The 50mm F1.4 Nikon's First Really Credible Professional "Normal" Lens Offering
Dimensions given in engineering drawing are in mm.
In March of 1962, Nikon finally brought out its 50mm F1.4 "Normal". Its 5.8cm F1.4 had actually been an undiscussed (at least by Nikon) embarrassment. Its "S" 5.0cm F2.0 was sufficiently superior and meaningfully less costly that many, and in increasing numbers, PROs were opting for it over the 5.8cm lens. There were even rumors when the 50mm F2.0 "H" version came out with a number of physical and optical economies, that the new version had been deliberately "dumbed down" to make the 5.8cm not look so bad in comparison and that it had also helped pave the way for the upcoming 50mm F1.4 .
The very first version of this lens, and neither Uli Koch nor Peter Braczko seems to recognize this fine structure but we have had two of them, had a smooth finely ridged non-scalloped aperture adjustment ring and distance in either meters or feet along with amber lens coating, focal length in millimeters, triangular meter coupling. It also had a smooth mount surface with no exposed bolt heads. The very earliest of these had a "PAT. PEND." designation.
Somewhere between 323XXX and 357XXX the aperture ring went to a scalloped design for a second iteration or version. Also in this serial number range the focus ring went to a physically wider grip. This version extended to 512XXX
The third version approx. 516XXX to 532XXX dropped the "Nikkor" identification temporarily and specified only NKJ .
The Fourth version: Starting in November 1967 and extending through 1972 (SN 532011 to 130XXXX approx.) the No. was dropped from the SN specification, the meter coupling went from triangular to round and NK was changed to "Nikon". Most important, some time during this version run around SN600000, the mount went from smooth to having six slot bolt heads. The focus ring is somewhat wider for easier gripping.
The fifth version, which according to Braczko onsets with SN 1613735, but we have seen at least 3 earlier ones as low as 1394887, appeared April 1972 has new optical design but optical formula remained seven elements in five groups, the silver filter ring is now painted black and in recognition of an early application of NIC (Nikon Integrate Coating) a DOT "C" appears after the "S" signifying "SEPTEM" for seven elements. Also the appearance or the front element has gone from amber to a a multicolored purple green and it does appear more transparent or invisible as it should since it now is reflecting less light.
The sixth version (August 1974 through June 1976 SNs 2797021-3004000) was similar to the fifth in lens formulation but reduced the minimum focus distance to 1.5 feet (45 cm) and the focus ring got the RIFR treatment. The new lens hood specifications were HS-5, HN-5 or HR-1 .
The April 1976 seventh version (starting with SN 3750401) marked a major physical as well as optical overhaul. The seven elements were in six groups and this optical design version employed new glass types which enabled thinner elements and a lighter (now 9 oz or 260 gm) more compact physical embodiment. This version is recognizable by its double row RIFR and a colored depth of field scale on a wider aperture ring. This lens, with its updated optical design and performance was a precursor to the eighth version which added an updated light transmitting prong and an "AI" aperture ring. Not a great many of this intermediate version were produced making it somewhat collectible.
Eighth version, onset SN 3940001, essentially identical to seventh version but "AI" edition with aperture ring coupling to "AI" meters and rear most aperture read scale for direct read out in AI metering systems.
The ninth version, occurred September 1981 with the conversion to AIS with serial number 5100001 when a very precise camming action was introduced to control exposure through the aperture control/trip lever at the rear of the lens.
The tenth version, introduced in 1984 tightened the rotation angle between 1.5 feet and infinity
Eleventh version AUTOFOCUS
Twelfth Version Autofocus "D" Type
