Strolling with the 105/1.8

[Airy]

This lens suffers from the deserved reputation of the 105/2.5. In fact, wide open, it is not so good, but usable under the right circumstances: avoiding high contrast edges, processing in B&W... f/1.8 is marginally useful for isolating distant subjects.
Stopped down, sharpness is excellent, at least as good as the 105/2.5, and the field is flatter. Also, as mentioned in other threads, the 105/1.8 does not flare a lot and, especially, withstands light sources in the image field, making it an excellent lens for stage shooting.

Today I went on a stroll with that lens only. My copy is optically ok, but the helicoid is not sufficiently lubricated, leaving me with some dry friction and making the manual focus process disagreeable. That's one reason why I do not use it as often as I should.

All shot with my 5-years old Df. May it live forever.
First three, f/4, f/4, f/1.8

[Airy]

Second series, f/2.8, 1.8 close to minimum focussing distance (about 1m), f/8.

[Airy]

Both f/1.8. The outlining, however slight, results in a not-so-good bokeh, despite the 9 blades (that come to play at narrower apertures of course)

[Airy]

For street shots, it is a great lens. f/4, 8, 5.6, 4

[Jacques Pochoy]

Great shots ! It's good to know that the f/1.8 105mm can also be useful, even at f/1.8... 

[John Geerts]

Impressive shots with this great lens, Airy.

[Thomas Stellwag]

great series,

I like my 1.8 more than my 2.5´s because of the diameter and the mass...for me it fits better to the camera
with the results wide open, I am satisfied

[Akira]

I like the delicate rendition of 105/1.8 in your hands.  The bokeh doesn't appear that harsh to me.

[Frank Fremerey]

you are a good photographer. You can take next to any lens and produce great pictures. Today I decided: the 1.4/105E will stay the 2/200VR1 will go.

[chambeshi]

Thanks for your great images and highlighting this classic Nikkor. I've used a 105 f2.5AIS since 1984, but latterly been on the lookout for a decent 105 f1.8AIS at a  decent price. Scarce in UK - at least IME

kind regards

[Airy]

Visit Paris

[PeterN]

Thank you for sharing your impressions about the capabilities of this lens.
I do like the muted rendering.
It must be a pleasure to use this lens with the Df

[Airy]

The muted rendering is probably not a lens feature. I set my Df on "Neutral", so there is no saturation push. That's just my personal taste.
And yes, it is a nice fit.

[Imagelover]

Here is an image from June 2018, Kristiansund town, Norway, early in the morning with Nikon D3X and AIS Nikkor 105mm f1.8 at aperture f16 on a tripod and with a Nikon polarizer. ISO 50. I used this aperture to get great DOF.