Ultra-Fast Glass for Nikon F-Mount

[Michael Erlewine]

I have been experimenting with ultra-fast glass that can be mounted on a Nikon or Bellow for some years. Some examples are the Nikkor “O” CRT 55mm f/1.2 lens, The Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2, the Repro Nikkor 85mm f/1.0, and so on.

My question is what other ultra-fast lenses do we know about that can be mounted on a Nikon F-Mount”

Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[Roland Vink]

The only other regular F-mount lenses are the older 55/1.2 (pre-AI to AI) and 50/1.2 (AI and AIS). I doubt if these lenses will deliver what you are looking for as they have loads of aberrations (which are not necessarily bad, they can enhance an image but you tend to prefer "cleaner" more highly corrected optics).

There are other special lenses such as those you mentioned. If you include f/1.4 in ultra-fast glass, the scope widens considerably.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The faster the lens, the more difficult will dealing with spherical aberrations be. In practice, decent rendering from superfast lens nearly always imply a small (or very small) format being used.

Another issue, often overlooked, is that one has to conciser the pupil ratio as well. Very fast lenses tend to be limited to  very narrow designated conjugate distances in order for them to be "fast" in practice too. For example, the f/0.75 Heligons will only be about f/2.2 on a DSLR.

[Michael Erlewine]

In these lenses, I am not looking for an Otus-style lens, but more life the Nikkor "O" (CRT) type lens, which has all kinds of distortion. Yet, I am not looking for those lenses that produce bubble-bokeh either.

If you think of others, not necessarily Nikon, but lenses that can be converted to Nikon mount, I would appreciate it.

Thanks for the notes.

[Birna Rørslett]

The "distortions" you attribute to the CRT 55 are mainly the result of the severe conjugate distance mismatch.  Plus it is used as a "white light" lens, whilst it really was designed for narrow-band phosphors.

You do really need to look into lenses with a native "F" mount and designed to work with 46.5 mm register distance.

[Michael Erlewine]

The "distortions" you attribute to the CRT 55 are mainly the result of the severe conjugate distance mismatch.  Plus it is used as a "white light" lens, whilst it really was designed for narrow-band phosphors.

You do really need to look into lenses with a native "F" mount and designed to work with 46.5 mm register distance.

I hear you and understand your comment. However you want to describe it (I don't know the terms), I like the effects of the Nkkor "O" CRT lens a lot, mismatch or whatever. Have you ever seen the 58mm version of the Nikkor "O" and how does that compare to the 55mm more common version?

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Well, a few others come to mind, the famous Zeiss Jena R-Biotar f0.85/55mm for instance, however its rather short back focal length makes it rather difficult to use on a Nikon, except for macro use. It is not color corrected either.


Then there would be the Canon XI 1.3/75mm with built in aperture, also not color corrected but with useful back focal length


There was also a very similar lens to the CRT Nikkor O 1.2/55mm, made as a 1:1 replacement if I remember correctly, I need to dig through my files and collection to find it, which was said to be even sharper wide open.

[Michael Erlewine]

Well, a few others come to mind, the famous Zeiss Jena R-Biotar f0.85/55mm for instance, however its rather short back focal length makes it rather difficult to use on a Nikon, except for macro use. It is not color corrected either.

Then there would be the Canon XI 1.3/75mm with built in aperture, also not color corrected but with useful back focal length

There was also a very similar lens to the CRT Nikkor O 1.2/55mm, made as a 1:1 replacement if I remember correctly, I need to dig through my files and collection to find it, which was said to be even sharper wide open.

Thanks Klaus. I have long wanted to look into the Zeiss Jena, but there are so many variants on Ebay that I was never sure which is the one to get. I don't see any of those online to buy. Can you give me any more info on how to look for one.


Also, very interested if you find the one similar to the CRT Nikkor.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Thanks Klaus. I have long wanted to look into the Zeiss Jena, but there are so many variants on Ebay that I was never sure which is the one to get. I don't see any of those online to buy. Can you give me any more info on how to look for one.


Also, very interested if you find the one similar to the CRT Nikkor.

Michael, the R-Biotar 0.85/55mm is an extremely rare and rather expensive lens. I found mine many years years ago at a lens auction house. Few were ever made. You won't be able to find such a lens online anywhere I'm keen enough to predict. I'm not talking about the many cheap and easy to find Xray lenses which also currently flood ebay, stay away from those, I have paid my dues and have a few sitting around unused.

For this other CRT Nikkor look alike f1.2 lens, I will look for it after my return, as I fly away in just a few hours. I know I have it here in my collection somewhere.

[Michael Erlewine]

Michael, the R-Biotar 0.85/55mm is an extremely rare and rather expensive lens. I found mine many years years ago at a lens auction house. Few were ever made. You won't be able to find such a lens online anywhere I'm keen enough to predict. I'm not talking about the many cheap and easy to find Xray lenses which also currently flood ebay, stay away from those, I have paid my dues and have a few sitting around unused.

For this other CRT Nikkor look alike f1.2 lens, I will look for it after my return, as I fly away in just a few hours. I know I have it here in my collection somewhere.

Thanks Klaus. I am interested in the 58mm, I believe.

[Michael Erlewine]

A question on the Nikkor O, often called the "CRT Nikkor." My understanding is there are two versions, with the same optics. The second version has some RED engraving, the words “M=1/5.”  My understanding is that this second version, while having the same optics, has better coatings than the first, giving it more contrast. Is this true?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

More or less. Still, it is not designed for use with "white" light unlike ordinary photographic lenses and that certainly shows in terms of increased colour artefacts.

The engraving simply means it is optimised for 1:5 magnification. If memory serves, it is computed for the range 1:4.4-1:5.5 or so.

[Michael Erlewine]

More or less. Still, it is not designed for use with "white" light unlike ordinary photographic lenses and that certainly shows in terms of increased colour artefacts.

The engraving simply means it is optimised for 1:5 magnification. If memory serves, it is computed for the range 1:4.4-1:5.5 or so.

By more or less, I take it you are confirming that the second version of the Nikkor O has better coatings, meaning perhaps better contrast?

[Roland Vink]

There are two versions:
- the first marked "Nippon Kogaku Japan", serial no 72xxxx
- second marked "Nikon" and "M=1/5", serial no 82xxxx

The designation on most F-mount Nikkors changed from "NKJ" to "Nikon" somewhere around 1971 with no other obvious changes to the lens or coating. It was probably just a change to modernise the appearance and branding. Based on that I would expect the 55/1.2 CRT lens to be the same. Apart from the Nikkor-N 35/1.4 and 28/2 all Nikon lenses were single coated at that time, multicoating was added to most other models a year or two later.

However, take a look at the pictures here: http://redbook-jp.com/redbook-e/record2/crt.html. The older lens seems to have purple coatings, while the newer one is amber, so it does appear there was some change to the coatings. However the amber coating of the newer version looks identical to the single coating applied to many Nikkors in the 1960s and early 70s, such as the Nikkor-S 50/1.4. So even if the coatings are different, I wouldn't have much hope they are dramatically improved - it would need to be multi-coated or nano-coated for that.

[KarlMera]

There are two versions:
- the first marked "Nippon Kogaku Japan", serial no 72xxxx
- second marked "Nikon" and "M=1/5", serial no 82xxxx

The designation on most F-mount Nikkors changed from "NKJ" to "Nikon" somewhere around 1971 with no other obvious changes to the lens or coating. It was probably just a change to modernise the appearance and branding. Based on that I would expect the 55/1.2 CRT lens to be the same. Apart from the Nikkor-N 35/1.4 and 28/2 all Nikon lenses were single coated at that time, multicoating was added to most other models a year or two later.

However, take a look at the pictures here: http://redbook-jp.com/redbook-e/record2/crt.html. The older lens seems to have purple coatings, while the newer one is amber, so it does appear there was some change to the coatings. However the amber coating of the newer version looks identical to the single coating applied to many Nikkors in the 1960s and early 70s, such as the Nikkor-S 50/1.4. So even if the coatings are different, I wouldn't have much hope they are dramatically improved - it would need to be multi-coated or nano-coated for that.

I have the two versions, the 82 has amber coating, the 72 has magenta coating.
In praxis I see no difference.