These lenses render beautiful photos and it’s probably my most used Nikon lens. I get so happy anytime I come across one at my local camera shops because they’re usually under $50, a bargain in my opinion. It’s also wonderful adapted to my GFX 50R.
Is the Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8 Type 2 the best Nikon manual focus 50mm f/1.8 lens. NO IT ISN’T!!! The Nikon Pancake-NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8 AI-S sold only in Japan is the best 50mm (from all versions. Made between 1980-1982; 0.45m close-focus, 100% metal construction; except for the ribbed rubber band on the metal focus ring; only one row of rubber ribs on the metal focus ring (Older versions of the 50/1.8 had two or three rows of rubber ribs); NIKKOR," not "Series E on lens front; First digit of the serial number is a 2, not a 4. Got my version directly from Japan and I used it on my F3/T as the standard walkaround lens. Nothing beats this, not one of the other f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8 50mm Nikons, not the Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2. Maybe the Manual focus Nikon AIS 55mm f/2.8 Micro or Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 can come close image quality wise, but they are bigger, heavier, more expensive (Zeiss).
Good to know. However, demand driven price increases since the start of the COVID lockdowns might make the Nikon Series E 50mm more practical for many people.
I've got the international version which is the same except MFD is 0.6m instead of 0.45m - and it's a nice lens, but not as good as the latest AFS 50mm f/1.8 wide open. There's nothing magical about it at all IMO, it's pure nostalgia to suggest otherwise.
Looks like Rifle Falls! I took some of my first film photos there and Rifle Mountain park back in the early 00s when I was in middle and high school. Great Pics!
Thank you and good eye! I have a review coming up for the Viltrox 20mm which will have a few more photos from there. We spent a weekend there in the spring and some of the shots were pretty good, but Rifle Falls makes that easy.
One of these came on an EM that I bought when I started getting into photography a few years ago. Been a solid lens. Recently bought the modern equivalent AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, new. The old E series one holds its own pretty well.
I would say wait till August 8 and check out the 50mm f/1.4 showdown I'm releasing that day. The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AI is in that video. The Series E isn't, but that video may help you make up your mind on the Nikons because some of the tests are performed for both the reviews and the showdowns.
@@DavidHancock the suspense! If you were to hint at which to keep, which to sell? I love the compact form of the pancake series e, but the 1.4 has that allure of the extra stop 😁
IF it has emotional meaning to you, sure. If not, you can try fixing it yourself. These should be fairly easy to disassemble. You can always pick one up used for a relatively good price as they're plentiful.
No ! I had that Lens, no quality. You could not buy a new camera without this Lens sat on the camera, so there must be many thousands hide away of those.
These lenses render beautiful photos and it’s probably my most used Nikon lens. I get so happy anytime I come across one at my local camera shops because they’re usually under $50, a bargain in my opinion. It’s also wonderful adapted to my GFX 50R.
Definitely and it's a good thing that there are so many of these around, too. I was also really shocked by how well it covers GFX.
Is the Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8 Type 2 the best Nikon manual focus 50mm f/1.8 lens. NO IT ISN’T!!! The Nikon Pancake-NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8 AI-S sold only in Japan is the best 50mm (from all versions. Made between 1980-1982; 0.45m close-focus, 100% metal construction; except for the ribbed rubber band on the metal focus ring; only one row of rubber ribs on the metal focus ring (Older versions of the 50/1.8 had two or three rows of rubber ribs); NIKKOR," not "Series E on lens front; First digit of the serial number is a 2, not a 4.
Got my version directly from Japan and I used it on my F3/T as the standard walkaround lens. Nothing beats this, not one of the other f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8 50mm Nikons, not the Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2. Maybe the Manual focus Nikon AIS 55mm f/2.8 Micro or Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 can come close image quality wise, but they are bigger, heavier, more expensive (Zeiss).
Good to know.
However, demand driven price increases since the start of the COVID lockdowns might make the Nikon Series E 50mm more practical for many people.
I've got the international version which is the same except MFD is 0.6m instead of 0.45m - and it's a nice lens, but not as good as the latest AFS 50mm f/1.8 wide open. There's nothing magical about it at all IMO, it's pure nostalgia to suggest otherwise.
Looks like Rifle Falls! I took some of my first film photos there and Rifle Mountain park back in the early 00s when I was in middle and high school. Great Pics!
Thank you and good eye! I have a review coming up for the Viltrox 20mm which will have a few more photos from there. We spent a weekend there in the spring and some of the shots were pretty good, but Rifle Falls makes that easy.
One of these came on an EM that I bought when I started getting into photography a few years ago. Been a solid lens. Recently bought the modern equivalent AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, new. The old E series one holds its own pretty well.
Nice! Yeah, these are really well designed lenses.
This is my favourite lens, was talking about it today with a friend I lent it to so funny this video popped up!
Cool video! Gotta love this good old nifty fifty Nikkor. Got one with my FM2n film camera. It's a very likeable little lens.
Nice!
I have this lens also. Great lens. Old pancake lens but performs well even wide open
I use my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E as a backup to my Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AIS.
Nice!
lovely review. time for a tier list 🙂
Thank you! Do you mean something like a 50mm f/1.8 showdown video?
@@DavidHancock no a tier list of all the lenses you've reviewed
@@sghound ohhhhh. Hmm. That's an interesting idea. Let me think about how to do that. Maybe I could thank them at the end of each year.
This makes it difficult: I was about to sell mine and keep the 50 1.4 ai… now I have doubts 😂
Opinion on which is the keeper of the two?
I would say wait till August 8 and check out the 50mm f/1.4 showdown I'm releasing that day. The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AI is in that video. The Series E isn't, but that video may help you make up your mind on the Nikons because some of the tests are performed for both the reviews and the showdowns.
@@DavidHancock the suspense!
If you were to hint at which to keep, which to sell?
I love the compact form of the pancake series e, but the 1.4 has that allure of the extra stop 😁
I have this lens . it is infested by fungus and haze . Just wondering if it is worth sending to repair shop for deep cleaning. Your thoughts?
IF it has emotional meaning to you, sure. If not, you can try fixing it yourself. These should be fairly easy to disassemble. You can always pick one up used for a relatively good price as they're plentiful.
Gauss rhymes with mouse, not horse FYI
Thank you!
No ! I had that Lens, no quality. You could not buy a new camera without this Lens sat on the camera, so there must be many thousands hide away of those.
I can believe there would be quality variations with these given how many there are.
@@DavidHancock Nikon SLR Lenses had a few very good Lenses, but many average to bad.