50mm f1.8 AIS

WP. I'm not too sure what the "pancake" is (but then I'm European) I have a 50mm f1.4 and a 50mm F1.8 N AIS series which is the lightweight plastic barrel type without the ears. Although the 1.8 is less expenseive and seems unfashionable in some quarters I have never had any reason to fault it. I do Black and white prints and blow up to 10X8 and can't see any problems with it. Maybe the slightest difference in contrast but when you print your own it doesn't matter too much as you can compensate in the printing or stick a filter on the front.

Maybe if your a proffessional and doing big prints it matters otherwise in practice its not worth worrying about.

More importantly, go for the one which has cleaner glass and a smoother focus ring.

I believe the 'pancake' lens is simply the series E lens in a different guise. Nikon dropped the 'E' moniker in later versions, but it is the same lens. I also BELIEVE that this is the same optical formula used in the AF 1.8. The larger f1.8 AIS has generally been rated slightly better, there has been much discussion regarding 50 nikkors in this forum lately, try a search.

Given that I haven't tested these 2 lenses, I would imagine they're pretty close in image quality, but the larger one is better made, and MIGHT have superior multicoating, versus single coating on the E version.

There are no less than nine(yes nine!) variations of Nikkor 50mmf1.8 lens and none of them is called "pancake." They are: AI, AIS, AIS-S, AIS-N, E(plastic ring) E(chrome ring) AF, AFN and AFD. Whew! Roland Vinks serial number list has links to pix of each here:http://home.aut.ac.nz/staff/rvink/nikon3.html.........

Forgot to add that although there are all these variations in barrel design and, in the case of the E lenses, in coating, the optical formula AFAIK remains exactly the same. If anybody knows otherwise *and has a source to prove it* please post..............

There's two different f/1.8 pancake lenses AFAIK, an older model that focusses down to 0.45m, and a newer plastic model that only focusses down to 0.6m. This alone is enough difference for me to forget about the newer model (think about shooting a tight portrait). There's also an even older 50 mm f/1.8 AIS with a longer lens barrel which is the immediate successor of the 50 mm f/1.8 AI. Both share the important advantage of having a longer focus throw i.e. more distance scale divisions, which are usefull for manual focussing.

Depending on your use, you could also consider the 50/2.0 AI which is an excellent lens, a bit better wide open than the f/1.8 lenses.

Mark, where is the term "pancake" coming from? Roland Vink's complete serial numbers lists the three lenses you mention as AIS, AIS-S (rubberfocus ring, closest focus .45 meters) and AIS-N (plastic focus ring, focus to.6 meters), obviously what you are referring to, but i can't find that "P" word anywhere on the web except in reference to the 45mmP

The two versions of the 50/1.8 AIS lenses are the long body and short body. Pancake was a Pentax 40/2.8 lens. Both AIS lenses are excellent. The coatings are not the same as the Series E lens, although the short body one is the same size. I prefer the long body one because: I can get a better grip on the lens and added length shades the front element.

No, Bruce, there are three versions of the 50mm f1.8 AIS (see above) And Nikon introduced it's current P-for-pancake lens, a 45mm f2.8, two years ago. WP, if the shot lens you are looking at has a rubber focus ring, it;s the nearer-focusing version, if plastic ring, the not so near focussing version in case that matters. I think Bruce has a good point about the handling difference, but optically the lenses you are considering are equals ......

WP:I meant to write"short" not "shot"! anyway the answer to your original question is that nothing is compromised, so long as you are comfortable with the handling...