The best 'evil' lenses are ....... ???

[Sonnar Brian]

105/2.5 P.C., 28/2.8 non AI, 43-86 first version, 70-200 fixed f4.5 12 element.

It's the 80~200/4.5 Zoom-Nikkor. Came out in 1969, the first Zoom lens that Nikon made that performed as well as a fixed-focal length lens. I have two of them, one picked up for $20. Had "odd-spots, dried condensation under the front element. It came off. The other is the multi-coated Zoom-Nikkor-C that I converted to AI using factory parts.

 

[peterm1]

My favourites include the huge and impressively heavy 17-55mm f2.8 AF IF which is superb for DX cameras. The 105mm f2.8 AF micro which is sharp as a razor and the 180mm f2.8 which has bokeh so creamy you could spread it on scones with jam. Lovely lenses. While the 85mm f1.8 is very good I do not think its quite in the same league as the others which can produce startling images. The 35mm f2. AF and 50mm f1.4 AF are similarly pretty good (OK excellent)

 

[ampguy]

yes

yes

You're correct, 80-200. The earlier ones had 15 elements in 9 groups, the later 12 elements in 9 groups.

Amazing that they were able to keep the filter size 52mm.

Nikon lenses went downhill fast after this one.

It's the 80~200/4.5 Zoom-Nikkor. Came out in 1969, the first Zoom lens that Nikon made that performed as well as a fixed-focal length lens. I have two of them, one picked up for $20. Had "odd-spots, dried condensation under the front element. It came off. The other is the multi-coated Zoom-Nikkor-C that I converted to AI using factory parts.

 

[Disaster_Area]

Best Evil Lens of The Year (for me)

Sigma 30mm f1.4

I was very suprised... having had a very bad history with Sigma glass... but I picked up the Sigma 30mm f1.4 about a year ago and it's been sharing camera time with my Canon 85mm f1.2L as the two lenses that are on my camera about 95% of the time. After getting the 85L I was really despairing that any other lens would be sharp enough and render at beautifully, but the 30mm f1.4 is just amazing. Stupidly sharp starting right from wide open and beautiful bokeh... and I hear the 50mm f1.4 from Sigma is just as good.


Backgrounds just seem to melt away and the foreground always seems so crisp... this was shot wide open.

 

[gavinlg]

I had one of those sigma 30mm's back in my aps-c days - wonderful lens WHEN it focussed correctly - just didn't have the accuracy of the canon USM. The 50mm sigma is a cream machine - smoothest bokeh of any lens I've ever seen. Too smooth for me actually!

 

[Disaster_Area]

maybe I got a good copy... my sigma 30mm only rarely misses focus... and only then in very very dim light. I didn't even have to use the micro focus adjust on my 50D...I really want to pick up the 50mm 🙂

 

[Keith]

Two Zuiko lenses I would really sweat on in a change from Olympus to Nikon are my 50mm f1.2 ... I've never used another lens like it and the other is the 85mm f2 used mainly for portraits. The 35mm f2 I'm not so fussed about ... it's ok but not a standout.

I'm really a three lens shooter to be honest ... I seldom go wider than 35mm, love a good fast 50 and use an 85 or 90mm occasionally.

 

[gavinlg]

Two Zuiko lenses I would really sweat on in a change from Olympus to Nikon are my 50mm f1.2 ... I've never used another lens like it and the other is the 85mm f2 used mainly for portraits. The 35mm f2 I'm not so fussed about ... it's ok but not a standout.

I'm really a three lens shooter to be honest ... I seldom go wider than 35mm, love a good fast 50 and use an 85 or 90mm occasionally.

I like my fm2n and I love the f3hp Keith, but for a SLR to be used as a daily shooter, nothing beats an OM. If you want to try a nikon body for a while you can borrow my fm2n for a month or two - I basically never use it. Don't have any F-mount lenses at the moment though.

 

[Gary E]

"Let me add a few sample of an old 105 F/2.5 AI as well (taken with D700) about my niece Sofia (usually focused on her closer eye)" -Dino

I must say those are spectacular shots with the 105/2.5 AI.

My favorites include (some of the ones I've used):
24/2.8 AIS
50/2.0 AI
100/2.8 AIS Series-E

My favorite pancake sized lens is the 50 Series-E. Not the best 50 but definitely in the compact sized catagory; especially when used with a Nikon EM (what a quick snap shooter that was).

 

[Dralowid]

Any 2 cam Leica R lenses that I can afford ...

The 65mm 2.8 Macro is wonderful despite it's age.

The 21mm Super Angulon is great though falls off a tiny bit towards the corners

Presumably there are people out there using this stuff on DSLRs? Must be... the prices seem to be going up!

Michael

 

[Photon42]

105/2.5 P.C., 28/2.8 non AI, 43-86 first version, 70-200 fixed f4.5 12 element.

The newer AFS lenses are not as good as the old manual focus ones, but better than the AFD pre AFS ones, IMHO.

I'd second this mostly for the mechanical aspects. Long before Nikon has sadly decided to get rid of the aperture ring, they started making it feeling stiff and sticky to turn. The AFD 2.8/180 (later) is quite an exception here, as it can be operated manually just like the pre-AF lenses. I suspect the 1.4/85 AF and some other lenses are the same.

With regard to optical performance, I'd be surprised if a newer AFS lens cannot hold up against a first gen zoom Nikkor.

Cheers
Ivo

 

[Calzone]

I shoot Nikon primes and these are my current holdings:

24/2.0 AIS
35/2.0 Nippon O AI'd (Single coated)
55/2.8 AIS
85/1.4 AIS Cream Machine
105/1.8 AIS
180/2.8 EDIFN AF

I sold a 105/2.5 AIS, because the 105/1.8 has a ten-blade diaphram, smoother OOF rendering, and is faster. Weight wise it is in the ball park of my 85/1.4 AIS. The 105/1.8 AIS is like a 105/2.5 on Steroids if you can handle the supersize and extra weight. HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!

I also own two F2AS's and three F3's. A F3 with a DA-2 and the 24/2.0 is my Street Machine. The two other F3's are equiped with MD-4's for use with the tele's.


Calzone

 

[shadowfox]

My findings:

Nikon for raw sharpness,
Olympus for color-balance or mid-tones (in B&W),
Zeiss for "3D-ness"

Out of Nikon lenses, I like pre-AI lenses more, but they are heavier than their AI counterparts. Nikkor-S 35/2.8 and Nikkor-Q 135/2.8 are awesome. I like Canon AF 35/2 than Nikon AF 35/2.

For 200mm, I haven't found anything that I like more than the old Super Takumar 200/4.

For 300mm, OM Zuiko 300/4.5 of course 🙂

 

[Frontman]

I currently have 4 different camera kits; Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and Leica.

My favorite from Canon is the old chrome-nose 35/2 FD concave. This lens gives sharp, yet warm images, and it's the default lens on my F1.

My favorite Nikkor lens is the 28/2.8, which I have had for more than 20 years.

From Olympus, my favorite is the 90/2 macro. Of all the lenses I've used from any maker, this one is my favorite. It is an excellent all-around lens.

 

[Ezzie]

The only notible Nikon lens I've used to any extent is the AF-D 50/1.4 It is however a very nice lens. Solidly build, yet compact and light. Sharp with nice out of focus rendering. Faithful colours.

 

[filmfan]

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D is optically the best SLR lens I have used. It does however lack in build quality in serious way.

 

[Turtle]

From the EOS stable:

135L Absolutely stunning performance and butter bokeh.
70-200 F4L My copy blew me away from wide open. I had no idea it would be this good. Negs look almost like they were shot on primes.

I have a 85 1.2L II on the way and hope that one is a cracker.

No real experience of other SLR systems, other than casual use, but the two lenses above perform like my Zeiss and Leica lenses do (tho taking into account the 70-200 is a zoom). Miles better than the consumer canon lenses I also have.

 

[lorriman]

But also the 200 F/4 can play quite well (given the bad scanning) - FM3A / BW400CN => 1600 iso

Wonderful!

What time of the day did you take this, and what month? Presumably in italy? I'm trying to learn the best conditions for dappled light pics.

Do you think this picture is impossible without wide dynamic range of C41? I use tri-x.

 

[gavinlg]

I have a 85 1.2L II on the way and hope that one is a cracker.

Oh don't you worry, you've got one of the best lenses ever from any manufacturer coming.

 

[FA Limited]

Oh yes, the FA77 is great fun: Rainer

rainer good to see you here as well, schalke fan. are you using rangefinders now as well?
- arsenal fan from pf 🙂

I guess my current vote goes for Pentax glass. I use an A 20/2.8, FA 31/1.8 LTD, FA 43/1.9 LTD and FA 77/1.8 LTD on my K10d and ME Super. The A 20 is a great wide match for the FA LTD lenses. These 4 are pretty much as good as any other lens I have used, SLR or otherwise.

The only thing that may make them better would be a DSLR with a FF sensor. I didn't think I would say this, but the 43 would be just great as a....43 and the 31 would make a great wide. I am not a huge tele guy, so shortening the 77 would be good for me.

i used the FA Limited for about a year on film. fantastic stuff, all the bad things about them on digital with the weird CA and PF. using the lenses the way they were intended was quite refreshing. my only wish was that they could have made the FA31 smaller like the size of the FA35.