ChrisLivsey
Veteran
28mm Ai'd Nikkor-H f3.5 on its way, £45, better be as good as you all say for that outlay 
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
Though I sold off my Nikons years ago when I went Pentax,
lately I'd been missing the Nikon FTN I used in the 1980's.
Recent giveaway prices at KEH enticed me to take the plunge with Nikon again.
I'd rather not deal with mercury battery issues so I went with a nice Nikon F2 Photomic.
I prefer the last generation of pre-AI Nikkors. Though modern they just reek quality.
I now own 50/2.0, 105/2.5 and 200/4 Nikkor, all late pre-AI with rubber grips.
I'm not a purist; my most often used lens is a 35/2.0 AI Nikkor, and
I'm looking for a good deal on an 85/2.0 AI like I had years ago.
Enjoy your old Nikon manual focus gear. It's very special indeed!
Chris
lately I'd been missing the Nikon FTN I used in the 1980's.
Recent giveaway prices at KEH enticed me to take the plunge with Nikon again.
I'd rather not deal with mercury battery issues so I went with a nice Nikon F2 Photomic.
I prefer the last generation of pre-AI Nikkors. Though modern they just reek quality.
I now own 50/2.0, 105/2.5 and 200/4 Nikkor, all late pre-AI with rubber grips.
I'm not a purist; my most often used lens is a 35/2.0 AI Nikkor, and
I'm looking for a good deal on an 85/2.0 AI like I had years ago.
Enjoy your old Nikon manual focus gear. It's very special indeed!
Chris
Melancholy
To grain, or not to grain
This is a slow process, but I got a very nice 35mm f/1.4 ais today to keep the 50mm & 105mm in company.
maryland_fotos
Well-known
Great thread on classic Nikkors. I have a few that go very well with the D800. One of my favorite of these though is the earliest version 10.5cm f2.5 P, produced about 1960.
Here's my flickr page with some pics with the lens:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/106861896@N06/sets/72157637254489645/
Here's my flickr page with some pics with the lens:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/106861896@N06/sets/72157637254489645/
giellaleafapmu
Well-known
Everyone has his favorite but for me some of the best pre-AI are:
35mm f2.0
50mm f2.0 (in my opinion better than the f1.8, f1.4 and even the f1.2)
85mm H f1.8 (ihmo better than the later f1.8).
(All easy to find and cheapish.)
In the "newer" AI family the 105mm f2.5 is very nice (very nice on digital too).
If you have money and time to look for it I wouldn't miss the Noct-Nikkor.
GLF
35mm f2.0
50mm f2.0 (in my opinion better than the f1.8, f1.4 and even the f1.2)
85mm H f1.8 (ihmo better than the later f1.8).
(All easy to find and cheapish.)
In the "newer" AI family the 105mm f2.5 is very nice (very nice on digital too).
If you have money and time to look for it I wouldn't miss the Noct-Nikkor.
GLF
maryland_fotos
Well-known
For the 105mm f 2.5 family of manual Nikkors, there's 20 variants, you couldn't go wrong with any of them:
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#105
The 85 1.8 H or HC are very nice lenses too.
So is the 35mm f2 OC. Very nice sharpness, contrast and color.
CivilWarTrain by maryland_photos, on Flickr
MuseumNaturalHistoryTrees by maryland_photos, on Flickr
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#105
The 85 1.8 H or HC are very nice lenses too.
So is the 35mm f2 OC. Very nice sharpness, contrast and color.
CivilWarTrain by maryland_photos, on FlickrMuseumNaturalHistoryTrees by maryland_photos, on Flickr
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Paulbe
Well-known
Melancholy--a 35/1.4! Ahhhhh---- a dream lens for me--supposed to be super.
Congrats!
Paul
Congrats!
Paul
BillBingham2
Registered User
From what I remember the classic three lens kit for the F/FTn was a 24/2.8, 50/1.4, and 105/2.5. I think of the classic F2 kit being 35/1.4, 85/1.8, 180/2.8. Those are from when lenses were surrounded by metal and plastic was for self-timer covers and electronic flash bodies (way too much voltage around there).
Your kit has three stellar chunks of glass that will serve you well. There are other wonderful Nikkors, the only other one I might recommend is a newer version, a 300/4.5 ED-IF. Raid's recommendation of a 50/2.8 is spot on if your need to get up close. I think that the three you have is a wonderful kit.
Pick up a good light meter and learn to shoot without it.
Good luck, enjoy and share your results and thoughts.
B2
Your kit has three stellar chunks of glass that will serve you well. There are other wonderful Nikkors, the only other one I might recommend is a newer version, a 300/4.5 ED-IF. Raid's recommendation of a 50/2.8 is spot on if your need to get up close. I think that the three you have is a wonderful kit.
Pick up a good light meter and learn to shoot without it.
Good luck, enjoy and share your results and thoughts.
B2
BillBingham2
Registered User
Way cool, thanks for the heads up JN!
Another point about the 85/2 is the size is much smaller than the 85/1.8. That and a 35/2 would be a great carry around two lens kit. Hmmmmmm.....
Those two on an F with a plain prism might be a lot of fun.
B2
Melancholy
To grain, or not to grain
You got a very nice collection of classic lenses, Maryland!
The Noct-Nikkor is on my most wanted list GLF
Thanks Paul, this is a lens I´ve wanted for a very long time, some days ago I found this one in very good condition and a good price. Tried it on my D700 yesterday, beautiful - today it´s going out with me, delta 100 and the F2!
Thanks B2, Imainly use lenses within 24mm and 135mm, so that´s my main focus at the moment. I also have the 80-200mm f/2.8 D/ED, a tank of a zoomlens that performs very good, heavy as hell. Also, my Seconic 308-L has been with me the last 5-6 years, mostly to confirm my sunny16 guesstimation, the way I prefere to photograph.
Thanks everyone for sharing thoughts and tips, I really appreciate it as always!
RichC
Well-known
135mm f2.8 E Series
135mm f2.8 E Series
Surprising gem - the 135mm f2.8 E Series.
I use the 105mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor AI-S as my medium telephoto lens - which performs superbly even at infinity but is heavy and huge, especially with its hood (I always use hoods). Also, I find it a bit short as I use an 80mm Arax tilt-shift-rotate lens a lot.
Anyway, I popped into my local camera shop (Clocktower Cameras in Brighton) for a chat, and they loaned me the aforementioned 135mm lens. I took it, as who can resist playing with a lens for free for a few days! I wasn't intending to buy it, and said so!
Examining it, it was built far better than expected. I've seen a 50mm E Series lens, and its barrel and rings were plastic and it felt cheap - I prefer metal lenses because they feel better and are more robust. However, against expectations, the 135mm lens was very well constructed, mostly of metal excepting the aperture ring (plastic, but well made and operates smoothly). It's also tiny and light and has a convenient built-in hood. I think it's as well designed as my AI-S lenses, possibly better than some! So, build quality = excellent.
I then tested it against my 105mm Micro Nikkor, which I know to be an exceptional performer. I used my Nikon D800E, which with its massive 36 MP is ruthless at showing optical flaws in a lens (and in its user!), and did some quick tests on a tripod. At f2.8 the 135mm is somewhat sharper and has fewer aberrations, but at f4 the differences between the lenses are minimal. By f5.6 I can't separate images from the lenses. I was astonished that the two lenses are equally sharp (except wide open, and even then the 135mm is acceptable) with identical colour rendition. I wasn't expecting that!
So, I'm keeping the 135mm. Clocktower Cameras always cuts me a deal, so I think it'll cost me about £75 - a bargain. They're even cheaper on eBay!
The 105mm macro is definitely going as I can't see why I'd ever want to use it again - anyone want to buy a mint copy!?
135mm f2.8 E Series
Surprising gem - the 135mm f2.8 E Series.
I use the 105mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor AI-S as my medium telephoto lens - which performs superbly even at infinity but is heavy and huge, especially with its hood (I always use hoods). Also, I find it a bit short as I use an 80mm Arax tilt-shift-rotate lens a lot.
Anyway, I popped into my local camera shop (Clocktower Cameras in Brighton) for a chat, and they loaned me the aforementioned 135mm lens. I took it, as who can resist playing with a lens for free for a few days! I wasn't intending to buy it, and said so!
Examining it, it was built far better than expected. I've seen a 50mm E Series lens, and its barrel and rings were plastic and it felt cheap - I prefer metal lenses because they feel better and are more robust. However, against expectations, the 135mm lens was very well constructed, mostly of metal excepting the aperture ring (plastic, but well made and operates smoothly). It's also tiny and light and has a convenient built-in hood. I think it's as well designed as my AI-S lenses, possibly better than some! So, build quality = excellent.
I then tested it against my 105mm Micro Nikkor, which I know to be an exceptional performer. I used my Nikon D800E, which with its massive 36 MP is ruthless at showing optical flaws in a lens (and in its user!), and did some quick tests on a tripod. At f2.8 the 135mm is somewhat sharper and has fewer aberrations, but at f4 the differences between the lenses are minimal. By f5.6 I can't separate images from the lenses. I was astonished that the two lenses are equally sharp (except wide open, and even then the 135mm is acceptable) with identical colour rendition. I wasn't expecting that!
So, I'm keeping the 135mm. Clocktower Cameras always cuts me a deal, so I think it'll cost me about £75 - a bargain. They're even cheaper on eBay!
The 105mm macro is definitely going as I can't see why I'd ever want to use it again - anyone want to buy a mint copy!?
Dwig
Well-known
That's more of an early '70s kit as the 24/2.8 didn't come on the market until 1971.
In the early '60s the serious amateur kit would be 35/50/135 and in the mid to later '60s the kit would be 28/50/135 with the occasional switch to the 105 instead of a 135. By the end of the decade most of the not-quite-so-serious would have a 28/50/85-205 kit, or something similar, with a non-Nikkor tele-zoom..
BillBingham2
Registered User
The 75-150 Series E was said to be most excellent.
The 50 was so small it had a place if you didn't drop it. There are better built sharper Nikkors in 50mm that are almost as small. If speed is not an issue, the 45/2.8 GN was a fun lens cap.
I was looking at the 100/2.8 at one point because of size, but went a different way. The 70-210 I heard was a dog, when I held it I was amazed at how plastic it felt. The 28/2.8 was better than the Nikkor of the same ilk but that wasn't hard.
B2
Melancholy
To grain, or not to grain
The 100mm f/2.8E came along with the 35mm f/2.5E when I got my FE2, very plastic feeling and not in any optical league like my 105mm f/2.5, but it did a good job before I got any other lenses. I still got it, collecting dust on my shelf.
With delta 100
Indoor with Paolo Pellegrin
AlwaysOnAuto
Well-known
I recently was given a 55mm 3.5 Micro for my birthday. I had it AI'd so it would fit my D7000. I'd been wanting a macro lens for sometime so reading this thread and seeing that it is a well respected lens is reassuring. It is wicked sharp close up.
redhawk
Member
My thoughts exactly! haha
I've been fortunate over the last few years to build up a nice kit with the super-low prices on pre-AI lenses. My collection includes 28/3.5, 35/2, 50/1.4 and 55/3.5. My others: 20/2.8, 24/2.8, 50/1.4D, 50/1.8, 60/2.8, 85/2, 105/2.5, 135/2 DC and 180/2.8 ED are all AI or AI-s. As has been said, no one can choose your focal lengths for you. Some folks like to shoot wide, some more tele. Some like to collect every variation of the 50s, 55s and 58s. Thankfully with the prices for non-AI being what they are, the costs of experimentation are quite agreeable!
peterm1
Veteran
Its interesting. From time to time I go through periods when I fall in love all over again with my manual focus Nikkors. Early on in my photographic career I decided that I liked the earlier non AI lenses best of all, I think because I had already fallen for Pentax Takumar lenses in M42 mount and wanted something of a similar vintage in a Nikon mount. I have seldom been disappointed. For example as posted below, I have both an early 35mm f2 (AI converted) and a D model AF one. Of the two I think I prefer the early one which renders in a very classic manner.
While most of my shooting these days is done with an AF Nikkor of some type (its just easier) I do so love capturing images with the above mentioned 35mm lens, my 50mm f1.4 (and f2) of the same vintage, my 105mm f2.5, my 200mm f4 and so on . And I have just bought a 180mm f2.8 (badly in need of a service but otherwise beautiful) and have just adapted a 135mm f2.8 to AI spec. I also have a range of later native AI lenses and while many of these are excellent, for some reason I dont necessarily get the same kick from them.
Whats the expression.....ahhhhh they done make nostalgia like they used to!
While most of my shooting these days is done with an AF Nikkor of some type (its just easier) I do so love capturing images with the above mentioned 35mm lens, my 50mm f1.4 (and f2) of the same vintage, my 105mm f2.5, my 200mm f4 and so on . And I have just bought a 180mm f2.8 (badly in need of a service but otherwise beautiful) and have just adapted a 135mm f2.8 to AI spec. I also have a range of later native AI lenses and while many of these are excellent, for some reason I dont necessarily get the same kick from them.
Whats the expression.....ahhhhh they done make nostalgia like they used to!
Ben Z
Veteran
I have my original set of Nikkors since around 1970 culled down to my absolute favorites: 20/3.5UD, 24/2.8, 35/2, 50/2, 50/1.4, 55/3.5 Micro, 85/1.8, 105/2.5, 180/2.8 and 300/4.5. All were originally non-ai which were factory converted except the 85 which was converted by the late, great Pete Smith. I have enjoyed using these lenses occasionally on my Canon 5D (as a matter of fact I bought a non-AI 20/4 specifically for the 5D because the EF20mm is huge and not that great), and recently got a Nikon adapter for the new Leica M. I had intended to pick up a used D700 but now that I see the DF I think I'll hold out till they're down in the $1000-1200 range. Love those old Nikkors.
Melancholy
To grain, or not to grain
A new lens to my collection/bag, a very nice Nikkor-S Auto 24mm f/2.8 on my F.
Still more to get, so far I got the Nikkor-S Auto 35mm f/2.8, Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 ais, Nikkor 50mm f2 and the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5
Later this weekend I´m going out with a sailboat along with the 24mm on the F.
Still more to get, so far I got the Nikkor-S Auto 35mm f/2.8, Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 ais, Nikkor 50mm f2 and the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5
Later this weekend I´m going out with a sailboat along with the 24mm on the F.
awilder
Alan Wilder
Don't overlook the 25-50 f/4, preferably the AiS version. Meters will all older bodies through AiS and digital bodies too. It's my favorite all purpose zoom, very sharp, low distortion with IQ equal to primes. I'll never sell mine as Nikon has yet to make a zoom that equals it's quality in similar focal lengths.