on the FM forum. Most of the pictures clearly show that the unconventional design concept works as intended.
It is nothing new, by the way: There are some other, older examples for this concept. Like the three Pentax 35mm film Limited lenses (31, 43, 77). Or some years later the Zeiss ZF / ZE 2.0/28. Lenses which are loved by their owners.

Wether the price is worth it only you can decide for yourself. And renting one to test it before you buy is of course a very good idea.
And there are maybe lower price alternatives you may consider as well: The Zeiss Milvus lenses have the reputation giving also a kind of "3D-Pop", but without having field curvature. From my own tests I can confirm that: E.g. my Zeiss Planar 2.0/50 gives a more three-dimensional look than all my other 50mm Nikkors. But in comparison to the 1.4/58 G Nikkor - used in the right way as intended - the Nikkor gives a more three-dimensional impression.

Another alternative is to use a 85mm lens instead of the 58mm: The shallower depth-of-field increases the subject isolation and the 3D-effect.
And another alternative is influencing the composition more: The bigger the distance between your main subject and the background, the blurrier your background and the better your subject isolation and three-dimensionality.

Best regards,
Henning

pentaxuser · Jul 25, 2020

NortheastPhotographic said:
When I shot more weddings I lived and died by the 58/1.4G. Such beautiful rendering! It made people, groups, objects just look stunning. This is VERY much dependant on a calibrated AF system, which is harder to achieve with the F6. Plus film will further soften the images you get so I'm not sure if will have the same lustre as it does on digital. Frankly if I had an F6 and wanted to use the 58, I'd send both to Nikon for calibration match. They did it on another lens and it helps.

Why is a calibrated AF system harder to achieve on the F6 and what does Nikon do to calibrate the 58. Is this a calibration that doesn't apply to other lenses and when Nikon calibrates the 58 to a specific Nikon F6 I take it that this does not make the F6 worse for other lenses?

Thanks

pentaxuser

Nikon 58 mm F/1.4

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