1 Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 Lens

      Photo Review 8.5
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      In summary

      Buy this lens if:
       – You want a fast standard prime lens for a Nikon 1 camera body.
       – You require detailed images with accurate colour reproduction.
       – You want fast and quiet autofocusing.
       Don’t buy this lens:
       – For macro photography and extreme close-ups.
       – You want built-in image stabilisation.

      Full review

      Announced with the Nikon 1 V2 camera October 2012, the 1 Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 is a fast prime lens that provides an angle of view roughly equivalent to a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera. It is offered in silver, black and white to match the latest camera bodies and is currently the lightest lens in the 1 Nikkor line up, weighing approximately 70 grams.  

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      The 1 Nikkor18.5mm f/1.8 lens, shown in white. (Source: Nikon.)

      The optical design of this compact lens is relatively simple, with eight elements ““ one of them an aspherical lens ““ in six groups. Seven blades close to produce a rounded aperture.   No mention is made of flare-resistant coatings but the fast maximum aperture promises good low-light capability plus the ability to produce shots with attractively blurred backgrounds from cameras with relatively small sensors.

      Only front and end caps are provided with this lens. If you want a lens hood ““ and we recommend using one in most types of lighting  ““ the  non-reversible HB-N104  hood is an optional accessory that will cost you roughly US$27.50   or AU$30. A soft carrying pouch is also available.

      Build and Ergonomics
      Overall build quality is similar to the Nikon 1 V2 camera we used for our review. Despite its light weight and small size, this lens is nicely constructed with a sturdy metal mounting plate that meshes well with the V2 body. The white lens looks very smart on the white V2 body.

      Although there’s a narrow knurled ring just behind the front of the lens, it can’t be moved and seems to be there for decoration only. Manual focusing is done by turning the ring around the arrow pad. A vertical distance scale is displayed on the monitor or in the EVF so you can track the focusing distance (roughly since the scale is pretty small).

      The only other feature on the lens is a small metal bar for aligning the lens when it is mounted. Although the outer barrel feels hollow, there appears to be some kind of inner barrel, supporting the optical elements because the front element sits within a plastic circle, surrounded by a threaded ridge for filters.

      The front element is relatively small and close to the front of the lens barrel, which makes it vulnerable to impact shock ““ another reason why this lens should be supplied with a lens hood.

      Performance
      As a general observation we can say the 1 Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 lens is a fast standard prime lens that can consistently deliver excellent sharpness for stills and HD video. The review lens tended to produce quite contrasty images, even at f/1.8. Subjective assessment of edge sharpness gave no cause for complaint; Imatest showed there was little difference in resolution between the centre and edge of the frame at all but the widest aperture settings and, even there, the differences were quite small.

      Imatest showed the lens to be capable of meeting expectations for the sensor’s resolution with JPEG files and exceeding them with raw files. We measured the highest resolution at f/4 but good results were obtained from f/1.8 through to f/4.5, after which there was a gradual decline in sharpness. Diffraction kicked in at f/11, producing a sharp drop to the minimum aperture of f/16, as shown in the graph of our Imatest results below.

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       Lateral chromatic aberration was generally low and the slight coloured fringing detected at the widest aperture settings was easily corrected post-capture. In the graph of our Imatest results below, the red line marks the boundary between negligible and low CA while the green line separates low and moderate CA.

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       We found autofocusing to be fast and silent in most shooting situations, although we did notice it often racked back and forth a couple of times with low-contrast subjects when we were shooting after dark.   However, this stopped as soon as an edge was detected; even if that edge was relatively small.

      Flare was generally well controlled and only noticeable when the sun was in the frame (which caused severe underexposure). Vignetting was not evident and the lens showed only slight barrel distortion. Neither problem would be relevant for most users of Nikon 1 cameras and both are easily corrected.

      Bokeh was fairly good, although we found some outlining of highlights at f/1.8. The small sensor also produced quite a wide depth of field at apertures as large as f/4 so de-focusing backgrounds can be difficult with this camera/lens combination. If smooth bokeh is essential, this partnership may not be the right choice for you.

      But if you’re looking for a fast prime lens for portraits and low-light conditions, this lens fits the bill admirably. As such it merits inclusion in the kit of any serious Nikon 1 user.

      Buy this lens if:
       – You want a fast standard prime lens for a Nikon 1 camera body.
       – You require detailed images with accurate colour reproduction.
       – You want fast and quiet autofocusing.
       Don’t buy this lens:
       – For macro photography and extreme close-ups.
       – You want built-in image stabilisation.

      SPECS

       Picture angle: 46 degrees 40 minutes
       Minimum aperture: f/16
       Lens construction: 8 elements in 6 groups (including 1 aspherical lens element)
       Lens mounts: Nikon CX
       Diaphragm Blades: 7 (rounded diaphragm opening)
       Focus drive: rear focusing via the camera’s AF drive mechanism
       Stabilisation: No
       Minimum focus: 20 cm
       Maximum magnification: Approx. 0.12x
       Filter size:   40.5 mm
       Dimensions (Diameter x L): 56 x 36 mm (distance from camera lens mount flange)
      Weight:  Approx. 70 grams  

      RRP: AU$235, US$187
       Distributor: Nikon Australia; 1300 366 499; www.nikon.com.au

      TESTS

      Based on JPEG files from the Nikon 1 V2.

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       SAMPLES

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       Vignetting at f/1.8.
       
       

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      Rectilinear distortion.
       

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      Resolution of detail; ISO 160, 1/320 second at f/5.
       
       

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      ISO 160, 1/800 second at f/8.
       
       

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      Strong backlighting; ISO 160, 1/1000 second at f/5.6.    
       
       

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      Depth of field at f/1.8; 1/80 second at ISO 200.
       

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      Depth of field at f/4; 1/50 second at ISO 400.
       
       

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      Depth of field at f/8; 1/25 second at ISO 800.
       
       

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      Bokeh in a close-up shot at f/1.8; 1/4000 second at ISO 160.
       
       

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      Bokeh in a close-up shot at f/3.2; 1/2000 second at ISO 160.

      Additional image samples can be found with our review of the  Nikon 1 V2 camera.

      Rating

      RRP:  AU$235, US$187

      • Build: 8.5
      • Handling: 8.5
      • Autofocusing: 8.5
      • Image quality: 8.8
      • Versatility: 8.0

      Buy