W-Nikkor C 3.5cm f/1.8 Photos!

[jbielikowski]

How do you like that set up? I have always wanted to try this lens on an s3 because of the 1:1 viewfinder with 35mm lines.

They are quite hard to see with glasses but with 35mm I dont compose much in the viewfinder, just enough to check if I'm pointing in the right direction. I love how compact this setup is given the f/1.8 of the W-Nikkor.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The 3.5cm F2.5 is the same basic design as the 35/2.8 Summaron, the Nikkor has higher contrast. I sold the Summaron. The 3.5cm F1.8 renders much like the F2.5, just a stop faster. I have the 3.5cm F1.8 in S-Mount, and the 3.5cm F2.5 in LTM and S-Mount.

 

[wlewisiii]

It would be neat but given the cost difference and the similarity I figure I'll eventually just get a 2.5 in S mount and be very happy 🙂

 

[das]

Imho, the 35mm f/2.5 (and especially for the price) a much better "everyday" 35mm lens than the f/1.8, at least on film and/or using rangefinder focus only. The f/1.8's focus shift can be quite annoying at smaller apertures if not being used with Liveview. In my view, the f/2.5 Nikkor is essentially the equal of the f/2.8 Summaron. But I like the Summaron better because of the shorter minimum focusing distance (0.7m versus 0.9m on a S and 1.0m in M39) and slightly better coatings.

 

[jbielikowski]

I see that. I have an s3 with a 5cm f1.4. unfortunutly the slow speeds seem to not work anymore as all slow speeds sound like 1/125th. I posted in the classifieds actually. I am looking to possibly trade my summilux f1.4 steel rim reissue for a black paint s3 and a 3.5cm f1.8 or 2.5 in the 1.8 barrel. I have heard this 3.5cm f1.8 renders kinda like a summaron f2.8?

sounds like a sweet deal you offer too bad my S3 is a chrome beater probably worth peanuts.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

The 3.5cm F2.5 is the same basic design as the 35/2.8 Summaron, the Nikkor has higher contrast. I sold the Summaron. The 3.5cm F1.8 renders much like the F2.5, just a stop faster. I have the 3.5cm F1.8 in S-Mount, and the 3.5cm F2.5 in LTM and S-Mount.

Imho, the 35mm f/2.5 (and especially for the price) a much better "everyday" 35mm lens than the f/1.8, at least on film and/or using rangefinder focus only. The f/1.8's focus shift can be quite annoying at smaller apertures if not being used with Liveview. In my view, the f/2.5 Nikkor is essentially the equal of the f/2.8 Summaron. But I like the Summaron better because of the shorter minimum focusing distance (0.7m versus 0.9m on a S and 1.0m in M39) and slightly better coatings.

I wonder if the 3.5cm f2.5 is the same optical design as the Nikonos system 35mm f2.5. That nikonos lens is fantastic. I had a goggled summaron it actually focused down further than .7 I think it was like .5 or somthing like that and i liked it for black and white. I may get another one of those eventually.

I actually have an amadeo adapter that I can put at least the 50mm f1.4 on my m3 (actually really fun on that camera too) I think I can mount a 3.5cm f2.5 on my m3 but I dont think the f1.8 will because of somthing about the focus cam and rear element interfering

sounds like a sweet deal you offer too bad my S3 is a chrome beater probably worth peanuts.

haha I shoud save money and just buy another chrome one. I want to fix my chrome s3 but many places flat out told me no or they want to charge me what I payed for it. So for now I am shooting it at 1/125th and above.

Is the finder in the sp noticablly better than the s3?

 

[brusby]

Imho, the 35mm f/2.5 (and especially for the price) a much better "everyday" 35mm lens than the f/1.8, at least on film and/or using rangefinder focus only. The f/1.8's focus shift can be quite annoying at smaller apertures if not being used with Liveview. In my view, the f/2.5 Nikkor is essentially the equal of the f/2.8 Summaron. But I like the Summaron better because of the shorter minimum focusing distance (0.7m versus 0.9m on a S and 1.0m in M39) and slightly better coatings.

I really like the Summaron too, particularly the tones in b&w. The images from the 3.5cm Nikkor f1.8 look great. Wish it weren't so pricey in LTM.

Is it true that the S mount version of the Nikkor does not work with the Amadeo adapter?

Here's one from '63 Summaron 35mm f2.8 just for comparison purposes.
SummaronCottageL1001576 by Brusby, on Flickr

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I really like the Summaron too, particularly the tones in b&w. The images from the 3.5cm Nikkor f1.8 look great. Wish it weren't so pricey in LTM.

Is it true that the S mount version of the Nikkor does not work with the Amadeo adapter?

Here's one from '63 Summaron 35mm f2.8 just for comparison purposes.
SummaronCottageL1001576 by Brusby, on Flickr

I think the 3.5 1.8 will mount you just cant use it on an m body because the rear element will hit the focus cam. This is what I understand. I could be wrong though.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I remember this discussion with Tom A. He wanted to dedicate an M2 body for the S-Mount 3.5cm F1.8, but it Jammed the bottom of the Wheel of the RF cam pickup.
I suggested that he could cut the wheel down to pickup the Cam of the Adapter.
Amedeo made an offset adapter, not RF coupled- but avoided the jam.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I remember this discussion with Tom A. He wanted to dedicate an M2 body for the S-Mount 3.5cm F1.8, but it Jammed the bottom of the Wheel of the RF cam pickup.
I suggested that he could cut the wheel down to pickup the Cam of the Adapter.
Amedeo made an offset adapter, not RF coupled- but avoided the jam.

Now thats interesting the off set adapter. For my digital system I now use a hasseblad cfv 50c II system that I traded my m10 for. I bet I could use the nikkor with the amadeo adapter on it and a M - XCD adapter. (its really wild) I used this set up to get some interesting photos with the 5cm f1.4. I know the image circle on the summilux is a little too small for the medium format sensor though so probibly the same for the nikkor 3.5cm. The photo below was shot with the 907x and 5cm f1.4 nikkor. This is cropped to square and I added a some vignette.

 

[Ororaro]

The 35 1.8S is very similar to summicron 35mm v1

 

[Roastchestnuts]

The 35 1.8S is very similar to summicron 35mm v1

thats good to know. I always loved how the v1 and v4 crons rendered. I had a version 4 for a long time. I thought about picking up a goggled v1 cron for my m3.

 

[das]

The 1.8 definitely does not mount with any current Nikon S/Contax to Leica adapter. But there a few people out there (I know of a guy in S. Korea) who can modify it so that it can work with the adapters and still work with the Nikon S. Other people like Skyllaney made new lens housings for the lens to fit on a Leica -- but this was a permanent modification. A guy in Japan whose name I cannot remember would do rather crude Leica conversions that rendered them incompatible with the Nikon S. I am pretty sure he does not do them any more.

I believe the story was that Tom A requested that the Bessa R2S be developed so that everyone could use lenses like the 1.8 and the 21mm f/4.5 Biogon on a modern rangefinder.

But for those who really want the 1.8 experience in a lens that actually works with a Leica, look at the Konica UC Hexanon 35mm f/2. It replicates the 1.8 very closely (has almost the exact same design), has the same minimum focus (0.9m), is a beautiful brass-body lens around the same size as a Leica IV Summicron (actually the Hex is a little smaller), and is still cheaper than an OEM 1.8 in M39. While the 1.8 has better barrel distortion control, the Hex's coatings are modern and are substantially better for color film / color digital. Both lenses focus shift in the exact same way.

 

[Timmyjoe]

I agree that there really aren't adapters for using the Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 S on a Leica rangefinder, but using an Amedeo adapter on the 3.5cm f1.8 and then a Leica to whatever adapter, the 3.5cm can very successfully be used on numerous mirrorless cameras. I used one for a few years on a Nikon Z6 and loved the way it rendered. Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 - Amedeo Nikon S to Leica M adapter - Leica M to Nikon Z adapter, and bingo, you're in business.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Roastchestnuts]

The 1.8 definitely does not mount with any current Nikon S/Contax to Leica adapter. But there a few people out there (I know of a guy in S. Korea) who can modify it so that it can work with the adapters and still work with the Nikon S. Other people like Skyllaney made new lens housings for the lens to fit on a Leica -- but this was a permanent modification. A guy in Japan whose name I cannot remember would do rather crude Leica conversions that rendered them incompatible with the Nikon S. I am pretty sure he does not do them any more.

I believe the story was that Tom A requested that the Bessa R2S be developed so that everyone could use lenses like the 1.8 and the 21mm f/4.5 Biogon on a modern rangefinder.

But for those who really want the 1.8 experience in a lens that actually works with a Leica, look at the Konica UC Hexanon 35mm f/2. It replicates the 1.8 very closely (has almost the exact same design), has the same minimum focus (0.9m), is a beautiful brass-body lens around the same size as a Leica IV Summicron (actually the Hex is a little smaller), and is still cheaper than an OEM 1.8 in M39. While the 1.8 has better barrel distortion control, the Hex's coatings are modern and are substantially better for color film / color digital. Both lenses focus shift in the exact same way.

I wonder what they do to the lens to modify them. Would be curious to see a modified one to work with the adapters. I actually thought about picking up a R2s just to see how it was.

I will think about the Konica. I actually really want to be able to use on the nikon and leica system. everyonce and a while you see a 3.5cm f2.5 in the 1.8 barral too and I think that will work with the amadeo adapter. I may try and find one of those too just so I can use it on both leica and nikon S.

I agree that there really aren't adapters for using the Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 S on a Leica rangefinder, but using an Amedeo adapter on the 3.5cm f1.8 and then a Leica to whatever adapter, the 3.5cm can very successfully be used on numerous mirrorless cameras. I used one for a few years on a Nikon Z6 and loved the way it rendered. Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 - Amedeo Nikon S to Leica M adapter - Leica M to Nikon Z adapter, and bingo, you're in business.

Best,
-Tim

This is what I was thinking. Seems like a lot of adapters but its the same thing I do to use the 5cm on my hasselblad 907x

 

[jbielikowski]

I wonder what they do to the lens to modify them. Would be curious to see a modified one to work with the adapters. I actually thought about picking up a R2s just to see how it was.

I will think about the Konica. I actually really want to be able to use on the nikon and leica system. everyonce and a while you see a 3.5cm f2.5 in the 1.8 barral too and I think that will work with the amadeo adapter. I may try and find one of those too just so I can use it on both leica and nikon S.

This is what I was thinking. Seems like a lot of adapters but its the same thing I do to use the 5cm on my hasselblad 907x

You can see some modified lenses in this thread, page 4.

Easiest and cheapest way to use the 35/1.8 on digital is go with Sony A7 and a Voigtlander adapter , and with a body like A7C it makes for a nice little kit. I had this idea for a while.

 

[zleica]

You can adapt the lens directly to Nikon Z mount and Leica L mount via Rayqual adapters. The W-Nikkor 35/1.8 works well on both Z mount and L mount bodies.

 

[jbielikowski]

I'm very pleased how the 35/1.8 renders with Adox HR 50 (dev. FX39 1+14), combining "sweet depiction" with deep blacks and slide-like dynamic range.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I am very excited to be getting a nikon S3 black melenium edition with a 3.5cm f1.8 and 2.5 lens. trading a lens thats in the classifieds. I cant wait to shoot them both on film and digital. I might try it on my hasselblad 907x but image circle on medium format is too small for 35mm usually but I can crop.

 

[brusby]

I might try it on my hasselblad 907x but image circle on medium format is too small for 35mm usually but I can crop.

Many years ago when I worked at a local architectural-commercial photography studio it was a common practice to shoot large format -- 4x5 and 5x7 -- negatives and slide film using wide angle lenses like the 65mm Schneider Super Angulon. That lens was often not able to cover the complete frame particularly if there was any tilting or shifting done. There would be very hard vignetting or cutoff at the limits of the image circle but we would just crop around it in printing.