The D FA 50/1.4 and Bokeh

Wheatfield · 07-27-2018, 10:29 PM - **6 Likes**

And sharpness....
This is for fun. I shot this scene at several apertures, focusing each time on the buds on the upper right. The first picture is the full frame showing depth of field, the second is a 100% detail.
First up: f/1.4

and the detail:

I managed to shoot past f/2 and go right to f/2.8.
So it goes:
The full image:

And the detail:

Here's f/4:

and the detail:

It just gets better at 5.6:

The detail is exciting:

I'm on tthe fence about it's best aperture. It's either 5.6or 8

This is f/8:

and the detail shot:

And finally, f/11. There wasn't much to say between 11 and 16, so I omitted the f/16 images.

and the detail:

I'm having a really hard time finding anything to fault with the Fat Fifty, though a quirk I have noticed is it seems to change focus slightly as the aperture is changed. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but I had never seen it.

**UncleVanya** · 07-27-2018, 10:34 PM

Superb lens it appears.

pschlute · 07-27-2018, 10:48 PM

Lovely creamy bokeh in the wide images.

**ramseybuckeye** · 07-27-2018, 11:25 PM

Impressive

biz-engineer · 07-27-2018, 11:33 PM - **1 Like**

clear , that lens is near perfection.

**kiwi_jono** · 07-27-2018, 11:43 PM

Definitely significantly sharper and creamier wide open than the FA50.

wed7 · 07-27-2018, 11:51 PM

All Hail Tokina

.

creamy as cream

chrelc · 07-27-2018, 11:53 PM

Amazing bokeh

**BigMackCam** · 07-28-2018, 03:15 AM

Very, very nice. You can see the detail increasing towards f/5.6, but even wide open the results are excellent. What I particularly like is the out-of-focus rendering. The old FA50/1.4 can be a little "busy" wide open (especially in transition areas), and provides much nicer results at f/2... but this new D FA50/1.4 has beautifully smooth rendering at all apertures. Impressive!

johnkrumm · 07-28-2018, 03:22 AM

Quite nice illustration. The more I use mine the more I’m impressed as well. I’m probably going to leave it on the camera for months, except when I absolutely need a wider shot.

tomcook · 07-28-2018, 05:55 AM

Very nice...I'm trying to resist.

**Digitalis** · 07-28-2018, 07:15 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

though a quirk I have noticed is it seems to change focus slightly as the aperture is changed. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but I had never seen it.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L is famous for it. However, with a subject capable of motion this is difficult to assess: to be certain I'd test this with a tripod, remote release MLU and a lens focus target and try and quantify any focus shift if it is present.

**patrick9** · 07-28-2018, 07:19 AM

I may need to rethink my mid range lens . That lens is really looking good for my needs anyway

7iago · 07-28-2018, 07:35 AM

the cream bokeh is amazing, thank for the review!

donpjt · 07-28-2018, 09:09 AM

Wow, Amazing. Those crops are pretty good. Makes me want to get a K-1 really bad and that 50 mm is pretty amazing too!

07-27-2018, 10:29 PM - 6 Likes	#1
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,987	The D FA 50/1.4 and Bokeh And sharpness.... This is for fun. I shot this scene at several apertures, focusing each time on the buds on the upper right. The first picture is the full frame showing depth of field, the second is a 100% detail. First up: f/1.4 and the detail: I managed to shoot past f/2 and go right to f/2.8. So it goes: The full image: And the detail: Here's f/4: and the detail: It just gets better at 5.6: The detail is exciting: I'm on tthe fence about it's best aperture. It's either 5.6or 8 This is f/8: and the detail shot: And finally, f/11. There wasn't much to say between 11 and 16, so I omitted the f/16 images. and the detail: I'm having a really hard time finding anything to fault with the Fat Fifty, though a quirk I have noticed is it seems to change focus slightly as the aperture is changed. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but I had never seen it.

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07-27-2018, 10:34 PM	#2
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,459	Superb lens it appears.

07-27-2018, 10:48 PM	#3
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,216	Lovely creamy bokeh in the wide images.

07-27-2018, 11:25 PM	#4
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,295	Impressive

07-27-2018, 11:33 PM - 1 Like	#5
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,247	clear , that lens is near perfection.

07-27-2018, 11:43 PM	#6
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Definitely significantly sharper and creamier wide open than the FA50.

07-27-2018, 11:51 PM	#7
wed7 Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 1,421	All Hail Tokina . creamy as cream

07-27-2018, 11:53 PM	#8
chrelc Junior Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 45	Amazing bokeh

07-28-2018, 03:15 AM	#9
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,695	Very, very nice. You can see the detail increasing towards f/5.6, but even wide open the results are excellent. What I particularly like is the out-of-focus rendering. The old FA50/1.4 can be a little "busy" wide open (especially in transition areas), and provides much nicer results at f/2... but this new D FA50/1.4 has beautifully smooth rendering at all apertures. Impressive!

07-28-2018, 03:22 AM	#10
johnkrumm Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Duluth, MN Posts: 141	Quite nice illustration. The more I use mine the more I’m impressed as well. I’m probably going to leave it on the camera for months, except when I absolutely need a wider shot.

07-28-2018, 05:55 AM	#11
tomcook Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Albums Posts: 125	Very nice...I'm trying to resist.

07-28-2018, 07:15 AM	#12
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Wheatfield though a quirk I have noticed is it seems to change focus slightly as the aperture is changed. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but I had never seen it. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L is famous for it. However, with a subject capable of motion this is difficult to assess: to be certain I'd test this with a tripod, remote release MLU and a lens focus target and try and quantify any focus shift if it is present.

07-28-2018, 07:19 AM	#13
patrick9 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,458	I may need to rethink my mid range lens . That lens is really looking good for my needs anyway

07-28-2018, 07:35 AM	#14
7iago Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 28	the cream bokeh is amazing, thank for the review!

07-28-2018, 09:09 AM	#15
donpjt Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 190	Wow, Amazing. Those crops are pretty good. Makes me want to get a K-1 really bad and that 50 mm is pretty amazing too!