Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI

From My photo gear

Solidly built, metal construction, typical of an old Nikkor manual focus AI lens. The distance scale and the DOF scale are engraved on the lens barrel, much better than those on later AF lenses. The marks on the DOF scale are color coded, corresponding nicely to the numbers on the aperture ring. The click sound when turning the aperture ring is also very pleasing.

From My photo gear

I bought this lens used at a very reasonable price. Optically, I can't really tell it apart form my AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8. For snapshots, however, AF is so handy. So on the field, I use the AF 50mm f/1.8 more often. Even for indoor shots, I still use the AF 50mm f/1.8 more. I don't really miss the f/1.4 very often, especially when considering that D50 give very good results even at ISO 400 (pictures taken with ISO 800 is also quite acceptable.)

This lens does have its time. For example, for macro work with extension tubes, this one works better. Since my extension tubes are not auto ones, I will not have AF even with an AF lens. Manual focusing is much easier with this lens than with the AF one. On the web, people also say this AI version has a longer focus throw than an AIS version, which means the focus ring need to be rotated more to go from the closed focus distance to infinity. This implies that focusing with an AI lens might be slower but more accurate, which is very suitable for macro work. Here is a sample shot of part of a dollar bill taken with this lens mounted on an extension tube

From D50 + 50mm f1...

I think the reproduction ratio here is higher than 1:1.