Why are modern 50mm lenses so complicated?

Lenses like Nikon’s Z 50mm F1.2 S are bigger, heavier, more costly and more complex than older F1.2 designs. But why? First, some optical history Back in the days when men were iron and ships were wood, there were some things you could rely on. One of those things was your wide-aperture prime lens was a relatively simple double-guass design. Pre-1900, lens designers had already created five of the six lens types that are the basis of what we use today. (The retrofocus lens didn’t come around until the 1920s, and zoom lenses, for those who are curious, are basically modified Cooke triplets.) Lensrentals.com, 2012 The double gauss has been THE predominant design for wide aperture primes since the late 1800s. Over the years, designers have added additional groups to bring in more light, correct aberrations, and generally make a better lens. But the double gauss part was there in the center of the lens diagram for wide-aperture prime lenses right up until modern times. Name a famous prime lens and it was probably a double gauss: Speed Panchro, Planar, Xenon, Summicron, Takumar, Ultron, and on and on. Adapted from Wikipedia Creative Commons There are some generalities about double […]

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