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Archive 2014 · AF-D Glass thread

  
 
rw11
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · AF-D Glass thread


the solitaire wrote:
rw11, the 105 AF-S is perfect for portrait photography and I like it for making photos of dogs in action as well.

For pure macro photography I would prefer the AF-D version as well.


I agree. I should have said I use the 105 AF-D almost entirely for macros and close-ups.



Dec 31, 2014 at 05:24 PM
glennh56
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · AF-D Glass thread


http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/330825188817?lpid=82&chn=ps
How 'bout this deal on the 85 1.8 D!



Jan 01, 2015 at 07:39 AM
the solitaire
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · AF-D Glass thread


glennh56 wrote:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/330825188817?lpid=82&chn=ps
How 'bout this deal on the 85 1.8 D!


?

Excellent price
I still have one of those and would sell it for much less



Jan 01, 2015 at 07:53 AM
rw11
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · AF-D Glass thread


BTW, Nikon still makes a number of MF Ai-S lenses. I expect that to continue, but do they still make any AF-D lenses? I know the tele micros are now out of production, and I expect every type of AF-D lens to be superseded with an AF-S type.


Jan 02, 2015 at 03:23 PM
EB-1
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · AF-D Glass thread


cmboland wrote:
A huge benefit we have as Nikon shooters is the ability to mount and use any F mount lens.

Just picked up an old 80-200 Push pull and i love it!

Post about your favorite old af-d glass and image samples for a bonus


Why AF-D only? I think you should consider shaft-drive AF lenses or non-G AF lenses as the larger category.

EBH



Jan 02, 2015 at 06:19 PM
the solitaire
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · AF-D Glass thread


EB-1 wrote:
Why AF-D only? I think you should consider shaft-drive AF lenses or non-G AF lenses as the larger category.

EBH


Because no one bothers to read up before posting.

For me the AF lenses from the 80's and the AF-D lenses fit in the same range of lenses. I believe none of the optical formulas changed during the years these lenses were manufactured. The only difference was the addition of a D chip and in some cases (180mm and 300mm primes, 80-200 f2,8 zoom) a redesign of the exterior. I would not feel against posting a photo shot with a non-D lens in this thread, and i don't think the OP would mind either.

Nikon still sells some AF-D lenses new. Not sure when those were manufactured if they are selling old stock or not.

The DC lenses (105 and 135mm f2 AF-D DC) are still sold new
Same goes for the 60mm f2,8 and 200mm f4 micro Nikkors.
The 16mm f2,8 AF-D fisheye, 14mm f2,8, 20mm f2,8 AF-D, 28mm f2,8, 35mm f2, 50mm f1,8 and 50mm f1,5, 85mm f1,8, 180mm f2,8 primes and the 17-35 f2,8 and 80-400 f4,5-5,6 AF-D zoom lenses.

They also still sell a bunch of manual lenses new.

There already is a thread dedicated to manual focus Nikkors, so I don't think it would make sense to start posting photos made with pre-Ai, K, Ai or Ai-S lenses here as well.

Just my $0,02



Jan 04, 2015 at 11:59 AM
rw11
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · AF-D Glass thread


I will take the blame - I suggested a change in thread title as there was already a huge MF thread.

I often just think of them all as AF-D even tho I own a non-D AF Micro 105/2.8

A list of the AF-D lenses still sold would be nice...

Also, I think an informational thread on pre-Ai lenses would be good - say which are competititve with the Ai and Ai-S lenses.



Jan 04, 2015 at 05:33 PM
the solitaire
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · AF-D Glass thread


Here is the list of AF-D lenses still shown on the Nikon homepage:

Nikon still sells some AF-D lenses new. Not sure when those were manufactured if they are selling old stock or not.

The DC lenses (105 and 135mm f2 AF-D DC)
AF 60mm f2,8D micro Nikkor
AF 200mm f4D micro Nikkor
The 16mm f2,8 AF-D fisheye,
14mm f2,8 AF-D,
20mm f2,8 AF-D,
28mm f2,8 AF-D,
35mm f2 AF-D,
50mm f1,8 AF-D,
50mm f1,4 AF-D,
85mm f1,8 AF-D,
180mm f2,8 AF-D
17-35 f2,8 AF-D and
80-400 f4,5-5,6 AF-D zoom lenses.


I'm not sure whether pre-Ai lenses require a thread of their own or not. I own a few of them. Scalloped lenses from the 70's. After these Nikon updated a few lenses to designs 100% identical to the later Ai lenses in optics as well as exterior design, but with a non-Ai aperture ring. These lenses from the late 70's and early 80's are often referred to as K lenses. When Ai came along Nikon only changed the aperture ring design on a lot of those. With Ai kits available for all the non-Ai Nikkors, and Nikon offering to upgrade lenses using such kits it is difficult to determine whether a lens is a native Ai lens or an Ai upgraded lens, unless you know the lens serial number and get the chance to look here:

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html

Deciding which lenses are competitive with later designs is not easy. For example, the F mount 105mm f2,5 lens was first released as a Sonnar design, sold as 105mm f2,5 Nikkor-P Auto. It was changed to a Gauss design, but still sold as 105mm f2,5 Nikkor-P Auto in 1971. It received Nikons multi coating in 1973 and then sold as 105mm f2,5 Nikkor-P.C Auto. Nikon did not change the optical formula of this lens when they updated it to a K lens, Ai lens or Ai-S lens, so the optical performance has not changed since 1973.

Now each of these 105mm lenses renders an image distinctively different, but none is "better" then the other.

Another nice example is the 85mm f1,8 Nikkor-H Auto which is said to be the sharpest of the 85mm f1,8 Nikkors. Many prefer it over the later designs, and over the multicoated Nikkor-H.C Auto version which other then lens coatings is said to be identical.

One of my favorite pre-Ai lenses, the 55mm f1,2 Nikkor-S Auto changed optical designs 5 times without renaming. All of them are equally impressive and the latest non-Ai version is identical in optical design to the
k version released in 1974 and the Ai version released in 1977.

What I try to express is that there is not always a difference in performance between pre-Ai lenses and Ai lenses because the optical formula often did not change, and when it did newer was not automatically better, just different. Which version works best for you will be a subjective thing at the least.

The main exceptions, lenses where everyone agreed that later versions do offer better performance then earlier versions are the 28mm f2,8 versions where the CRC Ai-S version is without a doubt the better lens, the 50mm f1,2 which is better with 9 aperture blades then with 7 (an upgrade which took place during the Ai-S range, so Ai-S lenses can either have 7 or 9 aperture blades), the 180mm f2,8 which is significantly better with ED glass then without and the 300mm f4,5.



Jan 05, 2015 at 05:47 AM
rw11
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · AF-D Glass thread


Thx - and you make some excellent points.

I'm not surprised at the DC lens still being sold as they have not been updated with AF-S versions yet.

I AM surprised that the AF 60mm f2,8D micro Nikkor is still made. The AF-S version is as good or nearly as good at macro range, and better as a general purpose lens. I sold my AF-D 60mm and went backwards in time to a MF 55mm Micro.



Jan 05, 2015 at 03:20 PM
the solitaire
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · AF-D Glass thread


I too own a copy of the 55mm f3,5 micro Nikkor. Amazing little lens. Wide open it appears sharper to my untrained eye then the later f2,8 version or the 60mm AF version.


Jan 05, 2015 at 03:45 PM
kwoodard
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · AF-D Glass thread


The big difference between the 55/2.8 and 55/3.5 is where they are sharpest. The 3.5 does better up close, the 2.8 is better at infinity. I like the 2.8 better as I use it with tubes and I feel I have more use of its available range than I did with the 3.5.


Jan 06, 2015 at 01:40 AM
kwoodard
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · AF-D Glass thread


Oh, and if I were to start buying AF glass, I wouldn't buy anything newer than AFD.


Jan 06, 2015 at 01:41 AM
EB-1
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · AF-D Glass thread


the solitaire wrote:
I'm not sure whether pre-Ai lenses require a thread of their own or not. I own a few of them. Scalloped lenses from the 70's. After these Nikon updated a few lenses to designs 100% identical to the later Ai lenses in optics as well as exterior design, but with a non-Ai aperture ring. These lenses from the late 70's and early 80's are often referred to as K lenses. When Ai came along Nikon only changed the aperture ring design on a lot of those. With Ai kits available for all the non-Ai Nikkors, and Nikon offering to
...Show more

Mostly I recall that the older pre-Ai lenses were all metal and then the rubber focus rings came in before the Ai aperture control. Besides the colors on the aperture ring and the slotted prongs, the Ai lenses seemed to be a bit slimmer and had a steeper focus pitch than the pre-Ai lenses.

EBH




Jan 06, 2015 at 01:51 AM
mysh
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · AF-D Glass thread


I definitely prefer the feel of the ai and ais lenses over the non ai. I never really liked the metal bulky focus rings


Jan 06, 2015 at 02:32 AM
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