NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => What the Nerds Do => Topic started by: richardHaw on August 02, 2025, 15:17:10

Title: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: richardHaw on August 02, 2025, 15:17:10

https://richardhaw.com/2025/08/02/repair-new-nikkor-18mm-f-4/  :o :o :o

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: Birna Rørslett on August 02, 2025, 21:51:21

The Nikkor 18mm f/4 is a wonderful lens and one I always lusted for as a young aspiring photographer in the '70s. Then I used it occasionally as a loaner in the non-AI first version and decided to buy it for myself as soon as possible. Which due to circumstances in life one never can control, took almost 2 decades :(

Richard has mentioned most of the lens characteristics already, thus I'll only add a few images of my own to illustrate other aspects of the 18/4 not generally known. The 18/4 has the ability to do ultraviolet (UV), which is most unusual for a superwide lens, and it excels in IR as well. It has no hot spot in IR, which makes it quite unique.

First, a few UV examples, taken either on Nikon D40x or D3200 with internal Baader U 'Venus' filter.

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: Birna Rørslett on August 02, 2025, 21:54:32

Then, move over to IR. Images are just splendid in their crispness and as mentioned earlier, there is no hot spot. Examples are with D200 or D5300.

The last in this sequence is Aurora Borealis Northern Lights in Lofoten. I have never seen  this depicted in IR before.

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: Birna Rørslett on August 02, 2025, 21:57:12

Round off my contribution by demonstrating the 18/4 Nikkor delivers also in visible light. Images are rendered with a very nice 'roundness' for lack of a better descriptor.


The first is girls at famous Karlov Most bridge in Prague, Czech republic.

The last is night lights in Dubai.

Both done on Nikon D3S.

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: golunvolo on August 02, 2025, 22:57:14

Impressive, both of you. Thanks a lot for sharing it.

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: richardHaw on August 03, 2025, 01:18:19

Birna do you mind me sharing these :o :o :o

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: Birna Rørslett on August 03, 2025, 06:31:01

Please, do.

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: richardHaw on August 04, 2025, 06:06:55

I have mixed feelings about this lens, it's mediocre in nearly every way but if one considers when it came out, it is clearly a masterpiece :o :o :o
It's not so bad

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: pluton on August 04, 2025, 07:34:42

Quote from: richardHaw on August 04, 2025, 06:06:55

... it's mediocre in nearly every way but if one considers when it came out, it is clearly a masterpiece...

Aside from being a design masterpiece in its time, it is also, as an industrial design, one of nicest looking Nikkors of its era.  Looks wide...IS wide!

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: richardHaw on August 07, 2025, 05:07:11

shared  :o :o :o

Title: Re: New-Nikkor 18mm f/4
Post by: bobfriedman on August 08, 2025, 15:46:03

Nikon D200 ,Nikkor 18mm f/4 AI, RG-715 red/blue swap
1/160s f/8.0 at 18.0mm iso200
(https://pbase.com/bobfriedman/image/136278900/original.jpg)

1/250s f/8.0 at 18.0mm iso200
(https://pbase.com/bobfriedman/image/136171244/original.jpg)