Nikkor-O 35mm f/2

[John Geerts]

Great examples.

I am wondering if the multi-coated version does have an effect on the bokeh or not. The rendering looks the same.  Here two examples with the K-version Ai'd  (from 1975) and wide open.

[Roland Vink]

Great examples.

I am wondering if the multi-coated version does have an effect on the bokeh or not. The rendering looks the same.  Here two examples with the K-version Ai'd  (from 1975) and wide open.

Coatings will affect transmission, contrast, resistance to flare and colour rendition. Bokeh - the rendering of foreground and background out of focus objects - is determined by the optical corrections of the lens itself, and to a lesser extent the mechanical design, not the coatings:
- smoothness or hardness/outlining of OOF objects is mainly due to correction of spherical aberrations
- spherochromatism (colored bokeh) is due to colour correction
- shape of OOF highlights is due to mechanical vignetting and shape of aperture blades

[John Geerts]

Thanks for the clarification, Roland.  So the last four images are less typical for the Nikkor-O 35/2 which implies non-multi-coating.

[Erik Lund]

If they are shot with another lens that the O version they are different,,,

[richardHaw]

sorry for the very late reply. super busy at the studio now and organising the foundations of a new studio elsewhere in the world

yes, my pictures were taken with the moldy Nikkor-O 35mm f/2 with scheideritis. 

it does look lovely. it is not the sharpest lens but it is still very sharp wide open. one of the reasons why it looks so nice is the sharpness falloff is even unlike some other lenses that has an abrupt sharpness/out of focus falloff like a bell curve. no tests were done but at least this is how I notice it. this is something many modern lenses fail to do these days in the lust for sharpness and charts

[Bent Hjarbo]

Had to go out in the autumn sunset to test my copy of the NIKKOR-O 35mm f2.
My impression is that it is better for portrait work than landscape, at least for my short outing.
My ginkgo tree is changing to the yellow autumn colour and my neighbors was sitting enjoying the sight.

[richardHaw]

it's going to be another 3-4 wks before the leaves turn yellow here

interesting observation. I think that this lens performs exceptional in the near range. not sure about the other end.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Finally located my old copy of the Nikkor-O 35 mm f/2, having a golden shimmering front element without any multicoating. I do have newer versions with multicoating, but always felt they didn't stack up well with the old lens thus reserved them for IR false-colour use instead.

A few preliminary shots using the Df indicated my memories about this lens were pretty accurate. It is very sharp on the wider stops and its bokeh is butter smooth as far as wide angles go, making the transition from focused into out of focus areas of the frame exemplary smooth and effortless. In fact it shares in that respect much of the 'drawing' exhibited by the much younger AFS 35/1.4 G.

Image contrast is moderate and colours are accordingly a little on the muted side, which actually adds to the amiable qualities of this old lens.

Must have the lens AI-modified and CPU-enabled - a project for next time I meet Erik presumably. Thanks to Rick Haw for drawing my attention to this old timer, I had almost forgot all about it.

[Bent Hjarbo]

Yes a big thanks to Rick Haw also from me as the 35mm works as a 50mm replacement on my D500.
My 35AF suffers from oily aperture blades
The returnere to MF is nice for at change

[richardHaw]

Image contrast is moderate and colours are accordingly a little on the muted side, which actually adds to the amiable qualities of this old lens.

this feels like Kodachrome

[richardHaw]

there are times when f/2 is not enough

really liking this lens. very very handy!

it is a great balance between the f/1.4 and the f/2.8 versions in terms of size and use.

[ArendV]

I have the "C" version, here are 2 shots wide open.


Nikkor-Q.C. 35mm f/2 non-AI @f/2 by Arend, on Flickr


Nikkor-Q-C. 35mm f/2 Pre-AI @f/2 by Arend, on Flickr

[Bent Hjarbo]

Made some shots with the sun in the frame, that gives massive flare

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Flare resistance never was a strong point of the 35/2.

Yesterday I did an informal shoot-out between the 35/2 Nikkor-O and the 'K' 35/2.8 Nikkor. The latter has a remarkable even performance almost all across its aperture range and set wide open, results are very acceptable. The 35/2 is troubled with some corner fall-off wide open (f/2) and contrast is on the moderate side,  yet keeps high central sharpness. By stopping it down a little, illumination becomes much more even, contrast picks up, and the frame is sharp corner to corner. It seems wise to stop at f/5.6 with the fast f/2 lens unless you need some extra depth of field. The slower f/2.8 Nikkor delivers until f/11 or so.

[Steven Paulsen]

Ironically, my 35/f2 seems to be the same variant as my 50/1.4. It's a Non-Ai version with a rubber focus ring. I Ai'd it myself, also. It's all part of my "Original, Black Nikon F" bag, with a factory Ai'd 85/1.8 and an untouched, pristine 200/f4. (Whoops.... I forgot about the 24/2.8.)

These threads are persuading me to just let go. Use my D700 like my old FM, F & Nikkormats, & shoot like I did 20 years ago & not be so boxed in by the worry of sensor dirt & the meanderings of "handle with care," "digital worry nonsense."