50mm f1.2 and f1.8 lenses

[uncle_b]

Ok, I imagine this is common knowledge, but....I have a Nikon 50mm f1.8 that I've been playing with and I think it's great. I found just laying around unused in my lab a Nikon 50mm f1.2 that I've been wanting to take for a test drive to increase my knowledge of these things. I looked up the price and it's about 5x what the f1.8 goes for. Is it only the difference in the aperatures that makes this lens so much more expensive? I've read it's amazingly sharp, but that f1.8 isn't bad either. Thanks for the help!

[Jason25]

That's probably going to be the main reason, although being an AI-S lens (if I'm not mistaken), it probably also has higher-quality metal parts in it as well.

[britkev]

When buying new the f1.4 is three times the price of the f1.8, so another factor of two for an extra half-stop sounds about right.

Note that if it is an AI-S lens then you will not be able to meter with the D50, and make sure it's not a pre-AI lens since they can actually damage your camera.

[uncle_b]

ahh...thats a good thing to check. I'd be pretty upset with myself. What kind of damage could result from that though - messing up the calibration on the metering or what? Thanks for the input by the way guys.