The 10 most rare F-mount lenses

ampguy said:
105/2.5 *PC* coated version. There are 5+ versions of the F mount 105/2.5, but I *think* the *PC* one is the rarest.
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Hmmm... I have one of those.

A real jewel...

2007_02_013_025_700.jpg
 
Great photo!

Great photo!

Very nice, sharp, but not too sharp.

I mostly use the lens in color, wide open with the cat, I can follow the cat around, and easily blur a messy background into a nice studio pastel ...

Of course, the lens is great for people too!

P. Lynn Miller said:
Hmmm... I have one of those.

A real jewel...

2007_02_013_025_700.jpg
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ampguy said:
Very nice, sharp, but not too sharp.

I mostly use the lens in color, wide open with the cat, I can follow the cat around, and easily blur a messy background into a nice studio pastel ...

Of course, the lens is great for people too!
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Ampguy,

Thanks, the Nikkor 105 is a legendary portrait lens for good reason.

Not sure about rarity... but there a few less common lenses I would still like to try with my Nikon F one day, including...

Nikkor-O 2.1cm f4.0
Nikkor-S 5.8cm f1.4
Nikkor-S 55mm f1.2 - Type II single coated
Nikkor-H 85mm f1.8 - first version that is only single coated
 
peterm1 said:
I am not sure what are the 10 most rare but I can say that there certainly are any number of excellent F mount lenses that are great performers - even now. Overall the prices of manual lenses seems to have fallen a bit due to the fact that most DSLRs need a "chipped" lens for all of its functions to work. This applies even more to early non AI lenses which will not mount and function on later cameras. But there are also some desirable rarities that seemed to still be in demand. The 58mm Nokt Nikkor for example and the 300mm f4.5 ED. Both appear to be in great demand and attract a premium. I think I can say that Nikkor lenses are also beautifully made.

There are also many good lenses that are relatively cheap. The 50mm f2.0 is an excellent example being common and a great lens which turns in lovely photos, especially in black and white.
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Gee, I Ai'd a bunch my F mounts and they work fine on my D200 in A and M mode which is all I would use anyway. When I want to let it out, I use the excellent CV 40mm/f2 with the "chip".
 
Ben Z said:
Agree completely! Before the D200, when only the expensive Nikon DSLR's could meter the older lenses, and the prices of them was really low, I managed to finally pick up my "dream set" which I couldn't afford back when they were new (so I went into Pentax).

20/3.5-UD, 24/2.8, 35/2, 85/1.8, 105/2.5, and 180/2.8. All of them are AI-converted with the factory part, except the 85, which was converted by my friend Pete Smith. I've used all of them on my Canon 20D with adaptors, but maybe one day I'll pick up a D3 when it's been replaced and the price comes way down.
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Interesting, Nikon returned my 105/2.5 when I sent it for conversion in the 70's, saying they would not convert that one, and doubled the price on the other two lenses I sent.

Have had a couple of them, always a terrific lens.

Regards, John
 
According to the Nikon/Nikkormat Manual by Abbott and Cooper, the 55/1.2 Nikkor-S was the first regular production Nikon lens to get multicoated surfaces- but for the rear cell only. This practice started in 1969. I had one of those lenses, but favored and kept the 55/1.2 Nikkor-SC. The 55/1.2 is a true F1.2 lens as measured, and the SC and Ai version has a T-Stop of T1.25. It has 7 element in 5 groups, as opposed to the 50/1.2 and 58/1.2 that are 7 elements in 6 groups.
 
JohnTF said:
Interesting, Nikon returned my 105/2.5 when I sent it for conversion in the 70's, saying they would not convert that one, and doubled the price on the other two lenses I sent.

Have had a couple of them, always a terrific lens.

Regards, John
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It depended on the serial number of the lens, some were constructed differently and could not be "factory converted" with a new aperture ring. Typically, the lenses without screws in the rear were not eligible for factory conversion. Other shops would cut a groove in the aperture ring, but not Nikon. Some lenses were more expensive to convert, such as the GN-Nikkor.

I had my 105/2.5 "RIFR", 24/2.8 Nikkor-NC, and 55/3.5 Nikkor-P factory Ai'd for $18.50 each. In the 1970s of course.
 
I have a F2.8 200mm Ais lens made by Sun which i think is the first name for Sigma.
Would this lens be rare now?
Sorry to bring this up when talking about Nikkor lenses but i can't find any information about this lens online.
 
I have no rare ones, but a few favorites. 50 2.0 35 2.0 original 105 2.5 original.

I use them on my D700 I consider them wow.

Got a bounch of new AF lenses that live in a drawer and save `em for kids baseball etc.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
It depended on the serial number of the lens, some were constructed differently and could not be "factory converted" with a new aperture ring. Typically, the lenses without screws in the rear were not eligible for factory conversion. Other shops would cut a groove in the aperture ring, but not Nikon. Some lenses were more expensive to convert, such as the GN-Nikkor.

I had my 105/2.5 "RIFR", 24/2.8 Nikkor-NC, and 55/3.5 Nikkor-P factory Ai'd for $18.50 each. In the 1970s of course.
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Some guys have all the luck, price doubled during the process I had my lenses converted, but the 50 1.4 was and is beautiful, then I did send the 105 to be machined. Fond memories of that lens, but I have more equipment than time, and at least two of them. I think they sent the old parts back?

Thanks, John
 
Nikkor 105mm 2.5 P:
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nikkor105mm25.jpg


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The lens is not really "rare", but it is awesome. I have it as RF and as SLR lens. Both are the Sonnar versions.
 
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I use a zoom-Nikkor 80~200 2.8 ED AIS, and as I understand Nikon only made about 1,500 of this lens before it was discontinued. Not the rarest of lenses, but certainly difficult to find today.

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Rarity amoung the F Mount Lens

Rarity amoung the F Mount Lens

Having collected the early non-AI F mount Nikkors for years, it makes me cringe hearing about them being converted to AI, especially when the aperture ring is mutilated by grinding. Not to long after the introduction of AI lens indexing, I remember sending off a mint "K" type 85/1.8 to Nikon for conversion. Today, it is very rare finding a true mint "K" type 85/1.8 in original condition.

The 5.5cm/3.5 Micro Preset has already been mentioned as a rarity. The "NKJ" labled 180/2.8 non AI & the "NKJ" labeled 28/2.0 non-AI are two more that are not seen very often. You can also add the "NKJ" labeled, 9 aperture blade, 35/1.4 non-AI to the list of rarities. Another rarity is the 3.5cm/2.8 non-AI "Tick-Mark" lens while the 3.5cm-8.5cm/2.8 non-AI zoom has to rank up there with the UV 55mm/4 as two of the rarest F mount Nikkors.
 
mynikonf2 said:
Having collected the early non-AI F mount Nikkors for years, it makes me cringe hearing about them being converted to AI, especially when the aperture ring is mutilated by grinding. Not to long after the introduction of AI lens indexing, I remember sending off a mint "K" type 85/1.8 to Nikon for conversion. Today, it is very rare finding a true mint "K" type 85/1.8 in original condition.

The 5.5cm/3.5 Micro Preset has already been mentioned as a rarity. The "NKJ" labled 180/2.8 non AI & the "NKJ" labeled 28/2.0 non-AI are two more that are not seen very often. You can also add the "NKJ" labeled, 9 aperture blade, 35/1.4 non-AI to the list of rarities. Another rarity is the 3.5cm/2.8 non-AI "Tick-Mark" lens while the 3.5cm-8.5cm/2.8 non-AI zoom has to rank up there with the UV 55mm/4 as two of the rarest F mount Nikkors.
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I don't understand your "cringing" remark.
I am a user rather than a collector of equipment, so I see no problem at all when someone has a piece of gear modified in some way to make it more convenient to use for taking photographs, as I have often done.
After mentioning that I put Nikon F2 film advance lever plastic tips on my S3 rangefinders, I was admonished by an insulted collector who told me that it was my duty to preserve my gear in its original condition for future generations. There are enough Polishers and Worshippers out there with the pristine stuff squirrelled away in glass cases to keep the future generations happy, so it's not anything I'll waste any time worrying about.
 
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