400mm f/3.5 ED IF Ai-S

[richardHaw]

just got one of these...brought it home and ended up with a broken back

do i absolutely need the drop-in filter for this to work properly???

[bressong]

just got one of these...brought it home and ended up with a broken back

do i absolutely need the drop-in filter for this to work properly???

wow,come to see my idol, learn a lot from your website,thanks

[mxbianco]

just got one of these...brought it home and ended up with a broken back

do i absolutely need the drop-in filter for this to work properly???

I'll assume you have the filter holder, otherwise you'd have a light problem, via the rectangular hole in the barrel

I have read for sure that the filter is part of the optical formula in the reflex-Nikkors (500mm and 1000mm), don't know if it's the case with the 400mm, but to stay on the safe side, you better have a filter in place...

The drop-in filter is 39mm thread, and usually you can find it in the used market, especially colored ones (orange, red, YG, ...)
If you find a colored one, you can replace the glass with one from a standard 39mm clear filter. Easy-peasy, just remove a thin steel wire that's holding the glass in place, replace glass, put back the steel wire and you're done.

The thread is special, resulting in such a way that the filter is screwed entirely in the filter holder, with the edge of the thread flat against the holder border, and there is no protrusion.
You can try fitting a thin standard 39mm filter, if it doesn't stick out too much you are good to go.

I have recently bought such a lens myself, good in every aspect except the crummy short hood. I'm building a proper two-segment hood, more details in the What the Nerds do section when I'm finished. Filter size is 122 mm (in my sample, a clear lens protector was included: seems the front lens is soft ED glass), I had to use a larger tube (155 mm)  to avoid vignetting, with a scaled cylindrical adapter going from 125 to 155 mm.

Ciao from Massimo 

[Birna Rørslett]

The 400 works without the filter itself, but as said earlier, the filter holder needs to be in position to avoid light leaks. Either the 39mm threaded filter holder, or the holder for gel filters. Or the dedicated polariser.
Most standard 39mm filters are too thick to fit, or their thread pitch is wrong. Get the Nikon originals.

Failing any filter holder(s), a judiciously applied piece of black electrician's tape will help

[Roland Vink]

Rear or internal filters can make a big difference to wide-angle lenses. For example, removing the rear filter of the 16/2.8 fisheye (all versions) allows the lens to focus closer, but it can no longer get to infinity. I have done this a few times with my AIS 16/2.8 for wide closeups with good results.

On the other hand, in telephoto lenses light passes through the filter more or less perpendicular, so is hardly refracted. This should mean the focus is hardly affected, and any shift is easily within the limits of the normal focus system. Removal of two extra air/glass boundaries means fewer internal reflections, so contrast could even be better without the filter. The filter may be calculated as part of the optical formula, but my guess is that telephotos will perform perfectly well without the rear or internal filter.

[Birna Rørslett]

A perfect, plano-parallel  filter moves the focus about 1/3 of its thickness. Thus, no wonder a short-focal fisheye lens like the 16/2.8 will no longer focus to infinity without the filter in position. The filter is part of the optical design.

For a 400mm ED lens which has no fixed position for infinity focus, a rear filter is of absolutely no concern, whether present or not.

[Bern]

On the other hand, in telephoto lenses light passes through the filter more or less perpendicular, so is hardly refracted. This should mean the focus is hardly affected, and any shift is easily within the limits of the normal focus system. Removal of two extra air/glass boundaries means fewer internal reflections, so contrast could even be better without the filter. The filter may be calculated as part of the optical formula, but my guess is that telephotos will perform perfectly well without the rear or internal filter.

Apologies for somewhat hijacking this topic. Is this also true for the Nikkor 500mm reflex? I sometimes see a few for sale without the rear filter.

Thanks.

[Birna Rørslett]

Probably. I see no reason why that lens would be different, unless it is calibrated and locked to a fixed infinity focus position by the factory. However, given the potential thermal expansion of the optics that seems unlikely. Thus all mirror lenses I own whether Nikkor or other brands, have a focusing collar that rotates way beyond the indicated infinity stop.

The rear filter does prevent dust from entering the mirror optics, though, So is beneficial, but not mandatory, to have a rear filter inserted.

[richardHaw]

wow,come to see my idol, learn a lot from your website,thanks

glad you liked the blog! 

[richardHaw]

i was really hoping that i can finally stop collecting stuff but the blog needs to be complete

i tested the giant lens for a bit and it did look sharp even without the filter. it does come with the holder at least, if not, i have several spares here.
does anyone know which number the filter is? like which part/model number?

VERY sharp even wide-open.

i also got the 400/5.6

[mxbianco]

i was really hoping that i can finally stop collecting stuff but the blog needs to be complete

i tested the giant lens for a bit and it did look sharp even without the filter. it does come with the holder at least, if not, i have several spares here.
does anyone know which number the filter is? like which part/model number?

VERY sharp even wide-open.

i also got the 400/5.6

It is the 39 mm L37c filter, same L37c as the front 122mm filter

Ciao from Massimo

[rs]

Congratulations, I hope you have a good sample. I have one I purchased new in the mid '80s and it's my favourite lens. If your one came with the original "leather" case, it's just possible that the filter and a holder are stored inside the lid. My lens came with the filter fitted and if you use the finger loop inside the lid and pull, there is a cavity inside that holds an empty spare filter holder. In your case, it's possible someone just swapped them around.

As mentioned above, it's definitely worth the trouble of making a longer hood. I find it very sharp wide open and most of my work is done near minimum focusing distance. Attached is a 100% crop of a New Zealand Tui, taken at f3.5 @ about 5m, on a Df.

[Hugh_3170]

Nice to see an NZ Tui again. 

Congratulations, I hope you have a good sample. I have one I purchased new in the mid '80s and it's my favourite lens. If your one came with the original "leather" case, it's just possible that the filter and a holder are stored inside the lid. My lens came with the filter fitted and if you use the finger loop inside the lid and pull, there is a cavity inside that holds an empty spare filter holder. In your case, it's possible someone just swapped them around.

As mentioned above, it's definitely worth the trouble of making a longer hood. I find it very sharp wide open and most of my work is done near minimum focusing distance. Attached is a 100% crop of a New Zealand Tui, taken at f3.5 @ about 5m, on a Df.

[Snoogly]

I’ve got a spare filter, but I think the saga and cost of sending it from Japan would be prohibitive.

[richardHaw]

i realized that i have the gel holder instead of the filter holder

its very sharp...even at 3.5