40 year old glass- the 'Afghan Girl' lens

Derrel · Feb 26, 2020

All of this 105 / 2.5 talk is making me think about limbering up some of my remaining 1980s-2000's era manual focus Nikkor lenses this weekend. I still have a 24/2.8 ais, a 35/2 ais. A few 50's, a 55 micro 3.5, an 85/2 ais, a 105/2.5 ais, a 135/2.8 ais, a 135/3.5 ai, and 200/4 in ai and ais. I also have in Nice condition a 180mm f 2.8 ED Ai-s. And I also have a few zoom lenses.

Back when the Nikon D100 hit the market, there was a huge rush to sell off older gear and the market was flooded with many seldom-used manual focus lenses,often at ridiculously low prices. I bought the 200 mm lenses,both,for $60 each. I got the 135/2.8 ais for about $100 back in 2002. A couple of summers ago my local camera shop had the 135 / 3.5 in ai form, for $65.

Derrel · Feb 26, 2020

The 105 /2.5 was one of the lenses that really solidified Nikon's fame. 105 mm is a really,really useful focal length. I have owned at least one 105 Nikkor since 1982... at one point I owned three.

If you look you can find the 105mm f/1.8 AI-S and of course there is the remarkable new 105mm AFS G f / 1.4 auto focus that JB Photography is going to loan me for a 10-year trial.

JBPhotog · Feb 27, 2020

Derrel said:
The 105 /2.5 was one of the lenses that really solidified Nikon's fame. 105 mm is a really,really useful focal length. I have owned at least one 105 Nikkor since 1982... at one point I owned three.

If you look you can find the 105mm f/1.8 AI-S and of course there is the remarkable new 105mm AFS G f / 1.4 auto focus that JB Photography is going to loan me for a 10-year trial.

Further digging, the AI versions had seven curved aperture blades whereas the AIS has seven straight aperture blades. It would be interesting to see if the bokeh was the same between the two.

As far as a long term loan of my F1.4E version, the saying of prying it from my cold dead hands come to mind, LOL.

JTPotter · Feb 27, 2020

Now I want a 105mm 2.8 also! great images!

JBPhotog · Feb 27, 2020

JTPotter said:
Now I want a 105mm 2.8 also! great images!

You mean a 105mm F2.5 right?

Peeb · Mar 8, 2020

Here's another one- processed as a low key shot:

Missy at 105mm by Peeb OK, on Flickr

Designer · Mar 8, 2020

Oh, drat! I wish you had shot this with a deeper DOF. As it is, I can't see the rendered depth that this lens is capable of.

JBPhotog · Mar 8, 2020

Nice one @Peeb. Even F2.5 maximum this lens is magic how it renders the OOF areas. Bokekliscious!

jcdeboever · Mar 9, 2020

Crap, I feel a huge 105 2.5 fart coming.

Peeb · Mar 9, 2020

Designer said:
Oh, drat! I wish you had shot this with a deeper DOF. As it is, I can't see the rendered depth that this lens is capable of.

Happy to post another shot at, maybe f/8.

Designer · Mar 10, 2020

Peeb said:
Designer said:

Oh, drat! I wish you had shot this with a deeper DOF. As it is, I can't see the rendered depth that this lens is capable of.

Click to expand...

Happy to post another shot at, maybe f/8.

I think you'll like it. Have another look at the dog's whiskers in your first post. See how they appear to give the photo depth? Almost as if they are coming out of the photo toward the viewer.