Many Nikon Film Camera Lenses are Recently Discontinued...

ic-racer · Oct 17, 2022

I was looking for the Nikkor 20mm 2.8D and 24mm 2.8D lenses and found they were discontinued. I was able to get both of these after much internet searching. Looks like a few more on the list are ones I want before new ones are gone.

Here are some of the recently discontinued lenses that were on my "Wish List." So, I got the 50/1.8, 35/2, 20/2.8 and 24/2.8 just in time. These are the compact ones that I like better than the much bigger "G" lenses. These lightweight lenses are great on the tiny N75/N55 line of cameras.

Nikon 14mm f/2.8 D ED AF
Nikon 16mm f/2.8 D AF Fisheye
Nikon 20mm f/2.8 D AF
Nikon 24mm f/2.8 D AF
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 D AF
Nikon 35mm f/2 D AF
Nikon 60mm f/2.8 D AF Micro
Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G ED AF-S Micro
Nikon 105mm f/2.8 G AF-S VR II Micro
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4 D
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8D
AI AF Nikkor 18mm F2.8D

Complete list here:

Fマウントレンズ製品一覧 (旧製品)

ニコンのFマウントレンズ製品一覧 (旧製品)ページ。広角ズーム、標準ズーム、望遠ズーム、高倍率ズーム、単焦点、マイクロレンズ、PCレンズ/PCマイクロレンズ、魚眼レンズ、テレコンバーター、マニュアルフォーカスレンズからお選び頂けます。

www.nikon-image.com

Moose22 · Oct 17, 2022

These aren't so much "film" camera lenses as SLR lenses.

Nikon has long since announced they are moving away from SLR to Mirrorless, as have other companies.

I am not going to say I'm happy about losing the D lens line as I also prefer them to the G lenses in many cases. But I get it. I'm surprised they kept making many of these as long as they have.

M-88 · Oct 17, 2022

A good half of users wouldn't have probably bought AI lenses, had Nikon not made them obsolete. A good half of users wouldn't have probably bought AF lenses, had Nikon not introduced bodies with poor support (or no support) of manual lenses.

Now they need to sell their mirrorless. Solution is obvious. And besides, Nikon is alreafy late to the mirrorless party and things don't look that good for them.

Bronson Dugnutt · Oct 18, 2022

ic-racer said:
Nikon 35mm f/2 D AF

This is one of my favorite lenses. Tiny with superlative close-focus.

M-88 said:
Now they need to sell their mirrorless.

The FX Z bodies are a godsend if you have an extensive collection of Nikkor glass (pre-AI through G). With the FTZ adapter I get full metering, focus peaking, and IBIS on every lens I own at the expense of losing screw driven AF on the D series.

I held out for 3 years before snagging the Z6ii w/ 40mm F2 & FTZ. If Nikon is late to the party, they are fashionably so.

M-88 · Oct 18, 2022

Bronson Dugnutt said:
If Nikon is late to the party, they are fashionably so.

Sadly one can be fashionable, but still be at loss on the market. I just hope Nikon's series of poor decisions won't result in them ending up like Minolta or Olympus or any other dead/dying brand in a couple decades.

ic-racer · Oct 18, 2022

Moose22 said:
These aren't so much "film" camera lenses as SLR lenses.

Most of the lenses have design roots prior to the D1 of 1999 some being designed ten years prior. They are indeed film lenses and thus quite desirable.

The 20 and 24 have a nice 'heft' to them in your hand for the small size. The focus rings turn with smoothness of a manual focus lens. Unlike the cheap feel of some "G" lenses. They are also made in Japan. Everything about them speaks to high quality.

Here is the 24mm Japanese lens on the N75 next to the larger 28mm Chinese lens on the F6.

Moose22 · Oct 18, 2022

ic-racer said:
Most of the lenses have design roots prior to the D1 of 1999 some being designed ten years prior. They are indeed film lenses and thus quite desirable.

Interesting how you can completely miss the point in an attempt to be "right" about something.

I hate the internet.

ic-racer · Oct 18, 2022

Here is the 20mm 2.8 AFD on an F100 with some other nice super-wides. Rolleiflex has an 18mm Distagon f4, Yashica has a 21mm ML.

ic-racer · Oct 18, 2022

Here is the 35mm 2.0D on a N55 shown with a Rollei 35mm Distagon 2.8 and a Yashica ML 35mm 2.8.

perkeleellinen · Oct 18, 2022

Probably a minority opinion, I prefer these D lenses to the manual AI / AIS lenses because they're lighter and I quite like the looser feel on the focus ring.

BrianShaw · Oct 18, 2022

It’s a shame but not surprising. Time has passed and things change. I wish they still put chrome bumpers on cars but that too is lost to history.

film_man · Oct 18, 2022

They were probably discontinued ages ago, they just had stock lying around which they finally got rid of.

ic-racer · Oct 18, 2022

perkeleellinen said:
Probably a minority opinion, I prefer these D lenses to the manual AI / AIS lenses because they're lighter and I quite like the looser feel on the focus ring.

Yes, exactly!

xkaes · Oct 18, 2022

The good news is that there will be TONS of great used lenses around -- much longer than we will.

Huss · Oct 18, 2022

The 35 f2AF-D is notorious for oily aperture blades.

NB23 · Oct 18, 2022

Huss said:
The 35 f2AF-D is notorious for oily aperture blades.

As much as I dislike cheapo plastic, I once watched this 35mm AF-D fall out my back pocket and jump on the stairs
Two stories Down. I picked it up, put it on camera and continued shooting wedding. The whole wedding applaused. Was unreal.

gone · Oct 18, 2022

NB23 said:
As much as I dislike cheapo plastic, I once watched this 35mm AF-D fall out my back pocket and jump on the stairs
Two stories Down. I picked it up, put it on camera and continued shooting wedding. The whole wedding applaused. Was unreal.

That's just about how my Nikkor 80 200 2.8 push-pull zoom stacked up. It was as big as a bazooka, and probably just as durable. Toting that thing on my F4s ruined my shoulder. Now I use a little bitty Pentax MV, it's so light its hard to tell its there on a strap.

ColdEye · Oct 18, 2022

Get this while you can. Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G ED AF-S Micro. Digitizing negatives, general walk around lens + 1:1 macro. It's my most used lens.

RalphLambrecht · Oct 18, 2022

Huss said:
The 35 f2AF-D is notorious for oily aperture blades.

not if stored upright.

Huss · Oct 19, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
not if stored upright.

What does that even mean? There was no mention of that in the instruction manual that came with the lens.

Huss · Oct 19, 2022

ColdEye said:
Get this while you can. Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G ED AF-S Micro. Digitizing negatives, general walk around lens + 1:1 macro. It's my most used lens.

It’s my most used lens too, seeing that I shoot film 99% of the time with different lenses, but only use that lens to digitize those shots!

Huss · Oct 19, 2022

NB23 said:
As much as I dislike cheapo plastic, I once watched this 35mm AF-D fall out my back pocket and jump on the stairs
Two stories Down. I picked it up, put it on camera and continued shooting wedding. The whole wedding applaused. Was unreal.

Did that fix the oily blades?

250swb · Oct 19, 2022

Wondering whether to panic about this news or not, but which are the rare discontinued ones that don't already appear on eBay in their thousands? I'm not sure there will be a general shortage of Nikon lenses for many years to come.

NB23 · Oct 19, 2022

Huss said:
Did that fix the oily blades?

Not touched the lens in 4 yesrs. No oily blades.
Stored upright.

ic-racer · Oct 19, 2022

250swb said:
Wondering whether to panic about this news or not, but which are the rare discontinued ones that don't already appear on eBay in their thousands? I'm not sure there will be a general shortage of Nikon lenses for many years to come.

I have repaired may, many metal manual focus lenses but I'm not looking forward to repairing plastic AF lenses, so I wanted to buy new lenses with Nikon USA warranty.

Having written that, I was able to source a 24 2.8D very reasonable from e-bay from a non-dealer that sold it still in its box with papers. Claimed to only have used it once or twice and it appears he was telling the truth. It did have the correct warranty card with stamped US serial number, but realistically the warranty is not transferrable to myself.

Many Nikon Film Camera Lenses are Recently Discontinued...

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