Old Nikon Glass

[pallo]

Not sure if fast would count as a “need” but it would be more complementary to what I have and still be useful for low light situations (as it’s strictly film)

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I wouldn’t say I use vintage nikkors on my FM2, even though the 24 2.8 AF-D and 105 micro AF-D aren’t exactly recent (my main lens is a voigtländer ultron 40 sl-iis), but am often tempted to get one or two Ai-s lenses because they would simply be a good match for the FM2.

Options I’m looking into are (because the Nikon complements a Leica M and is hence more used for longer lenses):
85 2.0 or 1.4
200 f/4.0

But also the 35 1.4 and 50 1.2 remain tempting because I remain most at easy with moderate focal lengths

start with a 50mm f/1.8, and you won't regret it; small, light, and very affordable but a stunning performer!

 

[pallo]

start with a 50mm f/1.8, and you won't regret it; small, light, and very affordable but a stunning performer!

would that be very different from the 50 1.8 AF (pre d-version)? I used this lens for 20+ years before replacing it with the voigtländer 40mm)

 

[MartinCrabtree]

I have a Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 that performs well. Certainly for the $6 USD it cost me. Majority of my glass is vintage Nikon manual focus.

 

[GregY]

I have a Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 that performs well. Certainly for the $6 USD it cost me. Majority of my glass is vintage Nikon manual focus.

Yes... I went through a few E series 75-150. A real gem of a lens and much smaller than the 80-200 of the era!

 

[DREW WILEY]

The 50/1.8 "semi-pancake" lens is quite sharp (but not wide open; there is distinctly a little focus shift). It's also a high-contrast modern lens with fairly miserable double-lined bokeh if used in that manner. A great compact bargain travel lens, but of a whole different category and feel from the vintage ones.

For fussy work on the copystand I use a 55/2.8 micro. But my "taking lens" kit has boiled down to just the single coated 50/2H and the classic 85/1.4 Ais. I permanently keep metal hoods on both.

 

[BrianShaw]

I permanently keep metal hoods on both.

That's a change I made about 10 years ago, from rubber folding hoods. One of the best investments in photographic accessories I ever made.

 

[grant.goodes]

That's a change I made about 10 years ago, from rubber folding hoods. One of the best investments in photographic accessories I ever made.

Agreed, metal hoods, especially the screw-in ones (HS- in Nikon parlance) are great and reside on my lenses during travel. Often a lens cap can be placed on the hood or failing that the appropriate sized plastic snap on food product cap will fit

 

[benveniste]

Yes, the AiS lenses are needed for the FA's Shutter-priority and Program modes. Some criticize the FA's implementation of these modes, since it introduces a substantial shutter-delay (the body will stop the lens down and then re-measure the exposure before actually exposing the shot).

Long time FA owner here. As the chart from the Nikon FA manual below shows, Shutter-Priority and Program modes are available with AI and AI-converted lenses as well:

When the FA senses that a non-AI-s lens is in use in S and P modes, it uses the TTL sensor to take a final "mirror-up" exposure reading and adjusts the shutter speed accordingly. So while it functions, accuracy suffers. In the ~40 years I've had the FA, I've also had a 50mm f/1.8 AI which I never bother to "upgrade" to AI-s.

 

[grant.goodes]

Long time FA owner here. As the chart from the Nikon FA manual below shows, Shutter-Priority and Program modes are available with AI and AI-converted lenses as well:


View attachment 423114

When the FA senses that a non-AI-s lens is in use in S and P modes, it uses the TTL sensor to take a final "mirror-up" exposure reading and adjusts the shutter speed accordingly. So while it functions, accuracy suffers. In the ~40 years I've had the FA, I've also had a 50mm f/1.8 AI which I never bother to "upgrade" to AI-s.

I stand corrected: This chart indicates that the AiS lens standard is only required for what Nikon calls "high-speed P-mode". Essentially avoiding the exposure-delay of taking a final mirror-up reading as you say. I never used a non-AiS lens on my WIfe's FA, so never experienced the exposure-delay older lenses would impose (and frankly avoided P-mode almost entirely as I preferred the A-mode from my FE/FE2, or else just manual exposure). Internet reviews of the FA often call out this exposure-delay, but it would seem that it only happened with non-AiS lenses.

I will still say that the FA, F4, and F301/501 were the only bodies with the full set of AiS-mount mechanical interface levers. Obviously, as Nikon didn't bother including it in later bodies, the advantages were not that significant (or even noticeable by users), so AiS was kind of a white-elephant technology in some ways.

 

[benveniste]

I will still say that the FA, F4, and F301/501 were the only bodies with the full set of AiS-mount mechanical interface levers. Obviously, as Nikon didn't bother including it in later bodies, the advantages were not that significant (or even noticeable by users), so AiS was kind of a white-elephant technology in some ways.

While the F4 had it, since it only allowed use of non-CPU lenses in M and A modes, I'll be damned if I know what it did with that data.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

would that be very different from the 50 1.8 AF (pre d-version)? I used this lens for 20+ years before replacing it with the voigtländer 40mm)

I own four copies of the 50mm f/1.8; all have slightly different exteriors but are identical optically and are all stunning performers.

 

[George Mann]

I own four copies of the 50mm f/1.8; all have slightly different exteriors but are identical optically and are all stunning performers.

Yes, good technical performers. But I find their rendering to a bit too cold and clinical.

 

[grant.goodes]

While the F4 had it, since it only allowed use of non-CPU lenses in M and A modes, I'll be damned if I know what it did with that data.

I didn't realize that aspect of the F4: That seems very weird! The two main AiS features (linear aperture stop-down and a telephoto focal-length indicator) would seem useless for M and A mode. The only possible use I can think of is some sort of interaction with the matrix flash technology where knowing that you have a telephoto lens might be a part of the computations to optimize the flash settings.

 

[skahde]

Yes, good technical performers. But I find their rendering to a bit too cold and clinical.

That's why I prefer the 2.0/50 mm Nikkor. I like its balance better.

 

[Emily Cook]

My AI-s lenses are some of my favorites - especially the 2.8/28. It’s so light and the focus is so smooth. And I must have a really good sample because even at its age, it’s sharp enough I get moire patterns occasionally on my D850 with it. Though I mostly use it on my FA where it just feels right.

A close second would be my 2.8/55 (also AI-s). I had to re-grease the helicoids on it last year since it was getting really stiff, but it moves nicely again and I love the clean, low-distortion look I get from it. Also even sharper than the 28. It lives on my FA most of the time, with the 28 tucked in the corner of the bag. I only replace it with my 1.4/50 if I expect low light.

I guess neither of these are especially “characterful” but they’re really nice to use. They still have something to them that feels different from modern “clinical” lenses, but I can’t put my finger on what. And they are fun to work on. They have a great balance of modern performance with vintage style and engineering.

 

[grant.goodes]

My AI-s lenses are some of my favorites - especially the 2.8/28. It’s so light and the focus is so smooth. And I must have a really good sample because even at its age, it’s sharp enough I get moire patterns occasionally on my D850 with it. Though I mostly use it on my FA where it just feels right.

Yes, the 28/2.8 AiS is a particularly good wide-angle from the "classic" Nikkor era, a really clean design with a great close-focus distance of 0.2m and good performance from close to far. I was always a 24mm fan, so 28mm Nikkors were never on my radar, but if I was "doing it again", I might well have bought the 28/2.8 nstead of my 24/2 when I switched to AiS lenses. I still really like my 24/2, but I have to say that the 28/1.4D "Noct 28" has taken over for my most frequently used lens.

 

[Emily Cook]

Yes, the 28/2.8 AiS is a particularly good wide-angle from the "classic" Nikkor era, a really clean design with a great close-focus

The close focus is so nice. It makes the lens great for flowers and other small things despite the wide angle. That’s another reason I like the 55mm as well. The two together make a quite versatile lightweight kit. Occasionally I’ll also add or substitute the 135mm 2.8 AI-s as well, which I just love for photos of people.

 

[grant.goodes]

The close focus is so nice. It makes the lens great for flowers and other small things despite the wide angle. That’s another reason I like the 55mm as well. The two together make a quite versatile lightweight kit. Occasionally I’ll also add or substitute the 135mm 2.8 AI-s as well, which I just love for photos of people.

One "pro-tip" is to try out the K1 ring with a Nikon 24/28 lens: This is a mere 5.8mm extension, but with a wide-angle lens will give you a really nice moderate macro setup without having your lens touching the subject. Note that the K1 will not work with AF lenses as it will damage the AF contacts on the lens, but it should be fine with the body-side of AF bodies, so your AiS 28/2.8 will be fine and can even mount on a Df or whatever. I love my K1, but you normally have to buy the entire K ring-set to get one.

 

[Emily Cook]

One "pro-tip" is to try out the K1 ring with a Nikon 24/28 lens: This is a mere 5.8mm extension, but with a wide-angle lens will give you a really nice moderate macro setup without having your lens touching the subject.

Oh, that’s a great idea, thanks! I should really get an extension to use my 55mm at 1:1 too (I have a 100mm Tokina macro I usually use for close work so I never did get the tube for that)

 

[darinwc]

I have an early Nikon F sitting on a shelf and I recently decided to fill out a kit of lenses for it. I am surprised at how inexpensive some of the lenses are. So far I have the 24mm NC , 35mm O, and 50mm H f2. Next I'll be looking for a 28mm but not sure which version in keeping with the vintage. Any suggestions?

 

[FriedLouisStudio]

Pre-AI lenses have tremendous character, were built to last nearly forever, and most are bargains right now compared to a lot of other classic vintage lenses.

I also love the 35/2 - my parents got this one in the 70s. I like to use it when I'm going out with just one lens. I've also got the 28/3.5 they bought in 1968, and I still use it sometimes. It's one of the six original Nikon F lenses from 1959 (and was, I believe, the very first 28mm made for an SLR, using a retrofocus design to keep the rear element out of the mirror box.) But...

My most-used favorites of the pre-AI Nikkors I've shot with are the legendary 105/2.5 (just amazing!), and the incredibly small/light (and sharp!) 45/2.8 GN. I often go out with just these two lenses along with my Nikkormat or F2.

 

[grant.goodes]

I have an early Nikon F sitting on a shelf and I recently decided to fill out a kit of lenses for it. I am surprised at how inexpensive some of the lenses are. So far I have the 24mm NC , 35mm O, and 50mm H f2. Next I'll be looking for a 28mm but not sure which version in keeping with the vintage. Any suggestions?

The 24/2.8 NC is a particularly great early Nikkor, the first lens with CRC (Close-Range Correction), and has a truly modern/advanced optical design. For the 28mm focal-length, Nikon had the 28/3.5 H, which was one of the first F-mount Nikkors to be released, so for me I would prefer the 24/2.8 NC. It was replaced by the 28/2.8 as a "K" (rubber focus ring) design in 1975, so that is not exactly "in keeping with the vintage". Of course you need a 105/2.5 P (or PC), and I personally would look for a silver-snout "Sonnar" version (the optical design was updated to Xenotar starting with the black-snout versions). And I know you already have the 50/2, but the early 58/1.4 S is a very interesting lens with unique rendering wide-open. The 58/1.4 was never officially convertible to AI, so it is a great pairing with a Nikon F.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

That's why I prefer the 2.0/50 mm Nikkor. I like its balance better.

I'll try to get a copy of that lens. wondering how it compares to the 50mm f/1.8?

 

[images39]

It probably doesn't count as "old" Nikon glass, but I'll put in a word for the 45mm P Nikkor ("pancake" lens). It's so compact, and I like the focal length and the way it renders. It's my most used Nikkor (usually on an F100). I believe it was originally released with the FM3a about 25 years ago.

Dale