Best Vintage Nikon lenses.

[Acere]

This was with a D700 & an 85mm f/1.8 NON Ai w factory Ai conversion . All versions are excellent with later models having better coatings for contrast and color which is irrelevant w/ digital, once processed.

 

[Nikon 2]

This was with a D700 & an 85mm f/1.8 NON Ai w factory Ai conversion . All versions are excellent with later models having better coatings for contrast and color which is irrelevant w/ digital, once processed. View attachment 332970

Are you familiar with the Nikkor 35mm f/2 O.C. coatings…?

 

[Sirius Glass]

NIkon f/2.8 PC lens

 

[madNbad]

Are you familiar with the Nikkor 35mm f/2 O.C. coatings…?

It's been discussed before:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/nikon-pre-ai-lens-coatings.120544/

 

[Nikon 2]

It's been discussed before:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/nikon-pre-ai-lens-coatings.120544/

Thank you …!

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

That 35mm O.C is a good one. I've long kept an eye out of one, very nice build quality and same era coatings as my Nikkor-N 35mm f/1.4. Get it relubed if its not butter smooth.

 

[Nikon 2]

That 35mm O.C is a good one. I've long kept an eye out of one, very nice build quality and same era coatings as my Nikkor-N 35mm f/1.4. Get it relubed if its not butter smooth.

 

[Nikon 2]

Are you familiar with the Nikkor 35mm f/2 O.C. coatings…?

Excellent photo…!

 

[FriedLouisStudio]

The older 35/2 is fine for b/w film. Recent Tri-X shots with my vintage-1972 lens on a Nikkormat FTN or Nikon F2 Photomic.

 

[Nikon 2]

I’m thinking to shoot B&W also…!

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

In general Nikon's f2 lenses are the best performers in the 28-105 focal lengths; newer models work better than older ones. But that holds for any maker of 35mm cameras/lenses.

1" seems to be a magic diameter for a lens - standard lenses 50mm/35mm/f2.0; 80mm/6x6/f2.8; 100mm/6x9/f4.0;
150mm/4x5/f5.6. The rule falls apart at this point, maybe because the lenses would be too dark on the focusing screen. And portrait and aero lenses, of course, buck this progression.

 

[FriedLouisStudio]

Another great thing about the 35/2 lens is that it focuses down to one foot. None of my other vintage Nikkors - other than the 55/3.5 Micro - focus nearly this close.

BTW Nikon 2, UsedPhotoPro (Roberts Camera) have one listed right now for $95. (They've got a bunch more classic non-AI lenses for much less, and their "Good" rating is VERY good. I've bought a couple of lenses and a Nikkormat body from them, and all are in better condition than I expected.)

Nikon Nikkor Non-AI 35mm f2 O Lens

This item is rated in Good condition. That means that this item is between 75-89% of original condition. This item has been tested as fully operational and includes only what is photographed in the listing. This item shows moderate wear for the age of the

usedphotopro.com

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

BTW Nikon 2, UsedPhotoPro (Roberts Camera) -- their "Good" rating is VERY good.

Another vote for Roberts Camera.

 

[Nikon 2]

Another vote for Roberts Camera.

Good to know, thanks …!

 

[Hassasin]

What constitutes best? Rarity, market value, MTF sheet ? One is gonna call HC lenses best, another will say too clinical for the same, yet another will bring on some historically important bit regrading build or design or perhaps unforgettable photo take with it (by that virtue making it the best of course) ...

Once all answers are compiled from this thread, it will be fairly close to at least half the lenses Nikon ever made.

Or perhaps the is just a psychological exercise.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What constitutes best? Rarity, market value, MTF sheet ? One is gonna call HC lenses best, another will say too clinical for the same, yet another will bring on some historically important bit regrading build or design or perhaps unforgettable photo take with it (by that virtue making it the best of course) ...

Once all answers are compiled from this thread, it will be fairly close to at least half the lenses Nikon ever made.

Or perhaps the is just a psychological exercise.

The problems with MTF curves is

1. Most manufactures do not provide them.
2. When the MTF curves are provided, there is not standard and curves from different sources cannot be directly compared.
3. Only Hasselblad provided MTF curves for all its lenses, but again they could not be directly compared to any other curves.
4. Most people do not understand them. It takes some education to read and interpret them.

 

[Nikon 2]

What constitutes best? Rarity, market value, MTF sheet ? One is gonna call HC lenses best, another will say too clinical for the same, yet another will bring on some historically important bit regrading build or design or perhaps unforgettable photo take with it (by that virtue making it the best of course) ...

Once all answers are compiled from this thread, it will be fairly close to at least half the lenses Nikon ever made.

Or perhaps the is just a psychological exercise.

That’s the “best” answer so far…!

 

[BrianShaw]

The problems with MTF curves is

1. Most manufactures do not provide them.
2. When the MTF curves are provided, there is not standard and curves from different sources cannot be directly compared.
3. Only Hasselblad provided MTF curves for all its lenses, but again they could not be directly compared to any other curves.
4. Most people do not understand them. It takes some education to read and interpret them.

5. They don't necessarily translate to good or bad or mediocre photographs.

 

[Sirius Glass]

5. They don't necessarily translate to good or bad or mediocre photographs.

Correct. MTF curves describe the focus and distortion attributes of a lens, not the quality of the subject matter.

 

[rulnacco]

Another vote for Roberts Camera.

Yep. I grew up in Indianapolis and visit regularly, so Roberts has been one of my favorite spots for over three decades. I've bought from them frequently both in-store and online, including eBay (they're UsedPhotoPro online), and have been happy every time. Roberts and KEH are my two go-to places for buying used online--in both cases, they know their stuff, their ratings are conservative, their prices are good, and their return policies are very favorable.

 

[fmanan]

wow

 

[ph]

Lots of methods for manufacturers to cheat with MTF curves.

One method is to calculate from design data rather than to measure from actual products with their inevitable mechanical inaccuracies and assembly line variability. OR, to measure with light restricted so as to avoid the most difficult wavelengths AND often just showing the high contrast low resolution curves so as to give a favourable and "sckientific" impresssion.

Example: Zeiss measurerments with real physical lenses and white light cannot be compared with Canons calculated ones.

p.

 

[BrianShaw]

Yep. I grew up in Indianapolis and visit regularly, so Roberts has been one of my favorite spots for over three decades. I've bought from them frequently both in-store and online, including eBay (they're UsedPhotoPro online), and have been happy every time. Roberts and KEH are my two go-to places for buying used online--in both cases, they know their stuff, their ratings are conservative, their prices are good, and their return policies are very favorable.

I’ve never been to Indianapolis and only met Roberts Camera a few years ago via eBay. I’m hoping to visit in person some day. Very impressive inventory and knowledge and pricing. It’s interesting that they sometimes list on eBay the option to make an offer. Every time I’ve done that it has been rejected, and in one case I must have offended them because the counteroffer was higher than their but-it-now price. After I caught my breath I ended up laughing heartily, at myself, and bought at the BIN price with no regrets.

 

[George Mann]

My Nikkor 50mm f/2 HC Auto/Ai is the very best lens I have ever used.

My next best lens is the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 Ai (zero distortion).

 

[Nikon 2]

My Nikkor 50mm f/2 HC Auto/Ai is the very best lens I have ever used.

My next best lens is the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 Ai (zero distortion).

I own the Nikkor 50mm f/2 O.C. and a 28mm f/2.8...!