Any Nikkor 135/3.5 users?

I found this thread when searching for discussions of the 135/3.5 Nikkor-Q lens. I picked one of the earlier all-chrome ones up with the original hood and all for something like $75 USD a couple years ago. Very clean and clear glass too. It's heavy but once again I convinced myself of what a great lens this is. This album has some images shot around sundown on a fairly cloudy and overcast day. Film is Tura P100 (supposedly Agfa APX100) and all were shot at about f/4 to f/5.6 at 1/125th. Developed in D-76 1-1.

One of the better photos, and the other photos in the Album above it, is here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=75468
 
I had a chrome one in LTM - it was very good. I sold it as I use a 90mm more often. But I missed it and bought a Canon 135mm black LTM that I use about 3% of the time. Terrific lens.

I just bought an exc black & chrome Nikkor 13.5CM for my Contax IIa - $110 off the bay. I won't get it until Jan when I go on R&R.

I prefer to use an SLR for 135mm & longer. But it's nice to have the 13.5 cm in your bag for when th 90mm is too short.
 
This lens is somewhat easier to use with Nikon RFs and Canon P, both of which have 1:1 lifesize viewfinder. That makes the 135mm focal length seem more natural.
 
I just picked up the 135 & a 50 as a set the other day. The 50 has some close-focus thing (does down to 1.5') and the 135 is indeed a heavy beast. With the 135 on a IIIf it looks like some kind of Cold War era rocket ship or something :confused:
 

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And yours is engraved Nippon Kogaku Tokyo!
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Which makes it early, from the Occupied era.
I have a bad habit of collecting the serial number on this lens, does your lens' serial number start with 5006xxxx or is it 25xxxx?

Kiu
 
Brian Sweeney said:
The 13.5cm F3.5 chrome is hard to find with the proper two piece lens hood and original caps. A complete set with case will always fetch a premium. If you are not as interested in the original hood as you are using the lens with an aftermarket hood, they can get inexpensive. I picked up mine for $75 in EX+ with rear cap and generic front cap.
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This is a good point; my lens came in mint condition with the two piece lens hood and original caps. Maybe that's why I paid much more than $100.

Kiu: My lens has the Nippon Kogaku Tokyo on the front cover and Nippon Kogaku Japan on the front of the lens. It is labeled NIKKOR Q C with number 264XXX
 
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NIKON KIU said:
And yours is engraved Nippon Kogaku Tokyo!
attachment.php


Which makes it early, from the Occupied era.
I have a bad habit of collecting the serial number on this lens, does your lens' serial number start with 5006xxxx or is it 25xxxx?
Click to expand...

The serial number is 253xxx
 
TheHub said:
The serial number is 253xxx
Click to expand...

That makes it interesting, the second batch of 13.5cm f3.5's started from 253001

Can you PM me your exact serial number? I tried to PM you but....
What's the minimum F stop on the lens? Does it stop down to F32
or F16?


Raid,
would you please PM me your full serial number?

Thanks,

Kiu
 
I have the 13.5cm f3.5 with the same markings as Raid's. It has a serial number in the 256XXX range. Is it possible to narrow down the manufacture date? The best I can come up with is probably 1953.

It is a great lens with the original hood, cap, case and viewfinder. To think, I originally bought it for the viewfinder because it cost me only $58.
Now if I can just figure out a short mount for it, so I can also use it on my dSLR.
 
TheHub said:
I PMed NIKON KIU asking for some info. Still waiting for a response ...
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I got your PM.
Here goes:

The Nikkor 13.5cm f3.5 was introduced while the 13.5cm f4 was still in production, as a matter of fact, according to Bob Rotoloni's latest book, the production coincided for a few months.

More to follow, including approxiamte date of manufactur for both specimen.

Kiu
 
The Nikkor Q 13.5cm f3.5

What is the highest volume telephoto lens in the Nikon Rangefinder system?
Which Nippon Kogaku rangefinder lens was manufactured in a direct SLR mount?
Which Nikon Rangefinder lens is the least expensive to buy today?

You guessed right, the 135mm. First produced as a 13.5cm f4.0 in November of 1948, a true copy of the prewar German Zeiss 135 f4 Sonnar(as mentioned by furcafe earlier), it was updated to the faster f3.5 in January of 1951 and stayed in production untill the early 1960s

Acording to factory records there were 29,301 lenses manufactured in four mounts, Nikon S mount, Contax mount, Screw mount and Exacta mount. Bob Rotoloni has a few recorded in movie mount and mentions it in his new book although they seem to be aftermarket mounts. Also worth to mention is the three different barrels that were produced, early all chrome, all black and last and most, the black and chrome. Other than the Exacta mount lens,which is only found in all chrome, all three variations were produced in screw mount, Nikon S mount and Contax mount.

The lens mentioned by "The Hub" was produced in late 1951, this lens has all the features of the Made in occupied Japan version, which is Nippon Kogaku Tokyo instead of Japan, F16 minimum aperture and no clickstops, it is even marked MIOJ on the tripod mount.

Raid's lens was manufactured in 1954-1955, right around the time the all black version was introduced, I have recorded all black lenses in the 261xxx serial number range.

one other interesting note, unlike other lenses in Nippon Kogaku's arsenal, the 13.5cm has been recorded with "Japan" on the ID ring but with the earlier "Tokyo" characteristics, no clickstops and F16...go figure.

Kiu
 
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NIKON KIURaid's lens was manufactured in 1954-1955 said:
Kiu[/COLOR]
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Thank for the summary, Kiu.
My 135mm lens has F32 as smallest aperture setting, and it has click stops. Minimum focusing distance is 5 feet.
 
Thanks Kiu, very informative. My 135/3.5 nikkor-q just came in the mail today. It is the late black and chrome version in ltm which is coated without the red "c". I like the feel of this lens better than the tele-elmar, and the weight seems similar. I am going to shoot a test roll over the next few days, and post the pics in this thread at a later time.

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Oh, does anyone know what filter this lens takes. My calipers say 42mm but I am not sure if that is with or without threads.
 
I had one of these in Nikon mount. It was the "all black" model and it had the caps and hood and leather case to match. Sold it to an RFF guy. Wasn't compatible with my Contax IIIa like my Dad must have thought when he bought it. Beutiful thing to look at though. Near mint and rare, I'm told.
Vic
 
As promised I am posting some photos with the lens. I really like it. It is so sharp I cut myself on it.

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Wide Open Close up
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