So I spent several hours looking at lenses and the amount is simply overwhelming. Currently i am eyeing an Ultron 40 which looks great but I am not sure if the focal length is for me ie if the 5mm short of the 35 would make all of the difference since I am looking to shoot street. Either way what do you suggest?
Best primes for Nikon FE2
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If you can find the 35mm f/2 AI, it would be a great "walking around" lens. For a "normal" FL, you can get the 50mm class, either f/1.8, or f/1.4. They're both great performers. There's also the 45mm f/2.8 "pancake". It's a compact, lightweight lens that's great for street shooting.
I owned a 35 F2, a great lens, when shooting the street I tend to use a 50mm and the 1.4 is a great lens, gives that little extra speed. And as odd as it sounds I also like a 105 for street work, the 2.8 is very sharp, never owned the 2.0 version.
When shooting as a stringer back in the 1970's, I used a Nikkor 105 f/2.5 as a "standard" lens. I always shot Tri-X @ 2 stops over, and the focal length let me stay back a bit, and not crowd the scene. I'd like to find the f/1.8 version, but the used prices are out of sight.
If you're looking for a 35mm I can recommend the Zeiss Distagon 2/35. Incredibly sharp and can focus very close if need be. Its only real optical weakness is it can show some CA in high contrast light at wider apertures, but the Nikon equivalent will be at least as bad in this regard.
Has anyone tried the Voigtländer Ultron 40mm F2 SLII? I am considering it against the Nikon 35mm AF-D 2.0
I haven't tried it but it looks like an excellently made lens, with an outstanding barrel mount, a true pleasure to look at (and I suppose also to touch). It looks as fine as Nikon lenses once were, before they "improved them" and later began making barrels with crap plastic. It also features a 9 blade aperture diaphragm. What a jewel, what do you want more?
Since you seem to be so attracted by this lens, I really can't figure why you are even considering a lousy autofocus lens as a possible alternative. If you can afford it (I suppose it costs ten times as much) just buy it and enjoy it!
Since you seem to be so attracted by this lens, I really can't figure why you are even considering a lousy autofocus lens as a possible alternative. If you can afford it (I suppose it costs ten times as much) just buy it and enjoy it!
That Voightländer lens looks like it was made for the FE2, almost.
The scalloped focusing ring should be brilliant to use, I prefer that focusing ring to the rubberised rings all of my AI-S lenses have, still the quality is unknown, but promises to be better or at least equal to the lenses available when the FE2 came out.
52mm filter size, same size as just about every reasonably priced Nikkor lens.
9 blades on the aperture, nice.
I have an FE2 and when I travelled with it through Germany I ran a 24mm (f/2.8), 50mm (f/1.8) and 105mm (f/2.5) I did have a 35mm but it was a little too short for my taste, but not wide enough for streetscapes in German villages and towns. Last year I was in Germany and my most used lens out of the 24/50/105 was the 24mm, followed by the 105mm then the 50mm. Four years ago we spent a month in Spain then two months in Germany. The mountians in Spain and the far north in Germany going from the Polish border on the beach, right through to the Danish and Netherlands borders. The 24mm was once again the most used, followed by the 105 with the 50mm the least used. 24mm can encompass a lot of building(s) either vertically or horizontally, the 105 compresses beautifully and is also wonderful for portraits, the 50 is pretty good for general stuff, but too long when I get in close. I did three trips to Germany with 24mm/35mm/105mm and my usage was (in general) 24mm the most, 35mm the next with 105 the least. I really couldn't decide between 35mm or 50mm, I think a 40mm would be ideal for me, but I doubt I would get one as I would only use it sparingly as these days most of my photography is using 4x5" format (10cm x 13cm).
I now run Nikon F3's when travelling, and rarely use the FE2, but my lens choice is the same.
If you can afford it, that Voightländer lens looks terrific; I would certainly get the optional solid screw in lens hood, they keep the rain off, fingers off, as well as direct sunlight off.
At $975 AUD, with the lens hood, it is certainly not cheap.
I think it would handle brilliantly on my F3's
Mick..
The scalloped focusing ring should be brilliant to use, I prefer that focusing ring to the rubberised rings all of my AI-S lenses have, still the quality is unknown, but promises to be better or at least equal to the lenses available when the FE2 came out.
52mm filter size, same size as just about every reasonably priced Nikkor lens.
9 blades on the aperture, nice.
I have an FE2 and when I travelled with it through Germany I ran a 24mm (f/2.8), 50mm (f/1.8) and 105mm (f/2.5) I did have a 35mm but it was a little too short for my taste, but not wide enough for streetscapes in German villages and towns. Last year I was in Germany and my most used lens out of the 24/50/105 was the 24mm, followed by the 105mm then the 50mm. Four years ago we spent a month in Spain then two months in Germany. The mountians in Spain and the far north in Germany going from the Polish border on the beach, right through to the Danish and Netherlands borders. The 24mm was once again the most used, followed by the 105 with the 50mm the least used. 24mm can encompass a lot of building(s) either vertically or horizontally, the 105 compresses beautifully and is also wonderful for portraits, the 50 is pretty good for general stuff, but too long when I get in close. I did three trips to Germany with 24mm/35mm/105mm and my usage was (in general) 24mm the most, 35mm the next with 105 the least. I really couldn't decide between 35mm or 50mm, I think a 40mm would be ideal for me, but I doubt I would get one as I would only use it sparingly as these days most of my photography is using 4x5" format (10cm x 13cm).
I now run Nikon F3's when travelling, and rarely use the FE2, but my lens choice is the same.
If you can afford it, that Voightländer lens looks terrific; I would certainly get the optional solid screw in lens hood, they keep the rain off, fingers off, as well as direct sunlight off.
At $975 AUD, with the lens hood, it is certainly not cheap.
I think it would handle brilliantly on my F3's
Mick..
I'm with Mick on tbe lenses but I use the 28mm instead of the 24. I have many 50's as they are cheap and available. My favorite is thw 1.8 ais long nose. The 105 2.5 is awesome and has a place always in my bag. The 28mm ais with CRC qorka great for me as well
My favorite primes for my Nikon 35mm cameras (FM, EM, F-401 and 2x F2) are the 28mm f/2 Ai-S (CRC!), 35mm f/2 Ai, 55mm f/1.2 Ai and the 105mm f/2.5.
I think the 28mm f/2 is my all time fav - or is it the 105mm f/2.5 ...
I think the 28mm f/2 is my all time fav - or is it the 105mm f/2.5 ...
I had the Ultron. It is a great lens, sharp even wide open, tiny, smooth and fast focusing. Bit of vignetting wide open and a bit jittery bokeh but I actually like it. A great lens overall.
Another great lens and not expensive nowadays is the 50/1.2 AIS. I got mine new for £380 a couple of years ago.
Another great lens and not expensive nowadays is the 50/1.2 AIS. I got mine new for £380 a couple of years ago.
I'm not sure why you're not looking at the Excellent Nikon lenses. It just seems odd to me to buy a Nikon body and look at Voigtlander optics for it. Especially when they are more expensive than OEM Nikon glass.
The Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 was one of the sharpest small format lenses ever produced.
The 28mm f/2.8 AIS is one of the all-around best small format lenses made - full stop.
I can go on and on.
Voigtlander may be fine but...why?
The Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 was one of the sharpest small format lenses ever produced.
The 28mm f/2.8 AIS is one of the all-around best small format lenses made - full stop.
I can go on and on.
Voigtlander may be fine but...why?
Because they are different.
While I fully second your comment about the optical quality of the lenses you mentioned, none of the two was made with the kind of barrel with which Voigtlander markets its lenses, none of them had a 9-blade diaphragm (and I wish they had), and I would personally quit photography altogether rather than having to touch one of those lousy autofocus lenses.
While I fully second your comment about the optical quality of the lenses you mentioned, none of the two was made with the kind of barrel with which Voigtlander markets its lenses, none of them had a 9-blade diaphragm (and I wish they had), and I would personally quit photography altogether rather than having to touch one of those lousy autofocus lenses.
The answer to this can be found where Ken Rockwell actually did worthwhile tests. He made landscape photographs with the Nikon lenses and the Voigtländer lens, of the same scene, looking at center and corner sharpness at various apertures. The Voigtländer lens was outstanding in the corners even wide open. In fact, it's the best I've ever seen.
If I can find the tests, I will post them later in this thread.
Good points. and I totally agree with respect to the AF lenses (from any mfgr). I only mentioned the one because, I remember all of the hoopla about (and actual empirical data that confirmed) it being the sharpest lens one could buy....and that seems to be all that some people care about.
Hmmm, yes. They are different. Another good point. I guess I always think of the modern CV lenses as "what you buy when you cannot afford a Summicron" (for example).
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The consumer stuff like the 50/1.8 and 28/2.8 are nice lenses if you like to shoot stopped down or that is all you can afford. However if you can get your hands on the good Nikon stuff like the 50/1.2, 28/2, their Zeiss counter parts, the CV 40/2 and so on it only takes a couple of shots wide open to realise what you're missing.
I want to put my vote in for the
Nikkor50mm f/1.8 and 1.4
Nikkor35mm f/2 and the
Nikkor24mm f/2.8
all incredibly inexpensive these days
all a perfect fit for the FE and
all with 52mm filter thread and with terrific optics in very durable barrels
mine are all40+ years old and just work.
How is the Zeiss Distagon 28 compared to the 28 AIS? I wonder if this is also a decent option if used with an adapter. I never used any lenses with adapters, only those that actually did fit directly.
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Nikon lenses are hard to beat.
The Zeiss 2.8/28 lens is Contax only, but the 2/28 version is available for native Nikon mount. I have not used it, but by all accounts it's a very good lens with quite a unique rendering when shot at large apertures due to the rather extreme field curvature (the so-called "Hollywood Distagon").
I'm sure it is a fine lens....but, I just don't know why one would bother.
Thanks a lot, i am thinking about going 24/35/85 but i am not sure which one to get first. I obviously like to shoot street ands while the 85 is more for portraits, in enables me to shoot from afar. First world problems
Not really for street use as it has a 72mm filter thread, thereby making it the odd one out; the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4, is pretty much brilliant, just brilliant.
Did I say it was brilliant?
Mick.
Did I say it was brilliant?
Mick.
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