What Nikon Non AI lenses to consider?

edcculus · Oct 24, 2012

I have a Nikon F2 and am looking to expand my lens collection. I also have a Canon F1 with a ton of FD lenses I inhereted from my grandfather. There is just something about the Nikon I just like better though. When I'm reaching for a camera, it always seems to be the Nikon.

I currently only have a Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens. I really love this lens, but was looking to get something wider. Any suggestions on something specific to look for? Since Its an F2, its OK if the lens is non AI, especially if it will make it cheaper.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Jesper · Oct 24, 2012

Depends on your own photographic style but a 105/2.5 might come in handy. Plenty of them around at good prices.

edcculus · Oct 24, 2012

I'm mainly shooting landscapes/stills at the moment. 90% B&W. I am somewhat interested in getting into portraits soon also.

Richard S. (rich815) · Oct 24, 2012

105/2.5
28/2.8
35/2
24/2.8

E. von Hoegh · Oct 24, 2012

105/2.5, Nikkor-P, either version is fabulous.
55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor-P. Focusses from half lifesize to infinity, slow but very good.
50/2.0 Nikkor-H. Like a Summicron-R with a tiny bit of barrel distortion (which you'll never notice).
20/3.5 Nikkor-UD, big, heavy, and excellent.
35/2.0 Nikkor-O - not one of their legendary lenses, but I like mine.

narsuitus · Oct 24, 2012

If I had a Nikon F2 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens and wanted to expand my lens collection for shooting landscapes, still life, and portraits, here is what I would get in descending order of priority:

1. Nikon 28mm f/2.8 (for landscapes)
2. Nikon 105mm f/2.8 macro (for portraits and still life)
3. Nikon 18mm f/3.5 (only if I needed something wider than the 28mm)

CGW · Oct 24, 2012

Try to find an 85/1.8HC or 135/2.8 for portraits. The 105/2.5 is over-priced and over-rated. The 55/3.5 macro is widely available, cheap, and pin-sharp. Check out the lens reviews at www.nikonlinks.com, too.

edcculus · Oct 24, 2012

Thanks everyone. I was able to use some of these suggestions, and search "nikkor non-ai" on fleabay to get an idea of what was out there. I'm likely going to try picking up a wide lens first, then look at the 105mm later.

Richard S. (rich815) · Oct 24, 2012

Check this out, and other links in this site for awesome info on early Nikkor glass:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/6070nikkor/wides/28mm.htm

Aja B · Oct 24, 2012

edcculus said:
Since Its an F2, its OK if the lens is non AI

Assuming you have a metered prism, it would be important to ensure non-AI metering without having to resort to stop-down metering. Which prism do you have?

Amongst the 28/2.8 Nikons, the AIS is widely agreed to be superior to all other models (even AF). The 28/3.5 is often overlooked but certainly respectable and very inexpensive. If you're entertaining thoughts of ever aquiring a more recent Nikon, I would bypass the non-AI lenses and go with AI or AIS for metering capability. Would be a bummer to have to regularly do stop-down metering on any number of bodies.

edcculus · Oct 24, 2012

Its a F2 Photomic with DP-1 head.

How would I tell if the lens is non-AI metering? I don't have to use stop down with the 50mm. Would the "Auto" on the lens indicate this?

Bob-D659 · Oct 24, 2012

The MIR site is your bible, spend a couple of days reading. Auto means auto stop down on exposure and meter reading wide open. See the MIR site for all else, I'm pretty sure the DP-1 head is for pre AI lenses, there is also a head that uses the "newer" AI lenses.

edcculus · Oct 24, 2012

Thanks. I've ran across that site a few times. I'll make sure to scour it for all of the information I can.

My head/meter is not AI. I have to "twist/twist" to get the lens to index. The lenses I have do not have the cut out on the foot that couples with the head. I don't change lenses much on this camera since the only other one I have is a zoom, but I've gotten so use to twisting to index that I was actually a little confused when I started using the Canon F1 and FD lenses.

brucemuir · Oct 24, 2012

Indexing pre ai really isn't a hassle at all.

whlogan · Oct 24, 2012

The guy who added the 20mm f3.5 is the right guy.... best lens I ever used and cheap now.... go ge3t one right away
Logan

bdial · Oct 24, 2012

AI or non-AI lenses will work fine on your F2, the only requirement is that they have the coupling prong which is the half-moon shaped thing screwed to the f/stop ring at 5.6.
The AI lenses have a second set of f/stop numbers engraved on the ring near the body and a milled out ledge that engages with the auto indexing lever on F3 and later bodies.
I think there are full explainations of all this on the mir site.

damonff · Oct 26, 2012

105, 105, 105, 105

My best lens. And I have many.

What Nikon Non AI lenses to consider?

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