My Nikon Lenses

Nikkor GAS GAS GAS

The Gear

[filmbyhari]

I had a beat-up 85mm f/2 AIS for a long time and it soon became my fav focal length for portraits. A couple of years ago I managed to get the 85 f/1.4 and my gosh it is a stunning lens. Now I am lusting after the 105 f/2.. The GAS is never-ending haha!

[zsigmondfoldessy]

The 50mm f/1.2 is a real artist lens for me. f 1.2 aperture has a unique atmosphere, style and character. I love it!!!

[nkgeorge]

I'm glad that you included the 200-500 F/5.6 zoom lens. It is a fabulous lens for nature, wildlife - and even long compressed landscapes! The VR is crazy good on this thing. The one drawback is that it is not the quickest focusing AF but I've got plenty of sharp BIF (Birds In Flight) images to prove it is up to the task. For the enthusiast photographer like me, being able to afford a terrific Nikkor long zoom for only $1, 400 is simply amazing. Worth every penny.

[graxxor]

I have the 135 2.0 DC version and it has the same qualities as the 105. Absolutely marvellous lens. Love it so much.

[mpb]

The Nikon 28-70 f2.8 AFS does have an aperture ring. It's the closest thing to a 24-70 that will still work as an old school film lens.

[peterwilliams]

First time visitor to your site - enjoyed it immensely, thanks .

[aaronramos]

I was quite sold.
Now im totally in. Nikon god damn, i love them

[seanmuller]

Amazing and informative video my friend. I also created my own little vintage Prime Nikon kit.
I orginally wanted a 24-70 f2.8 for old blue my Canon 6D to keep at our old family farm house in the country. I found the Canon 24-70mm f2.8 was to hight in price to justify the cost in the used market here in Canada. I wanted a 24-70 or 24 -105 fast set up. I do alot of Nightscape .
I then found some Youtubers that reveiw the old Nikon Ai lens from the 1970's and 1980's .
I made up my own fast primes, 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4 and 105mm F2.5 bought from Ebay from Japan.
The total cost with shipping was $497 Can = $380 US. Plus the $11 dollar adapter for each lens from Amazon and I'm good to go.
I love the EQ and the colour contrast of these lens, makes it a joy to use . Plus the Japanese people really take care of there gear.
Your video really helps me and informs me of how many other great Old Nikon lenses are out there.
Your videos inform us all that you can get great glass at a great price.
When I first got into Photography I bought my first 3 lenses for $3000 dollars (Canon L & Sigma bla bla bla) now the fast 3 lenses ( Vintage Nikon) cost me $500. Now that's progress.
That's again, regards Sean

[BenjaminKanarek]

Thanks for this. My 2 fave lenses are the DC 135 and 180 lenses. Used them for so many fashion shoots;

[benneves]

You certainly can focus a 500mm lens manually. Professional and amateur photographers have been doing that for decades. In fact every modern photographer should get an old lens to learn the art with in my opinion. That effort pays dividends.

[mpb]

The earliest Nikon I have that will still meter with close to reasonable accuracy is the F2AS. I bring a Minolta meter when I shoot with my F.

[Narsuitus]

Thank you for a very informative video.
I love your taste in Nikon lenses.
Some of my lenses are similar to yours.

Here are my prime Nikon lenses:
14mm f/2.8 AFD used primarily for interior architecture, vehicle interiors
16mm f/2.8 fisheye used for special effects and astronomy
18mm f/3.5 manual focus used primarily for interior architecture,
24mm f/2 manual focus used for landscapes, street, photojournalism
28mm f/3.5 pre-AI use mounted on a bellow with lens reversal ring for extreme macro work
28mm f/2.8 used primarily for landscapes and group portraits
28mm f/4 perspective control primarily for architecture
35mm f/2 first lens I purchased for my Nikon F; used for street, landscapes, photojournalism
35mm f/1.4 replaced f/2 version used for street, group portraits, photojournalism, landscapes
50mm f/1.4 AFD used primarily for live theatre, full-length portraits, photojournalism
55mm f/3.5 macro manual focus used primarily for scientific, medical, still life
85mm f/1.8 second lens I purchased for my Nikon F
85mm f/1.4 replaced f/1.8 version used for portraits, photojournalism, street
100mm f/2.8 Series E used as expendable backup telephoto
105mm f/2.5 manual focus used for portraits, photojournalism
105mm f/2.8 macro manual focus used primarily for still life, scientific. medical
135mm f/2 used for portraits, sports, and photojournalism
135mm f/3.5 used as expendable backup telephoto
180mm f/2.8 used primarily for portraits, sports, and photojournalism
400mm f/5.6 used primarily for wildlife and sports
500mm f/4 used primarily for wildlife and sports
1000mm f/11 used primarily for astronomy, wildlife, surveillance


I have been accumulating them since the late 1960s.

[daar]

Beautiful set of lenses, I share some with you, congratulations for the great choices

[alberte]

Some Nikon alternative suggestions:
50mm f/1.8 Japanese pancake lens: special version of the 50mm f/1.8, (check Ken Rockwell site for details), much better then your versions.
55mm f/2.8 Micro AIS lens: much better then your 50mm versions.
80mm f/2.8: special lens build for the F3AF camera, works autofocus also with a F4 (not a F4s or F4e), optical a great lens, hidden gem.
105mm f/2.5: better and lighter lens then the 105mm DC lens.
135mm f/3.5 : better then your f/2.8 version.
180mm f/2.8 manual focus: better then your autofocus version.
300mm f/2.8 ED-IF AI: much better then your f/4 version
400mm f/3.5 (version before the 400 f/2.8 manual) : could be Nikon Sharpest lens …! Works great with the TC301 to become 800mm f/5.6 so more versatile.

Some Zeiss alternatives:
15mm f/2.8 ZF.2 Distagon
28mm f/2.0 ZF.2 Distagon
35mm f/2.0 ZF.2 Distagon
35mm f/1.4 ZF.2 Distagon (As good as the F/2, but heavier and more expensive)
50mm f/2.0 ZF.2 MacroPlanar (Much better then the f/1.4 planar version)
100mm f/2.0 ZF.2 Macro planar
135mm f/2.0 ZF.2 APO Sonnar lens, much better then Nikon versions, but much heavier.

[johnw.]

I love my 60mm 2.8 and my 180mm 2.8. I had the 135mm but sold it. I regret that. I never picked up the 105 DC, but I'm on the Z system now and plan on grabbing the Plena.

[diveaddict]

The 180mm 2.8 is the cats meow. Great for fashion

[aerozg]

85mm 1.4 AF-D❤ Just a nice big hunk of glass and metal. It's like a weapon. You need a permit to carry. And i agree with other commenter on the 50mm 1.2, i just love it at 1.2 on my Nikon FE2/FM2/FA film cameras. It's got a lot of artistic painterly character, which is not something everyone is after, but that's a good thing, because it keeps the price down i guess 😅 Nice video, love all the Nikkor vintage glass. Stanley Kubrick used some of these old lenses in his films, like Full Metal Jacket.

[gilgemash]

Towards the end, you sound feverish...you got aperture fever, buddy.
☘️
Happy shooting from London, Eng

[niceguy]

Thank´s for your great work making this very informative video, thanks !!

[jesusalvarado]

Awesome video! Very informative! Thank you so much for putting this together!