Any Nikkor 135/3.5 users?

T

Todd.Hanz

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I saw a Nikkor 135/3.5 in LTM today, very very clean with hood and caps. I was wondering about quality of this lens. If you have any images to post I would love to see them, wide open in particular. also is the length a problem in hand holdability. I don't need this lens really, but it's so clean and shiny I hate to pass on it :).

Todd
 
This is actually one of my all-time favorite lenses (13.5cm for purists). I started a thread awhile back looking for some images with the 135mm, and a few images got posted.

Link here

If the lens is chrome, I believe it would be fairly heavy, which equates to a steady handhold. Both of my lenses are black-barrels and so are, if anything, a little too light. But that makes it easy to throw it into the camera bag just in case. It's also a very skinny lens, so it looks kind of odd -- it might be well proportioned for a screwmount Barnack Leica, but on anything else, it seems a little off. Take great photos, though. Close focus is 5 feet. The example below is extreme close-focus.
 
Uh oh, looks like the pix on my attached thread don't exist anymore.
Here are a few more. All with a Nikkor 135mm, Nikon RF version, most using an SP with built-in framelines. No optical difference between the Nikon and Leica versions.
 
great pics Vince, looks like a great lens. The one I saw is black and chrome, no marks and focus is really smooth and long. I might have to get this one :)


Todd
 
And another. This fella was up high atop a statue, so only a 135 would have captured it. I never did figure out WHY he was on top of the statue.
 
I once had the solid brass, chrome-plated 135mm f/3.5 Nikkor in LTM. Weighted a TON!! So, I sold it..... like a fool. Wish I hadn't! It was marked "Made in Occupied Japan". Paid $25 for it in 1971. It came with my Leica IIIf, 35mm Elmar, 50mm Summitar and 90mm Elmar..... all coated. The whole set cost me $125 so I figure each piece was $25.

Walker
 
Per the other posts, it's a very good lens, based on the Zeiss 135/4 Sonnar (not sure what formula Canon used for their 135/3.5). I had the chrome version of the Nikkor in both LTM & Contax RF mount. I sold the LTM version to rich815 of this list & recently bought the black version in Nikon RF & Contax mount from Brian Sweeney. As Vince & Walker mentioned, the chrome version is pretty heavy (like all the chrome Nikon RF & LTM lenses), but that can actually help in the handholding department.

Dante Stella includes paean to the 13.5cm/3.5 Nikkor-Q in his article on Nikon LTM lenses: http://www.dantestella.com/technical/nikoleic.html
 
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interesting article on dantestella.com, good read and good review, this is getting very tempting :).


Todd
 
Grab it. The later Black and Chrome version is "scarce" in LTM.

I have two in Chrome for LTM, one all-black in Contax, and two Black/chrome in Nikon RF mount. Make sure the focus is spot-on for the 13.5cm wide-open. On one LTM lens, I built of the cam using one strip of copper tape. The other was perfect.

Canon 7 with 13.5cm F3.5 in LTM, wide-open.
 
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Excellent photo Brian, what do you guys think a decent price would be?
 
I have seen The black and chrome lens in LTM go for $150~$200, in EX+ and better.

The heavier all-chrome lens will go for under $100, EX+ and better.

The All-Black lens will fetch more, they are "uncommon".
 
Todd, go for it. Till I got a 135/2.8 Komura LTM, I was hunting for a blk/chr one, never found one at the time I had the money. I have a blk/chr one in Nikon RF mount and am very happy with it. Chrome ones are a lot heavier (I have a chrome 85 and it is heavy, sharp and fast, but heavy) and you can find bargins on them. Beware that some times the focus is not 100% smooth across the entire range on older (chrome) lenses.

B2 (;->
 
I got the chrome one. It is an execellent performer, but it sells for more than the $100 Brian mentioned above. Some reach $200 for whatever reason, if complete with lens hood and front and rear covers and lens case.
 
I've seen some go for the $100 range, you just need to watch and find a listing that is a bit off in the completeness of the description. Find your price and snipe it. Don't forget you might need a viewfinder (depending upon what camera you want to use her on). There are several great brightline finders in additon to a few zoom finders that cover 135mm.

B2 (;->
 
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.
 
no decision yet cause I've been out of town, they are closed till Monday so we'll see if it's still there. I'm guessing it will be since there doesn't seem to be much demand for 135's, several have been relisted on the 'bay due to no bids, with my luck a collector will have bought it today :). I've never had a want for a 135 for my RF's but this one is shall we say "pristine" and would look really good on an M3.

wish me luck,
Todd
 
I got my pristine Nikkor with matching chrome lens hood and lens covers. It is a piece of art ... shiny and beautiful. Maybe that's why mine cost over $200.
 
Todd.Hanz said:
no decision yet cause I've been out of town, they are closed till Monday so we'll see if it's still there. I'm guessing it will be since there doesn't seem to be much demand for 135's, several have been relisted on the 'bay due to no bids, with my luck a collector will have bought it today :). I've never had a want for a 135 for my RF's but this one is shall we say "pristine" and would look really good on an M3.

wish me luck,
Todd
Click to expand...

I have chrome and think it's great (but a bit of a "ton").

So I agree that yes, Todd, you must buy it!

But remember, all of this advice came from totally dispassionate and objective analysts who never, ever, ever suffer from GAS! :D

Show us some pics after you run a roll through!
 
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