New-Nikkor 135/2!!!

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2019/07/21/repair-new-nikkor-135mm-f-2/

I love this lens a lot! 

chromatic aberration seems a bit high but it can be avoided, mostly.

[Roland Vink]

To be precise, yours is the AI 135mm f/2

[Akira]

To be precise, yours is the AI 135mm f/2

The ser. No. 179161 suggests that it could be one of the very late K version converted with the appropriate Ai kit.  According to your website. 

[Fons Baerken]

One heavy beast!

[Airy]

Richard, your reviews are a good read - very informative, as they try to capture the characteristics of lenses (and illustrate them), instead of providing pure "metrics".

Lots of good sample shots too.

Also, nice picture by Fons, wide-open I guess. The blur circles look perfectly smooth, which explains in part the quality of the bokeh.

[Fons Baerken]

Wide open, indeed Airy.

[richardHaw]

To be precise, yours is the AI 135mm f/2

yes, as Akira said. it's K according to your amazing site 

another collector pointed out that this is the rarest one since K weren't made in large numbers

[richardHaw]

Wide open, indeed Airy.

nice photo! 

i can see some chromatic aberration but i guess thats the signature of this lens.

[Roland Vink]

The ser. No. 179161 suggests that it could be one of the very late K version converted with the appropriate Ai kit.  According to your website. 

You are absolutely right! However it is AI, not an AI converted "New Nikkor" (K).  It is not the first time I have seen native AI lenses with K serial numbers.
- the focus grip is like an AI lens, the grip on the K version is more finely divided, and slightly darker/glossier
- it has the maximum aperture index post, at about 6:30 o'clock on this image. Only AI lenses have this:

[Akira]

You are absolutely right! However it is AI, not an AI converted "New Nikkor" (K).  It is not the first time I have seen native AI lenses with K serial numbers.
- the focus grip is like an AI lens, the grip on the K version is more finely divided, and slightly darker/glossier
- it has the maximum aperture index post, at about 6:30 o'clock on this image. Only AI lenses have this:

Roland, thank you for the details.  If I understand correctly, the function of the aperture index post is rather an afterthought.  It was originally added to the aperture ring to interlock with the EE control unit DS-12 for F2AS.

[Roland Vink]

The Maximum Aperture Indexing post is not the small tab on the aperture ring which engages the EE control unit for the DS-12. The Maximum Aperture Indexing Post is part of the rear lens protector - on the picture above it is the part which sticks out just above the circled screw at the bottom.

On pre-AI lenses the rear protector is often a simple rim which goes 360° around the rear element. On some lenses the lower section is higher for extra protection. 

On AI lenses (including AI-S, AF) the rear protector only covers the top half of the lens, with a short post on the bottom half somewhere around 6:00 - 6:30 o'clock. The precise position of this tab signals the lens maximum aperture to certain cameras which have a feeler at the bottom of the mirror box. The Nikon FA uses this to determine the lens maximum aperture, needed for matrix metering. Other cameras from the same period used it for flash metering. Only a handful of cameras use this feature.

The maximum aperture indexing post is the sure way to know the lens is native AI and not AI converted.

[Akira]

The Maximum Aperture Indexing post is not the small tab on the aperture ring which engages the EE control unit for the DS-12. The Maximum Aperture Indexing Post is part of the rear lens protector - on the picture above it is the part which sticks out just above the circled screw at the bottom.

On pre-AI lenses the rear protector is often a simple rim which goes 360° around the rear element. On some lenses the lower section is higher for extra protection. 

On AI lenses (including AI-S, AF) the rear protector only covers the top half of the lens, with a short post on the bottom half somewhere around 6:00 - 6:30 o'clock. The precise position of this tab signals the lens maximum aperture to certain cameras which have a feeler at the bottom of the mirror box. The Nikon FA uses this to determine the lens maximum aperture, needed for matrix metering. Other cameras from the same period used it for flash metering. Only a handful of cameras use this feature.

The maximum aperture indexing post is the sure way to know the lens is native AI and not AI converted.

Now I remember that.  Thank you, again, for the detail!

[Gerhard2006]

Glad to see you finally got this lens, I asked you about a couple of years ago and you said it was on your radar as a highly valued acquisition and it appears your copy is also almost mint. I have the Ais version and I love it as well. It is a bokeh machine as Fons horse picture testifies. I notice the helicoid threads on yours was very clean. My focussing is really stiff, was yours also or is it just because the lens body is so heavy?  Thanks in advance, Gerry

[richardHaw]

The Maximum Aperture Indexing post is not the small tab on the aperture ring which engages the EE control unit for the DS-12. The Maximum Aperture Indexing Post is part of the rear lens protector - on the picture above it is the part which sticks out just above the circled screw at the bottom.

On pre-AI lenses the rear protector is often a simple rim which goes 360° around the rear element. On some lenses the lower section is higher for extra protection. 

On AI lenses (including AI-S, AF) the rear protector only covers the top half of the lens, with a short post on the bottom half somewhere around 6:00 - 6:30 o'clock. The precise position of this tab signals the lens maximum aperture to certain cameras which have a feeler at the bottom of the mirror box. The Nikon FA uses this to determine the lens maximum aperture, needed for matrix metering. Other cameras from the same period used it for flash metering. Only a handful of cameras use this feature.

The maximum aperture indexing post is the sure way to know the lens is native AI and not AI converted.

maybe this is a franken lens

[richardHaw]

Glad to see you finally got this lens, I asked you about a couple of years ago and you said it was on your radar as a highly valued acquisition and it appears your copy is also almost mint. I have the Ais version and I love it as well. It is a bokeh machine as Fons horse picture testifies. I notice the helicoid threads on yours was very clean. My focussing is really stiff, was yours also or is it just because the lens body is so heavy?  Thanks in advance, Gerry

hello!
the focus shouldnt be stiff, but the focus throw should be quite long

it needs to be serviced probably.