die_kruzen wrote:
Here's picture of my other girl!
Thanks all,
Pete
With subjects like that... your two girls, you'll be kept very busy with that great portrait lens. Happy shooting and congratulations on your new/old lens!
Rain stopped by mid-afternoon so took my camera with me with the 105 f/2.5 AI-s mounted. I found evidence of rain that warranted a photo which I share here. This lens clearly isn't a macro lens, but it certainly is a sharp lens. Enjoy a few raindrops on flowers near my home.
Thanks DJ. Every time I use this lens I'm delighted... and I wouldn't have mounted it today except that I visited this thread and saw what other members are doing with at the moment and I felt inspired. I may take a fly at the Zeiss 100 but I certainly won't let go of this Nikon lens if I do.
Thanks, DJ. This girl was one seriously wonderful subject. Very relaxed, great natural smile...it just seemed like everything that showed up on the review screen was the "best" shot of the day.
Happy Todd that you still pull this lens out and take it for a run. That photos is gorgeous. Again, I envy you the opportunity to have subjects so willing to meet you. And, yes, this young woman was certainly able to be open to the lens. Great work!
Thanks, Curtis. I have really grown to love my Zeiss 100, and that's my main portrait lens now. But the old Nikkor will never sit idle for too long. I love the feel of the focus ring, and it has a classic character to the rendering....it's one of those things I can't describe, and as you know direct comparison of the two lenses in this situation doesn't show up any clear technical differences. And I still swear the Nikkor is sharper in the center than the Zeiss....or at least as sharp, and less "clinically" so, if I may draw upon a standard amorphous optical metaphor. It's one hell of a good lens.
I've been using this lens a great deal of late but have been posting all my photos on the Manual Focus thread I started shortly after initiating this one. I thought I'd drop one image here to see if anyone else is interested in this thread. If not, I'll let it die a slow death.
I've been experimenting with extension tubes, which enables me to get much closer to my subject. I've used tubes on all of my manual focus lenses, but the 105 really shines both because of its focal range and incredible sharpness. This was shot this afternoon as I strolled around the neighborhood where I live. After a couple of rainy days and a very threatening morning, we had sun and mild temperatures this afternoon. The light is gorgeous and the autumn colors a delight. Enjoy this homage to this outstanding lens...
Gyrine wrote:
Nice image with the extension tubes. Perhaps a nice macro option not considered before. I like the bokeh too.
I bought my first set of extension tubes about a month ago on E-Bay after a member posted an image using an extension tube on the Nikon Manual Focus thread I started. He said buying them would open up a whole new world of photography and he was right. I own the Sigma 105 f/2.8 macro lens and love it, but it is a treat to use extension tubes with a wide range of lenses. I've used them thus far on a 20, 28, 50 and 105 manual focus lenses and plan to use them on an 85 f/2 AI-s I expect will be delivered today or shortly after Thanksgiving.
Here's another shot with the 105 and a 20 mm extension tube.
Gary Clennan wrote:
Curtis - you will really love the 85mm f/2 - it is a real gem in my opinion.
Funny thing is, this has always been my favorite focal length, yet I was put off by the price of the 85 f/1.4 AI-s. I understand it is a legendary lens, but spending $600 for one simply made no sense to me. I read some laudatory reviews of the slower alternative and finally pulled the plug last weekend on E-Bay. The price was right and now I have a ninth MF lens to add to my kit AND fill up my D700 non-CPU lens bank. I guess its time to stop...
I appreciate your comments. I'll be report back on the Nikon Manual Focus thread once I put the 85 through its paces.
Nikon D2H, f/2.5, 1/2500, Nikkor-P Auto 105mm f/2.5 Non-AIS (has metal focus ring fluting), ISO 200 -- I have since stopped mounting Non-AIS lenses to my DX cameras!!!
Borrowed the 105 for one afternoon. If I didn't just sell all my stuff, I'd buy one. It's 90% of the 105 DC for 105% of the cost. Without looking hard, here's a couple of snaps all taken within 5 minutes of each other.
Surprised to see this old thread make a revival. Most of the folks singing the praises of this wonderful lens are now doing so on the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread. I certainly still love this lens, which was my first MF Nikon lens. In fact, I loved it so much that I subsequently bought fourteen MORE...
In the spirit of the moment, here is a recent shot taken with this lens with a 20mm extension tube attached. This lens really sings as a macro lens, though it does wonderful work in just about any situation. It is a great portrait lens and does beautiful things with landscape shooting as well.
It's one hell of a good lens.
