Nikkor 28mm f/2 ai and ai-s

[Frank Fremerey]

I had the NC-Auto Aid. It was one of the sharpest and most reliable lenses I ever had.
But.
I do not like 28.
I love 35.
I love 24.
But 28 is kind of neither either.
Well that is just me.
There are lots of great 35 options and quite a few 24s.

[Frank Fremerey]

PS: If the 2.0 is what you aim for you might search for a decent 2.0/24. Grear lens if you hit a good sample. I sold mine after buying the 1.4/24G. Pity? I do not know. Lots of lens in a small package, but I am not a colllector and since my eyes are bad, AF works nice for me.

[Tristin]

Airy, thanks for that link!  Together with Bjorn, Mir and Roland's pages it will serve me really well.  I love finding pages like these!

I will be looking for an Ai version it seems, thanks to all for the prompt and insightful help. 

Frank, while I would prefer slightly wider than 28mm I haven't found an alternative ~f/2 at a price I can afford currently.  The f/1.4s and f/1.8s are pricier, bigger, and I really enjoy the feel of the manual Nikkors.  If money was no barrier, I'd be giving the Zeiss 25mm f/2 a spin.  Someday perhaps. 

[Akira]

The total focus throw is the same for AI and AIS versions (120°) but the AIS obviously squeezes in a greater range so the focus throw at far and medium distances is less than the AI equivalent.

Late AIS 28/2 have the newer Super Integrated Coating (SIC), from about no 825xxx to the end of production. This coating is a light yellow-greenish color. Earlier Nikon Integrated Coatings (NIC) coatings were deep red/green/blue depending on the viewing angle. The AIS 28/2.8 had a similar change, compare the coatings. NIC:

I don't know how much difference the newer coating makes, the older coatings were already very good and the 28/2 is known for being resistant to flare.

Roland, thanks for the correction.  Yes, I meant "S"IC in my posts above.  Tristin, sorry for the confusion.

[Andrea B.]

The 28/2.0 AIS has always been one of my faves along with the AIS 35/1.4 & AIS 50/1.2 & AIS 50/1.8.

I have the 24/2.0 AIS and it is rather meh, imho. Not as sharp. Prone to that veiling flare thing at 2.0 while the 28 does not do that at 2.0. I don't think it is a sample thing because I've tried 2 of the 24/2.0. Granted, only two still does not make a large sample.

[Tristin]

Andrea, I am not going with the 24mm primarily because of it's flaring issue which I have heard much of.  Too bad. 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Andrea, it took me nearly 10 years of searching before I found a perfect 24/2: meaning it is sharp, contrasty, and keeps flare well under control.

[Roland Vink]

Is yours a late serial number AIS 24/2? I wonder if the newer SIC coating made a difference?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

s.n. 213875 so is not amongst the very latest I presume.

I have tried quite a number of these 24/2 and most are just dull and bland.

[Tristin]

Bjorn, how does your good copy 24mm f/2 compare to the 28mm f/2s? 

[Frank Fremerey]

Tristin: The new AF-S 1.8/24G is not in your budget?

[Tristin]

Well I *could* afford it, but photography comes second to my band.  Which is even more expensive than photography    Even money aside, I really enjoy the feel of quality manual focus lenses.  Clicky aperature rings and buttery focus rings . . . mmmm!!!    The process is just as important as the results for me.  When I can justify stepping above the costs that the Ai and Ai-s lenses currently demand, I will likely give some Zeiss glass a spin and see how that fares.

[Frank Fremerey]

I see you buy a lot of lenses currently.

I can assure you that the 300 Euro I spent for the 4/200 Micro was very well invested in "Clicky aperature rings and buttery focus rings". The best thing about this lens is the way my subject snaps into focus, the precision I can apply through the long focus throws adds very much to the feel.


A great 2/24mm is difficult to find as Bjørn has experienced (I had a great one from the start), but at 200 Euro a pop you can sell it for the price you got it for anytime.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Bjorn, how does your good copy 24mm f/2 compare to the 28mm f/2s?

Haven't shot them side by side, but if for some reason I should encounter spare time, they sit in front of me and beg to be taken out for a shooting session

I admittedly am tempted by the new 24/1.8 as well, despite it being 'G' and thus not optimal for the Df.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A quick-and-dirty comparison shows the 24/2 has more field curvature in the near range and slightly less contrast than the 28/2, at least in the wide open setting. Provided they are properly focused, they otherwise appear pretty similar.

My impression is the 24/2 performs better than the 28/2 when stopped far down. Sometimes one needs to use a wide-angle lens in that manner too.

One of my all-time favourite captures with the 24/2 in fact was conducted with the lens at f/22;

(Altschlossfelsen formation in Germany, near the French border. The sandstone formation is 250 million years old, from Trias)