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Nikon 28mm f/1.4E FX — Bokeh & Optical Ray-Tracing Simulator
Interactive 3D portrait ray-traced through the published JP2017-227799A optical prescription (15 elements in 11 groups, 4 aspherical) with a 20.0 mm entrance pupil and 0.28 m minimum focus.
Optical & Portrait Specifications (Upper Body Framing)
| Optical & Portrait Metric | Measured / Patent Value | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Patent Prescription | JP2017-227799A · 15 elements in 11 groups (4 aspherical) | Traced surface by surface in WebGL2 |
| Entrance Pupil Diameter | 20.0 mm (at f/1.4) | Controls distant background blur disc size |
| Corner Bokeh Roundness (90% Field) | 51% at f/1.4 (≥86% from f/4) · -1.5 EV | Mechanical vignetting (cat’s-eye vs. round corner highlights) |
| Background Field of View (Compression) | 66° horizontal | Width of the background room visible behind the subject |
| Upper-Body Working Distance | 1.15 m | Camera-to-subject distance for head-to-waist framing |
| Effective Focal Length (Breathing) | 27.8 mm (-0.6%) | Actual framing focal length at portrait distance |
| Depth of Field (Sharp Zone) | 21 cm (1.05 m – 1.26 m) | Sharp zone at wide-open aperture |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.28 m | Closest focusing distance from the sensor |
Questions
How much background blur and corner cat's-eye does the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E FX produce?
Wide open at f/1.4, the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E FX has a 20.0 mm entrance pupil (28 mm ÷ 1.4) and 51% bokeh roundness in the 90% corner (-1.5 EV corner falloff, reaching ≥86% roundness from f/4). In an upper-body portrait at 1.15 m, the sharp depth-of-field zone spans 21 cm (1.05 m to 1.26 m) with a 66° horizontal background angle of view.
Does the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E FX show focus breathing at portrait distance?
Based on patent JP2017-227799A, tracing the focusing group at 1.15 m gives an effective framing focal length of 27.8 mm (-0.6% vs. the nominal 28 mm). You can toggle "Match subject size" in the simulator to see the framing shift live.
What optical design is inside the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E FX?
The patent prescription (JP2017-227799A) specifies 15 lens elements in 11 groups with 4 aspherical surfaces. The interactive Optical X-Ray above traces rays through every surface in real time.
Related comparisons
- Nikon AF 28mm f/1.4D
- Nikon 28mm f/2.0
- Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s
- Nikon AF 28mm f/2.8D
- Nikon 28mm f/3.5
- Nikon 24mm f/1.4G FX
Compare with similar portrait lenses
Also see: depth of field, bokeh, crop factor, lens compression.