My main gripe with the 45/2.8 P is and always was its tiny size. What help is there in an otherwise excellent lens if you cannot operate it properly? Try putting on winter gloves ...
In fact, I often find myself using the forerunner to the 45P, namely, the 45/2.8 GN-Nikkor. It needs some internal modification to unlock focusing and aperture setting, and will benefit from having a CPU implant. It does offer a wider focusing collar and better ergonomics than the new model. The drawbacks is a stiffer focusing feel, not always a disadvantage, and focusing going in the opposite direction of other Nikkors. The latter is due to the flash adjustment feature for which this lens was conceived. The GN has more modest near limit, 0.8 vs 0.45m for the P, and less efficient coatings.
