nikkor 25-50 4.0 any good?

[Tri-x]

While collecting information about lenses my eye fell on some articles about the 25-50mm zoom lens.
In the first place I was looking for a prime 24mm 2.8 lens.
Just wonder how well this zoom lens is compared to a prime like the 24 mm 2.8
I searched in the forum but did not find lot info.
Might have overlooked it though.
Anyone experience on this lens?

[Harald]

Hi,

stopped down a Little bit Sharp at all focal lengths with Low distortion. Nice color Rendering. Love it.

Harald

[Bjørn Rørslett]

It is one of those hidden gems amongst the vintage Nikkors. The drawing has that special "rounded" and mellow character so many modern lenses lack. Colours are rendered realistic rather than vivid, high contrasts is handled gracefully and the propensity to flare is pretty low as far as zoom lenses go (assuming the front element is immaculately free of dust and grime, of course).

Its immediate impression of sharpness might not be up amongst the very best of Nikkors but it is presented across the entire frame and also still present when the lens is stopped well down. I used it a lot for landscapes.

The near limit, as usual for zoom designs of this vintage, is not very spectacular. The lens takes 72 mm filters thus its front flares out and the overall length is quite long - it is not a compactly built lens. The separate rings for zooming and focusing were unusual at its time but now are commonplace; they do ensure good handling though.

[Thomas G]

One might add that the focus throw is quite short and smooth-running. It gets handy though once one gets used to turn it with small moves and some precision.

[David H. Hartman]

My 24/2.8 AI has been long neglected. It's small and light but it flares freely when point at the sun and vignette was a problem with slides.

The only bad habit I can think of for the 25-50/4.0 is the focus throw is short.

I find it compliments my D800 fine. It's best at f/5.6-f/8.0 and fine at f/4.0~f/11. I rarely shoot at f/16 so I can't say.

This seems to be the only shot I've got on Flickr from the lens...


Click me!

Dave

[pluton]

I like the 25-50/4.  Mine is super sharp from wide open at 25mm, a small touch less sharp at 50mm.
In the D3 and D800 finder, the aperture of f/4 (and the consequent large depth of field) leads to a lot of racking the focus back and forth to feel confident you've got it in focus.  A typical f/2.8 lens is easier to eye focus with the D3/D800 cameras.
A Canon 500D 77mm supplementary achromatic diopter can be adapted to the 72mm front of the 25-50 and gives a nice boost to the close focus ability, with a few millimeters of corner vignetting at 25mm.

[longzoom]

One of the best AIS incarnation of this old Nikon's school beauty. A bit better color then older AI, improved mechanics. At the very front of the lens there is very important outer screw - check it and made it tight, time-to-time, to avoid having 2 halves. The lens is at its max already at 5.6, closing more isn't add any to resolving power. Very tough one to focusing, but could be used simply by turning meters scale to desire distance, especially inside. As for me, it is still great, this old monster!  LZ

[Thomas G]

brick wall and mortar Df, 25-50 (exif manually set to 43mm), no lens correction

[Arninetyes]

When I got my 25-50, it was immaculate on the outside. Not a scratch or dent, nothing. But images were so soft they were fuzzy. The inside was filled with dust, maybe some fungus. Not sure. I sent it off to have it cleaned. When it came back, it was as pretty on the inside as it was on the outside, but the lens was not reassembled properly. It all works and feels fantastic, except the aperture ring is not properly indexed. In order to get properly exposed pictures out of it, I have to put the compensation at +2.  It works, but it's annoying, and I need to find someone to index it right.

What I like best about it, is I can't find any color fringing, which gives images a clean look. I also appreciate its relatively low distortion. It seems to have less distortion than most modern primes.

[richardHaw]

yes! but can be expensive

[Fons Baerken]

Very nice lens for slow photographers with Df cameras

[Fons Baerken]

It works on d800 as well maybe not that sharp in the distance.

[John Geerts]

In the D3 and D800 finder, the aperture of f/4 (and the consequent large depth of field) leads to a lot of racking the focus back and forth to feel confident you've got it in focus. 

That sounds similar to the focus behaviour of the 35-70/3.5  Ai  ?

[longzoom]

When I got my 25-50, it was immaculate on the outside. Not a scratch or dent, nothing. But images were so soft they were fuzzy. The inside was filled with dust, maybe some fungus. Not sure. I sent it off to have it cleaned. When it came back, it was as pretty on the inside as it was on the outside, but the lens was not reassembled properly. It all works and feels fantastic, except the aperture ring is not properly indexed. In order to get properly exposed pictures out of it, I have to put the compensation at +2.  It works, but it's annoying, and I need to find someone to index it right.

What I like best about it, is I can't find any color fringing, which gives images a clean look. I also appreciate its relatively low distortion. It seems to have less distortion than most modern primes.

    This lens is clearly mechanical one, there is no any electronically  linkage to the camera. So, after any reassembling, it can't be put back in the wrong way. Some of the last Nikon cameras are designed to be electronically connected ONLY, so, please check, if your camera has the mechanical linkage to this lens (special pin on the camera, which connected with lens's aperture ring. By turning the aperture ring, you are setting the compensation automatically). If not,  you have to set the compensation manually, as you have already done. Good luck!   LZ

[JJChan]

I first bought one in film days but had issues with focus on very dark FE2 screen.
I revisited it after reading the Bear's blog. I like it on digital. It renders crisply and has very little chromatic aberration. Mine is Ai.

LZ -which cameras have mechanical linkage to lenses? Perhaps that is why my Df always needs +1 to 2EV but D800E does not on ANY manual lens?