Nikkormat FTn lens advice needed.

[KerrKid]

Correct hood for this (if that matters to you) is the metal Nikon HS-6, or rubber HR-1. Plenty available on eBay, but the rubber hood is definitely cheaper.

Thanks for the links. The rubber ones look better than the metal ones on eBay.

 

[George Mann]

Thanks for the links. The rubber ones look better than the metal ones on eBay.

I use the collapsible rubber hoods exclusively. It is necessary to achieve the full contrast that this lens is capable of in order to unlock its full magical properties.

 

[KerrKid]

I use the collapsible rubber hoods exclusively. It is necessary to achieve the full contrast that this lens is capable of in order to unlock its full magical properties.

You're taking me to school on this. I had no idea it would make that much of a difference.

I just ordered the HR-1 on eBay. $15 with free shipping. I'm loaded for bear now.

 

[George Mann]

You're taking me to school on this. I had no idea it would make that much of a difference.

I just ordered the HR-1 on eBay. $15 with free shipping. I'm loaded for bear now.

What film are you thinking of using?

 

[KerrKid]

What film are you thinking of using?

Just what I have on hand. Kodak Gold 200 and Kentmere 100 and 400. Yes, I need to get some film worthy of the camera and lens. Suggestions?

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Just what I have on hand. Kodak Gold 200 and Kentmere 100 and 400. Yes, I need to get some film worthy of the camera and lens. Suggestions?

Ektachrome 100 would be my choice, for "general" use, and Velvia 50, for landscapes.

 

[chuckroast]

Now you are well on your way to enjoying one of the very best 50mm lenses ever built.

I too had and used a Nikkormat FT2 with this lens which I bought new in 1975.

I now have 2 of these lenses which I use over any other 50mm.

Do you find that the 50mm f/2 outperforms the 1.2 and 1.4 when they are stopped down to f/2?

 

[KerrKid]

Ektachrome 100 would be my choice, for "general" use, and Velvia 50, for landscapes.

How about something for mere mortals? I think film that good would be wasted on me right now. Not that I would take a bad picture with it, I just maybe wouldn't find that many photo ops worthy of it.

 

[George Mann]

Just what I have on hand. Kodak Gold 200 and Kentmere 100 and 400. Yes, I need to get some film worthy of the camera and lens. Suggestions?

I personally prefer Ilford Delta. Color film can have one itching for different emulsions quite often.

Gold is currently ok. Portra will give you a more neutral rendering.

 

[George Mann]

Do you find that the 50mm f/2 outperforms the 1.2 and 1.4 when they are stopped down to f/2?

No. Faster lenses will have better rendering @ f/2. I never shoot below f/4.

 

[KerrKid]

I personally prefer Ilford Delta. Color film can have one itching for different emulsions quite often.

Gold is currently ok. Portra will give you a more neutral rendering.

I've never shot a roll of Portra but I hear good things about it. I may get a couple rolls of 160. I do like the Delta 100 and 400 but I may get some Tri-X for old time's sake.

I got the Gold 200 to see if I could get a vintage look in my vacation photos.

 

[chuckroast]

No. Faster lenses will have better rendering @ f/2. I never shoot below f/4.

So why do you believe the f/2 is a superior 50mm lens in the Nikon world? Not arguing, trying to understand.

 

[George Mann]

So why do you believe the f/2 is a superior 50mm lens in the Nikon world? Not arguing, trying to understand.

Because of it's special rendering. Special enough for Leitz to have copied it with a few minor tweaks for their 4th R series Summicron.

Between f/4 and f/11, it has the perfect combination of the ideal level of sharpness, class-leading levels of contrast when used with a hood, superior color accuracy, and just enough warmth to keep it from being sterile and clinical.

 

[chuckroast]

Because of it's special rendering. Special enough for Leitz to have copied it with a few minor tweaks for their 4th R series Summicron.

Between f/4 and f/11, it has the perfect combination of the ideal level of sharpness, class-leading levels of contrast when used with a hood, superior color accuracy, and just enough warmth to keep it from being sterile and clinical.

Interesting. Is it as distinguished when shooting monochrome as compared, say, to the f/1.4 variant?

 

[George Mann]

Interesting. Is it as distinguished when shooting monochrome as compared, say, to the f/1.4 variant?

I feel that the f/1.4 comes the closest, but with a slightly more sterile presentation.

 

[chuckroast]

I feel that the f/1.4 comes the closest, but with a slightly more sterile presentation.

Again, not being pedantic or argumentative, but curious. What do you mean by "sterile".

For context, I have shot monochrome 35mm on- and off for 50 years (mostly I shoot LF and MF) and almost all of that has been Nikon bodies and glass. The 50mm f/1.4 has been one of my consistent goto lenses during this time. If I got one of the f/2 Ai lenses, I'm trying to understand what I'd see that was different than my 50mm f/1.4 Ai-S.

 

[Tomwlkr]

I'd recommend that you get AI lenses.
Nikon manual focus lenses are backwards-compatible, but not always forward compatible.
The FE and FM take AI lenses, and you can use AI lenses on your FTN, too.
If there are two sets of aperture numbers (one big set, one small set) on the aperture ring of the 24mm lens on the Nikkormat, it's AI.
IIRC, mounting non-AI lenses on your FE or FM will damage the camera's AI mechanism.
50mm f/2 is highly regarded, ubiquitous, and inexpensive.
50mm f/1.4 is also highly regarded. You're paying more for that extra f-stop...
The 50mm f/1.2 lens has attained cult status and price.

The FM, FE, and F3 will let you flip the AI follower out of the way so you can use non AI lenses in stop down metering with no damage to the camera. Your FTN will use any lens that has the rabbit ears and if you look at AIS and some of the early auto focus lenses you'll see two little dimple around the f5.6 mark where the ears can be mounted. Biggest problem wiyh your camera is that it uses the discontinued Mercury 1.3 volt battery, but there are work arounds, a hearing aid battery placed inside a #10 "O" ring will work but life is short. Thers an adapter I believe called a L-9 that will allow you to use the 1.5 LR and SR batteries. If you move up to the Nikkormat FT2 you can use the 1.5 battery and stll use your Non AI lens. By the way, you can tell the differenc in AI and Non AI by the rabbit ears Non AI are solid AI have holes in them, If no rabbit ears, probably AIS or Series E. I still have my FTN, mostly from nostalgia, in 68 in Natrang, RVN, as I was climbing out of a truck a rocket exploded , 3 pieces shrapnel in my torso, 2 hit the back of the camera and the rest went into the door. Without the camera hanging around my neck all 5 would have been in me!

 

[George Mann]

Again, not being pedantic or argumentative, but curious. What do you mean by "sterile".

Less warm. I like the 1.4 as well. The difference between the two is minimal. So if it works for you, stick with it.

 

[chuckroast]

Less warm. I like the 1.4 as well. The difference between the two is minimal. So if it works for you, stick with it.

So this sterility or lack thereof is really something that would only be noted in color since the notion of "warm" doesn't really exist in monochrome.

 

[miha]

Because of it's special rendering. Special enough for Leitz to have copied it with a few minor tweaks for their 4th R series Summicron.

Bold statement. Can you back it up? Btw, only 2 gens of the Leica Summicron-R lens exist.

From Erwin Put's compendium:

The current Summicron-R delivers (close to) state-of-the-art image quality and it is questionable if a new design would be substantially better without augmenting the selling price severely. Who then, given the current level of Leica prices would be willing to buy it? The very high level of corrections of the current Leica Summicron 50mm lenses is a tribute to the excellent quality of the designer team more than 20 years ago (Dr Mandler as example). One must stay realistic: without any doubt it will be possible to improve on these designs. Whether the improvement will be visible enough for the user to justify a much higher price is a BIG Question.

 

[George Mann]

So this sterility or lack thereof is really something that would only be noted in color since the notion of "warm" doesn't really exist in monochrome.

It's noticeable as a smooth refinement of the contrast.

 

[George Mann]

Bold statement. Can you back it up? Btw, only 2 gens of the Leica Summicron-R lens exist.

The lens I am referring to was released in the late '70's as the 4th SL/R version. There was an article published in a photo magazine that spells out what I have told you.

 

[miha]

Again, only 2 generations of this lens exist. Version 1 was developed in 1964, 6 elements in 5 groups. Version 2 is from 1976 and has six elements in 4 groups. Walter Mandler designed both. They are both classic double gauss designs.

from FredMiranda / campy.

 

[KerrKid]

The lens I am referring to was released in the late '70's as the 4th SL/R version. There was an article published in a photo magazine that spells out what I have told you.

How would I identify this version?

 

[George Mann]

Again, only 2 generations of this lens exist. Version 1 was developed in 1964, 6 elements in 5 groups. Version 2 is from 1976 and has six elements in 4 groups. Walter Mandler designed both. They are both classic double gauss designs.

View attachment 355874

form FredMiranda / campy.

Then version 2 has to be it.