Lense to buy Nikon F4 and affordable?

138S · Dec 6, 2019

And the E Series 100mm ! , also a budget lens with impressive optics. Perhaps bokeh is a bit in the harsh side, but this is about taste. The E series were really sharp, another example that Nikon always cared for very good performance in entry level glass, not many exceptions.

Complains for the E is the plastic feel and the 6 blades diafragm, a metallic 1.8 AIS has a nicer feel and 7 blades.

The six blades of the E makes sunstars with 6 rays, while the AIS and the AFD make 14 rays from the 7 blades. The 6 blade setup would make 12 rays but the hexagon symmetry overlaps pairs of rays delivering only 6 thick rays. Again, this is about taste.

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/best-lenses-for-sunstars/#6_blades

A review of the E 50 : https://matthewdurrphotography.com/2012/06/23/lens-review-nikon-50mm-f1-8-series-e/

abruzzi · Dec 6, 2019

The other thing with E series lenses is most had two versions. One that looks and feels very plasticy, and one that looks like a normal AIS lens, but just feels a bit lighter. Optics are the same, but the normal ones look and feel a little better, and don’t usually cost any more.

EDIT: here are the two versions of the 50:

dylan77 · Dec 7, 2019

narsuitus said:
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.

I am probably looking at a 35mm as I will often shoot environmental portraits. What do you think the sharpest manual lense would be for the f4?

Portrait Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

narsuitus · Dec 7, 2019

dylan77 said:
I am probably looking at a 35mm as I will often shoot environmental portraits. What do you think the sharpest manual lense would be for the f4?

I have only used the two 35mm Nikon F-mount lenses in the photo below:
Nikon 35mm f/2 converted AI (second lens from left)
Nikon 35mm f/1.4 AIS (second lens from right)

Both performed very well for environmental portraits. However, when I needed maximum sharpness, I used medium format or large format cameras.

35mm Wide-Angles by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Ste_S · Dec 7, 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

The F4 autofocus is fine for portraits. Just get the 50 1.8 af-d - it's cheap and very sharp. It's more or less always on my F4

Huss · Dec 7, 2019

No issues at all with AF lenses on my F4. Focus is much better than using MF lenses. I use the 50 1.4D, 24 2.8D, and 28-105D.
I have used G lenses with it - works great with 50 1.8G and Sigma Art lenses - but prefer the D lenses so I can use aperture priority mode.

Lense to buy Nikon F4 and affordable?

138S

abruzzi

dylan77

narsuitus

Ste_S

Huss

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