NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on April 01, 2016, 17:13:50
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This is the first in what I intend to be a short series on lenses I frequently use and value. Not sure if these comments will interest anyone here, in which case I will not post more and instead just collect my information as part of my own free e-books. I start with the El Nikkor 105mm APO f/5.6.
The El Nikkor 105mm APO (not the same as the standard El Nikkor 105mm) is a very special and useful lens for my close-up work. It is also incredibly expensive and often hard to find. IMO, it is well worth the trouble and money considering what it does.
The “EL” in El Nikkor means “Enlarging,” which is what this lens was designed for back in the 1960s. It is a favorite lens of the enlarger-lens crowd, if not “The” favorite. A second group that are into this lens are the coin-imagining folks, who also value this lens a lot, but point out it is way too expensive for most of the coin collectors, which leaves the photographers. I, for one, love it and find it invaluable for my work.
There are two versions of this APO lens and I am told these two APO versions represent a short production run. Both versions were manufactured in Japan. The earlier version, which I do not have, has a high f/stop of f/45, while my version stops at f/32. I never use the higher f/stops anyway. The lens has an aperture ring, but no focus ring. The lens mount (rear) is M39, so an M39 to Nikon F-Mount works fine. This lens is sharpest wide open, for which it was designed for, at f/5.6, but holds the sharpness for a couple stops.
Although the lens is very sharp, it is slightly sharper in the center, than in the corners. The lens can be reversed for magnification greater than 1:1, which I never have tried. I use it only for close-up work, not macro, in the standard orientation. I mentioned earlier: do not confuse the APO version with the non-APO version. They are not similar in quality as to correction.
Unlike many enlarging lens that I use, the El Nikkor 105mm APO (on the Nikon PB-04 Bellows) covers a wider range of focus distance than many other industrial lenses I have, so it is good very close-up as well as quite far back. This alone makes it very, very useful.
In my work, I use it on the Nikon PB-4 Bellows, currently with the Nikon D810 and a short extension ring (PK-12 = 14mm) to mount the D810 on the rear of the Bellows so that it clears the rail. I also use it on the Rollei X-Act 2 Bellows technical camera. I can use it directly on my Nikon D810, using a narrow helicoid as extension and focus ring. This works well, but in a more limited way than on the bellows.
The color and contrast is good, with no decentering, and the lens is very sharp. Also, it has its own character, which is especially useful in photographing very detailed objects. In my work, this lens can produce an almost 3D sense to a photo.
Of course, this is not a walk-around lens or a general-purpose lens. It is a specialized lens, but one I find myself using more and more often, although mostly in the studio. On clear, windless days, taking this lens outdoors on the Nikon PB-4 is not a problem, but it is not something I would backpack, etc. Mounted, using a short helicoid, also makes field work with the lens very possible.
This is not a copy lens, not something I would use for forensic or reproduction work. It is a slow lens, but one with loads of character. I consider it one of the more wonderful and most valuable lenses that I have ever used.
Lens Type: Enlarging
Produced: 1960s
Price 2016: $3000
Lens Mount: M39
Front Lens Cap: Mine came with a solid-metal screw-off lens cap, which I have replaced with a 43mm>52mm step-up ring, where I then have a 52>77m step-up ring to hold filters at 77mm.
Focal Length: 104.3 mm
Blades: 8
Nikon describes this lens as follows:
“The Apo-EL-Nikkor series of lenses are true Apochromat photo-enlarging lenses with chromatic aberration corrected not only for the entire visible range of the spectrum, but also in near ultraviolet and near infrared ranges (380-700 nm). They are all 8-element, 4-group designs with maximum-minimum aperture of f/5.6-45 or f/5.6-32.”
Note: All of my most used “stylistic” lenses have step-up rings to bring the lens to 77mm, so that I can use the same circular polarizer or ND filter. That is what you see in the photos of my equipment.
Sample photo taken with the El Nikkor 105mm APO
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Michael - Thanks for sharing your setups. I am always curious how you mechanically do what you do. Thanks.
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Thanks for posting this...I finally got to see a photo of the mysterious 105 APO. the whole setup is interesting to see also. I hope to find a 105 APO cheap at a garage sale someday....but I'm not counting on it!
By the way, if your D810 is like my D800, it can be mounted on the PB-4 without a spacer. One must employ the 90º rotation feature of the PB-4's camera mount.
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Thanks for posting this...I finally got to see a photo of the mysterious 105 APO. the whole setup is interesting to see also. I hope to find a 105 APO cheap at a garage sale someday....but I'm not counting on it!
Ha, I fantasize about finding rare lenses at flea markets, thrift stores, and garage sales too!
No luck yet.
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Great and valuable stuff, Michael. Very interesting, good reading. Thanks for taking the effort and posting!
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I hope to find a 105 APO cheap at a garage sale someday....but I'm not counting on it!
Me too! Hope springs.....
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What an awesome setup for macro work! Very interesting to see. Thanks!
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Michael,
nice to see that you love the EL-APO 105 so much, which you got from me, some years ago now...
including a special anodized custom-made lens-shade ;-)
In the description of your setup is missing, that you use the EL-APO with this lens shade
mounted on the original -edit: 35,5 x 0,5 mm front thread
Keep us provided with beautiful shots like this,
Christian
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Michael,
nice to see that you love the EL-APO 105 so much, which you got from me, some years ago now...
including a special anodized custom-made lens-shade ;-)
In the description of your setup is missing, that you use the EL-APO with this lens shade
mounted on the original 40,5 x 0,5 mm front thread
Christian
I don't think I do use a sun shade. Do you see it? I don't. Have you a photo of it?
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I don't think I do use a sun shade. Do you see it? I don't. Have you a photo of it?
Michael, I have provided the lens-shade mounted on the lens, when I sold all to you, included the "solid-metal screw-off lens cap", which you describe; I do not have a photo of it anymore, but it is a short, on the outer barrel shiny custom-made anodized shade, fitting the lens front thread of the unusual M 35,5 x 0,5 up to M43 x 0,75 for some "classic" protection lens-cap...
[ -- to correct my first posting: the front thread of the lens is unusual M 35,5 x 0,5 ; not 40,5 mm,
therefore a unorthodox front thread of the EL-APO 105, which made a custom-made shade necessary in order to provide easy handling on the front.]
This drawing below from the catalogue shows your newer version EL-APO 5.6/105 mm, f/stop 32; technical details are
hard to read...; your posted technical drawing shows the old model of the 105 mm lens, not your N-version.
The above described lens/protection shade it is to be seen on your setup here... You can unscrew it from the lens. On the M 43 x 0,75 mm front thread of the shade (the lens itself is M 35,5) - you have screwed in further step-up rings, then. Am I wrong?
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Michael, I have provided the lens-shade mounted on the lens, when I sold all to you, included the "solid-metal screw-off lens cap", which you describe; I do not have a photo of it anymore, but it is a short, on the outer barrel shiny custom-made anodized shade, fitting the lens front thread of the unusual M 35,5 x 0,5 up to M43 x 0,75 for some "classic" protection lens-cap...
[ -- to correct my first posting: the front thread of the lens is unusual M 35,5 x 0,5 ; not 40,5 mm,
therefore a unorthodox front thread of the EL-APO 105, which made a custom-made shade necessary in order to provide easy handling on the front.]
This drawing below from the catalogue shows your newer version EL-APO 5.6/105 mm, f/stop 32; technical details are
hard to read...; your posted technical drawing shows the old model of the 105 mm lens, not your N-version.
The above described lens/protection shade it is to be seen on your setup here... You can unscrew it from the lens. On the M 43 x 0,75 mm front thread of the shade (the lens itself is M 35,5) - you have screwed in further step-up rings, then. Am I wrong?
I will have to check it out. Sure, I have the screw-in cap, and I know the thread is unusual, so I will look tomorrow for the shade, if I understand you right.
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I will have to check it out. Sure, I have the screw-in cap, and I know the thread is unusual, so I will look tomorrow for the shade, if I understand you right.
yes, please; as the provided custom-made shade is short and had been made to aestically fit the lens-barrel,
The shade itself is therefore a kind of necessary step-up to provide a more common M43 x 0,75 mm thread.
I believe, one /you could have taken this shade as a part of the lens itself ;-)
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yes, please; as the provided custom-made shade is short and had been made to aestically fit the lens-barrel,
I believe, one could have taken it as a part of the lens itself ;-)
I don't see anything "shiny" there.
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I don't see anything "shiny" there.
the provided shade is a little more "glossy" outside in comparison to the more "matte" barrel
of the lens. you can unscrew it and will see the "naked" lens with its narrower thread.
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the provided shade is a little more "glossy" outside in comparison to the more "matte" barrel
of the lens. you can unscrew it and will see the "naked" lens with its narrower thread.
I took a run up to the studio and yes, the lens shade is there and well. I must have just assumed it was a standard issue. I now have set-up up rings off of that to hold filters. Thanks!
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I notice you use the Zacuto Z-finder. Could you please comment on the benefits of this finder and on the way you attach it to the LCD screen?
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I notice you use the Zacuto Z-finder. Could you please comment on the benefits of this finder and on the way you attach it to the LCD screen?
In my work, I only use LiveView. Except to check it out or for a family photo, I have never used the OVF on my D810. I use an older version of the Zacuto Z-Finder, with the included elastic bands, balls, and sockets to attach the Z-Finder to the camera. I do not stick the Z-finder on the back of the camera or any other method. The Z-Finder moves around a lot, but mostly that is OK.
I do my focusing using Live View so that I can clearly see that all I want is in focus.
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As much as I like to see the setup and lenses, using "close up" lenses in the title is at least confusing.
A "close up" lens usually is the term used for a diopter lens, screwed into the lens front of a taking lens
to achieve higher magnification.
The Nikon Apo EL-Nikkor lens(es) were per design enlarger lenses for highest fidelity color prints and
just turned out later to be very useful as taking lenses for macro and yes, close up.
So I would have possibly written "Useful Lenses for Close-Up" (btw. why plural, it is just about the 105mm
Apo EL-Nikkor in its two, old and new emanations....)
Just my 2 cts.....
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As much as I like to see the setup and lenses, using "close up" lenses in the title is at least confusing.
A "close up" lens usually is the term used for a diopter lens, screwed into the lens front of a taking lens
to achieve higher magnification.
The Nikon Apo EL-Nikkor lens(es) were per design enlarger lenses for highest fidelity color prints and
just turned out later to be very useful as taking lenses for macro and yes, close up.
So I would have possibly written "Useful Lenses for Close-Up" (btw. why plural, it is just about the 105mm
Apo EL-Nikkor in its two, old and new emanations....)
Just my 2 cts.....
Good Point Klaus. I changed it.
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My compact set: Rollei x-act 2 with recessed bellows and APO EL Nikkor 105/5,6 N
(http://www.fotobi.pl/images/AEL-Rollei.jpg)
(http://www.fotobi.pl/images/AEL-Rollei2.jpg)
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Michael,
I am very interested in your series. I am looking forward to reading more!
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My compact set: Rollei x-act 2 with recessed bellows and APO EL Nikkor 105/5,6 N
(http://www.fotobi.pl/images/AEL-Rollei.jpg)
(http://www.fotobi.pl/images/AEL-Rollei2.jpg)
Great set-up. What is the advantage of the 99101 recessed bellows for close-up work?
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Very good looking setup!!
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Thank you :)
Great set-up. What is the advantage of the 99101 recessed bellows for close-up work?
Standard bellows is sufficient for close-ups and for macro even better. I don't have the leather bellows, but it should be in the middle of these standard and recessed bellowses. Recessed bellows provides additional capabilities, allows you to: capture a larger composition, move away from the subject and gain greater depth of field. You can use lenses with shorter focal lengths, eg. Apo rodagon 90 mm, but it depends also from the camera. Klaus is a master of such calculations, he has even recessed focus helicoid adapter :). Every millimeter is also important when you have a thick camera's adapter. I wanted versatility sets and opportunities to use AEL not only for close-ups.
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Very interesting. Learning a lot. I hope that you will continue.
Thank you for the effort of showing and explaining.
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Very nice set-up! Looks solid.
The helicoid adapters I have seen have been of mediocre quality with a lot of play, is there play in the one you have? Maker?
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The El Nikkor 105mm APO is perhaps my most-used lens. At this time I use it on the small Cambo Actus, which is easy to take in the field. While I have the Rollei X-Act 2, it is IMO a clumsy and very heavy rig. Another setup I use with this lens is the Novoflex BALPRO T/S.
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Ha, I fantasize about finding rare lenses at flea markets, thrift stores, and garage sales too!
No luck yet.
Yeah. The closest I've come to a "rare" lens was finding a Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI at a yardsale for $20. Not really rare, but an excellent price.
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Yeah. The closest I've come to a "rare" lens was finding a Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI at a yardsale for $20. Not really rare, but an excellent price.
Not all great lenses are "rare." There are TONS of large-format lenses, used on bellows, on Ebay... all the time, including lenses like the AM-ED 120mm Nikkors, enlarger lenses, and many more.
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A lot of thought went into this system, that's for sure.
Which is surprising because, despite all the thought that went into the gear, before publishing the flower image (on p. 1), it would have been a good idea to remove the artifact on the left ... and the crisper on the right ;)
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A lot of thought went into this system, that's for sure.
Which is surprising because, despite all the thought that went into the gear, before publishing the flower image (on p. 1), it would have been a good idea to remove the artifact on the left ... and the crisper on the right ;)
John, shouldn't you be on a playground making fun of some kids or something?
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John, shouldn't you be on a playground making fun of some kids or something?
You don't think it's humorous to write a tutorial on, and display the thousands of $$ in tools requisite for a multi-image stack, and yet miss something so blatant?
If it were me, and someone pointed this out on an article/photo I put up, I would have laughed, and had a chuckle at the irony too ... which was my only intent: to get a chuckle.
Relax, it's okay to be humorous, if the critique calls for it, which in this case it most definitely did :)
That is part of what we photographers should expect, when posting images, is feedback (praise, critique, or both) when we post our images, be the critique on composition, CA, bad background ... or an errant crisper ;D
I myself have taken multi-image stacks ... only to notice dust or something foreign on the subject.
In fact, for this very reason, "dusting" (removing all dirt, dust, hairs, etc.) is a common pre-stack practice.
So, unless this is Michael's new signature ("find the hair"), lol, my pointing out a software artifact, and an introduced one, is a perfectly harmless and playful comment on this thread topic.
On the serious side: it's also why editors and critiques are so important: it's easy for us to "miss" our own mistakes, because we're so immersed in what we're doing, whereas it's easy for others to spot them ... because they are not.
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You don't think it's humorous to write a tutorial on, and display the thousands of $$ in tools requisite for a multi-image stack, and yet miss something so blatant?
If it were me, and someone pointed this out on an article/photo I put up, I would have laughed, and had a chuckle at the irony too ... which was my only intent: to get a chuckle.
Relax, it's okay to be humorous, if the critique calls for it, which in this case it most definitely did :)
That is part of what we photographers should expect, when posting images, is feedback (praise, critique, or both) when we post our images, be the critique on composition, CA, bad background ... or an errant crisper ;D
I myself have taken multi-image stacks ... only to notice dust or something foreign on the subject.
In fact, for this very reason, "dusting" (removing all dirt, dust, hairs, etc.) is a common pre-stack practice.
So, unless this is Michael's new signature ("find the hair"), lol, my pointing out a software artifact, and an introduced one, is a perfectly harmless and playful comment on this thread topic.
On the serious side: it's also why editors and critiques are so important: it's easy for us to "miss" our own mistakes, because we're so immersed in what we're doing, whereas it's easy for others to spot them ... because they are not.
The revenge of the poor and narrow minded?? IThis here was about a specific lens and a system shown, not a (that) image.
Sorry to say, but this was deliberately hurtful and done with intention John... Awaiting applause? Not from me for sure.
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Let's not split any further hair(s), but admire the gorgeous results wrought from this lens, shall we.
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Let's not split any further hair(s), but admire the gorgeous results wrought from this lens, shall we.
Lol, that was cute, glad someone appreciated the humor.
There is no question the results of the lens are sublime.
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Yep, wonderful lens it is indeed!
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On the serious side: it's also why editors and critiques are so important: it's easy for us to "miss" our own mistakes, because we're so immersed in what we're doing, whereas it's easy for others to spot them ... because they are not.
On this note I recall a number of occasions where your "critiques" of other members opinions have turned to disrespectful arguments. With that reoccurring association your "humor" starts to look more and more like bullying.
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No need to follow up that angle any further. It is the task of the moderators.