75-150 Series E

[ArendV]

ArendV, I love your sample images from this lens, especially that of the cat.  Will be getting myself another cat later this year.  My old guy passed on in late 2014.

Thanks Hugh !

[Harald]

One of our cats (We named him Dr. Jones!) shot with the zoom...

[richardHaw]

I have not used mine for a long time, the following shots are wide open @f/3.5, the first two on a D300 at 150 and 120mm respectively and the last one on a NEX-6 at 75mm.
(and talking about 3D rendition, the first image definitely has some to me).

Those are awesome pictures 
specially the cat!

[richardHaw]

I bought that lens on impulse (very cheap), the one with the metal ring. I haven't used it much, though, but looking at the images here I certainly should put it to use. It has the zoom creep, but performing Richard Liu's treatment seems a bit complicated, so I'll just leave it as it is.

unfortunately there is no other way to get to those gaskets 

[richardHaw]

Add a CPU, which in this case is extremely easy, and it finds its place on any modern Nikon.

If this is the version with a metal ring to the rear, I'll gladly take it off your hands. Or we can swap. My copy is CPU-modified.

not sure about this lens. might give it to my lovely assistant 

[richardHaw]

Galen Rowell did a lot of photography from on foot and would frequently run or walk or very long distances to access his subject matter.  He was also an avid rock wall climber and mountaineer.  Lens selection and weight management was therefore an issue for him.  He would evaluate lighter weight lens offerings and those apertures that they would still perform adequately at maybe 2 or 3 proven apertures and he would just stick to those to ensure that he got sufficient image quality.  The 75-150mm zoom lens was one of his favourites.

http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,2040.msg23704.html#msg23704

guy's a legend. even now where nearly everybody shoots nice landscapes his pictures from a couple of decades ago still look amazing 

[richardHaw]

I also have it - this is the first lens I chipped.
The chip (provided by Bjørn) cost me twice as much the lens 

Although I am not using it much lately this is a fine lens, a pleasure to use (apart from the zoom creep, which I tried to treat without really fixing it).

the zoom creep doesn't bother me at all (mine has it but only when focused to infinity) because i shoot this thing handheld on the street 
unfortunately, the zoom creep fix is not easy as the parts cannot be accessed easily

[richardHaw]

Here it is, amongst some other tele's i used to own in the last decade.

is that an F mount leica? 

[richardHaw]

just look at that solid chunk of machined alloy (the barrel to the left,yes that is one solid piece)

its a work of art. must be a nightmare to machine after casting

[richardHaw]

This is one of 2 places where you can fix the zoom creep. if you do not want to disassemble too far into the lens then this is the way to go. it's not difficult to fix, just put a layer or 2 of masking tape under that felt strip and you're good 

[Jan Anne]

is that an F mount leica? 

Yup, it's an Leica R 180/3.4 APO Telyt coverted to Nikon F using a Leitax mount.

And ordering one takes longer than to install one, 5 minutes or so and completely reversible.
http://www.leitax.com/conversion/leica/apo-telyt-180/index.html

One of the best 180mm lenses I've tried btw, tack sharp and with very vibrant colours.

[Øivind Tøien]

This is one of 2 places where you can fix the zoom creep. if you do not want to disassemble too far into the lens then this is the way to go. it's not difficult to fix, just put a layer or 2 of masking tape under that felt strip and you're good 

The tape fix was what I did with mine (too many screws very stuck, except the one for the focus follower that kept getting loose so I had to re-tap the threads for a bigger screw and epoxy it in place), which is the version with the metal ring, and it is of course chipped. This image was before chipping, with my D200:



It is really a lens that deserves to be used more.

[richardHaw]

older lenses sometimes will have stuck screws. there will be times when they would just disintegrate into 3 parts 

thats a sharp photo 
now, with this in the lineup, i do not see where the 70-200 series E fits in 

[JJChan]

Richard - you're a brave man with these lenses!
I had a plastic base 75-150 - traded for a 35-70 f2.8 AFD then got a mint silver 75-150mm for A$22 - the postage cost more than the lens and it came in the cylinder case too.

If you find one cheap you will love the 50-135mm f3.5 - similar optical character and build quality to the 75-150mm but even more crisp!

JJ

[David H. Hartman]

When buying a 70-150/3.5 Series-E make sure not to buy the early ones with a stamped Maximum Aperture Indicator Post and opposing rear lens protectors. The early stamp parts bent quite easily. I'm generally pretty easy on my equipment and I bent one. I would not want to straighten one of those stamped parts twice. Roland Vink's site notes this group and its serial numbers here...

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#70-xx

Photos of the early and late versions here...

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/e75150.html

I owned one of these early models briefly. The one I now own is the mid version with the black plastic grip ring and improved Maximum Aperture Indicator Post and rear lens protectors like those of AIS Nikkors.

Dave

---

This is one of 2 places where you can fix the zoom creep. if you do not want to disassemble too far into the lens then this is the way to go. it's not difficult to fix, just put a layer or 2 of masking tape under that felt strip and you're good 

I don't remember what I used to shim it but I shimmed up my 75-150/3.5 Series-E on the kitchen table of a camera repairman friend. The part shown in Richard's post above look familiar. The adjustment has held up pretty well.

Dave