Lense to buy Nikon F4 and affordable?

dylan77 · Dec 5, 2019

I recently bought a Nikon f4 with the goal of shooting environmental portraits and fashion, however, I have noticed that manual lenses are much more reliable than autofocus ones with this camera.

What lense would you recommend starting with, that can give me some nice sharpness, yet is not overly expensive and is reliable for what I am looking for? Thanks

awty · Dec 5, 2019

Any of the primes, usually the later the better optically. I would stay away from the early Q auto lens, although they will work on the f4, you need to remember to adjust the the bayonet before fitting and stop down to meter.
What do you have against the later auto focus lens? The f4 can lag a little with focusing, but is ok, you can always turn the little switch on the front to manual focus. More metering options with a D lens.
If I were to have one prime it would be the autofocus Nikkor 50mm D . Cheap, sharp, contrasty and light.

jimjm · Dec 5, 2019

Are you looking for prime lenses or zoom lenses? I agree that the manual-focus Nikkors are great, but there are also many excellent AF Nikkors, which work fine on the F4. I did find that the AF system in the F4 is not as responsive as some of the newer cameras like the F100, but I've never had any problems with it.
For portraits and fashion, I'd look at almost any version of the 105/2.5. This lens is a true classic. Earlier models had a different optical design than the later AI or AIS models, but they're all good. If you stick with Nikon you'll get one sooner or later. This and a 50mm lens will give you a good range of coverage.
All of the 50's are good, some are better than others wide-open. The 50/1.8 is excellent overall, if you can find an older 50/2 that's been AI-converted, grab it.
For zooms, think about the 75-150/3.5 Series E zoom. Still reasonably-priced, I've heard this lens was a favorite of fashion photographers in the '80's. I've tested mine, and it's excellent at all focal lengths.
There are so many good Nikkors, both MF and AF, it might be easier to ask which ones are the dogs. Stay away from the 43-86/3.5 zoom.

dylan77 · Dec 5, 2019

awty said:
Any of the primes, usually the later the better optically. I would stay away from the early Q auto lens, although they will work on the f4, you need to remember to adjust the the bayonet before fitting and stop down to meter.
What do you have against the later auto focus lens? The f4 can lag a little with focusing, but is ok, you can always turn the little switch on the front to manual focus. More metering options with a D lens.
If I were to have one prime it would be the autofocus Nikkor 50mm D . Cheap, sharp, contrasty and light.

Hey, supposedly the upgrade of this which is the 50mm g is a bit better. Do you know much about this?

dylan77 · Dec 5, 2019

jimjm said:
Are you looking for prime lenses or zoom lenses?

I like to use primes as I think more about the shot and composition, and generally they are a bit sharper, And I’d often shoot around F 2.8 - 4

I agree that the manual-focus Nikkors are great, but there are also many excellent AF Nikkors, which work fine on the F4. I did find that the AF system in the F4 is not as responsive as some of the newer cameras like the F100, but I've never had any problems with it.
For portraits and fashion, I'd look at almost any version of the 105/2.5.

I’m just concerned that at 105 mm I’ll be standing very far back From my subject.

This lens is a true classic. Earlier models had a different optical design than the later AI or AIS models, but they're all good. If you stick with Nikon you'll get one sooner or later. This and a 50mm lens will give you a good range of coverage.
All of the 50's are good, some are better than others wide-open. The 50/1.8 is excellent overall, if you can find an older 50/2 that's been AI-converted, grab it.
For zooms, think about the 75-150/3.5 Series E zoom. Still reasonably-priced, I've heard this lens was a favorite of fashion photographers in the '80's. I've tested mine, and it's excellent at all focal lengths.
There are so many good Nikkors, both MF and AF, it might be easier to ask which ones are the dogs. Stay away from the 43-86/3.5 zoom.

awty · Dec 5, 2019

dylan77 said:
Hey, supposedly the upgrade of this which is the 50mm g is a bit better. Do you know much about this?

Was talking about lenses that were made for film cameras......as you probably aware G lens dont work so well with film cameras.

StepheKoontz · Dec 5, 2019

awty said:
Was talking about lenses that were made for film cameras......as you probably aware G lens dont work so well with film cameras.

Huh? They work great on my F5.

BMbikerider · Dec 5, 2019

What do you find wrong with the AF function? I don't like overall automation but my eyes are not as good as they once were AF is a Godsend. It must be 15 years since I bought my last F4 and at the same time a Nikon 28/105. I still have the lens and it has been used and used and then some more in that time. It has been used on several AF film cameras during that time and a few digital one too and it is as good as it was when I bought it (It was 2nd hand then as well).
The same can also be said with my 35/70 AFD constant aperture lens which is better build than the 28/105, but simply a little too heavy to use on a regular basis. Being all metal construction for the barrel, it is more than a match for any of the manual zooms in quality.

jimjm · Dec 5, 2019

The 105 is great for tighter head and shoulders shots, and really allows you to isolate the background, but it will put you about 8-10 ft from the subject. I also have an 85/1.8 manual-focus Nikkor and it's great, but a bit harder to find used and more expensive than the 105.
For environmental portraiture, are you looking to include some of the surroundings in the shot? As already mentioned, a 50mm lens may be a good starting point. 35mm lenses could also work - wide enough to include some of the surroundings without any noticeable distortion. For me, this is my normal focal length. I have the 35/2.0 AI lens and love it. I had the cheaper 35/2.8 for years, and was never really happy with it.
This site has in-depth reviews on almost every Nikkor lens, definitely a good resource. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the lens categories.

darkosaric · Dec 5, 2019

dylan77 said:
portraits and fashion,....

..... nice sharpness, ...... not overly expensive and is reliable ......

Nikon Nikkor 105mm f/2.5

darkosaric · Dec 5, 2019

StepheKoontz said:
Huh? They work great on my F5.

And on my F75 & F80.

awty · Dec 5, 2019

StepheKoontz said:
Huh? They work great on my F5.

G's have no aperture priority or manual mode on a f4.....but yes you can use them on a f4 . I was only being general in my remark. Probably best to avoid them when using a F4.

138S · Dec 5, 2019

dylan77 said:
I recently bought a Nikon f4 with the goal of shooting environmental portraits and fashion,

What lense would you recommend starting with, that can give me some nice sharpness, yet is not overly expensive and is reliable for what I am looking for? Thanks

Nikon 50mm F/1.8D, new it is $132 (Amazon) . It is crazy sharp, ideal for the F4. The "D" feature ensure perfect Flash exposures, as focus distance is communicated by the lens to the camera body. It has less distortion than the F/1.4.

A greatness of the F/1.8D is that it is Unit Type focus design, allowing for a simple/cheap design to have an impressive performance.

If wanting a zoom, the cheap 28-80 AFD F/3.3-5.6 (or the 3.5) is also impressive for price, it is amazing how such a cheap zoom is that good. The older 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 AFD is crazy good, it is almost as good as prime lenses, even better than the 28-80, but it weights a lot.

Nikon entry level optics are very, very good. With other manufacturers you had to go to prosumer or pro range to have decent glass.

Those zooms may have distortions (specially in the focal extremes) that you will have to correct in Photoshop.

If you are to make portraits then one of the best lenses ever is Nikon 105mm DC, or the 135mm. Those lenses have an additional "Defocus Control" ring to alter the "bokeh nature", not everybody will value that ring, but's pure gold for those loving some nuances.

The F-4 is not able to start the VR function in Nikon stabilized lenses. If you plan to also use it in a Nikon F-5, F-6, F-65, F-80, F-100 of DSLR then you may invest in a Nikon AF-S VR 24-85mm F3.5-4.5 G ED, the VR is a great advantage, but with G type lenses the F-4 you cannot adjust aperture manually.

A cheap F-65 activates the Vibration Reduction function in the VR lenses which saves the tripod in many situations, the F-4 not, this is one of a few drawabacks an F-4 has, for the rest it is impressive for classic work, sporting real knows for real functions, a crazy good piece of gear.

138S · Dec 5, 2019

dylan77 said:
I have noticed that manual lenses are much more reliable than autofocus ones with this camera.

With the F-4 focus with the central spot mode, then retain focus (button AF-L), frame and shot.

The F-4 autofocus was not much valued by the Pros, many wedding photographers moved to Canon because of that. Nikon favored the F-90x in the Pro market that it had a better AF than the F-4 while the F-5 machinegun was not arriving.

The F-4 is an excellent and powerful camera, a (IMHO) "must have" for a Nikon film lover. For fashion the killer camera is the F-5, in some ways it is better than the (more refined) F-6 which is not a true ruggerized "throw it from a plane" Pro camera.

The F-5 focus motor is that vigorous that it brakes some lenses form "discount" brands, it focuses nearly in the dark, and its matricial meter has Neural Network artificial intelligence which nails every exposure.

An advantage of the F-6 is that it is i-TTL flash compatible, making pre-flashes to calculate the flash power, the F-5 lacks that but (IMHO) it is the true "war machine" for fashion. I use F-4 and F-5, I tested the F-6 which is also extraordinary.

For ambiental portraits the F-4 is perfect. For agile fashion shootings the F-5 has no rival, it is a Gatling type machinegun.

narsuitus · Dec 5, 2019

dylan77 said:
I recently bought a Nikon f4 with the goal of shooting environmental portraits and fashion, however, I have noticed that manual lenses are much more reliable than autofocus ones with this camera.

Here are the prime Nikon F mount lenses I use for portraits on my Nikon F4 camera:

A. Nikkor 135mm f/2 AIS
B. Nikkor 135mm f/3.5 AIS
C. Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AIS
D. Nikkor 105mm macro f/2.8 AIS
E. Lester A. Dine 105mm macro f/2.8
F. Nikon 100mm f/2.8 Series E mounted on EM body
G. Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D AF mounted on F4 body
H. Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AI converted by Nikon
I. Nikkor 55mm micro f/3.5 AI converted by Nikon

All are manual focus except the 85mm f/1.4 which is also auto focus.
All use 52mm filters except the 85mm f/1.4 which uses 77mm filters and the 135mm f/2 which uses 72mm filters.
All are Nikon Nikkors except the 100mm f/2.8 Series E which is a Nikon lens but not a Nikkor lens and the 105mm f/2.8 Lester A. Dine.
The 85mm f/1.4 auto focus is the most expensive (about $780 used) and the 100mm Series E is the least expensive (about $44 used).

I like to use the 85mm lenses for half-length and head & shoulder shots.
I like to use the 55mm for half-length and full-length portraits.
I like to use the 100mm Series E when I need a small, lightweight, expendable lens.
I like to use the three 105mm lenses for head shots and head & shoulder shots.
I like to use the 135mm lenses and the two 105mm macro lenses for tight face shots.
My personal favorites are the two 105mm macro lenses because I can use them not only for portraits but also for macro.
For group portraits, I prefer to use a medium format camera.

My typical kit of prime portrait lenses include:
Nikkor 135mm f/2 AIS
Nikkor 105mm macro f/2.8 AIS
Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D AF
Nikkor 55mm micro f/3.5 AI
If I know I will be shooting environmental portraits, I will add a Nikon 35mm.

Portrait Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Chan Tran · Dec 5, 2019

awty said:
G's have no aperture priority or manual mode on a f4.....but yes you can use them on a f4 . I was only being general in my remark. Probably best to avoid them when using a F4.

I won't use the G lenses on my F4. No manual mode no use.

138S · Dec 5, 2019

Chan Tran said:
I won't use the G lenses on my F4. No manual mode no use.

Yes, this is the drawback of G lenses in the F-4, we cannot set aperture directly, we may use a "pseudo-manual" mode. We set shutter priority and then we use the Exposure Compensation knob to vary the aperture, allowing +/-2 stops. If wanting more then we still may change ISO setting.

This is useful when we have have no other choice, but it's an incovenient way if we usually shot manual.

destroya · Dec 5, 2019

on the longer end, I like others, love the 105 2.5 ai or ai-s. also, for portraits, in the 85mm range, I prefer the 85mm f2 ais for its lovely rendering.

awty · Dec 5, 2019

jimjm said:
The 105 is great for tighter head and shoulders shots, and really allows you to isolate the background, but it will put you about 8-10 ft from the subject. I also have an 85/1.8 manual-focus Nikkor and it's great, but a bit harder to find used and more expensive than the 105.
For environmental portraiture, are you looking to include some of the surroundings in the shot? As already mentioned, a 50mm lens may be a good starting point. 35mm lenses could also work - wide enough to include some of the surroundings without any noticeable distortion. For me, this is my normal focal length. I have the 35/2.0 AI lens and love it. I had the cheaper 35/2.8 for years, and was never really happy with it.
This site has in-depth reviews on almost every Nikkor lens, definitely a good resource. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the lens categories.

Sound advice. Also the 50mm and 35mm are usually the most affordable.

awty · Dec 5, 2019

138S said:
Yes, this is the drawback of G lenses in the F-4, we cannot set aperture directly, we may use a "pseudo-manual" mode. We set shutter priority and then we use the Exposure Compensation knob to vary the aperture, allowing +/-2 stops. If wanting more then we still may change ISO setting.

This is useful when we have have no other choice, but it's an incovenient way if we usually shot manual.

Also some of the wide G lenses wont cover 35mm film. You should check all the later Nikkor lenses for compatible before purchasing.

138S · Dec 5, 2019

awty said:
Also some of the wide G lenses wont cover 35mm film. You should check all the later Nikkor lenses for compatible before purchasing.

Those labeled FX always cover 35mm film, those labeled DX don't. Zooms, even if DX, may cover in the long focal share of the zooming range..

dylan77 · Dec 5, 2019

jimjm said:
The 105 is great for tighter head and shoulders shots, and really allows you to isolate the background, but it will put you about 8-10 ft from the subject. I also have an 85/1.8 manual-focus Nikkor and it's great, but a bit harder to find used and more expensive than the 105.
For environmental portraiture, are you looking to include some of the surroundings in the shot? As already mentioned, a 50mm lens may be a good starting point. 35mm lenses could also work - wide enough to include some of the surroundings without any noticeable distortion. For me, this is my normal focal length. I have the 35/2.0 AI lens and love it. I had the cheaper 35/2.8 for years, and was never really happy with it.
This site has in-depth reviews on almost every Nikkor lens, definitely a good resource. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the lens categories.

The 35 2.0 has good reviews, that may be the way to go as it's also environmental. Thanks

dylan77 · Dec 5, 2019

138S said:
Nikon 50mm F/1.8D, new it is $132 (Amazon) . It is crazy sharp, ideal for the F4. The "D" feature ensure perfect Flash exposures, as focus distance is communicated by the lens to the camera body. It has less distortion than the F/1.4.

The flash exposure sounds great with this, though many reviews say this only gets sharp at 2.8 or f4 and up. Thanks for advice

A greatness of the F/1.8D is that it is Unit Type focus design, allowing for a simple/cheap design to have an impressive performance.

If wanting a zoom, the cheap 28-80 AFD F/3.3-5.6 (or the 3.5) is also impressive for price, it is amazing how such a cheap zoom is that good. The older 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 AFD is crazy good, it is almost as good as prime lenses, even better than the 28-80, but it weights a lot.

Nikon entry level optics are very, very good. With other manufacturers you had to go to prosumer or pro range to have decent glass.

Those zooms may have distortions (specially in the focal extremes) that you will have to correct in Photoshop.

If you are to make portraits then one of the best lenses ever is Nikon 105mm DC, or the 135mm. Those lenses have an additional "Defocus Control" ring to alter the "bokeh nature", not everybody will value that ring, but's pure gold for those loving some nuances.

The F-4 is not able to start the VR function in Nikon stabilized lenses. If you plan to also use it in a Nikon F-5, F-6, F-65, F-80, F-100 of DSLR then you may invest in a Nikon AF-S VR 24-85mm F3.5-4.5 G ED, the VR is a great advantage, but with G type lenses the F-4 you cannot adjust aperture manually.

A cheap F-65 activates the Vibration Reduction function in the VR lenses which saves the tripod in many situations, the F-4 not, this is one of a few drawabacks an F-4 has, for the rest it is impressive for classic work, sporting real knows for real functions, a crazy good piece of gear.

darkosaric · Dec 5, 2019

On the end of the day: any Nikkor is good enough for almost every usage that one wants. It is easier to list 2-3 Nikkors that are bad, all other are great lenses.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 6, 2019

dylan77 said:
I recently bought a Nikon f4 with the goal of shooting environmental portraits and fashion, however, I have noticed that manual lenses are much more reliable than autofocus ones with this camera.

What lense would you recommend starting with, that can give me some nice sharpness, yet is not overly expensive and is reliable for what I am looking for? Thanks

definitely a Nikon E series 50mm f/1.8!

Lense to buy Nikon F4 and affordable?

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