New (old) Nikkor 10.5cm (105mm) f2.5 S mount.

[peterm1]

I have just bought a lovely old Nikkor 10.5cm f2.5 in Nikon S mount. Its serial number dates it to the mid 1950s based in this site: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/

This is one beautiful lens - mine is in pristine condition - much like the one shown below (image from a random web site). It is beautiful to look at and beautiful to hold. It feels like it is made of lead mixed with plutonium, mixed with gold, mixed with mythical and therefore rarely found unobtainium- just so dense and comparatively tiny when placed next to to its younger cousin the 105mm f2.5 in F mount for SLRs. I am blown away by its build quality and it is easy to see why those war correspondents and photo journalists in the Korea contretemps fell in love with it. As to its appearance, for some reason I find myself attracted to these rather stubby looking but slightly rotund short tele lenses. The seem so authoritative somehow.

I am still awaiting arrival of an adapter for it to go on a mirrorless camera (so much cheaper than the ones for Nikkor S to Leica M mount- though I must admit to liking the idea of getting one of those eventually and using this sucker on my M8). So no pictures yet. But soon I hope.

Any anecdotes about the lens, your own experiences, or especially photos of it or with it would be appreciated.

Picture from internet.

 

[splitimageview]

Sonnar goodness!

Adapters for the external mount lenses with helicals can be obtained for reasonable prices...it’s RF coupling that complicates matters and increases the price...

 

[Timmyjoe]

Congrats Peter. That's one of my "someday" lenses, as in someday I hope to buy one. Let us know how it renders.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Montag006]

Peter,
That is a very beautiful example.
Thanks for sharing it and like Timmy Joe it is also a 'Someday' lens for me too.

Enjoy and looking forward to seeing photos

David

 

[jim_jm]

Congrats Peter. The Nikkor 105 Rf lenses are excellent, a solid chunk of metal and glass. I have a fairly rare one in Contax mount which I use on a Contax IIA. Otherwise identical to the S mount version. I believe the one you're showing above is the LTM mount version, as the focusing is in the opposite direction of the S and C mount lenses.

 

[steveyork]

I've used the early F mount 105 Sonnars, and they are nice.

 

[css9450]

I believe the one you're showing above is the LTM mount version, as the focusing is in the opposite direction of the S and C mount lenses.

You are correct; the one in the photo also doesn't have the large "collar" around the base where the bayonet is located.

I've used mine quite a lot on my Sony mirrorless camera; granted, that's an APS-C format camera but I've been favorably impressed by everything I've shot with it.

 

[peterm1]

You are correct; the one in the photo also doesn't have the large "collar" around the base where the bayonet is located.
I've used mine quite a lot on my Sony mirrorless camera; granted, that's an APS-C format camera but I've been favorably impressed by everything I've shot with it.

You are quite right, the lens in the photo is in LTM mount. You know, in my rush to find an image with a lens in similar condition to my lens (which IS in Nikon S mount) I did not even notice that most obvious of differences.
Not the first, nor the last time, I fear, I will suffer from brain fade.

 

[ranger9]

If you want to use one of these on a Leica M camera, it might be easier to find the LTM version (like the one pictured) and use a simple screw-to-M adapter, right? The screw mount version was the one I had; used it on my Canon VI-T, which has a 100mm frame line that was close enough. I used it on a monopod (taking advantage of the built-in tripod mount, which later models didn't have) for theater photography. One frustration: the tripod mount is fixed in place (although slotted so you can find-tune its position a bit) so if you suddenly wanted to shoot a vertical, you'd have to frantically unscrew the camera and lens.

I shot a lot of pictures I liked with my 105/2.5 — I especially liked the contrast and texture — but after I got a 100mm f/2 Canon, I concluded it was just as good, plus lighter and a half-stop faster, so I kept it and traded away the 105/2.5. Still, super-nice lens to use well worth having!

 

[peterm1]

If you want to use one of these on a Leica M camera, it might be easier to find the LTM version (like the one pictured) and use a simple screw-to-M adapter, right? The screw mount version was the one I had; used it on my Canon VI-T, which has a 100mm frame line that was close enough. I used it on a monopod (taking advantage of the built-in tripod mount, which later models didn't have) for theater photography. One frustration: the tripod mount is fixed in place (although slotted so you can find-tune its position a bit) so if you suddenly wanted to shoot a vertical, you'd have to frantically unscrew the camera and lens.

I shot a lot of pictures I liked with my 105/2.5 — I especially liked the contrast and texture — but after I got a 100mm f/2 Canon, I concluded it was just as good, plus lighter and a half-stop faster, so I kept it and traded away the 105/2.5. Still, super-nice lens to use well worth having!

I will mostly use the lens on a mirrorless camera so am happy (for now) with the Nikon mount version. Using it on a Leica is kind of an option I thought would be nice if possible. I did look but I found the Leica mount lenses harder to find and I think more expensive for obvious reasons so I settled for the Nikon one on those grounds. Also I thought I might end up with some additional Nikon RF glass eventually so buying a Nikon S mount lens and eventually maybe a adapter that allows use on Leica cameras might give more over all flexibility as it would allow use with a wider array of lenses. (Though (a) this is dependent on finding an adapter at reasonable price and (b) I am still unclear as to whether the same adapter works with Nikon and Contax mounted glass).

I have been thinking of a Canon 100mm f2 which are very nice but also quite expensive to buy, by comparison, so I think I will be happy with the Nikkor which after all is a superb lens with a great reputation.