nikkor normal lenses

nwilkins · Sep 14, 2012

Hi everyone,

I hope soon to be in the market for a fast Nikkor lens to use for low light/interior shots with my FM2. Though I would love to own a 35 1.4 (or 35 2.0), chances are I shall have to settle for a cheaper lens. I guess this leaves 50mm 1.4, 1.8 or 2.0. Since the chances of finding all three lenses in front of me for testing are very slim I have no idea how to decide between them. Any of the three would likely be fast enough for my needs. Has anyone else had to choose between these lenses, and if so how did you decide?

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 14, 2012

Go for earlier versions. I paid $15 each for my 50/1.4 and 35/2. Ugly and worn metal parts but glass almost perfect. I use them on my F3, F3 and FM2. My prices were low but with patience you can get them very cheaply.

blind_sparks · Sep 14, 2012

Perhaps also consider the Series-E 50 1.8. The later, chrome ring version is a great lens - I picked one up for $25. If I remember correctly, the only differences are the optical coating (single v. multi-coat) and construction (the Series-E has more plastic than the Nikkor). That said, it was a smooth, compact lens and worth the money.

nwilkins · Sep 15, 2012

Thanks for the recommendation but I would much prefer a multi coated lens if I can afford it.

Richard, when you say "earlier versions" do you mean pre-AI which you had converted? A 35/2 for $15 sounds kind of incredible.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 15, 2012

i bought the 35f/2 and the 50f1.8 for less than what the 50f/1.4 is new.both are great lenses!

E. von Hoegh · Sep 15, 2012

nwilkins said:
Thanks for the recommendation but I would much prefer a multi coated lens if I can afford it.

Richard, when you say "earlier versions" do you mean pre-AI which you had converted? A 35/2 for $15 sounds kind of incredible.

Incredible? hardly. My 35/2 was free. Perfect glass and decent appearance. One of my 50/2 lenses was free, too.

While multicoating is good, a decent lens shade on a single coated lens is better. The pre-Ai Nikkors are great lenses with stellar mechanical construction, most of them are bargains and some are steals as far as price goes.

Newt_on_Swings · Sep 15, 2012

I second the 50 1.8 E for starting out. Cheap, and the coating on it seems to work just as well as the regular 50 1.8 which I have as well, both are sharp and handle well. Its compact size also pairs nicely with the FM2. I used to have both, as well as the 50 1.2.

budrichard · Sep 15, 2012

You can never have enough aperture for available light shooting.
I don't use any 50's but if I did, it would be the fastest I could afford.-Dick

nwilkins · Sep 15, 2012

well if anyone hears of a 35/2 for free or even under $100 please let me know! Where would I find such deals?

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 15, 2012

Patience. And luck. I got mine here on APUG. Yes early versions but with hoods work just fine. Here's a 35/2 Nikkor-O AI that recently went fairly cheaply, and with hood:

Dead Link Removed

nwilkins · Sep 15, 2012

thanks, I shall keep an eye out. They are mostly selling on ebay for $200-300 so I think luck will definitely come into it.

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 15, 2012

Put up a WTB here. There are many here who might sell at moderate prices to see a fellow APUGer find what they want.

nwilkins · Sep 15, 2012

that is a good idea. I might forego a 50mm and get the cash together to make a serious offer for a 35/2, then post a WTB.

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 15, 2012

Add your approx location to your profile. Sometimes people like helping fellow APUGers nearby too. Just saying...

E. von Hoegh · Sep 15, 2012

nwilkins said:
thanks, I shall keep an eye out. They are mostly selling on ebay for $200-300 so I think luck will definitely come into it.

$200-300? Sounds steep for a 35-40 year old lens. More like a hundred, but what do I know.
Here's a link to a great resource for info on older Nikons and Nikkor lenses. Knowledge is power. http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/index.htm

narsuitus · Sep 16, 2012

I have the 50mm f/1.8 Series E. and the 50mm f/1.4. When I do not need the lens speed, the 50mm f/1.8 is a darn good lens for a reasonable price.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/5535954258/

John_Nikon_F · Sep 18, 2012

The 35/2 Nikkor-O is much sought after by the m4/3rds crowd. I was kinda surprised to get my current copy for $65 or so. Granted, it was non-AI, but I did have a beater that had the AI ring on it. Six screws on each lens, and the rings were swapped. KEH usually has them for about $100-$130, depending on condition. Note: the O was never an AI lens, so, it'll be either a milled AI'd lens, or a factory AI'd lens, even if KEH or eBay sellers call it an AI lens. The AI/AIS lenses usually run another $60-$70 over the O lens, btw.

-J

MikeTime · Sep 18, 2012

Wanting a "cheap" 50 (I bought the 1.2/50 new for just over 400 euros last year) for my FM2n, FE2, FA, I got myself a 1.8 Ai-S for 50 euros. I was really looking for a 2.0, but couldn't find it.

That 1.8 is reasonbly small and optically a great lens. I've used it a lot for outdoors portraits with Tri-X, close up and personal at f2.0 or 2.8, and it's IQ is amazing for that sort of work. Really sharp in the centre, great out-of-focus rendering. You can't go wrong for 50 euros!

kitanikon · Sep 19, 2012

Best cheap 50 is the F2...the pre-AI "K" version is the cheapest of the F2 versions.

summicron1 · Sep 20, 2012

nwilkins said:
well if anyone hears of a 35/2 for free or even under $100 please let me know! Where would I find such deals?

i loaned my 35 f2 to a friend going to afghanistan or something equally silly, and so naturally wondered what it would cost to replace if it got blown up -- i checked keh and ebay and $100 for a clean example was about right. It is non-AI.

Really, put the word out that ur looking for camera gear, stuff will show up. People know I collect and give me this stuff on a regular basis.

nwilkins · Sep 20, 2012

okay thanks everyone!

E. von Hoegh · Sep 20, 2012

kitanikon said:
Best cheap 50 is the F2...the pre-AI "K" version is the cheapest of the F2 versions.

Which is the "K"? I have two 50 f:2s, #6xxxxx and #9xxxxx both Nikkor H, there are some differences in the metal, but AFAIK the optics are identical. These have become my favorite 50s, to the point that I sold off the f:1.4 and f:1.2 versions.

kitanikon · Sep 20, 2012

The "K" version of Nikkors are COSMETIC updates with rubber covered focusing barrels...there were several versions of the "K" series....

....some were updated cosmetically (rubber covered focusing barrel, different front lens barrel, some with built-in hoods some not) with no change in optic design...Nikon offered AI aperture rings as an option for these lenses (and for some of the pre-K versions as well)
....some were updated optically when the cosmetics were revised...though NOT yet AI converted with the AI aperture ring...that were offered (as above) as an option
....some were updated optically, cosmetically, AND with the AI aperture ring....

And of course some continued to be updated after becoming AI lenses....

The 135/2.8 went through ALL 3 of these iterations...from the "Q" to the "Q-K" to the compact non-AI-K, and the compact-AI-K

The 50/2 "K" came out before the AI version...having the same optics but without the AI aperture ring...lacking the AI aperture ring makes it less valuable to users of Nikon dSLR bodies that require the AI aperture ring (though it can still be used on many though not all lower end Nikon dSLRs, eg D40, 5100)

E. von Hoegh · Sep 20, 2012

kitanikon said:
The "K" version of Nikkors are COSMETIC updates with rubber covered focusing barrels...there were several versions of the "K" series....

....some were updated cosmetically (rubber covered focusing barrel, different front lens barrel, some with built-in hoods some not) with no change in optic design...Nikon offered AI aperture rings as an option for these lenses (and for some of the pre-K versions as well)
....some were updated optically when the cosmetics were revised...though NOT yet AI converted with the AI aperture ring...that were offered (as above) as an option
....some were updated optically, cosmetically, AND with the AI aperture ring....

And of course some continued to be updated after becoming AI lenses....

The 135/2.8 went through ALL 3 of these iterations...from the "Q" to the "Q-K" to the compact non-AI-K, and the compact-AI-K

The 50/2 "K" came out before the AI version...having the same optics but without the AI aperture ring...lacking the AI aperture ring makes it less valuable to users of Nikon dSLR bodies that require the AI aperture ring (though it can still be used on many though not all lower end Nikon dSLRs, eg D40, 5100)

Ah, OK thank you. I have what may be a "K" version of the 55/3.5, with the rubber focussing ring, non Ai, non multicoated.

I had been calling these lenses "RIFR" for rubber insert focussing ring. My understanding is that the lenses marked C as in "Nikkor H-C" are multicoated?

kitanikon · Sep 20, 2012

Yes, E......the "C" in H.C means that it is multi-coated...to make life more confusing, SUBSEQUENT versions of an "x".C lens may not have the "C" but still be multi-coated...
by example, there is a 105/2.5 silver-nose P and P.C....and a later PRE-AI version with the long scalloped metal barrel is marked "P" and is multi-coated....
For more confusion:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=22699&start=15

nikkor normal lenses

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