Old School Nikon Primes

[David H. Hartman]

John,

In case it hasn't been mentioned yet Nikkor, The Thousand and One Nights has some very interesting reading concerning the development and philosophy behind many Nikkor lenses old and new.

Best,

Dave

[John Koerner]

John,
In case it hasn't been mentioned yet Nikkor, The Thousand and One Nights has some very interesting reading concerning the development and philosophy behind many Nikkor lenses old and new.
Best,
Dave

Dave, thanks for the tip.

Bookmarked, and will read to learn more.

I have my eye set on the 15 f/3.5 as my next purchase, and after that a 600mm f/5.6 ED-IF.

Jack

[John Koerner]

I am digging these old school Nikon lenses for nature photography.

I can take the 50mm  f/1.2 Ai-S and take a "normal" bokeh shot of a flower:



Then slap a reverse-ring on the filter mount, flip the lens over, and take a super-close 1:1 shot of that same flower:



Same flower, both hand-held, both natural light.

The ability to do this is even more dramatic with the 28mm f/2.8 Ai-S ... doubling the width perspective as a wide-angle ... then being able to go 2:1 lifesize as a macro. (Tripod is needed this close.)

The flexibility, small-size, and high-quality of these all-manual lenses is pretty nice

[Tristin]

The 50mm f/1.2 is a fantastic lens.  If you are reversing it for macro, you should look into gettig a BR3, quite handy for protecting the rear element and acts as a short hood as well.

[John Koerner]

The 50mm f/1.2 is a fantastic lens.  If you are reversing it for macro, you should look into gettig a BR3, quite handy for protecting the rear element and acts as a short hood as well.

Thank you for the advice ... heeded and product ordered 

[Frank Fremerey]

Very interesting topic. Makes me want to buy new equipment which is bad ***ggg***..

Thank you Brian for your follow up on the Canon 7!

[Bjørn Rørslett]

BR-2/2A, BR-3, K-ring set (K1 through K5), are mandatory for the experimentally inclined photographer ....

Plus of course male-male coupler rings to 'transgender' the lens and a filter wrench and some rubber gloves or similar to remove stuck items.

[John Koerner]

Very interesting topic. Makes me want to buy new equipment which is bad ***ggg***..

Thank you Brian for your follow up on the Canon 7!

 

[John Koerner]

BR-2/2A, BR-3, K-ring set (K1 through K5), are mandatory for the experimentally inclined photographer ....

Plus of course male-male coupler rings to 'transgender' the lens and a filter wrench and some rubber gloves or similar to remove stuck items.

Thanks for the tips!

[John Koerner]

Here is an example of the great range in what can be done with one 28mm f/2.8 Ai-S on a hike:

I can use the "infinity" end of the wide-angle lens and document the entire area where I hiked:



I can use the mid-range end of the lens and document the plant/flower upon which I found a spider:



And I can flip the lens around, with a simple $35 adapter, and take this 2:1 macro shot of the spider that was on the flower:



This is closer than any 1:1 macro lens can get (it's 2:1), it's wider than any 1:1 macro lens can get, and it goes for about half the price of any decent macro lens.

(FYI, you can fit 4 of these little spiders on your pinky fingernail )

All from a 9oz, $539 lens 

Jack

PS: Here is the Encounter

[Akira]

This is a great shot of a peculiar and beautiful spider!

[John Koerner]

This is a great shot of a peculiar and beautiful spider!

Thank you

[KarlMera]

Then slap a reverse-ring on the filter mount, flip the lens over, and take a super-close 1:1 shot of that same flower:

Is it reversed a 1,2-lens?

[John Geerts]

Very nice detail of the Spider John. And a good description of that versatile 28mm/2.8 Ai-S   

[John Koerner]

Is it reversed a 1,2-lens?

It's this lens, reversed onto my camera by way of this ring.

According to the specs it achieves 2.1x lifesize magnification.