Nikon 105/25, one hell of a lens

Dino, I think the older sister is more beautiful 🙂 uh sorry my post is not about the lens at all 🙂

It looks like it is a great portrait lens! (now is ok)
 
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LeicaFoReVer said:
Dino, I think the older sister is more beautiful 🙂 uh sorry my post is not about the lens at all 🙂

It looks like it is a great portrait lens! (now is ok)
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Hahaha hard to say, usually Nicla (the younger) is trendier, more aggressive and better made up (eyes) but she's also a bit too slim imho, while Mara (the older) is sweeter, calmer and completely of a different kind. Each one has her own pros.
 
About the 105 this is one of the latest taken a few days ago in southern Italy.
A couple asked me to take a few snapshots of their newborn

Wide open - Nikon D700 - 1600 iso - F/2.5 - 1/3000s

981054123_EoDFB-X2.jpg
 
for F mount

for F mount

there are maybe a dozen variations, change from Sonnar was around 407K I think, and full M/C around 500K s/n. Blades #'s changed, as did hoods, lettering, screws, and min aperture.

I like the low 500K P*C versions with 5 screws, and multicoating, but have seen great images from all versions.

Here is a good s/n resource:

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

as well as the articles on mir.com and the nikon tales archives


Phantomas said:
Hmmmmm. Thanks for the tip! I'm now looking to buy this lens. Are all of them (F, M, S) the same optical design? How come it's so cheap?
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Phantomas said:
Hmmmmm. Thanks for the tip! I'm now looking to buy this lens. Are all of them (F, M, S) the same optical design? How come it's so cheap?
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I have the AI version. For the F-mount, the ones from April, 1971 and later (sn 407XXX and later) are the same general design - 5 elements in 4 groups.

The earliest version (1959 to March 1971, sn# 120XXX - 286XXX) was a Sonnar design and have 5 elements in 3 groups.

The LTM version is a Sonnar design.
 
wow

wow

amazing 3d-ishness in that first photo

Phantomas said:
Bump for this great lens. So I ended up getting it after reading this thread (thanks all for the tips!) and after a few weeks finally took it out to play. I must say - this lens certanly has character. I like it very much. Best $100 spent in a long time!

Here are the first shots. Nothing serious, just playing around with friends' faces while drinking beer. I like how this lens gets right into peoples faces, tight, great FL for portraits. Shot on D700:


44643_106677832722057_100001395211421_59186_513490_n.jpg



Yep, I'll be liking this lens long time 🙂
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When I shot Nikon...

When I shot Nikon...

I owned a couple of 105/2.5 Nikkors, an old silver/black one, then a newer AI version.
I got some good negatives from both, but for portraits I preferred the much less highly regarded 85/2 AI Nikkor I later had.
The small difference in focal length could often made a big difference, like when chasing my (then) young daughter around...

Chris
 
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It's a great lens. I have a Nikkor-P 2.5/105, which was converted to AI at some point.
The P is single coated and looks great in black and white. I also think that the non-sonnar versions have better bokeh.

From a shooting standpoint I have mixed feelings about the 105.

Yes, it is very sharp and all of that, but I find that anything longer than an 85mm tends to flatten things out a little too much for my taste. The 105 does have some of that telephoto look. The 85mm looks more neutral. Kind of like a 50 shot close up.
 
I picked one up as part of a trade on a SB28.

I still haven't used it since I've been shooting primarily with rangefinders recently. Maybe I'll take it out today.

Does anyone happen to know how it compares to the 85mm 1/8 AF? I love that lens and am curious if the 105 has anything going for it in comparison beyond being a different focal length.
 
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