Nikkor 28 f/2.8 AI vs. AIS

[retinax]

Hi all,
I know the AIS lens is rightly hyped, but just how big is the difference between it and the much cheaper AI? Obviously the AIS is better corrected for close-up with its floating elements, but I don't mind stopping down for close-up. At medium and longer distances, is the difference noticeable in your experience? This test https://nikonclassics-michalke.de/blog/?p=97 reports very similar performance. Has this been your experience? How's distortion? Do I remember correctly reading somewhere that the 28 f/2 Nikkors have far more distortion than the 2.8s?

Still not sure about Nikon as my SLR system, the focus direction being opposite to my ltm stuff is a bigger bother than I thought, and tbh the Nikon stuff I've handled so far feels a bit clunky compared to Minolta or Pentax gear... but I'd like to hear your thoughts on these lenses anyway!

 

[p.giannakis]

I only have the AIS version so i cannot compare. But I can say this.
My copy is scratched to death

And it still performs fantastically.

Here is a 100% crop

If the AI is in good condition and performs this well or better, then i doubt that you will be disappointed.

 

[Highway 61]

I owned both and couldn't see actual differences between the two at all distances and apertures was it on film or with a Nikon FF DSLR.

The Ai-S has plastic parts inside and develops some nasty wobble over time. It can wobble so much that the optical unit moves when the camera shutter (and automatic aperture index) is released. As a result you can get blurry pictures even at high speeds and infinity distances. Not good. This can be fixed but the whole thing has to be dismantled, cleaned and relubed with high friction lithium grease.

The Ai is full metal, inside and out, and really beautifully made.

I sold the Ai-S out and kept the Ai eventually.

 

[retinax]

I owned both and couldn't see actual differences between the two at all distances and apertures was it on film or with a Nikon FF DSLR.

The Ai-S has plastic parts inside and develops some nasty wobble over time. It can wobble so much that the optical unit moves when the camera shutter (and automatic aperture index) is released. As a result you can get blurry pictures even at high speeds and infinity distances. Not good. This can be fixed but the whole thing has to be dismantled, cleaned and relubed with high friction lithium grease.

The Ai is full metal, inside and out, and really beautifully made.

I sold the Ai-S out and kept the Ai eventually.

Interesting and just what I wanted to hear, thanks!

 

[narsuitus]

I use the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AIS and the Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 pre-AI lenses. Both lenses produce excellent image quality.

I purchased a 28mm f/2 Zeiss lens (lens on left) because I needed the extra f/stop. The Zeiss is well made and has an all metal feel but I was surprised that its excellent image quality was no better than my f/2.8 AIS Nikkor.


Zeiss Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Fraser]

I owned both and couldn't see actual differences between the two at all distances and apertures was it on film or with a Nikon FF DSLR.

The Ai-S has plastic parts inside and develops some nasty wobble over time. It can wobble so much that the optical unit moves when the camera shutter (and automatic aperture index) is released. As a result you can get blurry pictures even at high speeds and infinity distances. Not good. This can be fixed but the whole thing has to be dismantled, cleaned and relubed with high friction lithium grease.

The Ai is full metal, inside and out, and really beautifully made.

I sold the Ai-S out and kept the Ai eventually.

Thats interesting almost bought an ais a few times because of the so called amazing performance, wonder if its all internet hype?

 

[Highway 61]

Thats interesting almost bought an ais a few times because of the so called amazing performance, wonder if its all internet hype?

The performance of the Nikkor Ai-S 28/2.8 is amazing indeed - no internet hype - and the very close focusing distance thanks to its floating elements can be a bonus. But the build quality of this version is somewhat questionable and I decided to keep the 28/2.8 which was obviously better built and which provided (to my eyes) equivalent amazing performance, that is, the Nikkor 28/2,8 Ai. And mine is in like new condition.

The 28/2.8 Ai-S is generally said to be sharper in the center than the 28/2.8 Ai while the latter would be sharper in the corners. All tests available out there could barely tell which was which and this is what I found out in practical use with my D700. I hadn't the need of a 28mm which could close focus to 20cm instead of 30cm and I favored the build quality of the "old" lens so I did keep the Ai and sold the Ai-S out eventually. But I could have been happy with the contrary for sure.

If you can get a 28/2.8 Ai-S in excellent condition with no wobble of the optical unit and no heavy play in the focusing ring, go for it if the price is within the usual ballpark ($250 USD or so). If you can get a 28/2.8 Ai in excellent condition for peanuts, go for it. In either case you won't be disappointed.

The Nikkor 28/3.5 in F mount (all versions) OTOH is a very bad lens. It's as bad as the W-Nikkor-C 28/3.5 in Nikon rangefinder mount is good.
I have the Nikkor 28/2 Ai too but seldom use it (bigger and heavier than the 2.8). So far, from what I could see on my pictures, it's as good as both the two 2.8 at similar apertures.

The difference between the 28/2.8 Ai and the 28/2.8 Ai-S may be more obvious with a 24MP FF sensor, though. With film and the D700 I couldn't really see any.