Just wondering..Any nikonians crazy over manual nikkors like me and still use them?

[XC Pictorial]

As above...

Its without a doubt that generally the manual nikkors and full metal, solid like tanks and optically superb due to craftsmen hand polishing them in the past..

Wondering if anyone here shares a passion for them as well

[brian]

Ah... I thought I was the only one.

After seeing the quality of recent AFD and AFS lenses, I've been collecting AIS lenses and in the last 2 years I've managed to add the 25-50mm f4 AIS, 50-135mm f3.5 AIS, 35mm f1.4 AIS to my collection, which I have no regrets, all of them.

I just like the way the focussing ring turns, with just the right amount of tactile feedback. Feels anytime better than having autofocus.

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by brian Ah... I thought I was the only one. After seeing the quality of recent AFD and AFS lenses, I've been collecting AIS lenses and in the last 2 years I've managed to add the 25-50mm f4 AIS, 50-135mm f3.5 AIS, 35mm f1.4 AIS to my collection, which I have no regrets, all of them. I just like the way the focussing ring turns, with just the right amount of tactile feedback. Feels anytime better than having autofocus.

Oh i see you kept some manual zooms as well.. i only have 2 manual zooms
a 36-72mm E series and a 100-300mm f5.6..

The rest i kept are all primes.. The 35mm f1.4 is a good one..

My fav among my collection are the 50f1.2, 105f2.5, 135f2.8 and 180f2.8

[brian]

I love the primes. I've just done some test shooting at infinity on a sunny day, and although wide open the 35mm is not that great (vignetting on film), down to f2.8 and up its sharp as hell. Good for you, I'm trying to look for a good 50mm f1.2. Missed one about a year ago, and there are not that many on the used market. I don't mind a 85mm f1.4 too for my collection, but that one I think I'll go AFD at least.

For the type of shooting that I do, I think my most commonly used lens would be the 35mm. 50mm only sometimes but I feel that its too narrow for me, 35mm is just ideal in coverage and at night.

Then for landscape shots I usually have my 25-50mm with me, and the 50-135 just in case I need to get closer.

I've been trying to stay away from AI lenses so far, but from what I hear there's no difference unless youre using it on 3-4 old obscure Nikon bodies. I don't about you, but I find AF lenses to be quite lazy. Its too easy to just aim the focus point at the subject and press the shutter release half way. With manual lenses I'm more involved. Even more satisfying when using it on a manual camera.

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by brian I love the primes. I've just done some test shooting at infinity on a sunny day, and although wide open the 35mm is not that great (vignetting on film), down to f2.8 and up its sharp as hell. Good for you, I'm trying to look for a good 50mm f1.2. Missed one about a year ago, and there are not that many on the used market. I don't mind a 85mm f1.4 too for my collection, but that one I think I'll go AFD at least. For the type of shooting that I do, I think my most commonly used lens would be the 35mm. 50mm only sometimes but I feel that its too narrow for me, 35mm is just ideal in coverage and at night. Then for landscape shots I usually have my 25-50mm with me, and the 50-135 just in case I need to get closer. I've been trying to stay away from AI lenses so far, but from what I hear there's no difference unless youre using it on 3-4 old obscure Nikon bodies. I don't about you, but I find AF lenses to be quite lazy. Its too easy to just aim the focus point at the subject and press the shutter release half way. With manual lenses I'm more involved. Even more satisfying when using it on a manual camera.

Nowadays i have placed my film bodies aside, and use them only in special circumstances whenever i feel that i need the fullframe images of cos..

Most of the time i just use them on digital bodies, D70, D200, D2X.. Though it is possible to have aperture piority on those with couplings like D200, i never bothered to use them, shot in manual mode all the time. To me AI or AIS no diff, they are better than most of the AFD/AFS today anyhow. I love them all the same.

IMO the following are 3 lens that current "closest" versions of the same focal length are unable to match.
1. 35mm f1.4
2. 50mm f1.2
3. 105mm f2.5

Esp the 105mm, fantastic contrast with the 3D effects..

[eclectyx]

Originally Posted by XC Pictorial IMO the following are 3 lens that current "closest" versions of the same focal length are unable to match. 1. 35mm f1.4 2. 50mm f1.2 3. 105mm f2.5 Esp the 105mm, fantastic contrast with the 3D effects..

Sigh, my dream list. Recently started by getting the 35mm f1.4. Beautiful lens. Will get the rest if I can find them in the right price/condition. Agree with Brian about getting more involved by using MF lenses. Getting lazy with AF.

[brian]

Originally Posted by XC Pictorial Nowadays i have placed my film bodies aside, and use them only in special circumstances whenever i feel that i need the fullframe images of cos.. Most of the time i just use them on digital bodies, D70, D200, D2X.. Though it is possible to have aperture piority on those with couplings like D200, i never bothered to use them, shot in manual mode all the time. To me AI or AIS no diff, they are better than most of the AFD/AFS today anyhow. I love them all the same. IMO the following are 3 lens that current "closest" versions of the same focal length are unable to match. 1. 35mm f1.4 2. 50mm f1.2 3. 105mm f2.5 Esp the 105mm, fantastic contrast with the 3D effects..

By the way, when you use the AI/AIS lenses on a D200, are you able to use the aperture ring on the lens as well or do you have to keep it at the smallest aperture and use either one of the 2 dials on the camera instead? That's one thing I'm trying to research since the D200 looks good as my 2007 purchase.

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by brian By the way, when you use the AI/AIS lenses on a D200, are you able to use the aperture ring on the lens as well or do you have to keep it at the smallest aperture and use either one of the 2 dials on the camera instead? That's one thing I'm trying to research since the D200 looks good as my 2007 purchase.

The D200 hav coupling.. ie a tab that can be pushed by the metal thing sticking out at the back of the manual lens.. To use Aperture Piority you have to first input the focal lens and smallest F stop into the camera. During usage you have to turn the aperture ring, which turns the tab on the coupling, telling the camera what aperture you are at now. This is because there are no electronic contacts between the lens and body

The D200 has recently just dropped in price. I use it solely for job assignments, for hobby i shoot strictly only with D70 and manual len

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by eclectyx Sigh, my dream list. Recently started by getting the 35mm f1.4. Beautiful lens. Will get the rest if I can find them in the right price/condition. Agree with Brian about getting more involved by using MF lenses. Getting lazy with AF.

Get the 105 if you have a chance..
i have 3 pieces of it alr (2AI, 1AIS) and dont mind more..
can become a family heirloom in future

[brian]

Originally Posted by XC Pictorial The D200 hav coupling.. ie a tab that can be pushed by the metal thing sticking out at the back of the manual lens.. To use Aperture Piority you have to first input the focal lens and smallest F stop into the camera. During usage you have to turn the aperture ring, which turns the tab on the coupling, telling the camera what aperture you are at now. This is because there are no electronic contacts between the lens and body The D200 has recently just dropped in price. I use it solely for job assignments, for hobby i shoot strictly only with D70 and manual len

Good. I'm one of those guys that prefer the aperture ring to anything that uses the command/subcommand dials to input aperture. But I'm guessing that there might be some accuracy problem with lenses like AI where the aperture scale is not that linear (I believe). Are you able to set intermediate apertures on the D200 then? Like when you put between f2.8 and f4, the camera recording f3.5?

I've mated my AIS with someone else's D50 before, and its difficult when metering doesn't work. I had to guess based on experience, and then adjust on the go. The fact that I dont believe what I see on the LCD doesn't help either.

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by brian Good. I'm one of those guys that prefer the aperture ring to anything that uses the command/subcommand dials to input aperture. But I'm guessing that there might be some accuracy problem with lenses like AI where the aperture scale is not that linear (I believe). Are you able to set intermediate apertures on the D200 then? Like when you put between f2.8 and f4, the camera recording f3.5? I've mated my AIS with someone else's D50 before, and its difficult when metering doesn't work. I had to guess based on experience, and then adjust on the go. The fact that I dont believe what I see on the LCD doesn't help either.

I should think that the in between ones should work.
To be honest i have yet to try that function, too lazy to input, shoot straight in M mode,
i mean well after shooting for so long from film to digital then back to film(recently), its not too difficult to get the settings right on first try.
I do find my camera LCD reliable.. i guess it because i have made comparisons with my workstation screen
If exposure not too good just del and shoot again, afterall its digital.

[renegade150]

nothing will ever beat the good old primes

[eclectyx]

Originally Posted by XC Pictorial Get the 105 if you have a chance.. i have 3 pieces of it alr (2AI, 1AIS) and dont mind more.. can become a family heirloom in future

Yup, that's my next priority. Wow, 3 copies of this lens! Then you would be the right person to answer this: Any major differences between the AI and AIS versions? I know the "-S" it does not matter on current DSLRs and the AIS has slightly different construction with a built-in lens hood, but I understand the lens coatings are different between AI and AIS. I am wondering if there are any issues with flare, colour, contrast, etc?

[zac08]

Would love to get some good MF lenses sooner or later too...

would be fun to play with them...

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by renegade150 nothing will ever beat the good old primes

105/2 DC and 135/2 DC...
..and 28/1.4.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by brian By the way, when you use the AI/AIS lenses on a D200, are you able to use the aperture ring on the lens as well or do you have to keep it at the smallest aperture and use either one of the 2 dials on the camera instead? That's one thing I'm trying to research since the D200 looks good as my 2007 purchase.

You will have to use the aperture ring on the lens.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by brian Good. I'm one of those guys that prefer the aperture ring to anything that uses the command/subcommand dials to input aperture. But I'm guessing that there might be some accuracy problem with lenses like AI where the aperture scale is not that linear (I believe). Are you able to set intermediate apertures on the D200 then? Like when you put between f2.8 and f4, the camera recording f3.5? I've mated my AIS with someone else's D50 before, and its difficult when metering doesn't work. I had to guess based on experience, and then adjust on the go. The fact that I dont believe what I see on the LCD doesn't help either.

Yes, it seems to be able to react to 1/3 stops.

[Kit]

I use the 28 f3.5 PC lens. I keep it for work and also the fact that there's no contemporary equivalent to it.

[XC Pictorial]

Originally Posted by eclectyx Yup, that's my next priority. Wow, 3 copies of this lens! Then you would be the right person to answer this: Any major differences between the AI and AIS versions? I know the "-S" it does not matter on current DSLRs and the AIS has slightly different construction with a built-in lens hood, but I understand the lens coatings are different between AI and AIS. I am wondering if there are any issues with flare, colour, contrast, etc?

Major difference is the AIS version has inbuilt hood, the AI version doesnt.
According to my usage (note that i dont do detailed testing like dpreview etc), they are about the same.

Issues? come on bro.. this lens is a legend
Some one did a mini review here:

http://www.pbase.com/wesleywong/nikkor_105mm_f25_ais

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...6&changemode=1

"This is one of the most famed portrait lens produced by Nikon. Its legendary status is much derived from its simply design (Gauss type) of 5 elements in 4 groups producing amazing sharpness and creamy smooth bokeh."

BTW do check out the 100mm f2.8 E series, supposed to be catching up in quality to the 105. I have a mint copy, but hardly used.

This is an even more convincing site:
http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/port...kkor/n05_e.htm

Nikkor - the one thousand and one nights

Tale 5 : Best-selling Mid-range Telescopic Lens

AI Nikkor 105 mm f/2.5 Written by SATO, Haruo
Some of those mentioned includes:
NIKKOR-N 5cm f/1.1
Nikkor 13 mm f/5.6
AI Nikkor 180 mm f/2.8 ED
NIKKOR-H 300 mm f/2.8
NIKKOR-H Auto 2.8cm f/3.5
Ai Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2
Ai Nikkor 35 mm F1.4S

[XC Pictorial]

If you guys dont mind why not list those we have? at least you know who to look for if you would like to try certain lens..