zoom-nikkor 25-50mm f/4 Ai-S!!!

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2021/02/28/repair-zoom-nikkor-25-50mm-f-4-ai-s/

surprisingly good

[David H. Hartman]

I think it was about Dec. 23, 1985 that I went to Gayson's Camera in Glendale California. Gayson's had two copies on a close out price of $285.00 (1985, USD). I begged my mother to loan me the money to buy one. I think I bought my father a 43-86/3.5 AIS Nikkor and my mother may have bought something for my father also. I was totally surprised when my mother gave me the 25-50/4.0 AIS for Christmas. I love the lens for a walk around lens. I remember taking it to Disneyland and never changing the lens until sunset.

There is one thing I don't care for about this lens. The focus throw is quite sort and it's too easy to turn. I didn't get as much use from this lens on DX cameras and it's time to take it out and see how it performs with my D850.

Thank you for reviewing this lens!

Dave

[John Geerts]

Thanks for the article Rick.  I like the lens, it has an unique rendering, a bit like the 35-70/3.5 Ai.  Little distortion and sharp so ideal for architecture and cityscapes.


Some examples posted earlier in Daily Pic.


On the Z6  (September 2019)



On the D850  (January 2019)




On the Df  (June 2017)



On the D600  (March 2018)



On the D600 a 10 stitch Pano   (August 2017)



On the D600  (July 2017)

[Birna Rørslett]

Strong colours, very nicely smooth scene rendition, rather low levels of chromatic aberrations (as far as zoom lenses go), handles shooting into strong light rather well; what isn't there to like about the 25-50 Nikkor? I used it extensively in the film days with F2, F4, and F5, perhaps less often now as there are so many other candidates for this focal range.

A typical example of what the 25-50 could deliver,

[MEPER]

The marks you set before disassembly of helicoids are those marks precise enough to get perfect infinity focus after assembly or do you fine tune infinity focus after assembly?

[Fons Baerken]

From 2014

1.
2.

3.

D800, 25-50mm f/4

[Birna Rørslett]

The 25-50 Zoom-Nikkor does perfectly for more esoteric kinds of photography, such as false-colour emulated infrared Ektachrome (IE) or pure IR. Both with the PrimaLuce Z5 earlier today. In fact, this veteran lens must be one of the most promising optics I used with this camera so far. Age is just a number, of course and the 25-50 lives up to that saying.

[John Geerts]

Great examples Fons and Birna !

[Roland Vink]

There is one thing I don't care for about this lens. The focus throw is quite sort and it's too easy to turn.

The AI-S version has a focus throw of just 75° from infinity to 0.6m. The older AI version has a focus throw of 130°, nearly twice as long.

[David H. Hartman]

The AI-S version has a focus throw of just 75° from infinity to 0.6m. The older AI version has a focus throw of 130°, nearly twice as long.

I would much prefer the 130° but I own what I own.

Dave

[Bill De Jager]

The 25-50mm was one of my favorites in my later film years.  I even bought a second as a spare; both were purchased used.  I haven't tried this lens on digital yet but I really should give it a try on my Z6.

[John Geerts]

I realized that I didn't test the lens on the Nikon Z7. 

Works great.  Here at 25mm and f/4

[pluton]

My copy had lovely color/tonal rendition, and I liked the image structure ("sharpness") at 25mm.  Alas, I found that as I zoomed it towards 35mm and even more at 50mm, the lovely image sharpness from 25mm went away. Once I saw the decline towards the 50mm end being reported elsewhere, i concluded that all 25-50/4's have this issue and sold it off.