Nikon 105 f1.8 ais

JTPhotography · Dec 21, 2016

Snagged a great deal on ebay. SUPER sharp. As good as any lens I've ever owned in terms of contrast, color saturation, and sharpness. I love these old mf lenses.

goodguy · Dec 22, 2016

Nice, I wish I has the eye sight to be able to MF, if I did I would buy a whole lot of old Nikon glass.
Sadly I don't have that sight so I am forced to use the modern amazing (and expensive) new glass.

Derrel · Dec 22, 2016

The 105mm f/1.8 Nikkor was never all that popular in the US; maybe this was a big hit in the East, perhaps? The last one I saw was nice, but the focusing felt very stiff. It was always a nice lens, and until the new 105mm f/1.4 was released, it ws one of the fastest aperture 105mm lenses I think was ever built. SUCH A GREAT focal length on 24x36!!!

I've had two different 105mm f/2.5 Ai-S models. If I see a 105/1.8 again, I will certainly give it a good examination. I really liked the 105mm lens and the angle of view it gives...it just has that certain "something" that an 85 lacks, and that a 135 does not have either.

Your sample pic above looks pretty sharp. I'd love to see how this lens does on people.

nerwin · Dec 23, 2016

I didn't know there was a 105 1.8 AIS. I only heard of the 105 2.5 AIS which I think paved the road for the modern Nikon lenses we see today, in terms of optical quality.

JTPhotography · Dec 23, 2016

Derrel said:
The 105mm f/1.8 Nikkor was never all that popular in the US; maybe this was a big hit in the East, perhaps? The last one I saw was nice, but the focusing felt very stiff. It was always a nice lens, and until the new 105mm f/1.4 was released, it ws one of the fastest aperture 105mm lenses I think was ever built. SUCH A GREAT focal length on 24x36!!!

I've had two different 105mm f/2.5 Ai-S models. If I see a 105/1.8 again, I will certainly give it a good examination. I really liked the 105mm lens and the angle of view it gives...it just has that certain "something" that an 85 lacks, and that a 135 does not have either.

Your sample pic above looks pretty sharp. I'd love to see how this lens does on people.

My intention was to get both a 105 2.5 and a 135 2.8 because they are legendary, try them both and keep the one I liked most, but found this one and couldn't pass it up. The focus is smooth as butter. I did get a 135 but as you said the focus is super stiff so it is going back. They are both equally impressive in terms of image quality. Agree about the 105 focal length, i had a 105 DC but could never get sharp images with it due to some odd focus issue. I don't do portraits professionally so this will suit me. I'll snap a few head shots of my son and share them with ya.

I also have a 50 1.8 ais and it is awesome. Another on my list is the 200 f4 micro ais.

JTPhotography · Dec 23, 2016

goodguy said:
Nice, I wish I has the eye sight to be able to MF, if I did I would buy a whole lot of old Nikon glass.
Sadly I don't have that sight so I am forced to use the modern amazing (and expensive) new glass.

For static subjects I always use focus confirmation because I don't fully trust my eyes either, but for portraits that's not really practical.

Derrel · Dec 23, 2016

Yes, I know what you mean about the 105 DC and weird Focus. I sold mine off along with my 135 DC this past spring. Now that I'm in my mid-fifties that green-dot AF confirmation system is my new BFF.

From page 181 of Peter Braczko's "Complete Nikon System Guide", he writes: " A very fast telephoto ideally suited for theater photography, the 105mm f/1.8 is also commonly found in indoor sports arenas and portrait studios. This lens is recommended for situations where an 85 millimeter lens isn't quite long enough but a 135 millimeter lens would be too great a jump. This is a purely manual focus, super-sharp lens with a multi-layer lens coating for optimum photographic results." He goes on a bit more & notes the lens was first made in March of 1981 and it weighs 1 pound 4.5 ounces, 62 millimeter filter thread.