Nikon · NIKKOR

AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G

Released June 2011

A 185 g full-frame F-mount standard prime with a built-in Silent Wave Motor, manual focus override and a seven-blade diaphragm.

Mount: Nikon F mount
Focal length: 50 mm
Max aperture: f/1.8
Stabilisation: No
Weight: 185 g

Prime

What reviewers say

Both find it small, light and good value, with strong central sharpness and improved image quality when stopped down. Photography Blog praises low aberrations and generally pleasant background blur but notes obvious wide-aperture shading and the limited depth-of-field scale. Digital Camera World is more critical of wide-aperture corner sharpness, modest autofocus speed and the seven-sided shape of defocused highlights when stopped down. Both appreciate the built-in autofocus motor and immediate manual override.

From photographyblog.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Specifications

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Optics

Lens type: Prime
Focal length: 50 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.8
Minimum aperture: f/16
Optical construction: Seven elements in six groups
Special elements: One aspherical element
Coatings: Super Integrated Coating
Aperture detail: f/1.8–16; no aperture ring
Diaphragm: Seven rounded blades
Angle of view: FX 47°; DX 31°30′

Mount and compatibility

Mounts: Nikon F mount
Image circle: Full frame
Compatibility: Nikon F mount; full-frame/FX coverage, also usable on DX cameras. Built-in autofocus motor supports Nikon DSLRs without an in-body focus motor, as Photography Blog confirms

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus: Yes
Minimum focus distance: 0.45 m
Maximum magnification: 0.15×
Optical stabilisation: No
Autofocus detail: Silent Wave Motor with manual focus override
Focus distance detail: Minimum 0.45 m; Photography Blog confirms the outer barrel's length stays unchanged and the filter thread does not rotate during focusing, while noting this is not a true internal-focus lens
Magnification detail: Maximum 0.15×; not a life-size macro lens
Stabilisation detail: No lens optical VR

Design

Filter diameter: 58 mm
Maximum diameter: 72 mm
Length: 52.5 mm
Weight: 185 g
Controls: Manual focus ring, M/A–M switch and focus-distance window; Photography Blog notes depth-of-field markings for f/16 only and no focus limiter
Filter detail: 58 mm screw-in filters
Weather resistance: Both reviews confirm a rubber seal at the metal mount. Broader barrel sealing is not established, so no general weather-resistance rating is assigned
Dimensions detail: Approximately 72 mm maximum diameter × 52.5 mm length
Weight detail: Approximately 185 g according to Nikon; Photography Blog reports 187 g, which is not substituted for the maker figure
Lens hood: HB-47 included
In the box: LC-58 front cap, LF-4 rear cap, HB-47 bayonet hood and CL-1013 pouch
Release detail: Nikon USA's April 2011 announcement states 16 June availability. Earliest exact global and first UK day unconfirmed, so June precision retained. Photography Blog's URL includes DX and its image captions refer to 24mm, but the actual review tests this FX 50mm f/1.8G

Pros and cons

Pros

f/1.8 maximum aperture
185 g weight
Manual focus override during autofocus

Cons

No optical vibration reduction
No aperture ring
Maximum magnification is 0.15×

Closest rivals

Model	Mount	Focal length	Max aperture	Stabilisation	Weight	Released
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G	Nikon F mount	50 mm	f/1.4	No	280 g	Dec 2008
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED	Nikon F mount	35 mm	f/1.8	No	305 g	Feb 2014
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G	Nikon F mount	35 mm	f/1.4	No	600 g	Nov 2010

Sources

Photo: Nikon USA press product photograph

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