Was the Nikon Nikkor 55mm F2.8 Ai-s poorly designed?

skahde · Jan 24, 2025

Ben Hutcherson said:
The 35mm f/1.4 was another one that hung on until the end(I was having trouble finding a clean copy in 2018 or so, and flirted with the idea of a buying a new one from B&H, but also didn’t want to spend north of $1K…).

Keep an eye open for one of the older versions. Optically little different but can be had for much less. Just be sure to not get a yellowed one with thorium-lenses. Anything with arubberized focussing-ring should be fine and so is mine (K-Nikkor).

Chan Tran · Jan 24, 2025

I have the old 55mm f/3.5 micro pre AI and it still focuses smoothly.

Ben Hutcherson · Jan 24, 2025

skahde said:
Keep an eye open for one of the older versions. Optically little different but can be had for much less. Just be sure to not get a yellowed one with thorium-lenses. Anything with arubberized focussing-ring should be fine and so is mine (K-Nikkor).

I actually found a nice and new-ish(probably late 80s/early 90s) AI-s one back in 2018 after thinking one would never turn up. It's pretty rare that I've not had it mounted on a camera since getting it-absolutely one of my favorite Nikkors.

About a year ago, I specifically went looking for a thorium version and found a kind of rough looking but solid looking one on Ebay for a reasonable price. I've used that one a decent bit too. At one point I'd tried to bleach it, but since I have a really nice AI-s one I just left it and use it as B&W lens and treat it as having a permanent yellow filter. It works really well for that, and I actually think the thorium glass handles wide open spherical abberation better than the newer version-or in other words I don't feel like it gets as "dreamy" looking wide open like the newer lens. I also appreciate having f/22 on it, even it's pretty unusual that I'd stop it down that much.

dave olson · Jan 27, 2025

I have two: one is as smooth as you want without being loose, and the other is frozen. The lens design is regarded as one of Nikon's sharpest lenses ever. Lubrication is another matter that has nothing to do with lens design. The frozen lens serial is 342988, unfrozen is 2897xx, go figure.

BMbikerider · Feb 1, 2025

MattKing said:
I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that no lens designed and made in the 1980s was designed with the intention that it would continue to work normally for ~40 years without some sort of reasonable maintenance.
This applies in particular to lenses that either have been heavily used for 40 years, or have been unused for long periods of time in that 40 year period.
The same applies to both older lenses, and more modern ones.

I will go along with that.

skahde · Feb 5, 2025

Count me in as well. When picking up a classic lens one should assume it needs service. Get hold of a good repairer and treat him like a friend, you may need him more than he needs your money.

forest bagger · Feb 6, 2025

Dan Fromm said:
Interesting. My 55/2.8 and 105/2.8 MicroNikkors, both bought in 1986, still focus easily. Good luck, I guess.

Indeed, good luck!
I had to work on the 55/2.8 AI-S and 105/2.8 AI-S MICRO Nikkors many, many times.
About 80% of theses lenses had very stiff focus, only 15% a loose woobly one.
The problem with theses MICRO-Nikkors is that they have two helicoids for focussing - a small one for the front lens group and a big one for the entire lens block.
And the grease in the small helicoid of the 55/2.8 tends to get totally stiff within the years.
Astonishingly the stiff getting helicoid ot the 105/2.8 is the bigger one...

skahde · Feb 9, 2025

Hi Michael, you serviced my Micro 2.8/55 AIS about twelve years ago and so far it is still focussing smoothly! Thanks again for the excellent service!

Sirius Glass · Feb 9, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Many, many listings on eBay note the exact same issue: "stiff [and/or] seized focusing ring."

It seems as pervasive as the haze issue for the Mamiya RB67 127 K/L. Did Nikon make a mistake with this lens' design somehow? Is the stiffness/seizure easy enough to fix on your own?

That is not unusual for optics that have been unused for long periods of time in non-optimal conditions.

forest bagger · Feb 10, 2025

skahde said:
you serviced my Micro 2.8/55 AIS about twelve years ago and so far it is still focussing smoothly!

That is due to the modern lubricating greases I use, these don't resinify any more.

Was the Nikon Nikkor 55mm F2.8 Ai-s poorly designed?

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