Do you know the Nikkor Q 4/135 bellows lens ?

[F2F3F6]

Do you know the Nikkor Q 4/135 bellows lens ? A Tessar formula (4-3) macro (micro as Nikon says) lens...

Born in the fifties for the Nikon S rangefinder system (with mirror box and bellows mod I or II), it has been available until the 70's and its replacement by the famous 4/105 P bellows lens.
I'm about to buy one with the Nikon bellows mod 2 and the N-F adapter for 170€, like new inhis box says the seller...

Opinions on this lens ? (I only read Bjørn Rørslett's opinion and coinimaging.com : both seem to think the 135 is a nice and pretty good lens). Some users here ? Thank you for your advices !

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I have the  "short" rangefinder version (S mount) and the long-sleeved F mount model that followed it. The "S" model attaches to a bellows or focusing helicoid through a suitable S->F adapter, of which there are several besides the more elusive N-F tube sold by Nikon in the '60s.

As far as I can make out, the optics and coatings of these two are indistinguishable. Thus only convenience dictates which one to get. However, being a rangefinder item made in small numbers, the S mount probably fetches more money.

Both are nice lens heads and have that delicate soft "rounded" rendition typical of optics of their era. The aperture is almost circular all the time thus the out-of-focus parts of the frame are pleasantly rendered.

They both focus to infinity without problems on a modern camera.

[Frank Fremerey]

They have no helicoid. You focus using the bellows to focus like you do with any other mono rail.

[F2F3F6]

The sample I 'm ready to buy is the first S-mount (short) version, with its N-F adapter, so it's a rather "rare" item.
2600 short units build and only 600 "long" F-units according to "photosynthesis".

Thank you, Bjørn and Frank for the reply...I know what a bellows lens is. My first "macro" (in 1980) was a SMC Pentax 4/100 in K-mount with auto-bellows on my MX, I was just 16 old and happy to try macro...I recently bought this old 4/100 SMC -K lens and a Nikon to K adapter to use it on my PB4...but I also use an old and very good S-Planar 4/74 or a new 4/105 Apo-Rodagon (no, I didn't find an Apo-EL Nikkor, alas !)

I'd like to see some images taken with the 4/135 too ! I'll show you mine when I get the lens...

[bobfriedman]

below is an example from mine.

Nikon D2x ,Nikon Bellows-Nikkor-Q 13.5cm f/4.0
1/250s f/16 at 135.0mm iso100


Nikon D3 ,Nikon Bellows-Nikkor-Q 13.5cm f/4.0
1/2s f/11 at 135.0mm iso200

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Not too many examples I'm afraid as most were obtained before digital archiving.

Here is one, showing the smooth aperture behaviour.

[Roland Vink]

Lovely image Bjørn !

Not much to add, except there were at least 785 of the long F-mount version, not 600 as stated above. The focal length allows a generous working distance, but it requires a lot of extension if you want high magnifications. I think that is why this lens was replaced by the Nikkor-P 105/4 bellows lens - it still has plenty of working distance but requires less extension. The 105/4 is also a Tessar, except the front element is now a doublet like the rear, so one extra element, so should be better corrected.

[F2F3F6]

Thanks for the nice pictures Bob and Bjørn !
Very good sharpness indeed and nice OOFocus rendering, Bob ! And a very intriguing blue picture from Bjørn ; is it a multi-exposure or a multiple reflection (or do you want to keep your secret ?)...

890001 or 890002 - 890785 make indeed 784 or 785 lenses of the "long F-type 4/135mm bellows Q Nikkor" Roland, You're right and I made a mistake, sorry !

Thank's all !

[Roland Vink]

Didier, I guess you are referring to the figures on the lens serial number page: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#105Micro

Note that serial numbers quoted are only those which have been seen so far. In some cases there are gaps between minor sub-versions, as I come across more lenses the gaps are likely to close. In some cases there are overlaps between versions, this is common with early lenses since newer and older parts were sometimes assembled into the same lens. In the case of the 135/4 bellows lens, I expect the serial numbers to be continuous from the start 578001 to the highest seen so far 580610. Perhaps a few numbers were put aside for spare parts, and it is possible that higher lenses exist, but this is the best information I have so far.

[F2F3F6]

Yes Roland and my first posted message was the wrong one ! Now posted with the right serial niumbers of the "long tube 4/135"...

[bobfriedman]

Very good sharpness indeed and nice OOFocus rendering

i have a set at all aperture values for that stargazer lily..

http://www.pbase.com/bobfriedman/bellowsnikkor_135

this directory http://www.pbase.com/bobfriedman/stargazer_lily  contains comparisons of other lenses

[Bill De Jager]

Agapanthus 1 by Bill de Jager, on Flickr

Agapanthus 2 by Bill de Jager, on Flickr

Lens is the F-mount version.  Both photos taken with a Sony A6000, Metabones Speed Booster, and PB-4 bellows, handheld.

[Frank Fremerey]

Bob Friedman. You impresse me over and over again. Phantastic camera work. Kudos!

Bjørn: very poetic abstract!

[F2F3F6]

Hi everybody,

Roland, you said : "The 105/4 is also a Tessar, except the front element is now a doublet like the rear, so one extra element, so should be better corrected."

I thought a Tessar is always a 4-3 triplet derivated lens ? I'd say the Nikkor 4/105 P is like a Heliar (or a dallmeyer Pentac) with it's 5 elements in 3 groups (front and rear doublets and one single lens in the middle...

but that's also a Tessar or triplet derivated design...just calling a 5-3 lens a Tessar hurts me !