What are the Nikon lens legends?

ChristopherCoy · Feb 15, 2021

Starting with the F in 1959, up until the D6 of today, what lenses do you consider the "legendary" F mount lenses? And why?

Personally, I enjoyed the 80-200 2.8 D "two ring" version. I've never had a sharper lens than that. And in a tough situation, it doubled as a deadly weapon. I'd love to have another someday, but I've moved strictly to fixed focal length lenses.

narsuitus · Feb 15, 2021

75-150mm f/3.5 Series E became legendary for its high image quality in spite of its low cost.

55mm f/3.5 micro became legendary for its high image quality.

180mm f/2.8 became legendary for its high image quality.

105mm f/2.5 became a legendary lens when Steve McCurry's photograph of the Afghan Girl appeared on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic.

85mm f/1.4 became legendary for its bokeh.

removedacct1 · Feb 15, 2021

narsuitus said:
85mm f/1.4 became legendary for its bokeh.

I seem to remember reading that there was a classic type Nikkor lens that rendered OOF areas similarly to the Zeiss Biotar. Is that the lens you’re talking about?

ChristopherCoy · Feb 15, 2021

narsuitus said:
85mm f/1.4 became legendary for its bokeh.

Which versions are you referring to? Ai-s, Af-D, G???

Paul Howell · Feb 15, 2021

The 105 2.5 was my favorite lens, 180 2.8 and 58 1.2 come to mind.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 15, 2021

Paul Howell said:
The 105 2.5 was my favorite lens, 180 2.8 and 58 1.2 come to mind.

I've got the 105 2.8 D macro lens and I love that one. How does the 2.5 compare to the 2.8?

NortheastPhotographic · Feb 15, 2021

To me the only one you could really describe as 'legendary', as in it's crazy rare and crazy expensive, would be the Noct 50mm 1.2.

Otherwise you'd be looking at lenses people just generally like a lot, and Nikon has made a ton of those. Even if you go with the 58mm .95 Noct for the S digital system, that's more of a head scratcher than a legend, optically magnificent it though it may be.

Alan9940 · Feb 15, 2021

Don't know if I'd call 'em legendary, but two of my favorites are the 105/2.5 and the 20/4.

Ariston · Feb 15, 2021

The 50mm, which is outstanding, has to have taken more photos than any other Nikon lens... if that counts as legendary.

Kodachromeguy · Feb 15, 2021

Ariston said:
The 50mm, which is outstanding, has to have taken more photos than any other Nikon lens... if that counts as legendary.

Which 50mm? There were 10 or more versions. Which mount? Which body?

narsuitus · Feb 15, 2021

paulbarden said:
I seem to remember reading that there was a classic type Nikkor lens that rendered OOF areas similarly to the Zeiss Biotar. Is that the lens you’re talking about?

ChristopherCoy said:
Which versions are you referring to? Ai-s, Af-D, G???

The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D AF was nicknamed "The Cream Machine" because of its creamy bokeh.

The Cream Machine on F4 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

film_man · Feb 15, 2021

NortheastPhotographic said:
To me the only one you could really describe as 'legendary', as in it's crazy rare and crazy expensive, would be the Noct 50mm 1.2.

Dyou mean the 58mm f/1.2? The 50mm f/1.2 AIS is a fantastic little lens but I wouldn't go nuts about it.

removedacct1 · Feb 15, 2021

narsuitus said:
The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D AF was nicknamed "The Cream Machine" because of its creamy bokeh.

I'm quite certain the lens I was thinking of was pre-AI, and was noteworthy for its Biotar-like swirl. The AF lens you mention couldn't possibly be it.

Alan Edward Klein · Feb 15, 2021

Kodachromeguy said:
Which 50mm? There were 10 or more versions. Which mount? Which body?

I had the 50mm F 1.4 with the Nikon F Photomic T, purchased in Japan when I was in the USAF in 1965. I paid $189 for the whole kit including a leather case. I subsequently purchased the 135mm.

BobD · Feb 15, 2021

The original 43-86mm was legendary as Nikon's worst lens.

Arthurwg · Feb 15, 2021

Yes, the 85mm F1.4 D is the lens I use when I want to get beyond my 24mm F 2.8 D, which I also consider a legendary lens.

Paul Howell · Feb 15, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
I've got the 105 2.8 D macro lens and I love that one. How does the 2.5 compare to the 2.8?

Never owned the 2.8 my was a 2.5 non AI, I had it converted to an Al, shot with as my primary lens when working as a PJ, had it services every year when I sent my body in for CLA. I do have the Minolta 105 2.8 macro in A mount, what I don't like is the long draw and needing to set the focus limiter when shooting in non macro mode.

Huss · Feb 15, 2021

43-86 v1 is definitely legendary.

narsuitus · Feb 15, 2021

paulbarden said:
I'm quite certain the lens I was thinking of was pre-AI, and was noteworthy for its Biotar-like swirl. The AF lens you mention couldn't possibly be it.

During the Korean War, the 85mm f/2 for the Nikon rangefinder was a favorite among the war photographers.

Before the 85mm f/1.4 D AF, I used a pre-AI 85mm f/1.8 manual focus that had legendary status among fashion and press photographers. I later had Nikon convert it to AI.

Nikkor 85mm on left by Narsuitus, on Flickr

ChristopherCoy · Feb 15, 2021

narsuitus said:
During the Korean War, the 85mm f/2 for the Nikon rangefinder was a favorite among the war photographers.

The rangefinder mount was different from the F mount though, weren't they?

Ariston · Feb 15, 2021

Kodachromeguy said:
Which 50mm? There were 10 or more versions. Which mount? Which body?

I'm talking about the 1.4 and 1.8, which are pretty ubiquitous. I'm not sure the optical formula has changed much over the years...

narsuitus · Feb 15, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
I've got the 105 2.8 D macro lens and I love that one. How does the 2.5 compare to the 2.8?

I have the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 (left) and the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 macro (right). Both are excellent lenses and excellent portrait lenses. Personally, I prefer the macro for portraits and weddings because I need tight face shot and the macro focuses closer. Also, for weddings, I need a lens that can be used for portraits as well as ring close-ups.

Nikon 105mm Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

narsuitus · Feb 15, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
The rangefinder mount was different from the F mount though, weren't they?

Yes, they were different.

mshchem · Feb 15, 2021

The current 70 to 200 VR lens (not for film) is absolutely mind boggling. I have several AFD Nikon primes they are wonderful, and work with everything.

jimjm · Feb 15, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
The rangefinder mount was different from the F mount though, weren't they?

Oh yeah, but some of the lens designs were directly carried over to the F mount. The 105/2.5 was one of the first lenses introduced with the F in 1959, and wasn't optically modified until 1973.
Another well-regarded lens is the AIS 28/2.8. Nikon added CRC in addition to other changes from the previous AI version. I've had both, and the AIS was greatly improved.
The 180/2.8 AF ED-IF is one lens that really impressed me. Wish I hadn't sold it.

What are the Nikon lens legends?

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