40 year old glass- the 'Afghan Girl' lens

[Kiron Kid]

A great lens. (Portra 400 film).

 

[mjcmt]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 64.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

 

[Peeb]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 100.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

That is amazing! OK- now I need a 180 f2.8, LOL!!

 

[Peeb]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 100.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

BTW, I really, really really miss Kodachrome. What a great film it was.

 

[zombiesniper]

Great looking images. That is a very sharp lens.

 

[mjcmt]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 100.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

That is amazing! OK- now I need a 180 f2.8, LOL!!

McCurry mentioned that every year he got new camera bodies from National G. and his lenses would last a couple of years. He never used protective filters and his 180mm had a big nick on the front element. Talk about equipment being nothing but a tool.

 

[Peeb]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 100.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

That is amazing! OK- now I need a 180 f2.8, LOL!!

McCurry mentioned that every year he got new camera bodies from National G. and his lenses would last a couple of years. He never used protective filters and his 180mm had a big nick on the front element. Talk about equipment being nothing but a tool.

I know, right?? What an amazing ride he must have taken with NG.

 

[photoflyer]

I paid $169.95.

What do you think the closest equivalent is today and what does it cost?

 

[Kiron Kid]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 64.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

Interesting. When I spoke with McCurry, he told me that he used the 105 f/2.5 glass for the Afghan Girl image.

 

[mjcmt]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 64.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

Interesting. When I spoke with McCurry, he told me that he used the 105 f/2.5 glass for the Afghan Girl image.

There does seem to be a discrepancy. He also had the 105mm f1.8 lens in his bag along with the 180mm.

 

[Kiron Kid]

I use the original pre-AI version. Love it. Attached image shot on Portra 400 film.

 

[Scott Murphy]

Just because it is "old" glass does not mean it is still not outstanding glass. Nikon built its reputation as the finest 35mm company in history due in great measure to their outstanding Nikkors. All 31 of my Nikkors, from 8mm f/2.8 fisheye to 600mm f/4 Super Telephoto are non-AI/AI/AIS Nikkors. All are outstanding performers. The older non-AI's have some issues associated with single coatings instead of NIC, but as long as you are conscious of position of the sun or bright lights they still produce terrific images. Wide open, the old 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor S has some spherical aberration, but it makes fantastic soft-focus portraits. From f/2 onward, the SA disappears.

As for the 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor, its reputation is legendary for a reason. It is a superb lens from the word go, even in the non-AI configuration.

 

[Kiron Kid]

I use the original, first edition of the Nikon 105 f/2.5 glass on my D780.

 

[Kiron Kid]

I meet Steve McCurry in 1990. We talked some while over the course of a few days. He said he used his 180mm f2.8ED lens for the Afghan Girl. There seems to be a discrepancy.

When I met him he was on a National G. shoot and his kit included 2 Nikon FM2n/MD12 bodies, 24mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 180mm f2.8ED, and 300mm f4.5 (which was in hotel room). And always used Kodachrome 25 or 64.

McCurry told me he was at a refuge camp and snapped two photos of the girl then looked down at his camera when he looked up she was gone. He knew immediately he had a good shot, but not how good. He said he thought she was an angel and was obsessed to find her afterwords returning many times to locate her.

Interesting. He told me that he used his 105 lens.

 

[Don Fischer]

Nikon 105mm f/2.5. Picked it up on ebay for 80.00. What do you think?

1. Missie
Test shot- vintage lens by Peeb OK, on Flickr

2. Riley
Shot 2- testing 40 year old lens by Peeb OK, on Flickr

I know this is old but. I like the dog's. the question is what do we think.
I believe that's the wrong question. The question should be, what do you think!