jbielikowski
Jan Bielikowski
both wide open.
brusby
Well-known
My first photo with this lens that I received a couple of days ago, taken today after a torrential downpour. Probably a little hard to make out, but there appears to be a wild Herron also fishing just a few feet past the human fisherman.
L1040058 b&w by Brusby, on Flickr
L1040058 b&w by Brusby, on Flickr
Last edited:
brusby
Well-known
brusby
Well-known
WJJ3
Well-known
Timmyjoe
Veteran
California Sunset, on the beach.
Nikon S2 w/Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8, Kodak Ektachrome
Best,
-Tim
Nikon S2 w/Nikkor 3.5cm f1.8, Kodak Ektachrome
Best,
-Tim
Rollin
Member
Partly due to the images in this wonderful thread I decided to find a copy! Thank you to everyone who $hared.
M11 f/2.8 1/3000 ISO 64 DNG/LR Cropped
das
Well-known
The more I shoot the W-Nikkor, the more I can see its "look." Nikon's coatings for the lens were not the best, leading to a little bit "off" colors on film and then back light flaring at wider apertures in b&w/color even with a good hood. Its main strengths are its sharpness in the center a f/2, which was pretty amazing for 1956, and its great control of barrel distortion for a wide angle for the time. I've always wanted to get my hands on the re-issue version of the lens, as the coatings were the primary limitations of the original. Why Nikon did not make those re-issues in M or M39 as well is a tragedy. 
.
.
Roastchestnuts
Established
I know! I have been going back and fourth weather to have mine converted. I am trying to get a rear element housing from Mr. Sangin but if that does not work I think I am going to have mine converted to M. As much as I love my Nikon S3 I'd love to use this 3.5cm f1.8 as my main lens on digital too. Its just such a unique lens that would be so fun digitally on a M camera. After having my 3.5cm f1.8 for a while and shooting it a bunch I can say Id much rather have this nikon for my leica M over a summilux. having had the steel rim reissue I like the way this renders way more. the rendering seems special and unique. Seems to be sharp when it needs to be and painterly at the same time. and the distortion is very well corrected.The more I shoot the W-Nikkor, the more I can see its "look." Nikon's coatings for the lens were not the best, leading to a little bit "off" colors on film and then back light flaring at wider apertures in b&w/color even with a good hood. Its main strengths are its sharpness in the center a f/2, which was pretty amazing for 1956, and its great control of barrel distortion for a wide angle for the time. I've always wanted to get my hands on the re-issue version of the lens, as the coatings were the primary limitations of the original. Why Nikon did not make those re-issues in M or M39 as well is a tragedy.
Green spot in the photo below is from a pin hole in my shutter.... its repaired now but it was in every shot of 3 rolls of film. I Photoshopped it out where it was really bad.
Rollin
Member
LTM M11 / 1/640 f/1.8 ISO 64 / DNG/LR cropped
Roastchestnuts
Established
I am loving my 3.5cm f1.8 after modifying to work on leica m cameras! My only digital leica right now is my m10 monochrom so no color examples yet. But hot dang! its so fun. Sharp stopped down and oozing with character wide open. and easy to zone focus!
this one I shot at f8
THis one I zone focused at f1.8 while riding a bike!
It doesn't hurt that this lens is a beauty!
this one I shot at f8
THis one I zone focused at f1.8 while riding a bike!
It doesn't hurt that this lens is a beauty!
Last edited:
das
Well-known
@Roastchestnuts - did you get the part to convert it? If so, what did it entail?
Ororaro
Well-known
Show us the youtube diy how you did it
Roastchestnuts
Established
I did get the part from Mr. Sangin (Gigantoptik.com) You had to take the rear most element housing out of the lens assymboly and then take the lens element out and put it in a new housing. The "kit" came with .1mm and .2mm shims to get focus perfect. However I was struggling at first to get it to focus correctly on the digital m then I realized one of my 2 amadeo adapters was backfocusing pretty bad. I never noticed this on film but it was pretty evident when shooting the 40mp m10 mono. Unfortunutly the adapter that I filed the lug down to make the 35mm lines work (I did this a while back) was the adapter that was backfocusing. Once I figured this out and used the other amadeo adapter everything worked pretty well.
If you do need to use the shim it goes into the new housing first then you drop in the rear element and the screw in the new retaining ring. These are the pictures Mr. Sagin Sent me to aid in the install. The hardest part was getting the rear element retaining ring out of the original housing. (first ring from your left on the first picture below) The whole rear lens housing comes out before the retaining ring will. I bought a lens repair tool to do this job. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1223682-REG/japan_hobby_tool_jht9510c_camera_opener.html
I ended up not needing the shims but If you do use them all you do is drop the shims in before the rear lens element.
all the photos below are the ones Mr. Sangin sent me to help with the install.
The new retaining ring does not have the notches to tighten it in the new housing. I did it by hand and it worked fine. Ill be sure to keep an eye on it so it does not come loose.
Dropping shims in before inserting the rear element back in. (if you need shims for focus)
The key with any install on these things are to take your time and not rush!
If you do need to use the shim it goes into the new housing first then you drop in the rear element and the screw in the new retaining ring. These are the pictures Mr. Sagin Sent me to aid in the install. The hardest part was getting the rear element retaining ring out of the original housing. (first ring from your left on the first picture below) The whole rear lens housing comes out before the retaining ring will. I bought a lens repair tool to do this job. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1223682-REG/japan_hobby_tool_jht9510c_camera_opener.html
I ended up not needing the shims but If you do use them all you do is drop the shims in before the rear lens element.
all the photos below are the ones Mr. Sangin sent me to help with the install.
The new retaining ring does not have the notches to tighten it in the new housing. I did it by hand and it worked fine. Ill be sure to keep an eye on it so it does not come loose.
Dropping shims in before inserting the rear element back in. (if you need shims for focus)
The key with any install on these things are to take your time and not rush!
Last edited:
Roastchestnuts
Established
Its really strait forward. and if you get it from Mr Sangin he is very helpful. the only downside is the part cost around 500 usd witch is alot for a small piece of brass. but I figured it was better than having it permanently modded to M. And I am sure it took time to lathe this part and cut the threads and what not. Mine was only serial number 58. I dont think he has made that many of these conversion parts.
Last edited:
yossi
Well-known
I sent my W-Nikkor 35mm to Mr. Park in SK (Sangin is his given name btw) to get it mod. The retaining ring serial number is 0037. It works accurately with an Amadeo ltm adaptor (but back-focusing on a regular M mount Amadeo adaptor.) Despite the substantial cost involved, I am very happy with the conversion. Just imagine shooting a W-Nikkor 35mm/1.8 lens on a Leica IIIf
This was shot at f2 with an M6 though. Ilford XP2 in HC-110.
This was shot at f2 with an M6 though. Ilford XP2 in HC-110.
Roastchestnuts
Established
This is intresting with the back focusing on the m mount adapter. I have two Nikon s to m amadeo adapters. one I bought two years ago and the other I got in a trade. The one I got in a trade I dont know when its from. I wonder if it got fixed later on. The one I got 2 years ago does not back focus.
das
Well-known
Are you all sure that it is "back-focusing" and not just the focus shift of the lens itself? W-Nikkor f/1.8 shifts quite considerably.
Roastchestnuts
Established
100% Positive it was my amadeo adapter. It was fixed from using my other adapter. I also spent alot of time testing different amounts of shims and they would not fix it then I changed the adapter and it was all good. I did see the focus shift in the testing though.
To be honest I know the adapter that does focus correctly came from cameraquest and is a genine amadeo one. I am not sure about the other adapter I got in a trade. its slightly more crudely made.