Nikkor LTM Nikkor HC 50mm F2... Wow, I am impressed

[dourbalistar]

Love the look this lens produces... Question for the knowledgeable among us - Is this lens the same optical formula as the F-mount 50mm f2 nikkor? Or similar?

Similar in that both -H designated lenses have 6-element designs, but different optical formulae. This Nikon webpage has a nice history of the rangefinder S- and L-mount lenses, including a lens diagram:
http://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0034/index.htm

Nico van Dijk's wonderful web resource has a diagram of the F-mount version:
https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index1.htm

 

[dourbalistar]

They are very different. The shortest focal length SLR lens to share any formulation is the 8.5cm Nikkor but it was still changed drastically. The one that is really similar is the 10.5cm f/2.5 Nikkor. I think this is the P version. Nikon saw that only a minor tweak was necessary to allow the rear element to clear the SLR mirror so the design between the early 105mm (or 10.5cm whichever you call them) RF and SLR lenses is very similar.

Phil Forrest

Well, Google only gets you so far, since there are actually knowledgeable folks like Phil_F_NM who answered a similar question not too far up thread. 🙄

 

[dourbalistar]

And if those Nikkor letter designations are Greek to you, it's because they are! The rest are Latin, which I also can't read. Taken from the above linked MIR webpage:

U Unus (Latin) = 1 lens element
B Bini (Latin) = 2 elements
T Tres (Latin) = 3 elements
Q Quattuor (Latin) = 4 elements
P Pente (Greek) = 5 elements
H Hex (Greek) = 6 elements
S Septem (Latin) = 7 elements
O Oct (Latin) = 8 elements
N Novem (Latin) = 9 elements
D Decem (Latin) = 10 elements

NOTE:- In the 1970's Nikon stops using these letters as well as the ‘C’ (in white, black or red), indicating that the particular lens has coated surfaces.

 

[weihsuan]

The Nikkor-H appears to have a slightly different coating compared to the Nikkor-HC. Serial numbers are pretty close.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Nikkor HC 50mm F2... Wow, I am impressed

The Nikkor-H appears to have a slightly different coating compared to the Nikkor-HC. Serial numbers are pretty close.

The dropping of the red C and slightly different coating are just coincidental. Nikon made lots of incremental changes to this lens over the course of production, for example, the optical formula was tweaked around 20 times to match the type of glasses available. Coatings got incremental updates too, as did the barrel design.

 

[dourbalistar]

Leica M4-2, Nikkor-H.C 5cm f/2, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.05.26 Roll #157-02234-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[Bingley]

Leica M3, Nikkor-HC 5cm f2.0 LTM, Portra 400:

44th Ave. by bingley0522, on Flickr

 

[jonmanjiro]

NOTE:- In the 1970's Nikon stops using these letters as well as the ‘C’ (in white, black or red), indicating that the particular lens has coated surfaces.

That happened twice. Once in the late 1950s, when Nikon dropped the red "C", because all lenses were single coated by then.

Nikon restarted using the "C" when they started multi coating lenses, and dropped it again in the 1970's, because all lenses were multi coated by then.

 

[dourbalistar]

That happened twice. Once in the late 1950s, when Nikon dropped the red "C", because all lenses were single coated by then.

Nikon restarted using the "C" when they started multi coating lenses, and dropped it again in the 1970's, because all lenses were multi coated by then.

So many changes to keep track of, make you "C" red. Now you "C" it, now you don't... 😎

 

[jonmanjiro]

So many changes to keep track of, make you "C" red. Now you "C" it, now you don't... 😎

I "C" you're on fire tonight. 座布団一枚！😉

 

[Mr_Flibble]

"Battle for the 11th Bridge" event in September 2018
Nicca 3-f, Nikkor-HC 5cm f/2, Kodak Double-X

 

[helen.HH]

Wonderful Rick !

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Thank you, Helen.
I overdeveloped the Double-X a bit, I think.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Memorial Museum Passchendaele Living History Festival 2018
Nikkor-HC 5cm f/2 on Leica M-E

 

[lodewijk]

Very impressive Rick !

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Thanks,

I have about another 50 similar shots with this combination left to post-process. Will post a couple more when I get round to it 😉

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Memorial Museum Passchendaele Living History Festival 2018
Nikkor-HC 5cm f/2 on Leica M-E

 

[dourbalistar]

Leica M4-2, Nikkor-H.C 5cm f/2, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.05.26 Roll #157-02232-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[Alex1416]

Just recently rediscovered this lens after it was sitting in my camera shelf for about a year. When i first got it, i thought it was naturally soft and glowy wide open. But this time around, i was lucky to accidentally shine some light through the lens in the correct angle, as i was about to mount it on a digital camera. I noticed what i thought was haze. Turns out the back element had some kind of super clear oil or grease. I cleaned it carefully, and to my surprise, it was taking excellent, clear, sharp images hahaha.
I am in love with this lens at the moment. It is so compact and well built. And the added bonus of easily focusing up to 0.45m on a digital body makes this a seriously versatile lens.

Sony A7II + Nikkor-H-C 50mm f2 LTM by Alex Aguilera, on Flickr

Sony A7II + Nikkor-H-C 50mm f2 LTM by Alex Aguilera, on Flickr

 

[dourbalistar]

I recently got re-acquainted with my Nikkor as well, it's a great lens.

Leica M5, Nikkor-H.C 5cm f/2, ORWO N74+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 6.5 minutes.


2019.02.18 Roll #197-03407-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr