Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G — In Stock at B&H Photo

The new AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens with an aspheric element is now in stock at B&H Photo for about $220.

I’ve ordered one, and I’ll be reviewing it in DAP.

A small and light 50mm f/1.8 is ideal for walk-around shooting— comfortable to carry, and innocuous in use. The f/1.8 aperture is plenty fast for today’s DSLRs, and affords excellent low-light ability.

The key with this new lens is image quality, and there the 50/1.8G appears to have gotten some attention from Nikon’s lens designers. Given the outstanding 24/35/50/85 f/1.4 lenses, if the 50/1.8G falls into that pedigree, then it ought to be an inexpensive high performer. It is much easier to build an f/1.8 lens than an f/1.4 lens (and to reduce off-center aberrations), and it has an aspherical element as well.

When the 50/1.8G becomes available, I am planning on a comparison between it and the 50mm f/1.4G.

Weak points include a 7-blade aperture instead of 9 rounded blades, and a close-focusing distance of only 1:6.7. Photographers for whom f/2.8 is adequate might consider the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G instead or in addition for its close-focus abilities.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G specifications
Focal length	50mm (nominal)
Maximum aperture	f/1.8
Minimum aperture	f/16
Lens construction	7 elements in 6 groups, super integrated coating, 1 aspherical element
Angle of view	47° (31°30' with Nikon DX format)
Maximum reproduction ratio	1:6.7, focuses to 1.48ft.(0.45m)
No. of diaphragm blades	7
Filter/attachment size	58mm
Diameter x length (from lens-mount flange)	Approximately 2.8 X 2.1 in (72.1 X 52.4mm)
Weight	Approximately 185g g/6.6 oz
Supplied accessories	58mm Snap-on Front Lens Cap LC-58 Rear Lens Cap LF-4 Bayonet Hood HB-47 Flexible Lens Pouch CL-1013

MTF (modulation transfer function, e.g. contrast at resolution)

Nikon’s MTF chart for the 50/1.8G at f/1.8 suggests a lens with very high contrast on coarse structures (overall contrast), along with very high central sharpness for fine details, falling off quickly but gracefully to the edges and a sharpness dip into the corners, possibly a field curvature effect, or possibly the result of aberrations. Regrettably, Nikon does not supply MTF for f/4 or f/5.6.