I’ve previously written about the limitations of the Nikon D60: the comparatively poor ISO performance, the limited lens compatibility, and the slow flash-shutter sync.  After my first few months with the camera passed, I realized the camera’s limitations; and I became fairly frustrated with my choice.  Fortunately, I made a decision that rectified my error: I purchased the AF-S Nikk0r 50mm f/1.4G.

The AF-S 50mm f/1.4 allows you to freeze the moment.

What I learned from my trials is that it is not the quality of the camera that creates a magnificent picture, it is the skill of the photographer combined with the lens that he uses.  With the AF-S 50mm f/1.4G I am able to take stunning portraits, low-light street shots, and exciting indoor sports action shots. Any dissatisfaction that I find with my pictures while using this lens is my fault, and it is not the fault of a poorly designed camera or lens.

The power of this lens rests in its gigantic aperature. So much light will hit the sensor of your camera, that the distinctions between 1600 ISO and 3200 ISO cameras begins to disappear.

The AF-S 50mm f/1.4 is the perfect lens for indoor basketball.

The lens’s large aperture also allows for the generation of pleasing bokeh (the blurry background of a potrait) around human and animal subjects.  You can easily create a stark contrast between the subject and background when operating this lens in dynamic area and single area focus mode.  It is possible to get these types of shots with a kit lens, but a shot will be achieved with trial-and-error.  A properly configured Nikon DSLR equipped with an AF-S 50mm f/1.4 will instantaneously and reliably takes beautiful bokeh shots.

The final positive aspect of this lens is that it works great with Nikon’s smaller, entry-level DSLRs such as the D60, D40x, and D40. In order to save size and cost, an internal focus motor was not included in these cameras.  Since the 50mm f/1.4 has the AF-S specification, it is equipped with an in-lens silent wave motor.  The lens operates more quietly and more quickly than the old AF versions of this lens that rely on the internal motor.

The 50mm f/1.4 can generate portrait shots with pleasing bokeh.

I’ve used this lens extensively when taking shots for my school’s yearbook. My favorite aspect of this lens is that the large aperture allows me to use the fastest shutter speeds.  The end result is surprising indoor sports images that show fast motion action frozen in time. Parents and students adore these pictures and frequently ask for more.

One serious limitation of this lens is that it has no zoom.  I knew this when I purchased it, but when I loan this lens to students it frequently disappoints them. Lack of zoom also means that this lens is not good for distance shots and it probably is not what you need for outdoor action shots. On the other hand, indoor shots in environments that allow you to get close to the subject can be amazing.

The AF-S 50mm f/1.4 has a shallow depth of field which makes it easy to get a poor focus.

There is also a high possibility that casual photographers that use this lens will produce worse pictures than they might with a kit lens.  If you don’t carefully correlate the ISO level with the available light or properly adjust the aperture, your pictures will appear fuzzy or overexposed.  There is also a high likelyhood that you will accidentally focus on the wrong object.  The object that someone is holding may be in focus, but the subject’s face may be blurry. The 50mm f/1.4 is not for someone who wants to point-and-shoot, but rather people that want to constantly tweak their cameras and their photography skills.

The 50mm f/1.4 generates pleasing bokeh in portrait shots.

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