Treat yourself to this great lens for Christmas

Ted Harris · Dec 25, 2006

Apologies for the crosspost to those who also frequent the LF Forum but this is uch a great deal I wanted to make sure everyone knew:

B&H is selling out their remaining Nikkor 120 Macro lenses at $299! An unbelievable price for a great lens. IIRC, the last new price I saw on these was in the $1000 range and the Schneider 120 Macro sells for around $1200 new. Heck a new Copal #0 shutter is ~ $220 so you are paying near nothing for the glass. At the moment they have them both USA and gray market at that price.

This is a great macro lens but it will not cover 4x at infinity.

Even as a specialized optic I can't imagine they will last long at this price. I just ordered one ..... I seldom take my 180 macro out in the field because it is large and heavy and no reason to carry it if I don't need it but this 120 will travel for flowers and leaves, etc.

photogolf · Dec 25, 2006

I did, I did, or should I say she did...Found a Nikkor 70-200mm VR under the christmas tree. Would not fit in my stocking...Works great with my Nikon F4E.

DrPablo · Dec 27, 2006

I just ordered one of these. I wasn't quite prepared to buy a lens right now, but I couldn't pass this one up. It seems to have reasonable room for movement on 4x5 too.

Steve Hamley · Dec 27, 2006

I bought one too for the same reason DrPablo did - but it does not cover 4x5 at infinity. The IC specs are for 1:1; infinity would be half that, or 125mm at f:22.

Steve

BarryWilkinson · Dec 27, 2006

I also have one on the way. Great for 4x5 macro and 6x9 work with a roll film back

Barry

Sanjay Sen · Dec 27, 2006

I ordered one too, because the price was so good for a new LF lens - couldn't pass up this chance to buy a new lens, although I was eyeing a Bronica macro on the auction site.

robsoe · Dec 27, 2006

I got one too 2-3 wks ago, although I already have a 120mm makro symmar hm (I got this makro symmar for $200 from keh, in barrel, but $20 got me a mint prontor press #0, so the makro symmar is cheaper than the nikon ). I love the makro symmar hm, and have also used it for enlarging 4x5 at 2x, the sharpness and contrast is fab. It would be interesting to see how the nikon compares.
I do feel sorry for folks who paid $400+ for that nikon 120 am ed in ebay recently. They never learn to do their homework before bidding.

DrPablo · Dec 27, 2006

The spec sheet at B+H is confusing -- they say "image circle at infinity" but then give specs "at 1:1". If their specs are really at infinity @ 5.6 is 210mm, or 8.26 inches (and @ f/22 is 250mm or 9.8 inches). The diagonal of a 4x5 film sheet is 6.4 inches. So unless I'm misreading the spec sheet that should cover 4x5 at infinity with room to spare, right?

noseoil · Dec 27, 2006

Damn, you guys are really too good! I just looked and it isn't a mistake, so I ordered one for myself as well. tim

robsoe · Dec 27, 2006

The covering angle @f22 is 55 deg, so at infinity it only covers 4.92 inches (125mm). AT 1:1, it covers 250mm (5x7). It will make a super 6x9 lens at infinity.

mitch brown · Dec 27, 2006

does or does not this lens cover 4 x 5 with movements? please take the tiome to explane this so i know whether or not to buy one.
mitch

Ted Harris · Dec 27, 2006

mitch,

This lens will NOT cover 4x5 at infinity. It is not designed to be used at infinity .... it is a macro lens designed to be used closeup with a bellows extension of 240mm or longer to give a 1:1 or larger reproduction range .... true macro range, not generic closeup.

I wouldn't recommend it or any other macro (as opposed to process) lens for general usage.

Steve Hamley · Dec 27, 2006

Wager123,

Until you learn how the image circle varies with magnification and bellows extension, you will not be able to make informed decisions.

It's pretty clear in the specs for the lens on the B&H site:

210mm diameter @ f/5.6 @ 1:1
250mm diameter @ f/22 @ 1:1

What you need to know is that the image circle specifications are for a 1:1 reproduction ration, IOW, life-size on film, and that the image circle at infinity would be half that of 1:1. So the image circle at f:22 at infinity is 250mm/2=125mm, not enough to cover 4x5.

And at 2:1 (twice life size on film) the image circle will be 250mm x2=500mm at f:22 and so will cover 8x10, and the bellows extension will be 120x2x2 =480mm.

Steve

Steve Hamley · Dec 28, 2006

Just got mine today. New, USA warranty, beautiful.

Steve

Ted Harris · Dec 28, 2006

Steve, same here ... arrived an hour ago now gotta go test it ...

Steve Hamley · Dec 28, 2006

Here's a pleasant reminder: Adorama has the 120mm Schneider Macro Symmar-HM for $1,564. I'll take my $299 Nikkor 120 AM-ED thank you.

Steve

raucousimages · Jan 4, 2007

WOW

Just got the lens. I have been doing some good closeups with an APO Ronar but this lens is realy sharp. Thanks for the heads up.

noseoil · Jan 5, 2007

Mine just arrived yesterday evening. Great deal on a very sharp lens. Need to get another lens board and do a few shots. Thanks for the "heads up" from folks at apug. tim

Logan Group · Jan 7, 2007

Ted,

Thanks for the heads up. I looked around on the internet and found this lens used in excellent condition for $550. From what I heard through the grapevine B&H is dumping all of these because Nikon has pulled out of making large format lenses.

I ordered mine last night. Thanks again.

Ted Harris · Jan 7, 2007

You are correct about Nikon, in fact they pulled out of the LF lens world well over a year ago and we are now at a point where there are precious feew left in the pipeline new. I imagine that BH, as a large store with likely rigid accounting and inventory principles, will eventually lower the prices on other Nikon lenses that they have in quantity. As for these, they are specialized and that is the reason I suspect they are going so cheap.

FWIW I just shot some outdoors macros with it and they are developing right now. The negs look beautiful and it is a nice little lens indeed.

I also suspect that B&H's supply will be gone soon.

adnan76 · Jan 7, 2007

Advantages?

Hi,
New to the format but I am very interested in macro work. For my last few shots, I've used a 150mm Caltar. What would be the advantages of using this Nikkor for Macro?

thanks in advance

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 7, 2007

A dedicated macro lens should be better corrected at high magnifications than a standard lens, and it should have a smaller image circle at infinity, reducing bellows flare, improving contrast, and providing the opportunity for the lens designer to design a sharper lens by removing an important design constraint (i.e., the need for large coverage at infinity).

Ted Harris · Jan 7, 2007

If by macro you mean 'close up' then no particular advantage. If you mean true macro, that is magnifications of 1:1 and greater then macro lenses give you better resolution, especially at the edges.

Ted Harris · Jan 8, 2007

An image from the 120 mcro

As promised here is an image for the Nikkor 120 macro. Not shot at true macro range but close and it does show tht this is a very very sharp lens. The image was shot at 1/4 @ f12.5 of T55 scanned on my Cezanne with no sharpening and no manipulation in PS.

Logan Group · Jan 9, 2007

No one may still be monitoring this posting but if you are you may want to watch eBay auction 170069023866. This is the lens we have all purchased; the "Buy it Now" price is $131 more than what B&H is selling it for.

Treat yourself to this great lens for Christmas

Ted Harris

photogolf

DrPablo

Steve Hamley

BarryWilkinson

Sanjay Sen

robsoe

DrPablo

noseoil

robsoe

mitch brown

Ted Harris

Steve Hamley

Steve Hamley

Ted Harris

Steve Hamley

raucousimages

noseoil

Logan Group

Ted Harris

adnan76

David A. Goldfarb

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