Nikkor 135 AF DC f/2 D

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Too hot for me. Your bananas are safe ...

[Jakov Minić]

When set to R the close focus limit reduces, and the background background blurs are more spread out and softer.
When set to F the close focus limit increases, and the background blurs are smaller with a sharply defined edge (foreground is soft instead).
That explains the difference in apparent DOF.

When set to R beyond the aperture setting, a soft focus effect are obtained, which is what we see here ... lovely results

Roland, I noticed that you didn't list an alternate hood for the 135DC on your website?
I am not certain that the built in hood is sufficient, or am I wrong?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

However, I did shoot a little with Elsa's copy of the 135 DC. Nice lens and very smooth drawing of the background.

This is just a test shot from her garden. (With my Df)


Jakov: the built-in hood is on the short side, but on the other hand, unlikely to be forgotten. HN-20 or similar will fit nicely.

[Almass]

Too hot for me. Your bananas are safe ...

Nothing too hot for you.......

[Almass]

Nothing too hot for you.......

On the other hand, slightly less exciting than a Banana leaf with the 135D WO........

[Roland Vink]

Roland, I noticed that you didn't list an alternate hood for the 135DC on your website?
I am not certain that the built in hood is sufficient, or am I wrong?

I probably should list the HN-20 that Bjørn mentioned. This hood is for the AIS 85/1.4. The overall depth is greater than the built-in hood for all 135/2 versions, and it is more solid, but it also flares out much more so does not offer optimal shading. Among the Nikon hoods this is the only practical alternative - other Nikkors with 72mm filter size are long lenses with built-in hoods or wide-angle lenses where the hood is far too short. There may be other third party screw-in hoods which are suitable.

The built-in hood for the 135DC is better than nothing, but on the short side. The hood for the 105DC is similar but the front element is deeply recessed so overall that lens is better shaded than the 135DC. Both hoods screw firmly in place when extended, not like the wobbling slide-out affairs of the AIS versions. Note the threads are very finely pitched and prone to cross threading so take care not to jam it.

[Hugh_3170]

Don't overlook lens hoods from manufacturers other than Nikon. 

Also consider padding out the HN20 hood with a spacer.  If you have a few old 72mm filters with ruined glass, you can make your own spacers - just remove the glass from the filter and pad out the lens with the glassless filter ring(s) before adding the HN20 hood to get extra shading. 

In respect of hoods from the other manufacturers, see what is around in the 72mm screw sizes for both 135mm and 150mm focal length lenses if you want a better shading hood for the 135mm DC lens.  A hood for a 150mm lens can always be slightly reduced in length with a Dremel if vignetting is encountered.  In the case of Nikon hoods, they are pretty conservative, so quite often the hood for the next longest focal length usually will work OK on a lens with the next shortest focal length if not too many filters are between it and the lens.  A step up ring can also help use a hood from another lens if you are not stepping up too much.

I buy up lens hoods from various makers at photographic flea markets for this reason.  I am brand agnostic with respect to lens hoods - so long as I can screw or clamp them onto my lenses.

I probably should list the HN-20 that Bjørn mentioned. This hood is for the AIS 85/1.4. The overall depth is greater than the built-in hood for all 135/2 versions, and it is more solid, but it also flares out much more so does not offer optimal shading. Among the Nikon hoods this is the only practical alternative - other Nikkors with 72mm filter size are long lenses with built-in hoods or wide-angle lenses where the hood is far too short. There may be other third party screw-in hoods which are suitable.

The built-in hood for the 135DC is better than nothing, but on the short side. The hood for the 105DC is similar but the front element is deeply recessed so overall that lens is better shaded than the 135DC. Both hoods screw firmly in place when extended, not like the wobbling slide-out affairs of the AIS versions. Note the threads are very finely pitched and prone to cross threading so take care not to jam it.

[Akira]

The extension part of HN-12 (originally designed for the Nikon PL filter and the gel filter holder AF-1) has 72mm threads on both sides and could be used as the hood by stacking.  I'm not sure if the light baffle inside the extension would cause vignetting, though.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

These extension hoods vary slightly in their threads. I have units that will not fit together while other do just fine. Apparently it is the front threads that differ as they all fit the polariser or gel filter holder mounted in single.

[Jakov Minić]

Thank you all for your responses. I am a bit surprised that the built-in hood for the 135DC is less useful than a hood designed for an 85mm lens - HN-20?

[John Geerts]

I think the same applies for the built-in hood of the 105/1.8, it's rather short...

[Bjørn Rørslett]

That's why I attach a longer screw-in hood to my 105/1.8.  Currently using a third-party hood from my lens hood bin.

[John Geerts]

Thanks Bjørn, I use some alternatives, the stepped down to HN-7 or an extended version of the HN-24. Is there something like a maximum length?

[Erik Lund]

It is a design choice they have to make when they design a lens, you would have less focus ring if the hood was longer,,,

Anyway, the metal lens hoods from Heliopan ( -Not Heligon  ) are build very similar to a Nikon K5- ring; So a 52mm will have both male and female threads and can be staked if needed.

I propose to try a long Heliopan 72mm for you lens Jakov

[Erik Lund]

BTW, the 105mm 2 DC has a deeply recessed front element so the lens hood is more shady