Nikon 105mm f2 AF-D DC Nikkor Lens real world review on the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D810 with photos!

I go for a walk in Bridgeport Alabama and explore the town on a Saturday afternoon and shoot some photos with my Nikon Z6 and the my Nikon D810 while using the 105mm f2 AF-D DC Nikkor lens on both cameras! There is even a little URBEX to boot! Anyway, follow along for some neat photos and to see Brideport a little while testing this amazing lens on a couple of different cameras.

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[JB-oufl]

I like your analogy for the effect of the defocus control. What you said makes sense to me based on other videos that I saw with comparisons with and without the defocus control activated. The differences are very subtle as you said but they can be seen if you look very closely.

[lonnieclemens]

I was excited to see you do a review of the 105mm F2 DC. I bought this lens a couple of months ago. I am still in awe of the bokeh and sharpness. The performance of this lens has caused me to question whether or not I need to upgrade cameras. I am using a D610 and I cannot imagine the pictures being much better with the 800 series camera's. I'm finding that I have better pictures if I just stick with up close subjects. Looking forward to a photoshoot with this lens on May 16th. Thank you for sharing.

[arrangearrange]

This lens is pure fire and one of main the reasons I keep a Nikon dslr camera. I have vintage lenses, Leica M lenses, Nikon F lenses, Canon L lenses, mirrorless lenses… this is one of the best rendering lenses.

[mortenthorpe]

The de focus control has another purpose entirely… set the front aperture markedly smaller(smaller aperture opening size, larger number), than the aperture closest to the camera body (back aperture), and you can shoot portraits and product shots with the old school dreamy halo effect around contrast areas… that’s the other/main feature of the DC lenses ( 105 and 135 mm respectively)

[PhilThach]

My father lived in Bridgeport when he was little. His family moved to Chattanooga when he was still in single digits. Canon has a new macro coming out that has a similar thing on it to that defocus control. I bet they got the idea from that lens. The old building was interesting. Nice images. Nice review. Really interesting lens. Thanks, David!

[jimwlouavl]

I forget that Northeast Alabama is so close to Chattanooga. Thanks for doing this every week. Watching your videos has become part of my waking up early Saturday morning routine. (I have found the defocus effect is strongest with busy backgrounds such as foliage.)

[danibastos]

Hello David Saylors
This is Daniel Bastos from Portugal.
I love the simplicity of your videos.
Keep up the good work. I never tried this lens, but I used the Nikkor 105mm 2.8 macro and it was one of my best lenses, beautiful and very sharp bokeh.
But I would love to get one of those.
Compliments

[Blue_Newt_]

Always wondered how those DC lenses worked. Thanks for the explanation. Beautiful images. Perhaps even nicer than the Leica look!

[jamesoliver]

FYI David, I own the 105 DC and to me it's forté is shots at about 8-10' to the subject that you want to pull out of the subjects surroundings. I also acquired an AF-D different from it's parallel AF and that's the old 70-219 AF-d. It's my favorite "grandkid's sports" lens in that the "-D" version focuses twice as fast as the non-D version and coupled with the 28-105 f3.5-4.5 AF-D makes for a very compact kit. On a 750 it's very light and fast. My 135 DC has the screw out lens hood too and I think it locks too although I don't do because on my copy it's a bit iffy and tight. Good video. Those windows behind you at the beginning looked like a good subject for the 105. Autofocus is nice, but not necessary. Stairwell with a wide angle low and looking up in B/W. Same on that central bedroom.

[terrygoyan]

I have a 135-D DC F/2 lens and the hood screws into position the same way. Also the 300 F/4 AFS lenses hood works the same way. Nice photos and take care wander around those old buildings. They can be dangerous! Subscribed!

[TL-vtuk]

There were some great photos in that old hotel, hope you took some shots of those rooms!

[iamhassan]

Alabama has a lot of these small historical “ghost like” towns. Nice to see you in my neck of the woods.

[AntPDC]

The DC control is a bit of a gimmick really, as you noted. Fine lens indeed, but often twice the price of the Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 AI-s (MF of course). That lens is just as sharp - some say even sharper (certainly versus the Nikkor 105 f/2.5), and has the bokeh and rendition to please all the Gods on Mt. Olympus. Build quality is off the scale. Subjective of course, but for half the price? Hell yeah. I'm by no means alone in that opinion. Best wishes.

[doreangrey]

GREAT CAMERA work Dave keep up the good work

[sesvols]

Thanks for the lens review! It seems like a great piece of glass. I also enjoyed the history of Bridgeport. It seemed like the photos coming out of the Z6 were more vibrant did you process them different than the D810?

[patriciablyler]

When you were walking around in that old building I kept saying to myself, “don’t go in there!” Lol

[cubanrum]

Wow, the population of Bridgeport is 2.1K in 2019.  I love my old Nikon lenses they all have beautiful rendering. That lens should take some awesome portraits, always wanted one of those. You got some great shots, and by the way no way would you get me into that broken down building, I can see my fat butt going through that floor.

[christopherleecowan]

Works really well adapted to a Canon R

[bassangler]

Very nice shots, that's a legendary lens that I have yet to aquire...The old motel was cool!!

[chrisraymond]

Good to see a review of this lens, however most of your photos were at a distance, was hoping for more shots to actually show off what this lens can do, oh well another wasted 10 mins……