Looking for an old portrait lens for Nikon

JamieB · Jun 9, 2017

Hi

I am looking at maybe getting an older MF portrait lens for Nikon. It needs to meter on an F801s and F65 if possible. More important the F801s. I can adapt it also if a suitable adapter exists. Furthermore, it doesn't need to be 85, it can be for example 90 or maybe even 100/105. I am on a budget too. 135 is too long for my liking so we can rule that out. Maybe someone knows of some lens with a nice or unusual bokeh.

Thanks!

John Wiegerink · Jun 9, 2017

Go for a 105mm f2.5 if you can afford it. The older ones were fine for what you want. I had the later AIS version and it was by far my favorite Nikkor. I can't say enough good things about that lens. When I sold off my manual Nikon bodies the 105mm 2.5 AIS stayed and went on a Canon 5D(with adapter) where it worked just splendid also. I have used a 135mm F2.8 Nikkor Q lens for portraits and liked the results just fine. I just don't see what people have against the 135mm for a portrait lens, but that's just me of course.

ronnies · Jun 9, 2017

Might be hard to find an MF lens that meters with the F65. They would need to have the metering chip added for that.

Ronnie

macfred · Jun 9, 2017

I am with John W. - go for a Nikkor Auto P 105mm f/2.5 (ai-converted). I have the non-ai for my F2 Photomic - (IMO its one of the very best lenses ever made by Nikon !

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/801compatchart.htm

Paul Howell · Jun 9, 2017

I also had the non AI 105 2.5 which I converted later, when working as a PJ it was my normal lens. Might be hard to find, the Vivitar 90 2.0 Series 1 or Soligar CD (computer designed) 90 2.0 in AI.

jspillane · Jun 9, 2017

All flavors of the 105 2.5 are great. I like a single coated pre-ai best, but I have a pre-ai fetish when it comes to Nikon.

85 1.8 Nikkor-H is the way to go if you need speed but are after a similar vintage-nikkor look. Softer wide open than the 105 2.5, but I don't mind that... I often like to pair this with a softar wide open and really let it glow.

You'll need AI'D versions of those lenses to work with many later bodies.

macfred · Jun 9, 2017

jspillane said:
... I have a pre-ai fetish when it comes to Nikon ...

Same here ...

Cholentpot · Jun 9, 2017

Pre AI 135 2.8 that I got lucky with. A little fungy but it takes some amazing portraits. I stop down meter with my F3.

darkosaric · Jun 9, 2017

Another vote for 105 / f2.5. Older or newer design - the same. I have both of them, cannot decide which one is better .

k.hendrik · Jun 9, 2017

85:1.4 with FM; lovely old lens
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/21294564362/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/21063902084/in/dateposted-public/

Two23 · Jun 9, 2017

Depending on how old you want to go, you can have 19th century lenses put into Nikon F mount by SK Grimes. I have a Petzval lens made by CC Harrison in 1851 that I use to take portraits of Civil War re-enactors.

Kent in SD

benveniste · Jun 9, 2017

As noted above, the N65 will not meter except with CPU lenses. As noted above, all of the 105mm f/2.5's are nice lenses. I'm a fan of the Tokina 90mm f/2.5 or the earlier Vivitar badged version, but because of their "cult" status a nice copy may be out of your budget. I'm not terribly impressed with the 85mm f/2 nor with the earlier non-AI 85mm f/1.8 Nikkors -- others disagree.

Two Series E lenses worthy of a look are the 100mm f/2.8E and the 75-150mm f/3.5E. I also like my oddball Tokina 60-120mm f/2.8.

removed account4 · Jun 9, 2017

Two23 said:
Depending on how old you want to go, you can have 19th century lenses put into Nikon F mount by SK Grimes. I have a Petzval lens made by CC Harrison in 1851 that I use to take portraits of Civil War re-enactors.

Kent in SD

kent,
there are portrait lenses and there are portrait lenses.

i think / have a feeling the OP is looking for a nikon or nikkor branded
lens manufacturers inthe 20th century. i agree a petzval lens would be killer
( lomo also makes petzval with nikon mount ) and LENSBABY makes
other portrait lenses, including imageon and meniscus type at an affordable price...
with a nikon mount ...

ransel · Jun 9, 2017

Don't discount the 50mm f/1.4 - it is actually a great lens for portraits.

Johnkpap · Jun 10, 2017

Another option is a Tamron 105mm F2.5 Adaptall 2 lens if you can find one,
I have used one for many years and it is super sharp and you can put what ever mount you like on it

Johnkpap

tokam · Jun 10, 2017

Johnkpap said:
Another option is a Tamron 105mm F2.5 Adaptall 2 lens if you can find one,
I have used one for many years and it is super sharp and you can put what ever mount you like on it

Johnkpap

I had two of the Tamron Adaptall 105mm f2.5 lenses years ago and sold / traded them when I bought an Adaptall 2 SP 90mm f2.5. Wish I'd kept one of the 105mm's.

Terry Breedlove · Jun 10, 2017

I keep looking at the mint Nikon 85mm 1.4 AIS lenses on eBay. Would be sweet for my F3 hp.

narsuitus · Jun 10, 2017

JamieB said:
I am looking at maybe getting an older MF portrait lens for Nikon.

I use the following Nikon telephoto lenses for portraits (listed left to right in the photo):

105mm f/2.8 micro

85mm f/1.8 (later replaced by 85mm f/1.4 auto focus)

180mm f/2.8 (later replaced by 135mm f/2)

105mm f/2.5

80-200mm f/2.8

75-150mm f/3.5 Series E

All are excellent portrait lenses. The optical differences between them are very subtle.

The 75-150 was so good for such a low price that I bought two of them.

Portrait Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

PGillin · Jul 8, 2017

Worth mentioning (though maybe a bit heretical) is that a cautious, technologically inclined user (or obviously a good repair person) can "chip" an AI lens so as to get metering, focus trapping, etc, to work on the bodies that don't handle AI lenses all that well.

Personally, I've shot both the 105 2.5 (AI) and the 85 1.8 (K version, AI'd), and either is a good choice. 85 seems like more of a portrait lens (narrower DOF, slightly less sharp wide open), but either is a fine choice and one should probably make the decision based more on personal preference and what they come across at a fair price.

E. von Hoegh · Jul 8, 2017

The first version 105 f:2.5 has a bot of the "Sonnar glow" wide open, the second - Gauss - version not so much. The first version is one of my favorite Nikkors.

shoe · Sep 11, 2017

I would also go for the Nikkor H Auto 85mm F1.8. I have 3 versions of this lens and the 105mm F2,5 . They are both excellent lenses its just that I find the 85mm focal length more usable . Also the bokeh on this lens is IMHO the best of any Nikkor lens with a 52mm filter ring.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 11, 2017

macfred said:
Same here ...

Ditto on the fetish.
The 135 3.5 is great if you have the working room, but the 105 is one of my favorites.

BrianVS · Sep 11, 2017

If you want something with an older look to it- get a Deckel (Kodak Retina, Voigtlander mount) to Nikon F mount and a Schneider 85/4 or 90/4 Tele-Arton. Add a K-1 extension ring for closer focus. The Schneider lenses of the 1950s give the same vintage look as the Leica lenses of the time, but cost much less and can be adapted to the F-Mount. Stop down metering, but most often will use wide-open. The Schneider Retina 50/1.9, last version will focus to 2ft and uses 52mm filters- look for a Kodak Instamatic Reflex, often goes unnoticed.

Tele-Arton 85/4, on the IIIS by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

For Nikon lenses: the Nikkor 85/2 Ai and Ais; 85/1.8 Non-Ai- convert to Ai or find one already converted; Nikkor-P 10.5cm F2.5/ 105/2.5 Sonnar version- also must be converted to Ai.

RichardJack · Sep 11, 2017

My 3 old favorite (film) lenses for portraits are my 85mm f1.4, 105mm f2.5, & 135mm f2 all AIs. You can't go wrong with any of them.

narsuitus · Sep 18, 2017

Shot with Nikon 75-150mm f/3.5 Series E.

Model by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Looking for an old portrait lens for Nikon

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