75-150 Series E

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I do have a 75-150 with the black grip and, luckily for me, no zoom creep at all. A very good overall performer and handles IR well too.

[Roland Vink]

The later ones with the chrome ring seem to be more resistant to zoom creep (in my experience at least). I have a chrome ring version which I have used for years and it is still pretty tight, just the barest amount of creep at steep angles.

I noticed that the amount of zoom creep depends on humidity - the felt ring which provides resistance to the zoom ring dries and shrinks in low humidity so the zoom creep becomes worse. I discovered this when I received the lens (bought on ebay), it was looser than I hoped, but it tightened up after a few days. I guess it came from a very dry climate, the felt strip must have swelled up a little in the wetter NZ climate.

This lens does show some weaknesses on DSLRs. Colour correction could be better, there is some lateral CA I have some pictures which show LoCA and "colour bokeh". When shooting sunsets there is a faint ghost image diagonally opposite the sun which I never saw when shooting film. But generally it still performs very well.

[richardHaw]

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

---

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

Hello, Dave. I was tempted to fiddle with the gasket/felt liner thing but i got lazy since I am just playing around with this 
i was even thinking that a strip rubber or leatherette would do...

good thing I got the later one. it did felt solid. the older one looks flimsy from the looks of it.

[richardHaw]

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

no, just got these from the junkbox so it's ok 

50-135? looking for one but only saw the 3.5-4.5 versions...
i think that is a more useful lens to me but looks big

[richardHaw]

I do have a 75-150 with the black grip and, luckily for me, no zoom creep at all. A very good overall performer and handles IR well too.

i think i saw another one at the junkbox (chrome ring). if you are still interested maybe i can get that for you 

[richardHaw]

The later ones with the chrome ring seem to be more resistant to zoom creep (in my experience at least). I have a chrome ring version which I have used for years and it is still pretty tight, just the barest amount of creep at steep angles.

I noticed that the amount of zoom creep depends on humidity - the felt ring which provides resistance to the zoom ring dries and shrinks in low humidity so the zoom creep becomes worse. I discovered this when I received the lens (bought on ebay), it was looser than I hoped, but it tightened up after a few days. I guess it came from a very dry climate, the felt strip must have swelled up a little in the wetter NZ climate.

This lens does show some weaknesses on DSLRs. Colour correction could be better, there is some lateral CA I have some pictures which show LoCA and "colour bokeh". When shooting sunsets there is a faint ghost image diagonally opposite the sun which I never saw when shooting film. But generally it still performs very well.

mine seemed OK. and it's pretty dry this time of the year in tokyo. 
mine creeps a bit on certain focus positions but it's acceptable to me at least. i am thinking that a rubber foam strip should be best since it does not degrade much and holds it's shape pretty well...

i am thinking of migrating to NZ with my family! looks like im going to need lots of silica gel!

[Tristin]

i am thinking of migrating to NZ with my family! looks like im going to need lots of silica gel!

Sounds like an adventure!  Enjoy the Japanese camera shops while you are near them.

[richardHaw]

Sounds like an adventure!  Enjoy the Japanese camera shops while you are near them.

gonna miss them. we are more worried about our baby integrating into Japanese society 

gonna hoard everything that I can

[Hugh_3170]

Richard, maybe you should budget on going back to Japan once a year and filling your suit cases with enough photographic treasures to keep you busy over the winter months.  In summer you should be out and about with your camera(s).

I now live in Australia, but I grew up in the south east corner of NZ's south island.  It is certainly wet and cooler in the south and it can be quite humid in the top half of NZ's north island, so silica gel and a dry room to keep your gear in is a good idea.  That said it is no where as hard to look after photographic gear in NZ as it is in places such as Drawin or Singapore where the humidity is much much higher.  Hay fever is an issue in NZ - I also suffer from that nuisance.  If you go to NZ, then we can at least sneeze together rather than six months apart! 

[JJChan]

Richard
Consider Australia

We have a dysfunctional society and govt but is still an amazingly blessed place to live!
We have essentially Universal health care, education that is affordable and labour laws that are generous and biased heavily to the worker, compulsory superannuation, pension plan for qualifying residents supplied by the govt.
Did I mention essentially free health care?

We have a lot that's not right, but that is massively outweighed by what is good.

JJ

[JJChan]

Back on topic
75-150E D800E ISO 720 1/320 F3.5

JJ

[richardHaw]

Richard, maybe you should budget on going back to Japan once a year and filling your suit cases with enough photographic treasures to keep you busy over the winter months.  In summer you should be out and about with your camera(s).

I now live in Australia, but I grew up in the south east corner of NZ's south island.  It is certainly wet and cooler in the south and it can be quite humid in the top half of NZ's north island, so silica gel and a dry room to keep your gear in is a good idea.  That said it is no where as hard to look after photographic gear in NZ as it is in places such as Drawin or Singapore where the humidity is much much higher.  Hay fever is an issue in NZ - I also suffer from that nuisance.  If you go to NZ, then we can at least sneeze together rather than six months apart! 

ill look forward to sneezing together hahaha 
the landscapes won me over to be honest. i had some nice offers from london and shanghai but NZ sounds like a nice place (with many polite people i imagine).

[richardHaw]

Richard
Consider Australia

We have a dysfunctional society and govt but is still an amazingly blessed place to live!
We have essentially Universal health care, education that is affordable and labour laws that are generous and biased heavily to the worker, compulsory superannuation, pension plan for qualifying residents supplied by the govt.
Did I mention essentially free health care?

We have a lot that's not right, but that is massively outweighed by what is good.

JJ

half of my wife's family is in sydney haha 

[richardHaw]

i do not know if you guys noticed it but as i was recalibrating my infinity focus for this lens, i discovered that this lens has a focus shift from 75mm and 150mm. in short, infinity focus is NOT the same on both ends. there is a small difference. at 75mm the dot is solid while at 150mm the dot is blinking (close enough). i will show how to calibrate the focus on this thing. it is not difficult at all, very similar to the 43-86 and the 36-72.

[rolubich]

50-135? looking for one but only saw the 3.5-4.5 versions...
i think that is a more useful lens to me but looks big

There is only one 50-135mm, and it is a f/3.5. It's a very good lens, possibly a little better than 75-150mm E.

Maybe you saw the 35-135mm.