Nikkor 35/2.8 PC (late version)

[Airy]

This lens was mentioned en passant in the thread about the 35/2.8 non-shifting lenses.
It is one of my least used lenses. That's because:

• I have too many lenses;
• As a general purpose lens, the Zeiss 35/2 is vastly superior.

Still, it is not a bad lens, though somewhat lacking contrast. Some residual CA is visible near the edges. Some distortion is visible, which is more annoying on a shift lens than on a standard one. Overall, it is optically better than, say, the 28/3.5 PC, but less useful.
One thing I like is the diaph pre-set, allowing to quickly switch from wide open (for focusing) to stopped down at the preset value (for shooting).

Here a few samples from today, all with significant shift :

[Airy]

Note : first two f/8; last one f/5.6 but DOF does not suffice ("ENFANCE" sign is sharp, but the street signage is not; maybe I backfocused a bit)

[John Geerts]

Thanks for reviewing, Airy.  I have a very late Ai-S sample as well,  shall put in on further test with the Z6 and D850 when I am able to find some time. What I quickly observed with the lens was pretty good, but as you mentioned, the Zeiss 35/2 is tough competitor and benchmark. 

[Akira]

The images look neat, with the accompanying atmosphere appropriate for each.

I've read that leaving a wee-bit of the convergence in the vertical lines is a tip to use shift lenses or large format cameras to make the images look natural, which seems to be true to your images here.

[Airy]

Indeed, that's what I usually do. If the lines are parallel, that's rather by accident

[Airy]

the Zeiss 35/2 is tough competitor and benchmark. 

Sometimes, the shift can make a difference... not often but sometimes.
Besides, I love that "slow shooting", with a handheld PC lens. Passers-by sometimes wonder why I'm that slow, at the risk of becoming a sidewalk nuisance...

[Airy]

Some more from today. First, a sort of brickwall shooting; f/8. No obvious optical aberration, even when pixel-peeping. The catenary wires, while not exactly in focus, have clean edges.

[Airy]

A few new buildings, using or mimicking older substance (remparts, XVIIth century, built by Spain at the time)

[Airy]

Some more remainders from the old town. Lille, in case you did not guess.

[Airy]

Léon Trulin, taken hostage and executed in 1915. This is an attempt to use the PC lens at a wider aperture - do not expect wonders.

[Airy]

Various building and boutiques, not far from the Opera house.

[Airy]

Shot at f/8 with very little or no shift. Should be more contrasty, but the result remains usable.

[Airy]

Interior of the neo-gothic cathedral and its modern complements. Sigh. By the way, the organ has four manuals and more than 100 stops : it used to be in the former main auditorium of Radio France, in Paris. The façade has been re-"styled" to fit here ; the pipework as designed to provide okayish results in a rather dry auditorium, but does not deliver the goods in this church with long reverberation time and inflation of low frequencies.

[Airy]

The place in front of the cathedral somehow delivers more piece of mind, at nighttime of course.

[Airy]

So, that was the 35/2.8 PC doing its shifting antics by night. As I had the Noct (the original one) in my bag, here are a few shots from the same stroll. f/2.8, f/1.2, and f/1.4, respectively