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Just thought I'd ask about it's optical quality anyway, because I just bought one of these just then, should be here in a week or so.

I'm really contemplating on getting some of the more "useable" AiS lenses now. PS I know, it's no NOCT...

New or second hand? You don't hear much about this lens, will be interested to hear your opinions.

Second hand but in very good condition. I'll show it off after I get it. I know all the 50mm AiS lenses are much better made than the new AF ones... even those AiS 50mm f1.8 are well made. Sigh.

I might buy the AiS 35mm f1.4 next.

You are right, there is really no comparison between the AIS and the new lenses. Closest new one in quality is the 45P and even that probably doesn't match up.

They also test my MF skills. Which I can only seem to MF on Mamiyas...

The AiS 50mm f1.4 is a very good deal actually, and optically I don't think it's much different from the AFD lenses. And they're well within the $200 mark. The f1.8 at about $100 is even more delicious!

I feel like I'm going to collect them all, as I have a few SB28 and SB80DX already.

So 50mm collection scheme activated.

Grev,

I suspect that you'll find this new acquisition to be well worth whatever it is that you paid for it.

Which body will it be gracing?

Of course! And it's going on the D300. Maybe the D3 later on in the year.

And cost wise... I didn't care, I just bought it. No, not something over the top, it didn't go past the 3 digit mark, the first number is not or above the number 5 either.

I used to own a 50mm f/1.2 AiS, until I sold it to a collector about a year ago...

It is a fairly massive chunk of equipment, no comparison to today's normal lenses. Optical performance is fairly good for a lens this fast. Wide open it shows pretty severe coma near the edges, so if you were planning to use it for astrophotography wide open - forget it. That's what the Noct was made for, it has a hand-figured aspherical element to correct for coma.

By about f/2 I'd liken the performance to the 50mm f/1.4AF, perhaps not quite as sharp as the 50mm f/1.8AF. From memory, the bokeh was very good, much better than the f/1.8, probably on par with the f/1.4. All in all it's a very good lens and worked well on the D2H. Manual focusing is a joy due to the shallow DOF, the bright viewfinder and the feel of the focusing ring.

Cheers
Steffen.

Thanks Steffen, will see if my sample is worse or better.