What is the better lens: Nikkor 50mm f1.4 or f1.8?
The 1.4 is almost $250 more, but is it worth it? I want a really sharp portrait lens for a big trip I have coming up that will get me excellent results (great DOF, etc). Should I spring for the 1.4 or is it not worth it?
The f1.4 is a little faster. Worth it? Depends on how much you will use it. Myself, the 1.8 is fine for me.
It is not that much faster but it does have a very shallow depth of field & the 'bokeh' shapes are rather more pleasing due to the greater number & arrangement of the aperture blades.
Sharp and portrait are not two words I string together in a sentence. The 1.4 is faster, heavier and much more expensive. I can buy a 50/1.8 and a 35/1.8 for the price of the 50/1.4.
I really don't like 50mm lenses for portraiture as most of my portraits are age 40 & older. But if that's what you want ok. You have to ascertain your shooting habits. Do you shoot a lot indoors without flash, that dictates that you consider the f/1.4. Otherwise the f/1.8 will be fine. Also if the lighting is below average you may want the extra speed of the f/1.4 to make viewing more comfortable. Don't use the LCD for portraits.
But all this said, I would not spend for the f/1.4 unless it has the new lens blades dsigned for good brokeh.
F/1.4 if you can afford it and f/1.8 for low budget. The smaller that f/number becomes, the more prone to blur your picture will be. Sharpness is the responsibility of the photographer.
Personally I love my 50mm f1.4D. If you have a camera that can use the 50mm f1.4D, you can get it a lot cheaper than the newer 50mm f1.4G. If you are on a crop frame camera, then the 50mm f1.4 is a very close approximation the the 85mm f1, 4 that is favoured by most professionals on full frame cameras for portraits.
In the tossup between the 1.4 and 1.8 you really need to know what you are going to do with it and if the additional cost is worth it to you. The 1.4 will e particularly useful if you are going museum hopping and want to take pictures in areas where available light is limited. Similarly, if you are going to film any action sequences indoors or outdoors in overcast or other bad light the 1.4 is going to be very useful.
On the othe rhand, if it is just for portrait type shots, especially ones where you have control over the light, the faster lens may not be necessary. You need to evaluate what you are going to be shooting and decide for yourself if it is worth it to you