Author Topic: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S  (Read 4293 times)

Zang

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2022, 03:45:59 »
Zang, you have convinced my to get my AI version out of storage. Here's last nights misty moon...

Thank you Hans for sharing the picture. It looks like a tranquil and charming night. I know I said AI-S but I think my lens is AI as well. As I use my manual lenses on mirror less cameras, there is no difference in using AI-S and AI except those obvious differences from the lens versions themselves.

Hans_S

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2022, 08:50:31 »
My preference is for the 255 degree focus throw of the AI vs the 170 of the AIS...not that I had a choice when I bought the AI new waaay back in 1978!
Hans Schepers

Zang

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2022, 16:12:51 »
My preference is for the 255 degree focus throw of the AI vs the 170 of the AIS...not that I had a choice when I bought the AI new waaay back in 1978!

Right, I forgot about the focus throw. Being accustomed to Contax lenses in the past, I also prefer the long throws. That was the reason I sold 24mm AIS and kept the AI.

Roland Vink

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #18 on: December 12, 2022, 20:41:15 »
I prefer the longer focus throw of the AI 105/2.5 compared to the AI-S version (170° vs 140°). But in the case of the 85/2, the focus throw of the AI version is too long, it is very slow to focus. The AI-S version at 170° is the same as the AI 105/2.5, it works well for me. I also think the AI-S 85/2 is a nicer looking lens :)

Zang

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2022, 21:14:27 »
I prefer the longer focus throw of the AI 105/2.5 compared to the AI-S version (170° vs 140°). But in the case of the 85/2, the focus throw of the AI version is too long, it is very slow to focus. The AI-S version at 170° is the same as the AI 105/2.5, it works well for me. I also think the AI-S 85/2 is a nicer looking lens :)

The 'extra throw' mostly goes to the close up region as the focusing scale is not linear so I feel OK with 270° as well :)

Roland Vink

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2022, 23:00:21 »
It's actually because the focusing is linear that the focus scale is compressed near infinity and more generous at close range. This is can be a problem for macro lenses which cover a much greater focus range in the same focus throw, the range near infinity becomes very short. The only way around this would be to replace the linear helical focus action with a non-linear focus cam. The gradient of the cam would be shallow near infinity so the focus scale stretched out, and would become steeper at close range. However, focus cams are harder to make, can be less accurate and more likely to have some slack in the focus action, so are not often used, although cams are common in zoom lenses.

MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #21 on: December 12, 2022, 23:10:16 »
I checked how many and which versions of the 85/2 I have. Seems I only have an AI and and AIS version.
Think I like the AI-version a little bit better than the AIS. I think it looks very nice to have the DOF scale at the black barrel?
Probably at more expensive solution than just at the white alu-ring?

AI has 20m before infinity and AIS has 10m. Both are nice lenses. 

Roland Vink

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2022, 04:04:34 »
I checked how many and which versions of the 85/2 I have. Seems I only have an AI and and AIS version.
Only? That's all there is, no other 85/2 versions in F mount :o :)

Quote
Think I like the AI-version a little bit better than the AIS. I think it looks very nice to have the DOF scale at the black barrel?
Probably at more expensive solution than just at the white alu-ring?
Painting on black costs probably costs the same as painting on the alu-ring, but it is easier to see. Nikon standardized the styling of the AI-S version by having the DOF scale on the alu-ring for most lenses. This takes less space on the barrel, which is useful for compact lenses like the 20/3.5 and 50/1.8. Not quite as easy to read, and less spread out too because of the shorter focus throw, but to be honest it never bothered me :)

MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2022, 07:57:34 »
Only? That's all there is, no other 85/2 versions in F mount :o :)
Painting on black costs probably costs the same as painting on the alu-ring, but it is easier to see. Nikon standardized the styling of the AI-S version by having the DOF scale on the alu-ring for most lenses. This takes less space on the barrel, which is useful for compact lenses like the 20/3.5 and 50/1.8. Not quite as easy to read, and less spread out too because of the shorter focus throw, but to be honest it never bothered me :)

Then they also changed colors for the DOF lines. Pink and Green disappeared and orange came instead. Yellow was also used on AI's. I can see that on my 105/2.5 where blue, yellow, pink, green were used.
Maybe green disappeared as some can't see difference between green and blue?

Then there is the red dot for infrared infinity. On both lenses it is placed at the 8-line.
I wonder if the new Z-lenses are so well corrected that the red dot would be placed at infinity or very close?

MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2022, 08:07:24 »
I can see that pink color were still used on other AIS lenses and brown in some cases.
Maybe a bit too "nerdy" to discuss such differences :-)

MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2022, 08:39:54 »
I observed another difference between the AI and AIS version that the focus ring on AI version moves a lot forward when focused to close distance. So the long DOF lines are needed.
The AIS focus ring almost stays close to the white alu-ring so scale is still usable at close distance. The helicoid design must be quite different?   .....a lot more different than just 170 vs. 270 degree?

Bent Hjarbo

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #26 on: December 13, 2022, 15:23:31 »
My copy is an Ai, but I don't think it is good at f2.
Was just out in the cold sunny weather to check.
The 2 pictures are taken without changing the focus, only the aperture is changed between f2.0 and f8.
A Df was used.
I have seen this behavior before, sp was just checking ;)

MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #27 on: December 13, 2022, 20:02:13 »
It looks soft at f/2. I was expecting something better.
It is dark here now so I just tired an indoor shot at closest distance (0.85m) at f/2 on Z50. Lens is the AI-version.
It is handhold moving in and out to get best focus. Think I hit it ok. It is relative sharp but contrast will probably be better stopped down.
A 100% crop is also attached. After the test Bent made I expected worse. Now 0.85m and close to infinity can be very different.


MEPER

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #28 on: December 13, 2022, 20:33:21 »
Strange so many different opinions about this lens?

http://www.mflenses.com/nikon-nikkor-85mm-f2-ais-lens-review.html

From bad to superb. Why is that?
If we take it at f/2. Is it the distance to subject?
Bent's image looks bad and my image looks good (I would say).
I am sure my image would look better at f/4 - f/5.6.
Some day I will bring it out in daylight and take more images.

Bent Hjarbo

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Re: Thoughts on Nikkor 85mm f2 AI-S
« Reply #29 on: December 13, 2022, 22:02:32 »
Maybe it will perform better for portraits will try later.