So what is the perfect Nikon RF kit, lens-wise?

f16sunshine said:
Thanks and please forgive me for being ignorant... the oldest thread in the Nikon RF forum presently is 3-25-2013.
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Well I never wrote nor thought you were ignorant so I don't have to forgive you.

Just go to the Nikon RF forum homepage then scroll down the page and set the "Display Options" so that all the Nikon RF forum threads display "From The Beginning" then click on "Show threads" and you will see all the 50 pages with 1236 threads so far and the oldest thread being from 01-30-2005.

Actually there is a very large amount of quite valuable technical information about the Nikon RF gear already, thanks to all those threads having covered and discussed any peculiar point about whitzz or whatzz. Yet like with all the Internet forums, the forum interface, designed to highlight everything recent, rather tends to bury it under what I'd call "the sand of time". But it's still here.
 
There is no one size fits all.
The perfect kit is the one that gives you the point of view that suits your needs, and so will be as varied as the people who shoot with Nikon rangefinders.
Me?
A wide lens (one of 21, 25, 28), a widish normal lens (35) and a short telephoto (85 or 105).
Toss in an F with a 180 2.8 for reach and I'm good to go.
And the Millenium 50 1.4? It resides resplendent in its Place of Honor in the bedroom drawer with the spare bodies, and rare spare parts.
 
Yeah, I'm going "on a diet". Unfortunately I'm binging too.

But, I see two 8.5cm's on my shelf - black f2 and f1.5. Which to keep?

And, the 5cm's. Oh it hurts. Too many. No duplicates, but, too many.

Thank god Nikon made only one version of 10.5cm RF, so, I guess it stays.

What's worse, is, the notion that I might buy another body, to mate with a lens. Thus madness comes.
 
For me, the ideal Nikkor lens kit takes into account the strengths of the system.
28/3.5 - because both the SP and the S3 do an excellent job with this lens without a finder, and its tones are beautiful
35/1.8 - it's world class, and handles low-light in situations where the 28 is too slow
50/1.4 - Use it for portraits at 1.4 or f/2 and never look back

then either of the following two options:
- 85/2 plus 135/3.5 - Because of the 1:1 finder, the Nikon is best RF for telephotos. This combo allows you the 85 for portraits and the 135 for general telephoto use and a versatility in length that allows you to accomplish almost as much as an SLR

-105/2.5 for a general single telephoto -- one of the best lenses ever, a real joy to shoot, easy to focus with the 1:1 finder, and perfectly balanced with the Nikon body (they both weigh about the same, so you can carry the camera by holding the lens).

These days, purely for weight, I tend to carry the cosina 85/3.5, which also renders nicely. And the CV 21/4 is much. much less heavy than the vintage Contax 21/4.5.
 
a question for Tom A...

a question for Tom A...

You mention a Cosina adapter for 21mm f:4 Nikkor (for Nikon F) to Nikon S - I just searched the Camera Quest site, and not only couldn't find one, but Stephen G. specifically said that an adapter he sold would not fit the Nikon F version. Help!

David
 
The adaptor for F lenses to S mount

The adaptor for F lenses to S mount

I own one of the F-to-S adaptors that Steve sold back some six-ten years ago. The 21mm Nikkor in F mount is the only lens I use it with. I find that it fits perfectly, and the adaptor even has the mating tab necessary to keep the 21mm Nikkor from rotating in place once mounted. Not sure why Steve stated that it would not work with the 21. It will not work with F Nikkors with large rear elements.
Nikon also made an adaptor to mount the 21mm F-mount finder on the standard shoe of a Nikkormat. I use that for my finder on my RF Nikon. Cheers, WES LODER
 
To each his/her own; there's no perfect lens set for everyone. To begin with, some of us wear glasses and some don't. As a wearer of glasses I've narrowed my needs to 2 lenses, the 2007 Sonnar-C in S mount, and the 28 f3.5 Nikkor (with external viewfinder). If I didn't wear glasses, I'd want a 35 – but I have an M4 and Summicron v4 to cover that focal length with better visibility.
 
4872629531_6588e7e6f1_z.jpg


Dont know what the perfect lens kit is - yet. Not for lack of trying though. Old, excess shot of my nikon Rf compatible glass.
 
The best thing about Tom's picture is that I'm pretty sure every one of those lenses gets used as intended every now and again.
 
Each one gets used, some more than others of course. 135's are used sparingly, but lenses like the 28/35/50 are usually on cameras, loaded and ready to go. The 85 and 105 tend to be used for specific subjects - a bit heavy to drag around for day-to- day shooting. I tend to assign a month now and then for Nikon's and shoot up a storm with them.
 
wow.

Embarrassed to admit that my M-lens supply looks similar.

And I don't think anywhere near the usage stats as Tom.



Tom A said:
4872629531_6588e7e6f1_z.jpg


Dont know what the perfect lens kit is - yet. Not for lack of trying though. Old, excess shot of my nikon Rf compatible glass.
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Tom A said:
Each one gets used, some more than others of course. 135's are used sparingly, but lenses like the 28/35/50 are usually on cameras, loaded and ready to go. The 85 and 105 tend to be used for specific subjects - a bit heavy to drag around for day-to- day shooting. I tend to assign a month now and then for Nikon's and shoot up a storm with them.
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That's great to hear. Nothing worse than a shelf decoration. Cameras are for using, and you use them well. :)
 
My outfit:
Nikon S2, ( 1957 ) body.
Nikkor 35mm.F/2.5 ( 1956 )
Nikkor 50mm. F/2 ( replacement with NOS in early 'eighties )
Nikkor 105 mm F.2.5 ( 1959-60 )
21mm. F/4Color-Skopar ( 2008 )
 
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