Super interesting comparison. I keep my eyes open for vintage lenses but, boy, so are a lot of other people, driving prices up, up, up. Joe's 55 is really nice!
That was a great afternoon into night to hang out with you two. I got to be the "annoying" third wheel :) So far out of my "normal" shooting and that can only be a good thing as far as I am concerned. You gotta remember to try doing different things. Thanks for letting me hang out. Side note.... In the video you cannot hear the extremely satisfying "click" as the aperture ring is turned on that lens that Joe has.
Damn Joe, too busy laughing at ourselves to record the aperture click ... ok I feel a video coming on, every lens we have and all the sounds they do or don't make ...... Chris, this is a good idea. I thank you. What is your loudest clicking lens?
Always liked the look of the 55 over my 50mm f1.2 ais lenses. I liked to carry either the 50 or 55 f1.2 AIs for low light situations. Not as sharp as the new Z but tons of character...🦘
Great video as usual. My Nikkor SC 55mm f/1.2 was given to me by my father in-law when he gave me his Nikkormat FT2 and this was the lens attached to it. It had a bit of fungus and needed a good service. I should also bring it out for a comparison with my Z 50mm f/1.2 S and my 50mm 1.2 AIS.
Twas a good day Matt…. Very nice edit as per usual. It’s good just to get out and enjoy the equipment, the friends and the atmosphere. Chilled vibe of the video said it all. 👍🏻
Interestingly I think it was our first ever where eating and talking took more time than the shooting ... and it was a double header ... lunch and dinner. Are we loosing our edge ...
@@MattIrwinPhotography lol. Out of practice. Give us a bit of time and we’ll be one out game again. Might have to put in more time next time and do another sunrise session.
I own the Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 for Nikon.Same concept as the 55mm f1.2. I love it. It works great on Z bodies adapted. Great fun on the Z9. It's great for portraits. It definitely has some character.
Great video Matt. It looks like you all had a good time out shooting together; community at its best. Enjoyed the comparisons and seeing how both lenses rendered colors almost imperceptibly to one another. I think the overall results make a good argument for either lens.
Hi Matt and Joe, thanks for sharing! Isn't it great times, when we can have the lens after ones gusto? I love my modern 50/1.2, but surely I can appreciate the great 55/1.2
@@MattIrwinPhotography Absolutely! Astounding color rendition. It shows, how amazing Nikon is at designing lenses. But after all, it's Nikons core competence ;)
I was very excited to find the camera strap a while ago. Really well made :-) I often shoot without a strap and tuck the z9 into my shoulder duffel bag when I’m alone… it attracts too much attention when out in the city streets at night. But in company, out it comes again. Safety in numbers. :-) Plus… it looks cool. 😀 I hope you enjoyed the video.
Considering that the old Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 was only ever intended to be sharp on 35mm film-with its far less critical planarity-it's not doing too badly. It definitely blooms wide open, particularly if there are specular highlights anywhere in the frame, but for certain specific types of looks, it can actually be quite a cool effect. Definitely sharpens right up by f/2, though.
Hi Robert, Completely agree with what you’ve said. At 1.2 it’s not fantastic, but it does achieve a “look”. It really impresses me at f2.0 and beyond. I’d be happy to recommend this as an inexpensive classic lens for people to enjoy. Though for less money the 40mm F2.0 z lens far outperforms the 55mm, and it’s only 15mm shorter. It depends on weather you are trying to capture the most optically perfect image, or are out to enjoy the nostalgia of old glass. There is certainly room for both pursuits. It’s good just to have a bit of fun enjoy these old lenses from time to time. Do you use any older glass yourself?
@@josephsworkshop75 I have the 50mm f/1.2 AIS version from my F3 days. Even by today's standards it's a great lens when stopped down (like most Nikkors from that period), but wide open I find that "glowy" look (on modern digital) offers a certain something that's hard to replicate in post, if one is looking to achieve a particular effect. Naturally, none of them can stand up to the Z Series lenses; but sometimes optical perfection is not the look you're after.
@@RobertFalconer1967 I wonder how much better the later 50mm AIS is compared to the 55mm pre AI version I’m shooting with. I’m not really bothered as I’m enjoying the 55mm as it is. It’d be interesting to do a controlled test to see what has changed through the years with all the 50mm lenses.
The Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS is still reasonable prices as of early 2023. I have two, love these lenses. Another "Cheap" 55mm f1.2 is the Canon S.S.C. that are relative bargains still these days. Both will give you that amazing vintage look on any mirrorless body with proper adapter.
I have an older single coated version of the 55mm f1.2, and it's just a different kind of lens. I love the way it looks, but it's definitely nothing like how the modern lenses look when you're shooting with it. Even if I ever decide to pick up a 50 f1.2S, I'd definitely be keeping my Nikkor-S 55mm f1.2. I have my 55 f1.2 on one of my Nikon DSLR bodies right now, and I rarely shoot it at f1.2, in fact it's stopped down to f4 right now, but I like the look at different apertures On a side note, on the Olympus f1.2 Pro lenses on Micro 4/3, one of their special things is feathered bokeh, and all of those bokeh bubbles have really nice soft edges. It's definitely a very different look. I also shoot Micro 4/3 alongside Nikon FX and sometimes I take out an f1.2 Pro lens just because of the way it does bokeh
Lol… yes. The “character” of the 55mm is a bonus. I’d love just a little less character at F1.2. It’s a great lens to play with. For any professional work I’d be using the new Z 50mm 1.2. But for a casual walk around lens, at f2.0, this 50 year old 55mm performs surprisingly well.
It's great to see Joe again. I think both are beautiful, it really depends on what you're looking for be it ultimate clarity or a retro feel. Plus, you can get more clean images if you stop down a little, so you can't go wrong.
Great compare video of these two iconic lenses. May I suggest another comparison between the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S and the Nikon AIS 50mm f/1.8 (japanese) pancake lenses for the more budget minded audience? (make sure you get the Japanse version of the AIS and not the cheaper American version)
@@MattIrwinPhotography I have to look it up how much i paid for my copy from Japan(Found it 113.90 USD, excluding shipping). But you may borrow my lens for a comparison (video), I just have to detach it from my F3/T were it lives !!! Let me know if that would help you.
Am I remembering correctly that the 55mm f1.2 was partially intended for news gathering where images would get screened down for newsprint? From that perspective the color rendering seems remarkable. Thanks for putting this comparison together Matt. A fascinating look at Nikon’s history and prowess.
Is it possible that Joe’s lens would benefit from some kind of internal cleaning? I would imagine a 50 year-old lens would have developed a film on many of the elements from normal air contaminants causing more haze and flaring and loss of sharpness. I don’t know how well sealed that lens is or if any internal seals would have broken down over that time. Just wondering.
Hi Glenn, The lens had a little dust on the front element. 20 seconds with alcohol lens wipes cleaned it up. It really is in remarkable shape for its age. I’d be happy to take the lens apart myself and clean it if need be, but it’s clean as a whistle. It’s just the character of the lens at 1.2 we are seeing. It like a lot of older lenses, it was never intended to be shot wide open for optimal results. When stopping down to f2, almost all ghosting and aborations disappear. For professional work, the Z lens is obviously a way to go… but I do love shooting with old, beautifully engineered glass. I hope you enjoyed the vid. Cheers 👍🏻😀📸
Glenn, I worked out doing some calculations that the image that I was not sure about with the roller door, was probably shot at f/2.8 and the lens looked spectacular there. So I don't believe it is contaminant related :)
Great video! Yah, I've got the z50 1.2 and chase the uber, cut yer eyes on it sharpness, but man looking at those shots out of the old 55 and I gotta say I'm more than just okay with that flaring and ghosting -- makes the images look like a photograph, to me. But hey, I'm a senior citizen :) And yes, that Nikon colour consistency across 5 decades! Another reminder why I chose Nikon. More videos like this, please; you (and your mates) out shooting! Cheers!
Interesting comparison Matt! always fun seeing vintage Nikkors at work, they have their purpose. I like that you were able to ISO 64 with Nikkor S 50mm f1.2 beast of a lens! I have to be careful sometimes shooting wide open in critical focus. Great to see Joe back! Cool video! p.s. also loved the urban landscape, so beautiful at night, photographer's paradise.
HI Matt, I just got the Z9 my Nikkor A.I.S lenses will not work on the Z9 .with the FTZ II ...... have set camera to manual focus and non CPU lens like on the D850 which they all work fine .... what am I doing wrong with the Z9 ?.
Helllloo Matt, Good Day from the States. I am a new Z9 owner, having traded in a bunch of Sony and Older Nikon F Mount gear. I kept my two Zeiss Milvus lenses as I like walking around some days with manual. The Milvus line as you know are f/2 lenses and they ( 50mm Makro & 21mm ) work fantastic in the Z9 w/FTZ and since they are chip lenses, I get IBIS and Exif data. BUT… I have a E Mount Voighländer f/1.2 I’d love to use ( I did not trade it in ) WHAT E to Z adapter would you recommend…if you can
A S.C Nikkkor lens is a very old pré-AI that is very different from AI-S lenses ! S stands for seven elements and C for the very first multicoated Nikkors generation (S without C are the same lenses but single coated) A 50 1.2 AI-S has modern Nikkor multicoating with more and better tuned layers as well as improved glasses. There is as much as a 20 years technology gap between these 2 lenses
I totally agree if it works do it. What I am saying is if you want the experience of shooting with a 1.2 ... then that will only be had by having a 1.2. 100% cool if you don't want to and prefer to create an AI version in post. As to how the same it is, I will check it out and come back to you as to how it feels from my perspective :) Do you have any pics anywhere we can all look at?
If I got on the ground with my backpack on, that’s where I would be found in the morning. 😂
Lol.
Just be sure to have your phone so you can Door Dash some coffee in the morning
I’ll go back and check if Matt is still there. 😀
Super interesting comparison. I keep my eyes open for vintage lenses but, boy, so are a lot of other people, driving prices up, up, up. Joe's 55 is really nice!
Yeah Ray, Joe found a beautiful copy at a great price
That was a great afternoon into night to hang out with you two.
I got to be the "annoying" third wheel :)
So far out of my "normal" shooting and that can only be a good thing as far as I am concerned. You gotta remember to try doing different things.
Thanks for letting me hang out.
Side note.... In the video you cannot hear the extremely satisfying "click" as the aperture ring is turned on that lens that Joe has.
Damn Joe, too busy laughing at ourselves to record the aperture click ... ok I feel a video coming on, every lens we have and all the sounds they do or don't make ...... Chris, this is a good idea. I thank you. What is your loudest clicking lens?
@@MattIrwinPhotography I would say the loudest one I have would be the "nifty fifty' on my old SLR 🙂📷
Always liked the look of the 55 over my 50mm f1.2 ais lenses.
I liked to carry either the 50 or 55 f1.2 AIs for low light situations.
Not as sharp as the new Z but tons of character...🦘
Wow !!! Very Interesting and useful comparison between OLD vs NEW lens !!!
Cheers RK
Great video as usual. My Nikkor SC 55mm f/1.2 was given to me by my father in-law when he gave me his Nikkormat FT2 and this was the lens attached to it. It had a bit of fungus and needed a good service. I should also bring it out for a comparison with my Z 50mm f/1.2 S and my 50mm 1.2 AIS.
Hello Matt, Yes a good number of the older lenses look very good.
Sure do John, and this one is worthy :)
I have the 50mm 1.2 ais on my Z7. Focus peaking and image stabilization breath new life into these lenses... and they have a lot of "character".
Twas a good day Matt…. Very nice edit as per usual. It’s good just to get out and enjoy the equipment, the friends and the atmosphere. Chilled vibe of the video said it all. 👍🏻
Was so nice to hang out with you two.
@@christhomas5846 it was a good day… looking forward to the next outing… soon enough at the footy or cricket with a seat!
Interestingly I think it was our first ever where eating and talking took more time than the shooting ... and it was a double header ... lunch and dinner. Are we loosing our edge ...
@@MattIrwinPhotography lol. Out of practice.
Give us a bit of time and we’ll be one out game again.
Might have to put in more time next time and do another sunrise session.
@@MattIrwinPhotography maybe that was my bad influence. Also taking my time moving from the beach to the city slowed you guys down😅🤣
Ok, that was a lot of empty beer kegs! Very cool team work review guys, Love it!!!
Beers cheers 🍻
I own the Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 for Nikon.Same concept as the 55mm f1.2. I love it. It works great on Z bodies adapted. Great fun on the Z9. It's great for portraits. It definitely has some character.
I will have to give that a spin sometime
New Matt Irwin logo “ Kegs!”
Yes fine idea :)
Great video Matt. It looks like you all had a good time out shooting together; community at its best. Enjoyed the comparisons and seeing how both lenses rendered colors almost imperceptibly to one another. I think the overall results make a good argument for either lens.
Cheers Mozman, one day I will make it Stateside, and I hope we get a chance to 'shoot the breeze'
Hi Matt and Joe,
thanks for sharing! Isn't it great times, when we can have the lens after ones gusto?
I love my modern 50/1.2, but surely I can appreciate the great 55/1.2
For the price Joe paid, outstanding outcome.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Absolutely! Astounding color rendition. It shows, how amazing Nikon is at designing lenses. But after all, it's Nikons core competence ;)
Good detail about the old Nikon shoulder camera strap. I love them with the rubber to lock it
I was very excited to find the camera strap a while ago. Really well made :-)
I often shoot without a strap and tuck the z9 into my shoulder duffel bag when I’m alone… it attracts too much attention when out in the city streets at night. But in company, out it comes again. Safety in numbers. :-)
Plus… it looks cool. 😀
I hope you enjoyed the video.
Considering that the old Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 was only ever intended to be sharp on 35mm film-with its far less critical planarity-it's not doing too badly. It definitely blooms wide open, particularly if there are specular highlights anywhere in the frame, but for certain specific types of looks, it can actually be quite a cool effect. Definitely sharpens right up by f/2, though.
Hi Robert,
Completely agree with what you’ve said. At 1.2 it’s not fantastic, but it does achieve a “look”.
It really impresses me at f2.0 and beyond. I’d be happy to recommend this as an inexpensive classic lens for people to enjoy. Though for less money the 40mm F2.0 z lens far outperforms the 55mm, and it’s only 15mm shorter.
It depends on weather you are trying to capture the most optically perfect image, or are out to enjoy the nostalgia of old glass. There is certainly room for both pursuits. It’s good just to have a bit of fun enjoy these old lenses from time to time.
Do you use any older glass yourself?
@@josephsworkshop75 I have the 50mm f/1.2 AIS version from my F3 days. Even by today's standards it's a great lens when stopped down (like most Nikkors from that period), but wide open I find that "glowy" look (on modern digital) offers a certain something that's hard to replicate in post, if one is looking to achieve a particular effect. Naturally, none of them can stand up to the Z Series lenses; but sometimes optical perfection is not the look you're after.
@@RobertFalconer1967 I wonder how much better the later 50mm AIS is compared to the 55mm pre AI version I’m shooting with. I’m not really bothered as I’m enjoying the 55mm as it is. It’d be interesting to do a controlled test to see what has changed through the years with all the 50mm lenses.
The Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS is still reasonable prices as of early 2023. I have two, love these lenses. Another "Cheap" 55mm f1.2 is the Canon S.S.C. that are relative bargains still these days. Both will give you that amazing vintage look on any mirrorless body with proper adapter.
The 35mm DX (50mm FX equivalent) is my go to lens. Be careful when laying in grass 😮
Yes I agree, anything could happen
I think this video is just Brilliant thanks mate. I got both the 50, 55 AIS f1.2
The 50mm is the lens I never use, but I bought one years ago!😂
Always nice to have as part fo the kit :)
I have an older single coated version of the 55mm f1.2, and it's just a different kind of lens. I love the way it looks, but it's definitely nothing like how the modern lenses look when you're shooting with it. Even if I ever decide to pick up a 50 f1.2S, I'd definitely be keeping my Nikkor-S 55mm f1.2. I have my 55 f1.2 on one of my Nikon DSLR bodies right now, and I rarely shoot it at f1.2, in fact it's stopped down to f4 right now, but I like the look at different apertures
On a side note, on the Olympus f1.2 Pro lenses on Micro 4/3, one of their special things is feathered bokeh, and all of those bokeh bubbles have really nice soft edges. It's definitely a very different look. I also shoot Micro 4/3 alongside Nikon FX and sometimes I take out an f1.2 Pro lens just because of the way it does bokeh
Hi Matt - Interesting and educational comparison - thank you!
-PD
Cheers PD
I think Joe got the better deal. He got character as a special bonus!
Lol… yes. The “character” of the 55mm is a bonus. I’d love just a little less character at F1.2.
It’s a great lens to play with.
For any professional work I’d be using the new Z 50mm 1.2. But for a casual walk around lens, at f2.0, this 50 year old 55mm performs surprisingly well.
Joe comes with a lot of character with or without the lens.
It does have a pretty "vibey" feel to it though - I quite like it!
Yep it’s great for what it is. 😀
It's great to see Joe again. I think both are beautiful, it really depends on what you're looking for be it ultimate clarity or a retro feel. Plus, you can get more clean images if you stop down a little, so you can't go wrong.
Wow, starts with the Cookie back door in Tattersall lane. Spent 15 years using that door to get to work.
Great compare video of these two iconic lenses.
May I suggest another comparison between the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S and the Nikon AIS 50mm f/1.8 (japanese) pancake lenses for the more budget minded audience? (make sure you get the Japanse version of the AIS and not the cheaper American version)
Cheers Albert, do you know how much they are?
@@MattIrwinPhotography I have to look it up how much i paid for my copy from Japan(Found it 113.90 USD, excluding shipping). But you may borrow my lens for a comparison (video), I just have to detach it from my F3/T were it lives !!! Let me know if that would help you.
Am I remembering correctly that the 55mm f1.2 was partially intended for news gathering where images would get screened down for newsprint? From that perspective the color rendering seems remarkable. Thanks for putting this comparison together Matt. A fascinating look at Nikon’s history and prowess.
Cheers BT :)
Is it possible that Joe’s lens would benefit from some kind of internal cleaning? I would imagine a 50 year-old lens would have developed a film on many of the elements from normal air contaminants causing more haze and flaring and loss of sharpness. I don’t know how well sealed that lens is or if any internal seals would have broken down over that time. Just wondering.
Hi Glenn,
The lens had a little dust on the front element. 20 seconds with alcohol lens wipes cleaned it up. It really is in remarkable shape for its age. I’d be happy to take the lens apart myself and clean it if need be, but it’s clean as a whistle. It’s just the character of the lens at 1.2 we are seeing. It like a lot of older lenses, it was never intended to be shot wide open for optimal results.
When stopping down to f2, almost all ghosting and aborations disappear.
For professional work, the Z lens is obviously a way to go… but I do love shooting with old, beautifully engineered glass.
I hope you enjoyed the vid.
Cheers 👍🏻😀📸
Glenn, I worked out doing some calculations that the image that I was not sure about with the roller door, was probably shot at f/2.8 and the lens looked spectacular there. So I don't believe it is contaminant related :)
Great video! Yah, I've got the z50 1.2 and chase the uber, cut yer eyes on it sharpness, but man looking at those shots out of the old 55 and I gotta say I'm more than just okay with that flaring and ghosting -- makes the images look like a photograph, to me. But hey, I'm a senior citizen :) And yes, that Nikon colour consistency across 5 decades! Another reminder why I chose Nikon. More videos like this, please; you (and your mates) out shooting! Cheers!
With 55mm you dont need backmist filter)
Interesting comparison Matt! always fun seeing vintage Nikkors at work, they have their purpose. I like that you were able to ISO 64 with Nikkor S 50mm f1.2 beast of a lens! I have to be careful sometimes shooting wide open in critical focus. Great to see Joe back! Cool video! p.s. also loved the urban landscape, so beautiful at night, photographer's paradise.
For portraits how is the 55
40 mm f2 z lens is a great little lens good in low light and sharp
The lens hood for nikon 55 1.2 sc so hard to find. Would you recommend it as a must-have? 🙂 Many thanks
HI Matt, I just got the Z9 my Nikkor A.I.S lenses will not work on the Z9 .with the FTZ II ...... have set camera to manual focus and non CPU lens like on the D850 which they all work fine .... what am I doing wrong with the Z9 ?.
Helllloo Matt,
Good Day from the States.
I am a new Z9 owner, having traded in a bunch of Sony and Older Nikon F Mount gear.
I kept my two Zeiss Milvus lenses as I like walking around some days with manual.
The Milvus line as you know are f/2 lenses and they ( 50mm Makro & 21mm ) work fantastic in the Z9 w/FTZ and since they are chip lenses, I get IBIS and Exif data.
BUT… I have a E Mount Voighländer f/1.2 I’d love to use ( I did not trade it in )
WHAT E to Z adapter would you recommend…if you can
Hi Francis, I think my favourite is the Megadap :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thank You. I shall give it a Lookie Lou.
It's great to use those old lenses but MF is a pain in the ARSE!
A S.C Nikkkor lens is a very old pré-AI that is very different from AI-S lenses !
S stands for seven elements and C for the very first multicoated Nikkors generation (S without C are the same lenses but single coated)
A 50 1.2 AI-S has modern Nikkor multicoating with more and better tuned layers as well as improved glasses.
There is as much as a 20 years technology gap between these 2 lenses
I wouldn't want to use the 1.2 below f/2, so you may as well buy a f/1.8 which is sharp by f/2.2, and a shitload cheaper.
Give it a try.
@@MattIrwinPhotography no need with the new neural depth blur filter in PS!
I think that literally completely bypasses the point. But hey if that is what you want.
@@MattIrwinPhotography why? If you can get very similar results with much cheaper, smaller, lighter gear, it's a win for me.
I totally agree if it works do it. What I am saying is if you want the experience of shooting with a 1.2 ... then that will only be had by having a 1.2. 100% cool if you don't want to and prefer to create an AI version in post. As to how the same it is, I will check it out and come back to you as to how it feels from my perspective :) Do you have any pics anywhere we can all look at?
Gunna be honest, i like the 55 more, the flare and glare is nice for creative work
Don’t do anything crazy, like shoot at an f-stop BESIDES 1.2! OMG, who shoots at f/1.2 ALL THE TIME? How do they compare at f/2???
This 50/1.2 has seven blades, while my newer version has nine blades. It will make a difference in boca.