What's the most enjoyable manual focus only lens you ever used?

Frank F. · Oct 30, 2016

Changing over time.

On the F4 it was the 1.8/85D. The F4 had AF with glacial speed so for me it was MF use only.

Currently the 1.4/35 Ai-S is my favourite for walk around, for tripod/live view it is the Micro 4/200 Ai-S.

The 35 for its unique rendering not found in any other lens ... yet the 1.2/55 is a sibling.

The 200 Micro for its unchallended color fidelity and super snappy focus definition.

On my Sinar the 120/f=5.6 Scheider APO Digitar touches me to tears when I see huge Prints of 150 cm long side and above. No48. Near perfect glass.

jcdeboever · Oct 30, 2016

Derrel said:
For manual focus zoom lenses: the 50-135mm f/3.5 AiS was a favorite. GREAT focal length range! made only in one production run, this lens uses 62mm filters, has one ring for focus and zoom, and is pretty good optically. The big plus is the 50mm bottom end: VERY versatile. This was expensive when it came out,and is a bit harder to find than many lenses of its era.

The 80-200mm f/4 AiS is another really nice lens, and is very affordable these days, usually under $100, and still quite sharp, and a very fine performer. Very plentiful, this lens is one to consider if you need an 80-200 zoom lens but are poor.

I picked up the 80-200 F/4.5 (rectangular back) in a trade from a member on here. I used it recently with no problem at a kids soccer game (smaller field). It was easy to use and sharper and better color than my Sigma 70-200 2.8. I like that you set the focus and it holds while you zoom. Pretty neat. I was surprised how nice the pics came out.

minicoop1985 · Oct 31, 2016

Mine is by FAR the Kodak Ektar 80mm f2.8 I had mounted on my Hasselblad 1600f. I had that lens apart probably 5 or 6 times, but it was SO silky smooth when I was done... Even had a manual aperture.

chuasam · Oct 31, 2016

Tie between a Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-S and a Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 ASPH

fmw · Oct 31, 2016

Easy. Nikkor 17mm f2.8 D wide angle. Very wide yet free of barrel distortion.

fmw · Oct 31, 2016

Nikkor 17mm f2.8 D. Very wide and free of barrel distortion. For Chausam my favorite Leica lens was the 21mm M lens. My favorite currently owned manual lens is the Nikkor 180 f2.8.

petrochemist · Nov 1, 2016

fmw said:
Nikkor 17mm f2.8 D. Very wide and free of barrel distortion. For Chausam my favorite Leica lens was the 21mm M lens. My favorite currently owned manual lens is the Nikkor 180 f2.8.

Why did you get rid of the 17mm if you liked it so much?

fmw · Nov 1, 2016

petrochemist said:
fmw said:

Nikkor 17mm f2.8 D. Very wide and free of barrel distortion. For Chausam my favorite Leica lens was the 21mm M lens. My favorite currently owned manual lens is the Nikkor 180 f2.8.

Click to expand...

Why did you get rid of the 17mm if you liked it so much?

I abandoned film photography for digital. There were no full frame digital Nikons at the time. I sold all my Nikkors and bought a set of G lenses for my D80. If they made a DX single focal length lens like the 17 was for film, I would likely buy one.

nerwin · Nov 1, 2016

I didn't even know Nikon made a 17 2.8D. I knew they made a 18 2.8D.

Is the 17 2.8D a rare lens? I can't find anything about it.

Solarflare · Nov 1, 2016

Only 17mm for Nikon I can find with google is a f3.5 from Tokina and another from Vivitar:

Tokina 17mm f/3.5 SL
NIKON VIVITAR MF 17mm f/3,5 - SNr: 37200296

Frank F. · Nov 1, 2016

There this is the 17-35/f=2,8D ... which could be seen as a 17mm 2.8D

AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17–35 mm 1:2,8D IF-ED Zoomobjektiv FX Autofokus-Objektive NIKKOR-Objektive

pendennis · Nov 1, 2016

I had an opportunity to borrow, and use a Pentax Super Takumar 17mm f4 on a Spotmatic. Very little focusing involved because the D-O-F was so great, even wide open. After I got used to the panoramic view, I settled down and got some very good shots.

The guy who owned the set up would never sell it to me, even though I begged for several years.