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jimmuller wrote:
I have no pics to post today. Sorry.
We did get out into the woods again today, spent 6 miles walking through snow-covered trails I tried to do a comparison of my old 50mm f/1.4 with the 55mm f/3.5 but formed no conclusions. When the 50mm is wide open the clarity decreases and some vignetting happens. But with the Z5-II, shooting wide open isn't necessary because it runs the ISO higher. At smaller apertures the 50mm has no trouble. For longer range the 55 may be sharper but maybe not. When I focused on a tree 15 ft away with f/11 (IIRC) the 50mm was awesomely sharp, the 55mm no better. I couldn't say whether the bokeh was better or worse with either for a real-life picture.
On the other hand the f ranges are different, the 55mm's aperture being smaller but the 50mm handling lower light (even if not necessary). For most shooting I don't know which I'd choose. Must try again.
...Show more →
Jim, I have a 50 f1.4 AI and a 55 mm f2.8 AIS. Your findings seem similar to mine, the 1.4 needs stopping down to sharpen up, though I don't think my copy of the 1.4 really catches up to the 55mm. I carry the 50 when I want to shoot larger apertures, otherwise I typically will take the 55mm out.
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BLLX wrote:
Here's a few 20/2.8 ai-s - shot with Df
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55010577932_f05d9aed35_b.jpg
DF_20251228_BLX_6728.jpg by -Morten-, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55011643453_2d09401265_b.jpg
DF_20251228_BLX_6719.jpg by -Morten-, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55011643568_727070d86d_b.jpg
DF_20251228_BLX_6694.jpg by -Morten-, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55011643713_9316dbedb9_b.jpg
DF_20251228_BLX_6684.jpg by -Morten-, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55011468096_6a56376b7e_b.jpg
DF_20251228_BLX_6685.jpg by -Morten-, on Flickr
Continuing to enjoy the color palette that your shots exhibit Morten, great post-processing.
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Yogifi wrote:
I picked up a few classic nikon lenses but I don't have experience in how they're supposed to feel and wanted to check with folks here.
I understand they're quite old at this point. I tried to get the highest serial numbers and best condition I could find.
My 50mm f1.4 AIS focus ring is so easy to turn, I worry when I let go of the ring that the focus will move from where I left it - it doesn't seem to, but it's probably close.
There's almost no dampening. Very different to the 50mm f1.4 AI, which is quite slow but not stiff.
I read on Ken Rockwell the 50/1.4 AIS is turnable with just one finger and that's true but it does seem a bit too easy to turn.
My 35mm f1.4 AIS is nicely dampened without being tight, and is a smaller lens than I was expecting but when doing the smallest microadjustment like you would everytime you confirm focus, there's like a very slight travel before it engages with the change of direction - about 0.5mm. Quite annoying when checking focus by going over and under and few times. You can feel and see it by trying to turn it the absolute smallest amount back and forth.
While I appreciate the improvement over the 50mm f1.4 AFD in terms of focus feel, they don't seem to be without issues themselves. The 35/1.4 being particularly cumbersome in-use. Perhaps my copies aren't representative?
The 50mm f1.2 should be here later today but those were the two I was most looking forward to using regularly with the fm2n, which I've been preferring over digital recently.
I've noticed with both of them, that if I don't use the grip but closer to the aperture ring, the problems aren't as bad so perhaps it's common to do large changes with the rubber grip and then slide down closer to the silver ring for the micro-adjustments? It is textured there but seems a bit unusual to need to do.
Perhaps they just all need some servicing? I'm not really sure who to take them to in the UK. It seems quite complicated to repair properly, especially with the 35mm.
It actually seems like every single camera/lens older than 15 years old that I've bought could do with a service, and the shops here seem don't seem to be as prevalent as maybe they were a decade ago.
Might be time to start learning repairs but making markings to remember the orientation and spacing....doesn't seem very sound.
Let's see, it's worth figuring out as I plan to keep these for the long term, and maybe the 24/28/85/105 too (those 20mm shots above look great though).
But with every additional purhcase I'm now less hopeful about avoiding even a small headache. Need to factor in repairs ontop of the price, even with these "top mint" items on ebay.
Probably not very relevant for you folks who've been nursing your copies for decades. But I think with film making a bit of a comeback the last few years, these lenses might start gaining in popularity again. Particularly because of the reliability of some of the older nikon cameras, they might be the only 35mm film cameras that still work that aren't Leicas in 10-20 more years. A bit nicer character on the 35, and also the 50 for my taste but I can appreciate the sharpness of the Leicas too.
I like the lenses quite a bit other than these possibly age related build issues. And I'm bracing myself for the build quality of the shortly arriving mir 24h (35/2 nikon f mount Russian lens, a Zeiss f2.8 inspired lens from what I've read with a massive focus throw, but smooth bokeh).
-- luckily, both the 50/1.2 and mir 24h lenses are fine.
I thought the mir had the same issue as the 35/1.4 ais with the wobble when changing focus direction but it's just a longer throw. It's actually a very good size too. And the 50/1.2 isn't particularly big either, just a bit dense. 35/1.4 ais is less dense but longer, but completely fine. I was worried about that one. I usually carry one lens on a body in a small camera bag that opens easily, rather than around my neck.
Mir seems like it's easier to focus with the longer smooth throw, but a little boring (but safer) rendering, very nice compact design. 35mm f1.4 render is fun though, I'm smiling just trying it on digital.
Maybe the 85 ais sometime next year for some nice film portraits....Show more →
Congrats on the new MF glass. In my collection of MF glass, all the things you said about the MF lenses apply to one lens or another. I'll add another one, I've had a 55mm micro seize up so badly that it was essentially unusable. Still trying to work up the courage and spend some $$ to get some basic tools to open that one up.
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lirain wrote:
Df + 24/f2 AIS
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55012248658_c822cbf94c_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55012248653_812aa4f253_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55012248633_5ef6ff97be_b.jpg
Very nice winter captures, especially the third shot. Love that warm brown contrast.
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), at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 
Hopefully keep them running smooth for another few decades with the worst of it being this initial upfront cost. 
