I just bought that lens via ebay, it has not arrived yet.
I bought it because in my small studio, my macro lenses are not really handy, either to long or too short, as istock would say.
Now I wonder about sharpnes, contrast and bokeh, and I cannot wait to find out and therefore I ask. Has anybody had any experiences with that lens?
Would it be good for subjects about 50 cm? Like axes with handles or other tools?
And how does it perform with portraits, especially hair?
I would love to see some picture samples, from studioworks and from outside.
Please?

Yes I have tried google. I was more interested in hearing news  from real people.

As for hair and axes? The indian scalp concept?

I have the 85 1.8 and it is a good sharp lens. Many portrait photographers use the 85 as their lens of choice. It's good for close up head and shoulder shots. To get the full body shot you have to step back a bit, but it is a good sharp lens and the one I personally prefer.

This one was taken with the 85 lens: Hope it posts right.

f 5.6

I use a Nikon 50mm 1.8 AF (nonD) for most of my work with an APS-c sensor camera. It's a great lens that I use for most work whether it be for product shots or for people. It only has one thing to look out for and that is a tendency to plant a purple flare spot right in the middle of the picture when there's a large area of bright/white background outside the shot. When shooting for white isolated you need to flag off the background as much as possible. Somewhere in a Zack Arias tutorial, he mentions this tendency of the 50mm 1.8. Maybe it's only a problem with the older (Made in Japan...D/non-D) lenses and that the new ones (Made in China?) have been improved.
Used anywhere between f2.8 and f11, it's a great little performer.......certainly compared to any of the Nikon kit zooms (they look good until you compare them with a 50mm f1..

It may be an idea to check your lens first. As I said, it is a known bug with the older Japanese-made lenses but Nikon may have done something about it in the meantime.

I too have done something about it for my lens..........fitted the lens with an old Mamiya RB compendium bellows which has a slot at the front for inserting a black card with a cut out. Looks ridiculous but that works too!