The first thing to note is that the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G must not be confused with the older 50mm f/1.4 'D' lens. The 'D' lens dates back to the days of Nikon film cameras and includes an aperture ring on the lens barrel.

Having started with Nikon, then moving to Canon (full frame 5D) for a few years, and now back to Nikon again (D700), I have found the Nikon 50 1.4G AFS a nice change from the incredibly expensive L primes. I've owned the Canon 50 1.4 and the Canon 50 1.2 and I prefer this lens to those two.

Sharp wide open; Not overly expensive

Some lateral CA; May require AF adjustment

As our AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 G review discovers, this flagship prime lens from Nikon delivers excellent results in a small and lightweight package.

Quick and quiet AF

Poor retro compatibility

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G is the latest update to the venerable Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D. The Nikon communality has been expecting this lens for quite some time now, considering that the previous version of the lens was introduced in 1995 and has not seen any updates since then.

The G-series lens, however, wins hands-down when it comes to AF speed and quietness, but very occasionally it recorded real-world images that were very slightly less sharp than the others on test here. This is not a serious problem but it was detected on isolated occasions.

Quick and quiet AF

Poor retro compatibility

Having used a number of different platforms for my personal photography, I have found that Nikon and Nikkor lenses are my first choice. For 35mm photography and digital photography as well, it is my opinion that these lenses are unsurpassed in quality, performance, and ease of use.

Nikon's 50mm lens line up has now received the AF-S treatment. Here Gary Wolstenholme puts this optic to the test.

Excellent optical quality; Good build quality; Light weight; Good value

Focusing speed lower than previous version; 58mm filter size not common for Nikon prime lenses

While I hope to create a full Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S Lens, my first priority is to include results from this lens in the lens comparison tools available on the site. This page currently exists because it is required by the database and content management systems for me to post information and...

Overall, I think that the new 50mm f/1.4 AF-S is a great little lens, and I'm glad to see that the old AF-D model has finally been replaced. There's a lot to like about the new and improved lens – better image quality all around and lots of small improvements in the overall design.

Gary Wolstenholme investigates Nikon's latest wide aperture 50mm lens with silent focusing.

Excellent optical quality; Good build quality; Light weight; Good value; Focusing speed lower than previous version; 58mm; size not common for Nikon prime lenses

Excellent optical quality; Good build quality; Light weight; Good value; Focusing speed lower than previous version; 58mm; size not common for Nikon prime lenses