Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

The case for old Nikkors...

Hi Edward. I feel your pain. I have my Epic X but no nikon mount. My Nikkors are sitting languishing in the studio... I cant wait to go and do some shooting with them.
 
While I may be a Canon L guy all the way, I do respect Nikkor lenses for a number of qualities already noted in this thread.

Evin makes a good point about the higher cost of roughly equivalent Canon Ls to Nikon Gs - even with all my Canon love I'm not sure the difference between the two sets justifies that kind of price jump...

Cheers - #19
 
Shot all my glass for fashion stills for all the major fashion magazines from Elle to Marie Claire and for campaigns including GAP. Cover Girl , Ray BAn, Timberland, Reebok and others from mid 80's to mid 90's. Once all the AF lenses came out, they sat on a shelf... Happy to report they have been hitched to my Opitek mount on my Epic... 35 1.4, 50 1.2. 58 1.2, 85 1.4, 105 1.8, 135 2.0, 200 2.0, 300 2.8
havent mounted the big guns yet, 200/300 as i dont have a support, but probably over half of all my published editorial was on the 200, closely followed by the 85.. Hardly ever used the 50 and 58, wich imho, are better cinema lenses than they are for stills, especially in the fashion world..
 
Evin, you're comparing the wrong lenses. For a fair shake you should be comparing the AI & AIS lenses against the Canon *FD* L lenses, for quality and bang for the buck, not EOS L lenses!

Free starter: the FD 85mm f/1.2 L is a stunning piece of glass...

Mike
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #26
Mike, FD lenses certainly have a good reputation, I only worry about the mount, because of the short 42mm FFD it still does not have the same versitility. Also they have been EOL so long repair and spare parts may be an issue. They do however focus the correct direction, which is a plus.
 
Evin, will G series play nice with my old nice set of Nikkor lenses?
The 50 1.4 is so small and good. The 28 2.8 ais, with that one you actually get straight walls in your pictures. Superlight. But looking for a new 35mm. G?
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #28
Depends on what you mean by "Play Nice" my new 35mm f1.4 G is pretty spectacular, better than the AIS version for sure.
The biggest difference you'll see with the newer G series lenses is contrast and CA control.
 
Peter Strietmann said:
I'm a canon guy for the past 15 years or so but I'll take the 85 1.4 nikkor over the 85 1.2 canon any day.
Click to expand...

If there were a hall of fame for lenses, the Nikkor 85mm f1.4 AIS would be in it for sure.

As spectacularly sharp as the new G version is, the AIS version is still the one that turns my head more often.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #33
Here's a pic taken with the 85mm 1.4 AIS (on film!) from back in my fashion days...
Chrissy.jpg
 
Evin Grant said:
When available I highly recccomend trying to get a really good condition AI lens over an AIS despite the newer vintage because the AI series has a longer focus rotation (180+) and more marks.
Click to expand...

Not trying to bust your chops, just for people's information:

There are exceptions.

The AI-s 180 2.8 has different optics, adding an ED element. I haven't used the AI but lack of ED likely means it flares a little worse and has a little less contrast. Also the AI-s version actually has a slightly longer focus throw.

The AI-s 28 2.8 has different optics. I haven't used the AI but supposedly it's "just" very good whereas the AI-s is excellent. Also the loss of focus throw is slight.

I suspect the AI-s 28 2 has different optics because while it has the same number of elements the minimum focus distance differs. I haven't used either version, by the way.

Also, some may care that the AI-s 180 2.8 & 50 1.2 have 9-blade apertures whereas the AI versions have 7. Awesome stars are the best thing about the 50 1.2 (http://leesaxon.com/stars.jpg), and I can't say whether the AI version gives them to you.
 
For reasons that are just too painful to explain, I saw my beloved Nikon 85mm 1.4 bouncing across a concrete floor last night on a shoot ... I am getting another one.
 
I love old Nikkor glass! We are testing a set of Non-AI Nikkor primes right now.
 
Oh Bob, sorry to hear you lost a such a beloved family member. Our Nikon family sends condolences to yours.
 
Just bought a BRAND NEW 28mm F2 Zeiss ZE last week for $1283. This weekend I ran some tests with it up against my $400 Nikkon 28mm F2 AIS with adapter on my Canon 60D.

I thought I made a mistake with the marker cards. I couldn't figure out where the Zeiss shots ended and where the Nikons began. I thought the ID cards had been mixed up. I redid the test.

I was SHOCKED. SHOCKED I tell you. Twenty+ year old Nikon was as sharp and as contrasty as the Zeiss ZE at both 2 and 2.8. The 28MM is a real winner!

The 105mm's will kick ass forever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top