I've fallen for manual focus lenses and I blame all of you!

[Bruno Schroder]

Anyone: how is the flare and ghost with the 24/2.0 AI or AIS?

Hi Dave,

see below a quick test with the midnight sun in the frame with 4 versions: early 24/2.8 C N-C at f2.8, 24/2.8 AI-S early version with no SIC coating at F2.8, early AF24/2.8 at F2.8 and finally late 24/2.0 AI at F2.0 and F2.8.

Hope it helps.

[gryphon1911]

My local shop had a decently priced 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS, so I snagged that a few days ago.  Have not had a chance to properly run it through the mill yet, but initial tests say it is a winner.  I have a little bit more money in the discretionary fund (~$300)...so I'm going to rummage through their stores and see what else I can snag.

They did have a 300/4.5 and a 200/4....so research will be needed there.  I just wish they had a Voigtlander Ultron 40/2....I so want to try one of those for myself! 

[Airy]

I warmly recommend the Voigt 40/2; make sure it comes with the close-up lens. A remarkable allrounder, excellently built. Only precaution is when using it at f/2 for night shots (strange atoll-like rendition of point lights and halos, probably linked to the aspherical lens).

[gryphon1911]

I warmly recommend the Voigt 40/2; make sure it comes with the close-up lens. A remarkable allrounder, excellently built. Only precaution is when using it at f/2 for night shots (strange atoll-like rendition of point lights and halos, probably linked to the aspherical lens).

Thanks for the tip.

[David H. Hartman]

Hi Dave,

see below a quick test with the midnight sun in the frame with 4 versions: early 24/2.8 C N-C at f2.8, 24/2.8 AI-S early version with no SIC coating at F2.8, early AF24/2.8 at F2.8 and finally late 24/2.0 AI at F2.0 and F2.8.

Hope it helps.

Thank You! Somehow I missed this until yesterday while surfing on my phone.

Dave Hartman

[gryphon1911]

Today, I was able to get the following for basically dirt cheap:

Nikon 200/4 Q
Nikon 300/4.5 (not sure which it is, but it does not have the AI notch in the aperture ring)
Nikon 135/3.5

I'll post images of all of them soon.

[gryphon1911]

Also wanted to ask....am I the only one that brings lens cleaning stuff to the store to make sure that the lens elements are clean?  I figure that I out to be able to if I'm purchasing.   Got some puzzled looks today, but I figure its my money.  I did ask the manager first, but some of the other employees gave me a double take. 

I will admit that I have a limited knowledge of the bulk of these manual focus Nikon lenses, but I do feel confident that I can spot oily aperture blades, sticky focus or aperture rings and basic fit/finish that might affect the performance of the lenses.

[David H. Hartman]

Also wanted to ask....am I the only one that brings lens cleaning stuff to the store to make sure that the lens elements are clean?

In days of old I used the store's lens cleaning supplies so yes I wanted to make sure the lens elements were in good shape on the front and especially the rear. Cleaning the outside also helps one assess if the lens is fogged inside. I've seldom seen fungus here in So. California maybe never. I've seen it in a donated Leica G system or similar coming from the South. I used to clean up and sell things donated to a charity I worked for as a vendor. I'd send them surprises from time to time with the money like a 35/2.0 AI Nikkor. That 35/2.0 AI got a lot of service.

I don't understand why you would get puzzled looks. It's always good practice to clean a lens if needed when looking at used gear.

Dave

[Airy]

Also wanted to ask....am I the only one that brings lens cleaning stuff to the store to make sure that the lens elements are clean?  I figure that I out to be able to if I'm purchasing.   Got some puzzled looks today, but I figure its my money.  I did ask the manager first, but some of the other employees gave me a double take. 

I will admit that I have a limited knowledge of the bulk of these manual focus Nikon lenses, but I do feel confident that I can spot oily aperture blades, sticky focus or aperture rings and basic fit/finish that might affect the performance of the lenses.

I'd rather ask them for cleaning, and would be negatively impressed if lenses were dirty when taken off the shelf. Some dust is ok, but no more.

Also check :
- infinite focus : is it possible to focus to infinite, and does the helicoid go beyond infinite - easy adjustment, but not free, so trouble here means lesser value.
- correct working of diaph (oily blades is one possible problem among others) - shoot a series or two through the whole aperture range.
- centering : shoot flat subject and spot lack of symmetry in sharpness (four corners, or left vs. right and top vs. bottom, at full or wide apertures).

The last two defects are not fixed easily (if at all possible, in the case of lenses) ; I won't buy under such conditions.

[David H. Hartman]

- centering : shoot flat subject and spot lack of symmetry in sharpness (four corners, or left vs. right and top vs. bottom, at full or wide apertures).

I shoot soda cans in the center, then top center than all the way around to top center. I have an AF 35-70/2.8D Nikkor that shows smearing of the bright aluminum over the darker hole you drink from through the center horizontally and across the top but not across the bottom. This malady is almost going at f/5.6 and gone to my eye at f/6.3. This pretty much defeats the purpose of an f/2.8 lens. I haven't done anything with it yet. I don't know how this happened though I may have dropped the lens in a case that protected it from any sign of impact. I also wonder if something came loose inside.

I replaced the 35-70/2.8 with an AF 28-70/3.5-4.5D (aspheric). I bought three and returned one for centering or other alignment problems. The 28-70/3.5-4.5 I returned didn't show signs of abuse. The price I paid was about twice what a high quality filter for the lens would cost. I use an HN-3 hood for protection.

Anyway centering is something to rule out during the common 14 day return window.

Dave Hartman who is probably as eccentric as his lens.

[gryphon1911]

I don't understand why you would get puzzled looks. It's always good practice to clean a lens if needed when looking at used gear.

Dave

A lot of the employees there are of the younger sort and I don't think they get a lot of people coming in to get the manual focus Nikkors anymore...then you've got me over there looking like I just walked out of the West Virginia Appalachia and cleaning lens elements....they probably think I'm a bit of a kook....especially over a less than $50 lens.

[gryphon1911]

I'd rather ask them for cleaning, and would be negatively impressed if lenses were dirty when taken off the shelf. Some dust is ok, but no more.

Also check :
- infinite focus : is it possible to focus to infinite, and does the helicoid go beyond infinite - easy adjustment, but not free, so trouble here means lesser value.
- correct working of diaph (oily blades is one possible problem among others) - shoot a series or two through the whole aperture range.
- centering : shoot flat subject and spot lack of symmetry in sharpness (four corners, or left vs. right and top vs. bottom, at full or wide apertures).

The last two defects are not fixed easily (if at all possible, in the case of lenses) ; I won't buy under such conditions.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I do bring my Nikon Df and my Oly PEN-F with me and use them on both.   I do not do a full function check through the aperture range, but I do some.  I check infinity focus and do shoot some flat objects within the store.

A bunch of these lenses are stored in a display, but most are devoid of front/rear caps.  There is a some dust, but there is also quite a few with fingerprints on them, so as I go through the inspection process I also use the fact that I needed to clean the lenses and their condition as a haggling point.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not - but I've built a relationship with them at the store that matter....so they tend to leave me alone and let me go through my thing.   

Now, when I walk in, they just ask if I wan to see what they have in the manual focus case....unlock it and walk away. 

I honestly, do not care what people think of me.   their thoughts are still theirs to have as freely as I breathe air. 

[pluton]

It is particularly important to clean the glass if it has fingerprints on it.  If oily fingerprints are left for an extended period of time** on typical optical glass, the marks can become permanently etched into the glass and will add flare and lower contrast.  I have seen a 1960's Nikkor 50/1.4 damaged this way.
** = a year or so.

[gryphon1911]

So I was finally able to get pout today and use the Nikon 200mm f/4 QC.  My usual go to location for lens testing was not as "hopping" as I had wished.  So these are not great...but test shots really.

Fotodiox adapter on Olympus PEN-F, all shot wide open at f/4.  On m43, the field of view is 400mm. 

EXIF, is 1/160, f/4, ISO 200 for the 2 individual shots, the one shot with the girl in yellow has shutter speed of 1/400.

[F2F3F6]

I'm glad ! This week I was able to find four Nikkors from the seventies : all of them in very good condition (lenses and lens bodies) for 219€ all together !

- S Auto 2,8/35 Ai'd 3rd type (50€)
- H-C Auto 2,0/50 Ai'd 4th model (40€)
- P Auto 2,5/105 ( 4th version, black barrel, Xenotar, not Sonnar) Ai'd (50€)
- Q-C Auto 4,0/200 (4th version, 79€, a bit too much, cause non Ai'd but very nice)

With my old 1,4/50 S Auto, my 2,0/35 O-C Ai'd and my two old 3,5/55 auto (compensating) and 3,5/55 P (Ai'd), my F and F2 are happy to use them...and my D700 and D300 also ! Not to forget the wonderful 5,6/400 P-C Ai'd found last spring and the Q 4,0/135 Bellows lens with BR1.

So i have actually 10 old Nikkors, dating from 69 to 75 (but also 7 Ais, 2 Voigt Ai-P, 3 AFD and 3 AFS). The good old 70's are for me the best finished...and perhaps the best looking !