AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of images I consistently get from this little lens. For the price, there isn´t much to complain about. No, it´s not the sharpest lens in the world when shooting it wide open - nor will it produce the best bokeh at that range - but stopped down to f/2.8-4, you´ll really see it shine. It will still perform well if you need to shoot it at f/1.8, but don´t expect miracles from it.

That said, you can´t beat the clarity and quality you´re getting for the price. If you have a camera body with built-in AF, this lens is a no brainer.

This lens comes with a ´´deadly rough focus ring´´. Every time I try to focus on the subject, it keeps overshooting the focus point on either side. I´ve a standard kit lens i.e. 18-55mm VR kit but it has a really smooth focus ring.
Then I have a friend who has Canon 600D. He possesses a 50mm f/1.8 which has a INCREDIBLY SMOOTH FOCUS RING!
Please Nikon! If it´s a defect in my lens, please replace it or please improve your quality regarding this lens. I don´t expect such a mistake from you! THIS LENS IS AWESOME OTHERWISE!
Thank you!

I bought this lens for my Nikon D7000. I´m getting more into video so I needed a lens with an aperture control ring. With bodies like the D7000 and higher you can take advantage of the aperture control ring when using AF-D lenses. You have to enable this function in the D7000´s menu. Its custom function f6.

When enabled the aperture ring will allow you to change the aperture in live view and while recording video, which is a HUGE plus for videographers. I also have the 24mm 2.8D which is another great AF-D lens. Both of these lenses are all I really need for video.

As for image quality well its sharp! very sharp. Its actually better then I was expecting. Its a little soft wide open which is to be expected. However stopped down a bit and this lens will deliver amazing detail and color. Its built quality is just as good as other D lenses. Its made of plastic but it doesn´t feel cheap. It feels solid in the hand, plus its focus ring is nice and smooth with a little bit of resistance.

As for auto focusing on my D7000 its fast to find focus. Its not loud like other people complain about. I mean yeah it makes noise but its not annoying. Over all I´d buy this lens again and again.

I really hope Nikon keeps all of their AF-D lenses in production for a long time. They are small and compact plus they are affordable.

This prime lens turned my AW1 into a beast. Sharpness, wonderfull low light caption and control over focusing via the manual focus ring. You just set and lock aperture at 22 on the aperture ring and the AW1 controls aperture via the FT1 mount. The focus only works on manual though, but it´s no big problem. The lens is still amazing and fun to use. Maybe an upcomming firmware update might add autofocus ability ? Who knows. This is still the best bang for the buck i´ve had !

After using Nikon lenses for film since the late 60´s I bought this lens for my D800. Not only is it the cheapest lens (adjusting for inflation) that I have ever bought new, it´s one of the very best. I can find no fault with it and use it for demanding subjects such as architecture. I think that it´s my sharpest lens.

If you honestly think you have to spend a boat load of money on a 50mm you are sadly mislead. I have used this lens on my D800 for the last 15 months. So, before you bash D800 users for using this lens, keep in mind that this glass is so sharp it will make you weep. Exactly what a D800(e) needs. Exceedingly light, fast focus, dead on sharp. This is a great walk around lens and honestly after spending money on the holy trinity and a few other lenses ´´pros´´ tell you you must have....I keep this on almost always. For the price you can not go wrong, you will be more than pleased with it´s performance. Get it, you won´t be sorry.

The only other 50 I like is the 50mm f1.2 AI-s, but this 1.8 is just so much more fun.

This lens is fantastic, fast, sharp and bright! A great lens to walk around with and not take up much space!

I have owned this lens for some time now. I do not use it often since I shoot wildlife but when I do, the pictures are always sharp with excellent contrast.

For its price this is an amazing lens. A must have for the camera bag. The build is stable even if being made out of plastics. Also a must for anyone who wants to learn photography.