The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

CCD Resurgence: Images with a 10MP CCD Nikon D200, and an AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, is a legendary nifty-fifty kit, sharp and versatile for portraits, street photography, and low-lights.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Early impression images with the classic, or rather, a "modern vintage" AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, a compact, lightweight, and highly affordable "normal" prime lens, mounted on a truly vintage Nikon D200. While the AF Nikkor was introduced as a lens for 35mm film SLRs in 1986 (and updated with 'D' technology in 2002), the D200, fitted with a 10.2MP CCD sensor, was introduced in 2005.

The D200 is a professional-grade digital SLR camera appreciated for its rich, film-like, nostalgic aesthetic colors that photographers seek.

Both the camera and lens have stood the test of time and remain relevant today, with the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, the renowned "nifty fifty," as a compact, budget-friendly prime known for its exceptional sharpness, bright aperture, and versatile focal length; while the Nikon D200, with its magnesium-alloy chassis, weather-sealed body, and workhorse robustness, remains a cult favorite.

While technology has advanced far beyond the D200's capabilities, collectors and enthusiasts still use the D200 as a favorite for the way the camera interprets color, which is uniquely vibrant with skin tones and organic hues straight out of the camera. The lack of modern conveniences, which the camera is not equipped with, compels users to slow down and use the camera as a tool to re-establish the fundamentals of their photography skills.

The camera, however, features a built-in autofocus motor, which can autofocus older, highly affordable Nikon AF/AF-D lenses as well as communicate metering with manual focus (AI-S) lenses with its 11-point AF system. While the Nikon D200 produces sharp and detailed images at lower ISO settings (ISO 100 to 400), images at higher ISOs may have significant digital noise.

The Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, a FX (full-frame) format design, features an optical design of 6 elements in 5 groups with 7 rounded aperture blades, an aperture range from f/1.8 to f/22, a minimum focusing distance of 0.45 meters, measures approximately 63.5 x 39mm, takes 52mm filters, and weighs 155 grams. The lens relies on the mechanical autofocus screw drive built into the camera body.

On the Nikon D200, which introduces a 1.5x crop factor to the lens, the Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D is equivalent to a 75mm short telephoto lens on a full-frame camera, an ideal and flattering focal length for head-and-shoulders portraits.

With its wide f/1.8 aperture, the lens is equally adept for events, concerts, or dimly lit rooms without flash, and for candid street shooting with the camera at non-intrusive distances from subjects.

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

The combination of the Nikon D200, with the Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D mounted properly and the lens aperture control set to its smallest aperture and locked in place for the camera to control the aperture electronically, is the favored setup for capturing vivid outdoor scenes and moody everyday photography.

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 D

CCD Resurgence: The Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 D, an iconic retro camera combination with natural color rendition and gorgeous, creamy bokeh.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

It was such a nice day that I had to take these two out for a quick spin in the garden. The D200, a weather-sealed magnesium alloy chassis workhorse from Nikon, was introduced in 2006. The camera was the last in the series of semi-professional bodies from Nikon with a CCD sensor and was highly praised as a very competent and capable camera. The 10MP CCD D200 was replaced in 2007 by the D300, which has a 12.2MP CMOS sensor.

The AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D, just as well, is Nikon's fastest and least expensive super-speed lens and is highly regarded as a super select for low-light photography.

Interest in CCD photography is back in the limelight and experiencing a resurgence. We see the resurgence of film photography dipping slightly due to the ever-increasing cost of film and its associated costs. CCDs are the new low-cost route to low-noise and high-quality film-like renderings that enthusiasts seek.

CCDs, as we know them, were the standard for camera sensors from the early 1980s until the late 2000s. Though cameras with CCD sensors are now relegated to the vintage genre, with the sensors replaced with the CMOS variety, CCDs are still used in areas of specialized photography, including Optical Microscopy, Space Photography, and Near-Infrared Imaging.

Cameras with CCD sensors, with a range of makes and models to pick and choose from, are readily available from online auction sites and brick-and-mortar stores, at prices for the asking. These cameras will cost you only a fraction of what you will pay compared to the technically more advanced and up-to-date models on the market today.

Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

Enjoying a new lease of life in photography with these vintages will not break an arm or a leg.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, A Garden Ensemble

Analog Diary: Film photography favorites, images with an AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, a compact, lightweight 'nifty-fifty' prime appreciated for its affordability, exceptional sharpness, and shallow depth-of-field capabilities.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

A combination of two greats, the super-sharp AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, and the Nikon F90X. As a traditional AF lens, the f/1.8D works with all of Nikon's SLR cameras, film or digital, auto or manual focus, but it will not autofocus on Nikon bodies that do not have the mechanical autofocusing screw, such as the D40, D60, and D5000 models.

The Nikon F90X, or N90s in the US, is often mentioned as the best and most expensive amateur 35mm SLR of all time, a spec sheet that nearly matches the F4 in capability.

Nikon F90X, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

Compared to the F4, for example, the F90X has a faster and better autofocus mechanism, is lighter in weight, has a more sophisticated matrix metering, and, of course, is a lot cheaper. The F90X was replaced by the F100 in 1999.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8D, Take I

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage-style Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, a favorite with both the analog and digital community, at a 100mm full-frame equivalent on an Olympus Pen E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

A lightweight at 155 grams, built of plastic with a metal mount, and highly recommended for travel, portraits, or general photography, the 50mm AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D has the reputation of being super sharp and is a good prime lens to start your camera system with.

The lens itself has a long history, starting with several manual versions since its first introduction in 1978. It is a full-frame FX lens, and it works with every Nikon ever made, digital and film, auto and manual focus. It will not, however,  autofocus on low-end digitals like the D40 and D40x, or the F3.

Olympus E-P5, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

The AF version first appeared in 1986, was slightly changed in 1990, and the AF-D version was released in February 2002, complementing the launch of the F90x (N90s in the States), which provides innovative distance information for metering and ambient/TTL flash exposure calculation.

Olympus E-P5, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

The only gripe I had was the coarse and gritty plastic feel of the focusing ring. It has none of the legendary smoothness of a manual focus Nikkors (of the past). Though well built, the lens still felt that it was best left on an AF Nikon, where focusing is a mechanical assist.