Inexpensive lenses for a Nikon F2?

[former member]

The Original Nikkor 43~86/3.5 was a nine-element lens, had lots of distortion at the extremes. The later 11 element version that was introduced with Nikon's "Integrated Coating" series, silver box, corrected most of the issues. I bought one in near-mint condition for $50.

The Nikkor 24/2.8, any generation, is quite good. It is the first Nikkor lens to use close-range-correction Optics.

 

[Nikon Bob]

The E Series of lenses are AI only and do not have the rabbit ear, hence those cannot be used on the F2.

If you are determined ro use E series glass the rabbit ears can be added or you can use stop down metering.

Bob

 

[Nikon Bob]

William

If you do look at getting a 105/2.5 be aware that at some point the optical formula changed from, I think, Sonnar to Gauss type. It may or may not make a difference to you.

Bob

 

[former member]

My first set of Nikkor lenses was the 24/2.8 Nikkor-NC, 55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor-P, and 105mm F2.5 AI series. Followed with a 43~86/3.5 AI series and 200/4 AI series fairly quickly.

 

[raid]

The first three lenses that Brian mentioned. I started out the same way. These lenses are superb.

 

[kxl]

If you are shooting B&W get a 35/2.0 Nikkor-O. This single coated lens has nice contrast in B&W. They are cheap because Nikon made a lot of them.

+1 on getting a 105/2.5 as you tele.

Cal

+1 on the 35/2 Nikkor-O.

+1 on 105/2.5



For WA, I prefer the 20mm FL. I have a 20/3.5 AI - practically flare free, close focus and when used wide a K1 extension ring, a nice WA macro lens.

 

[paulfish4570]

i sure do like the 50/1.8 with ears i use on my FE2. it focuses as close as i care to get, and OOF is just plain pleasant. results are in my gallery and albums here at RFF ...

 

[sevo]

For a wider standard, the 28/3.5 is your best bet, easy to find and always cheap. I can imagine you could grab one up for under 50$ shipped.

It is the king of light falloff, though - no Nikon wide I ever had was worse when it comes to falloff. Might not matter if you make it part of your personal style - pictures taken with it look wider than they are as we associate that degree of falloff with ultrawides and fisheyes rather than a humble 28mm.

 

[venchka]

My first set of Nikkor lenses was the 24/2.8 Nikkor-NC, 55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor-P, and 105mm F2.5 AI series. Followed with a 43~86/3.5 AI series and 200/4 AI series fairly quickly.

The first three lenses that Brian mentioned. I started out the same way. These lenses are superb.

So I wasn't dreaming, was I? Not bad for a daydream lens selection without benefit of the interweb.
FWIW, I bought my 105/2.5 in 1969. It could have been built a little earlier-I bought it lightly used. I'm guessing that it was the same formula as the LTM-Nikon RF versions that we all know as good lenses.

 

[Vilk]

From the list you mention I would go for the 50mm 1.8 AIS...

Actually, a potential problem there... Unless clearly specified as the longnose (just ask KEH!) a "50/1.8 AIS" will be the pancake version, without rabbit ears (outnumbering the longnose by a factor of 20 or so). Once you get that DP-1 fixed (and why not?) you won't be able to use the lens with the meter in the DP-1 unless you stop down (same for DP-2 or DP-3; it will only meter wide open with the DP-11 and DP-12).

Look here,

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html#50slow

The longnose is the,

"Ai 50/1.8 1760801-2165418 Jan 78-Oct 82
Ai-S 50/1.8 3135001-3304551 Jul 81-Sep 85"

(Note that lens names link to large pictures--so you know what to expect.)

Hope this helps.

 

[Vilk]

+1 on 35/2
+1 on 200/4

 

[wlewisiii]

Yowza! Lots to look into and explore. So much more complicated than my Canon stuff LOL!

28 is my prefered wide. Beyond that, it's just too wide for me. I used a 25 for awhile and didn't care for it. I know Raid does some amazing work with a 19, but my eyes just don't see that way 😉

My thinking is a 28-50-105-200 (and maybe a 2x just for those "reach out to just see what that airplane really is" shots) set would do the types of shooting I do with a SLR. Given my budget and the looks of the KEH prices 🙂 that probably should read 50, 28, 200, 105...

Thanks for all the information and help folks, I appreciate it.

 

[Vilk]

My thinking is a 28-50-105-200...

Good thinking! (I guess I should know--if I turn my head just a wee bit to the left now, I can see my trusty Domke with all four inside, wagging its tail at the door, eager to go out for a walk.)

😛

 

[Ranchu]

Get the 'K version' of the 50/2, the all black non AI. The AI 50/2 is the same lens. It's my favorite, sharp, and it doesn't have green/magenta LoCA's in the bokeh, a pet peeve of my own. The 28/2 ais is good too, good color, flares pretty easily. Sharp as hell at f4, soft below that, but it's f2 for accurate bright focusing, not to shoot there!

 

[David Murphy]

All the Nikkor 50's are great. I like the NAI 50/2 H-C quite a bit - cheap too.

 

[Roninman]

I know that you are primarily interested in a 50. However, the 28mm f2 is a STUNNING optic. The serial number of mine is 584xxx. They are pricey but NOT $2000.00+ FWIW

 

[wlewisiii]

Thank you Roninman. 28 is my prefered wide, so hearing about peoples experiances and preferences is very useful longterm as well. Given my budget, in the near term I'll probably be quite happy to relieve KEH of one of their 28/3.5 simply because of how cheap they are. Down the road, presuming I decide to stick with Nikon (I _have_ been a Canonista for 27 years 😉 ), I can see saving up for a 28/2.

 

[raid]

So I wasn't dreaming, was I? Not bad for a daydream lens selection without benefit of the interweb.
FWIW, I bought my 105/2.5 in 1969. It could have been built a little earlier-I bought it lightly used. I'm guessing that it was the same formula as the LTM-Nikon RF versions that we all know as good lenses.

The early version 105mm/2.5 is a Sonnar design lens. The later version is supposedly sharper, but not necessarily "better".

All Nikon 50mm-55mm lenses are excellent. Since the 55/3.5 is cheap these days,and we know that it is one the sharpest lenses nikon ever made, why not get it.

The 24mm/2.8 is a classic.

 

[rbsinto]

I' ve broken down and am going to try the dark side. I ran into a user F2 Photomic at a good price. The DP-1 metering head is a bit flaky but I have a good handheld meter. It looks to be a good one for someone like me who's been a Canonista all along.

But it has no lens. I'd need, at minimum, a 50 & eventually a wide & long to complement them. The kicker is that my budget is what it always is - non-existent 🙄

What are decent inexpensive lenses that will work with a F2?

I see a listing at KEH for "50 F2 H NON AI (52) 35MM SLR MANUAL FOCUS STANDARD ANGLE LENS" BGN $29. IIUC, non-ai is what I want (with the bonus that they tend to be cheaper). How does this compare to the faster 50's?

I'm also looking at the 28/3.5 as a wide and, eventually, a 105/2.5 for a longer lens. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

William

Besides all the Nikkors that have been suggested, there are literally mountains of inexpensive third-party lenses that will give you very nice images, that you might also consider.
As an example, I bought a Vivitar 19 3.8 many years ago and always found it to be an excellent lens. Similarly vivitar,(which was really nothing more than a Buying Group that produced nothing of its own) issued any number of primes and zooms ( made by Kiron, Tokina, Sigma, or Komine and simply re-badged as Vivitar) that can be purchased on ebay or at swap meets quite reasonably.

 

[Calzone]

I too dream of returning to Nikon. Then I wake up.
In my dreams, I see the perfect trio as 24-50-105. The 24 because it was the first wide lens I ever used. Borrowed from a friend whose 'chromes with the 24 were always stunning. The 105 because I had one and foolishly sold it along with my two F bodies. A 50 because...well, just because.
Good luck!

Wayne,

Check out my signature. 24-58-105 all of Nikon's fastest glass, all with MD-4's, all mounted on three F3's.

The only time I change lenses is to use my 35/2.0 Nikkor-O or the 55/2.8 Macro.

The 105/1.8 AIS is a big lens, but it has more aperture blades than the 105/2.5 for a softer/smoother creamy bokeh, especially wide open.

Cal