Which Nikon 105 2.5???

[Sparrow]

Right.

Ha, cruel

 

[Sparrow]

Here's a photo taken recently with about 4 year expired Fuji 400 Superia film (used at 200), processed at Costco. No edits or sharpening, hand held.

Never have seen a Sonnar lens as sharp, or accurate reproduction, especially wrt color accuracy:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8ogmFsXPxDIoUznv0E26_G6ZDl-Hn8qWqkKt5fCmUmI?feat=directlink

Are you being serious here? or is it a joke?

 

[rxmd]

Are you being serious here? or is it a joke?

No, it's a cat.
I think his name is "Slate".

 

[Sparrow]

Ah ... well this is the Holga-like AIS version (yes it's the one I always post at this point sorry)

 

[Mudman]

I had an 85 f2 AIS. I didn't care for the bokeh compared to the 105 f2.5 AIS.

 

[Calzone]

Is the 105 so much better than the 85mm f/2 ?

Somewhat related: I had both the 105/1.8 AIS and the 85/1.4 AIS, and I kept the 105/1.8 AIS. Also had a 105/2.5 AI. In the end kept the 105/1.8 for the added speed, added reach, narrower DOF, brighter VF'er and mostly because its OOF rendering. The 105/1.8 has more aperture blades than the 105/2.5 AI for ultra creamy bokeh.

Cal

 

[AFenvy]

I got the early Sonnar version of the 105/2.5. It is as sharp as any portrait lens ought to be, without being oversharp. It is absolutely not "holga-like" or soft as people have mentioned here, and the out of focus areas are sublime.

Here are a few shots with my ancient beat-up lens shot wide open:

 

[sevo]

Out of curiosity I recently bought an 85mm f2 (someone raised this below as an option) While its sometimes said this is not as good as the 85mm f1.8 this is not my experience. So far its turned out to be a bloody sharp lens that I enjoy using.

Agreed. I don't bother much about bokeh one way or the other, so I can't speak about that. Overall, I use the 85mm f/2 AI-S far more often than the 105mm f/2.5 AI - the latter arguably is among my highest resolution lenses (on a par with the Contax G Planar), but it already is a tad long for my rather wide-centric taste (I own some 135mm and longer lenses, but have never used them except on assignments where I could not get closer to the subject).

 

[ampguy]

Stewart, that is a very nice b/w photo example, if your lens is AIS, it's an '80s lens, and is definitely the Gauss version, not Sonnar, so no, it is not the Holga type version.

My example showed digital like sharpness and color with old film. Notice that the highlights in the towel are not blown, and the texture of the tail and paws are truly lifelike.

Yes, his name is Slate.