Nikon FM3a

[Roughcollie]

Just bought a really nice Nikon FM3a with a 35mm ais f2 lens,I would really like to take some landscape photos with this camera (black & white also colour) can anybody suggest a couple of nice lens to use for this.
I have been looking at the 20mm and 24mm prime lenses,any comments would be very helpful.

 

[leica M2 fan]

I think the 35 will give you excellent pictures. But if you want a little wider experience
maybe the 24 will give you what you seek. The 20 might be too wide IMO.Hope this helps.

 

[kxl]

Congratulations on buying an absolutely brilliant manual focus film SLR.

If the 28mm focal length works for you, the Nikon 28mm/2.8 AIS is one the one to get -- it is sharp and quite affordable. The Nikon 24/2.0 AIS and 28/2.0 AIS are also very, very good.

If you are willing to spend, then have a look at the Zeiss ZF/ZF.2 offerings.

 

[Vics]

Your 35mm f2 is an excellent lens. I also have 2.8/24, 2.0/50, 2.5/105 and many others, but I always seem to gravitate back to that 35. I recommend you shoot with it as long as you can, then add one at a time as you feel the need. Many find the 1.8/85 a good companion to the 35.

 

[Godfrey]

I tend to prefer landscape work with longer lenses so the 35 would be fine for a lot.. I'd add an 85/2AI-S and either a 24/2.8 or 20/3.5 (both AI-S) to round out the kit.

My favorite 20 was the 20/3.5AI-S with 52mm filter thread. That way I could use the same filters with all my lenses from 20 to 105 mm.

G

 

[huddy]

If you'd like a bit of flexibility, the 25-50 f/4 AI-S is an excellent lens on film and digital. I can highly recommend the 28/2 as a landscape lens, and the 20/3.5 is excellent for keeping common thread sizes with the other sizes and performs just fine in landscape settings. If you're interested in having a telezoom, the 50-135 f/3.5 AI-S or 80-200 f/4.5 AI (with rectangle rear baffle) are both excellent. The 80-200 also maintains the 52mm filter size.

 

[DNG]

I have a 24mm f/2.8 Ais CFC that I have used on my Nikon FE...
It has very low distortion (near 0), and great sharpness and contrast.
I know many say the f/2 is the way to go, but, the f/2.8 is just as good and a bit smaller and lighter..

I know these are not Landscape.... but they to show the low distortion, and other qualities.

On Tri-X 400, Rodinal 1:100

2012 Classic Street Photography by Peter Arbib: My Classic Street Photography, on Flickr


Neopan 400, Rodinal 1:100

Around Monument Circle 4-24-2012 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity

 

[Huss]

The Nikon 24/2.0 AIS and 28/2.0 AIS are also very, very good.

If you are willing to spend, then have a look at the Zeiss ZF/ZF.2 offerings.

Yes on the suggestion of the Zeiss lenses. No on the recommendation for the 24mm f2.0 AIS. It is very soft wide open which makes using it there a waste of time. The 24 f2.8 AIS is much much better, and much cheaper too!

 

[kxl]

Yes on the suggestion of the Zeiss lenses. No on the recommendation for the 24mm f2.0 AIS. It is very soft wide open which makes using it there a waste of time. The 24 f2.8 AIS is much much better, and much cheaper too!

True re: 24/2.0 wide open, although the 24/2.8 wide open has too much light fall fall off to be usable for landscapes. In reality, you need to stop down both lenses to about f5.6 for both to be outstanding for landscapes.

As far as "much cheaper," that's relative. Ebay completed listing prices have been all over the place for these two lenses but I'd say the average difference has been roughly $150 or so (if you take completed listings over a period of time). Is that worth getting an extra stop? That's a personal call.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

If you want to shoot landscapes on 35mm star with an end in mind. Do you want big scenery or foreground interest? Do you want to compress perspective? The camera model is irrelevant, IMO, but the FM3A is a superb piece of kit.

My favourite set up is a 20 or 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85, 100 or 135mm lenses. With 4 of those lenses, the world is yours. If you really want the best out of your landscapes, buy a tripod and use Ilford PanF or similar. Maybe use an orange filter or a red if the skies are blue.

Most tend to like landscapes to be sharp front to back, so shooting at f8 or f11 tends to be a necessity - hence the tripod. A cable release is also a wise (and cheap) investment. I can't remember if the FM3A has a mirror lock up facility. If it does, use it as it will help avoid most of the risk of movement blur brought about from mirror-slap.

Have fun.

 

[Vics]

John Shaw used to say to start with 24mm and go up in "rough doubles," like 24-50 or 55-105-200 etc.
I, too, like the 24/2.8.
Day Under The Oaks by Vic Stewart, on Flickr

 

[kshapero]

Tested the Voigt 28/2.8. As sharp as it gets.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I am truly sorry I sold my Fm3A. Nothing in film has approached it for overall performance. I used a 28 AIS that was great for anything wide. It was inexpensive and never failed to deliver sharp well defined negs.