What happened to 135mm?

[loccdor]

This was shot on the recently released Sigma 135mm f/1.8 on Velvia 100.

 

[dave olson]

Years ago, in the late 1980s, I had a Nikon 135 f 2.8. I always felt that I was either too far or too close, never comfortable. I sold it after a couple of months. I haven't had one since.

 

[thinkbrown]

I always felt that I was either too far or too close, never comfortable.

Funny how different folks tastes are. I like my 135, but you've described exactly how I feel about 35mm lenses.

 

[chuckroast]

Funny how different folks tastes are. I like my 135, but you've described exactly how I feel about 35mm lenses.

It depends a lot on what you shoot. I make quite a few prints of abstracts. In that context, a longer lens can help isolate and flatten the scene. For example, here's a scan of silver print from a negative taken with a 105mm f/2.5 AIS Nikkor:

But, I probably use my 35mm f/1.4 AIS Nikkor more than any single lens. It has a field of view that is really nice whether you're at distance or right up on the subject:

There is no such thing as a "good" or "bad" focal length, only the "right" length for what you're doing, sort of like picking the right paint brush for part of a painted picture.

I keep lenses I use rarely exactly because when they are the "right" lens, they're the only choice. Among them are the 85mm f/1.4 AIS Nikkor, 180mm f/2.8 P-Nikkor, and a 19" f/11 APO Artar for 4x5.

The 135mm f/2.8 AIS Nikkor is also one of the lenses. I don't use it a lot, but there are times when I really like it...

 

[thinkbrown]

There is no such thing as a "good" or "bad" focal length, only the "right" length for what you're doing, sort of like picking the right paint brush for part of a painted picture.

That's sort of what I was getting at, but more in terms of taste. Lots of folks love a 35mm lens but my preference is basically always either a 28mm or a 50mm.

 

[chuckroast]

That's sort of what I was getting at, but more in terms of taste. Lots of folks love a 35mm lens but my preference is basically always either a 28mm or a 50mm.

I just got a 28mm f/2.8 AIS Nikkor after all these many years for the first time. It is becoming addictive

 

[LtDave]

The 135mm focal length was once the preferred lens for a telephoto lens; not too long, often hand hold able and compact.
Why did it become an almost rejected lens?
I am currently looking for an affordable 135mm that has been sadly missed in my lens line up.

a shooting buddy of mine (we do hockey together but independently) absolutely LOVES his Canon EF 135 f2. he uses it for hockey some, and for much of his other work.

i dont know if its considered a 'rejected' lens or not...

 

[GregY]

Years ago, in the late 1980s, I had a Nikon 135 f 2.8. I always felt that I was either too far or too close, never comfortable. I sold it after a couple of months. I haven't had one since.

Me too!

 

[blee1996]

a shooting buddy of mine (we do hockey together but independently) absolutely LOVES his Canon EF 135 f2. he uses it for hockey some, and for much of his other work.

i dont know if its considered a 'rejected' lens or not...

I used to use Canon FD 135/2, and it was the best portrait lens I have ever used. I like it even a bit more than the EF 85/1.2L.

 

[isaac7]

I briefly owned the Pentax 135mm f1.8. It was a lens I had wanted for almost a decade and finally found it for a really good price. The results lived up to its reputation. Incredibly sharp with a gorgeous transition to out of focus. This picture is one of my favorites showing off what it can do. Unfortunately I didn’t use it enough to justify keeping it around, it was just worth too much. The same fate befell my Leica 75mm summilux M. I consider both to be special effects lenses really.

Nikon made both a 105mm and 135mm DC lenses. The DC stands for Defocus Control, an additional ring that allowed you to dial in additional spherical aberration to taste. Tailored bokeh basically. Again, a very specialized lens. It was expensive and probably the ideal lens for the person looking for that kind of image. It struck me as the most Japanese thing ever, you’d never catch any of the German companies doing that!

 

[blee1996]

I used to lust after those expensive "bokeh king" lenses in small and medium format systems. Now I just stick a random old brass lens on a 8x10 camera. same effects, much less money.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

I briefly owned the Pentax 135mm f1.8. It was a lens I had wanted for almost a decade and finally found it for a really good price. The results lived up to its reputation. Incredibly sharp with a gorgeous transition to out of focus.

Pentax also sold a gorgeous M42 135mm f/2.5 lens. It may have transitioned to K mount, but I do not know if the formula was the same.