Old School Nikon Primes

[Jan Anne]

Don't wanna be rude but wonder why a recent Nikon convert is trying to tell us something we already know??

Most of us here at NG own at least one of the mentioned lenses, its like telling a car owner his car has 4 wheels and a steering wheel

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Not all wheels are created equal

[John Koerner]

Don't wanna be rude but wonder why a recent Nikon convert is trying to tell us something we already know??

I am not "telling" anyone anything, just find it interesting so many don't seem to mention the simple manual lenses.

Most of us here at NG own at least one of the mentioned lenses, its like telling a car owner his car has 4 wheels and a steering wheel

At the risk of being rude back, that is possibly one of the lamest analogies I've ever read, quite frankly.

[Tristin]

So . . . them lenses . . . 

[John Koerner]

Not all wheels are created equal

Exactly.

I did not see any simple, all-manual Canon equivalents is all.

I also like macro, and the manual aperture of the Nikon manuals is a bonus IMO ...

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I am not "telling" anyone anything, just find it interesting so many don't seem to mention the simple manual lenses.

Peruse NG forums and you hardly see anything else discussed....

[John Koerner]

John, manual Nikkors are indeed great!

I am discovering this, thank you

On the 50mm/1.2, shooting wide open may initially not seem that great with all the spherical aberration but it delivers magical portraits.  Well worth the practice to nail the focus.  If I had to live with only one lens, this would be it!

I can see that.

Great as-is, then flip it over, and it's a 1:1 macro lens

As Bjørn R. pointed out, the 105mm is simply fantastic.  Most people favor the f/2.5 Ai version with it's rounded blades.  The earlier Sonnar is preferred by some for smoother transitions at the cost of less pop.  The 105mm f/1.8 Ai-s is top notch if you are interested in a more corrected lens (virtually no field curvature/CA), though many swear by the f/2.5's character.  All of the 105mm's are cheap enough to buy a couple, test them, and sell off the one you like least.

I appreciate the info, but 105 is not a focal length that interests me as much ... though 200 and more becomes increasingly so.

Jack

[John Koerner]

... and the 35mm/1,4. The latter has plenty of character but once you get to know it you will fall in love.

I like this quote

[null]

How could I forget to mention the 105/2.5....

nikkor_105_1 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

I tend to use the Leica mount version more than the F-Mount version...

My definition of "Old School" tends to be anything pre-1960. The Nikkor-P 10.5cm F2.5 (Sonnar original) version was designed to be under-corrected for spherical aberration, ie smooth Bokeh. The rangefinder version has a rounded aperture using 10 blades, the F-Mount version has less blades. The optical formula changed in the early 70s.

The F-Mount Ai version is back row, to the right. These can be bought for under $150.

The 200mm F4 Ai and Ais lenses are compact, and can be found for $100 or so. Some threads just started on them. Some samples here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90768661@N02/albums/72157651857276326

200/4 on the Df, at F5.6.

DSC_6462 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

100% crop,

DSC_6462-Edit by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

[Jan Anne]

I did not see any simple, all-manual Canon equivalents is all.

Thats because Canon dropped the FD mount for the EF mount in 1987 rendering all the manual focus FD lenses useless, until the mirrorless cameras appeared that is

[null]

Canon made an FD mount 50mm F1.2 "L" aspheric lens very similar to the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Near-Mint-Canon-New-FD-NFD-50mm-F-1-2-1-1-2-L-From-Japan-142-/222062625808?hash=item33b3f6c410:g:ER8AAOSwPc9Wzcev

The Noct-Nikkor could be bought for $800 used when still in production, prices have soared after it was discontinued. The Canon lens is cheap as the FD mount was discontinued.

The Noct-Nikkor was designed to eliminate Coma, and was optimized to provide maximum contrast at 10lp/mm, as per the 1976 announcement of it. I have that article somewhere in a stack of magazines.

I should buy the Canon and convert it to Leica mount. RF Cam made from a cut up tripod leg.

Canon 50/1.4, now RF Coupled by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

You can buy Aspheric manual focus primes in Leica mount made by Cosina, the 35/1.2 Nokton was ~$800, same as the Noct-Nikkor in the early 90s.

[David H. Hartman]

I prefer a mix of old and new. I all but stopped trading in used equipment in about 1982 due to really stupid trade of a Pentax 6x7 system with two bodies and four lines. I own most of the Nikkors I've bought since 1978.

A few lenses I'll suggest are as follow...

16/2.8 Ais for very low flare and freedom from ghost.
20/3.5 AI or Ais same as above.
28/2.0 AI or Ais same as above.
50/1.8 Ai
55/2.8 Ais
105/2.5 AI or Ais
105/2.8 Ais Micro
135/2.8 AI or Ais
135/3.5 AI or Ais

I could go blind typing on this cell phone but this time is a good start.

Bjørn Rørslett's old site was my gold standard for years. If a lens got a good review there I would almost always like it.

Welcome!

Dave

[Hugh_3170]

Brian, you see the 50mm f/1.2 Canon FD lens being closer to the Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 lens than the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AiS?  Have I got that right?

Canon FD lenses are still sufficiently affordable at this point of time that one could purchase a new Sony A7 body and a 50mm f/1.2 lens & an FD adapter and still be financially ahead of a good 58mm Noct-Nikkor on its own.  Tantalising.

Canon made an FD mount 50mm F1.2 "L" aspheric lens very similar to the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Near-Mint-Canon-New-FD-NFD-50mm-F-1-2-1-1-2-L-From-Japan-142-/222062625808?hash=item33b3f6c410:g:ER8AAOSwPc9Wzcev

The Noct-Nikkor could be bought for $800 used when still in production, prices have soared after it was discontinued. The Canon lens is cheap as the FD mount was discontinued.

The Noct-Nikkor was designed to eliminate Coma, and was optimized to provide maximum contrast at 10lp/mm, as per the 1976 announcement of it. I have that article somewhere in a stack of magazines.

I should buy the Canon and convert it to Leica mount. RF Cam made from a cut up tripod leg.

Canon 50/1.4, now RF Coupled by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

You can buy Aspheric manual focus primes in Leica mount made by Cosina, the 35/1.2 Nokton was ~$800, same as the Noct-Nikkor in the early 90s.

[null]

Canon made the 50/1.2 and the 50/1.2 L (asph), analogous to the Nikkor 50/1.2 and Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2. The high-end lenses used aspheric optics.

With the Canon - the Red L and Red ring as shown in the link are the identifiers to look for.

[John Koerner]

Peruse NG forums and you hardly see anything else discussed....

And I can see why ... they're "pure," sweet, unencumbered by electronic gadgetry.