Nikkor 45mm Pancake Appreciation

images39 · Jun 2, 2018

Quite a while back, I acquired a used Nikkor 45mm 2.8 Pancake lens. Over the years, I've really come to appreciate this lens for the results it gives. Whether used for tack-sharp landscapes or for portraits, it just seems to deliver, at least in my experience. As a bonus, it's compactness make it a great travel and/or street lens. Interestingly, reviews of it on the web range from laudatory to denigrating. If I could own only one lens for 35mm shooting, it would be this one.

Wondering what experience others have had with this lens? I can't recommend it highly enough, although it seems to have become quite pricey now.

Dale

M-88 · Jun 3, 2018

My main problem with this lens, in fact with any lens that has non-standard focal length is that I'm not used to anything that is not 50 mm. Too narrow for 'wide' shots and too wide for 'standard' shots. Call it a pet peeve.

Optically it should be Tessar, so no complains at all, after f/4.

Jim Jones · Jun 3, 2018

Several decades ago I did a quick but critical test for sharpness on about 30 lenses for 35mm cameras. Four were perceptibly better than the others. One was that 45mm f/2.8 GN Nikkor. The others were the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5, the Elmar 50mm f/2.8, and the EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 enlarging lens. The difference between these four and the best of the other lenses was too slight to make much difference in most photography. The GN Nikkor is certainly compact, although the camera becomes slightly unbalanced when supported by a neck strap. I usually preferred physically larger and faster lenses with more familiar handling.

M-88 · Jun 3, 2018

Jim Jones said:
Several decades ago I did a quick but critical test for sharpness on about 30 lenses for 35mm cameras. Four were perceptibly better than the others. One was that 45mm f/2.8 GN Nikkor. The others were the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5, the Elmar 50mm f/2.8, and the EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 enlarging lens. The difference between these four and the best of the other lenses was too slight to make much difference in most photography. The GN Nikkor is certainly compact, although the camera becomes slightly unbalanced when supported by a neck strap. I usually preferred physically larger and faster lenses with more familiar handling.

Can't argue about the size, it looks comical on my N/F80 with battery grip attached. But isn't compactness the main advantage of this lens? I think it is, since pancakes are venerated almost on every system. I wish Zuiko pancake was as affordable as Nikon is.

guangong · Jun 3, 2018

Bought one new when it first came out. Makes my Nikon F almost into a pocket camera. One of my most used Nikon lenses.

narsuitus · Jun 3, 2018

images39 said:
Wondering what experience others have had with this lens? I can't recommend it highly enough, although it seems to have become quite pricey now.

Many years ago, I purchased a used Nikkor 45mm GN f/2.8 lens for $95.

Loved the images the lens produced but got rid of it because ...

1. I did not like its small size. It was too small for my hands.

2. The manual focus ring rotated in the opposite direction of all my other Nikkor lenses. This was a liability when focusing instinctively.

3. The 45mm was my only Nikkor lens with a flash guide number feature. I purchased a Vivitar flash unit that provided automatic flash exposure control to all my Nikkor lenses.

images39 · Jun 3, 2018

At first, the lens felt too small for my hands, but I got used to it, and it's no longer a problem. I think it's compactness makes it a nice lens for walking around.

Theo Sulphate · Jun 3, 2018

Do the 45/2.8 Nikkors have the rabbit ears for use with metering heads or bodies that require rabbit ears (e.g. DP-1, Nikkormat FT2)?

I'm sure one can be attached, but I'm wondering if they were ever made with rabbit ears.

MIR site seems to suggest this was so.

bobsteele · Jun 3, 2018

The original GN 45/2.8 was a pre-AI lens, so yeah, rabbit ears. And unless it was AI'd, no ADR.

See Roland Vink's site for the most comprehensive data set of Nikon lenses and etc: Nikon Lens Versions and Serial Nos.

macfred · Jun 3, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
Do the 45/2.8 Nikkors have the rabbit ears for use with metering heads or bodies that require rabbit ears (e.g. DP-1, Nikkormat FT2)?

I'm sure one can be attached, but I'm wondering if they were ever made with rabbit ears.

MIR site seems to suggest this was so.

Good question, Theo !
I had the Nikkor 45mm f/2.8 P (definitely without those rabbit ears) - sold it years ago with the FM3a. I remember the lens as a very good one.
Now I have two Nikon F2 Photomic (with the DP-1 finder) and several 'non-ai' lenses.
I would like to try the 45mm f/2.8 P (or even the older 45mm GN lens) with the F2 Photomic. Stop down metering or even an external light meter won't be a problem.
Will those 'non-rabbit-ears' work with the F2 Photomic ?

M-88 · Jun 3, 2018

The Malaysian resource claims it was possible to install a whole ring with rabbit ears:

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index9.htm

Theo Sulphate · Jun 3, 2018

macfred said:
...
Will those 'non-rabbit-ears' work with the F2 Photomic ?

Without the rabbit ears, your DP-1 wouldn't be able to meter. Same for any Nikon made prior to the introduction of AI lenses, such as any Nikkormat prior to FT3.

guangong · Jun 3, 2018

The 45mm pancake never had ears when it came out. Since I only use simple prism with my Nikon Fs and F2 it makes no difference. As the OP already mentioned,, pancake makes Nikon a nice portable camera, but if bulky awkward Photomic meters are mounted on camera, what’s the point....unless a fondness for 45mm angle of view.

images39 · Jun 3, 2018

macfred said:
I had the Nikkor 45mm f/2.8 P (definitely without those rabbit ears) - sold it years ago with the FM3a.

The 45mm pancake paired with an FM3A would be the perfect match. I wish I had picked up an FM3A before they became precious. For now, I use the pancake on an FE2 and F100. Both good combos as well.

Dale

bobsteele · Jun 3, 2018

guangong said:
The 45mm pancake never had ears when it came out.

The original Nikon pancake 45/2.8 GN lens dates to 1968. It was an "F" lens. It most definitely has the ears, as it was not an AI lens. A later version was introduced in 2001. That lens is an AI-P lens, and lacks the ears. I think it was released to coincide with the release of the FM3A.
Both lenses are Tessars, but probably not the same, optically.

Theo Sulphate · Jun 4, 2018

bobsteele said:
The original Nikon pancake 45/2.8 GN lens dates to 1968. It was an "F" lens. It most definitely has the ears, as it was not an AI lens. ...

I've heard of K lenses: pre-AI with AI cosmetics.

What is an F lens? Is it just a normal pre-AI with scalloped focus ring and the chrome grip band? Like this:

guangong · Jun 4, 2018

images39 said:
The 45mm pancake paired with an FM3A would be the perfect match. I wish I had picked up an FM3A before they became precious. For now, I use the pancake on an FE2 and F100. Both good combos as well.

Dale

2001? Was it that recent? I remember buying the pancake lens for Nikon after reading a review in long gone Darkroom Techniques magazine.
How time flies! Thanks for the clarification. Except for my Nikkormats, I never pay attention to whether Nikon lens has ears or not since I just use prism.

bobsteele · Jun 4, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
I've heard of K lenses: pre-AI with AI cosmetics.

What is an F lens? Is it just a normal pre-AI with scalloped focus ring and the chrome grip band? Like this:

Pretty much. Note also that the 'rabbit ears' don't have holes, and that there are either no screws visible on the mounting flange, or that there are 5--yeah, a little weird. For a very complete, easy to read, and up-to-date explication of nikon information, look for Roland Vink's site. Essential and unsurpassed for understanding the history of Nikon lenses and camera bodies, including descriptions, pictures and serial numbers. He also still updates the site as new information becomes available. Better than the MIR site in many respects, since the information is mostly tabular, and I think the MIR site was (is?) written by a non-English speaker, and thus, can be a difficult to follow. MIR covers more ground, but finding what you might be looking for can be an adventure--not necessarily a bad thing, if you enjoy, as I do, browsing through vaguely cataloged used book stores. But Vink's site is, as I said earlier, comprehensive, authoritative, and easy to use.

rgeorge911 · Jun 4, 2018

I love Tessars, so expected to love the 45mm GN pancake. I also love 40mm fov, so 45 is good for me.

For me, having the focus turn the opposite direction from other Nikkors seems to be a big problem. I am surprised that it bugs me, but it does.

I’m now using a Voigtlander 40mm f2, in classic Nikon looks, and am pleased with it. Not really a pancake lens, but still quite compact.

Reed

bobsteele · Jun 4, 2018

rgeorge911 said:
I love Tessars, so expected to love the 45mm GN pancake. I also love 40mm fov, so 45 is good for me.

For me, having the focus turn the opposite direction from other Nikkors seems to be a big problem. I am surprised that it bugs me, but it does.

I’m now using a Voigtlander 40mm f2, in classic Nikon looks, and am pleased with it. Not really a pancake lens, but still quite compact.

Reed

Yeah, focusing like that is a little weird, but that was apparently the only way they could make the GN feature, which I think adjusts the aperture, work. The 45/2.8 GN is a weird lens to handle: the thing is so dang stumpy. I thought my copy was defective because I couldn't get the aperture ring to turn if the slider to engage the GN feature was engaged until I actually mounted the lens on a camera.

Huss · Jun 6, 2018

guangong said:
The 45mm pancake never had ears when it came out. Since I only use simple prism with my Nikon Fs and F2 it makes no difference. As the OP already mentioned,, pancake makes Nikon a nice portable camera, but if bulky awkward Photomic meters are mounted on camera, what’s the point....unless a fondness for 45mm angle of view.

The 45mm GN pancake has rabbit ears.
The later 45 AIS does not.

Nikkor 45mm Pancake Appreciation

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