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Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S

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Zang:
Last night, I decided to overhaul my 85mm f2. This time, I started doing in dark, meaning doing no research upfront. Surprisingly, the lens is pretty easy for guesswork. After opening the back and some assessment, you'll know already how to work with the lens. I like its clear and simple design. My lens actually does not require cleaning, it is just me getting bored :)

Zang:
Updates: even though, the lens did not have signs for cleaning need, it got a few benefits from doing so:

- I found oil in a few places where I do not expect it to be (like under the focus scale ring, chrome ring and more).
- Focusing is a bit smoother now.
- I bent the aperture click metal sheet (not sure how to call it properly) to adjust the aperture ring movement to my taste.
- I could thoroughly wash the focusing rubber without a need of removing it from the ring.

Like many other primes, I did not have chances to use 85/2 a lot. Here is a few test shots after the lens was assembled.

Roland Vink:
The AIS 85/2 was one of the first Nikkors I bought. It was a second hand lens but like new. This was in the 1990s when people were upgrading to AF cameras and lenses. It had a tight spot in the focus range so I had it serviced, after that it was and remains one of the smoothest focusing lenses I own. At first the focal length felt odd to me, after using a standard 50mm lens the narrower field of view felt very restrictive, but I have come to appreciate and love short telephoto lenses.

Optically this lens is very good. The AI version has the same optics and some reviewers say it has low contrast, designed to be more flattering for portraiture but less good for general photography. Maybe Nikon changed the coatings with the AIS version as I find the contrast and colour rendition the same other Nikkors from the same era. I remember being impressed at how sharp it is even wide open, it is probably the first lens I had that I was comfortable shooting at full aperture, although I usually stop down a little. Compared to my AI 105/2.5 the entrance pupil is almost identical to the so it has the same ability to throw backgrounds out of focus, but with a wider field of view. The background rendition is not quite as smooth and with straight-edge aperture blades the bokeh is not as quite as rounded as the 105/2.5, but it still a good portrait lens. The shorter focal length combined with the 2/3 stop faster aperture means it has a one-stop advantage when shooting hand-held in low light. It's an amazingly compact lens, much smaller than the previous pre-AI 85/1.8 version and the AF lenses which came later. Outwardly, I think it is a very well proportioned lens, one of the more attractive-looking lenses in my kit.

I haven't used this lens much recently but I still have a soft spot for it. It has only minor deficiencies - the straight-edge aperture ring (which produce wonderful diffraction stars) and slightly harder background rendition, and it would be nice if it focused a little closer than 0.85m. I'm sure modern lenses with newer coatings and ED glass would be clinically sharper, but it is still capable of producing great images.

Zang:
Thank you Roland for sharing your story and I am glad you like the lens. For long time, I was reluctant to buy this after reading Bjorn's average rating for the lens. I then found a fresh looking copy for 150 CAD about 5 years ago and decided to give it a try and I immediately fell in love with it. My impression was exactly like yours. I like the look, the size, the angle of view and I found the lens good enough wide open.

Checking again, mine is AI but not AI-S :)

MEPER:
The 50/1.7 Rokkor may also be a nice lens on a Nikon Z body?

I made a test many years ago where I short 85/2, 85/1.8 HC, 80/2.8, AF 85/1.4D at same target and could not see any lack of performance using the 85/2. But I have never used it in the field.
In the field I have always used the 85/1.8 HC which I like very much. I have special feelings for that lens. Maybe I should try it on my Z-body!

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