On 23 Jan 2003 06:29:25 -0800, brianc1959@aol.com (brian) wrote:

>d_ruether@hotmail.com (Neuman - Ruether) wrote in message news:

<3e38cfaa.7201606@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>...

>> On 21 Jan 2003 18:38:30 -0800, brianc1959@aol.com (brian)

>> wrote:

>> See www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/slemn.html.

>> There are only two 50mm f1.8 versions listed, since

>> I only list *optical types*, not barrel variations...

>> The older version, BTW, is generally a tad better in

>> the corners wide-open, and it shows some barrel

>> distortion, unlike the newer version... The newer

>> design, for those into barrel types, appeared in

>> two versions of the E, two versions of the MF AIS

>> (one with plastic, one with all-metal barrel parts),

>> and three versions of the AF (small focus-ring,

>> rubber-ring, and "D"); the E were single-coated; the

>> others multi-coated; the older version appeared in

>> two forms, the AI, and the AIS. Do you see why I don't

>> bother with listing all the barrel types? ;-).

>> David Ruether

>David:

>How do you really determine whether two versions of a lens are truly

>based on different optical designs or not? Even a seeminly trivial

>change in the optical prescription can drastically alter the

>aberration correction. Even changes that fall within the line-width

>of a typical cross-sectional drawing can have dramatic impacts.

Yes - but it is unlikely such changes would be made,

unless the aberrarion-correction was positive - and

it is unlikely that minor changes in curvatures and

spacing (that would not have other ill effects) would

have much effect on the described ghost at f22...

>So, there is still a question as to whether or not the Series E and

>the AF versions of the 50/1.8 suffer from axial ghosting even when

>there are no bright sources of light.

>Brian

>www.caldwellphotographic.com

I go by reputation for their being only two (basic, at

least) designs for the Nikkor 50mm f1.8. BTW, I just

checked my old AIS compact-version of it (the rare-in-US

metal-barrel version, which has multicoating), and found

no indication of this central ghost...