Got me a new lens!! BoooYah!!

Stradawhovious · Feb 12, 2011

Well, Getting tired of slow consumer grade zoom lenses with fuzzy IQ, I have decided to fill my arsenal with better quality Primes. Today, I found an older Nikon 135mm f/2.8 AI at the local National Camera for a steal. (well, it was actually priced at market, but I will explain more later.)

So far, I'm thrilled with this lens in the very few test shots I have taken. Decent usable FL, tack ass sharp (when I hit my focus) and feels really solid.... not like todays plasticy lenses.

This is all thanks to the Local National Camera store. In August of last year, week after I bought my first DSLR, I decided that the best lens I could ever hope for would be a 55-200 AF-S VR. So I wne to National Camera and bought it (factory refurb marked at $169).......And it was. For about a month..... after that, it never hit my camera again. I have been kind of dreading the purchase of that lens ever since. I talked to the friendly sales guy at National Camera Exchange, and he offered to take the lens on return....... ALMOST 6 MONTHS LATER, for a very reasonable re-stocking fee. Granted the lens was in as-new shape, and I still had all the originals with it (box paperwork etc), but still! I ended up basically trading it even up for the 135mm 2.8 (tagged at $149). That's what I call customer service.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hundred thousand pictures to take with a new lens.

D-B-J · Feb 12, 2011

Nice! New glass is always great!

Can't wait to see the shots.

Regards,
Jake

enzodm · Feb 12, 2011

Nice acquisition. If you like those things, check also on Ebay - you might find really good prices on old lenses.
By the way, 135mm is also good for portraits (an example here, made with a $25 lens).

DerekSalem · Feb 12, 2011

Aye 135mm is fantastic for portraits. Virtually no barrel distortion and you get the perfect sense of distance in it (doesn't look like you're far away even though you might be). I use my 70-200 for portraits and it works perfectly lol

RauschPhotography · Feb 12, 2011

Very nice! Can't wait to see some shots from it

Stradawhovious · Feb 12, 2011

Here are some test shots with the new lens........ of the only subject that don't run screaming from the camera anymore. I'm not sure that the photobucket uploads will do them jstice, but I'm thrilled. Tack sharp and very nice. All in all, I couldn't be happier.......... Now I just wish I had a longer house. :lol:

These were shot at f/4, 1/125 sec

Actually this will be more for concerts, recitals, football games first communions and such. Longer reach than the nifty fifty, and still fast enough for indoors.

bluetibby1 · Feb 12, 2011

Very nice job!! Getting new glass is ALWAYS exciting.

MinisculeCatastrophe · Feb 12, 2011

I REALLY like the first two, but on the third, I find the background to be a little busy, and the shadow bothers me. But your dogs are so adorable!

Stradawhovious · Feb 12, 2011

MinisculeCatastrophe said:
I REALLY like the first two, but on the third, I find the background to be a little busy, and the shadow bothers me. But your dogs are so adorable!

The last one is of the parent-in-law's parents dogs.... From a technical standpoint it sucks.... but they're cute dogs, so I figured what the hell..... I'll post it. :lol:

The other two I like. :thumbup:

Stradawhovious · Feb 14, 2011

Ok. More on the lens, just because I can..... and I'm in the middle of a very boring lunch break.

I have learned to love the look of this wide open gaping maw of a lens. Just love it.

More on the lens itself.... Getting used to manually adjusting the aperature is very interesting. Luckily the D7000 can be programed to meter with the AI lenses, so I still get the metering and aperature display in the viewfinder. Its just strange not using the command wheel for aperature adjustment.

This thing is heavy. Not cumbersome, but definately weighty. I like the weight. It makes me feel secure for some reason. Corny? yes...... but true.

Getting used to manual focusing is interesting. I've been having to bracket for focus on shots I don't have control over, and take extra time with the ones I do. I am noticing that this seems to be MUCH better glass than I'm used to , since I can more easily see the focus snap into place without the aid of the focus indicator light in the viewfinder (or split screen viewfinder like the SLRs of past). In addition to that, having a lens tht is designed for manual focus is very accomodating. the focus is smooth as silk with no play at all in the barrel. Literally zero slack when moving the focus back and forth.......immediately responsive. Also, there is a very long throw from one end to the other. I have found myself having to pre gues distances and adjust the focus before bringing the camera to my eye so I'm at least close from the get.

All in all I think I have found my new favorite lens. For those of you who have the ability to use this lens on your body and have considered it, don't hesitate to pick it up. Reasonably inexpensive, and worth every penny.

MomentInTime · Feb 14, 2011

heck yeah new lenses are always fun for sure

djacobox372 · Feb 14, 2011

As soon as all the d7000 owners realize they can use non-cpu lenses, I expect the price of these lenses to go up. This happened when the d200 came out.

Here's some more I would recommend:

50mm f1.4 ais
24mm f2 ais
20mm f2.8 ais
105mm f4 micro ais
300mm f4.5 ais (ED-IF if you can afford it)

RockstarPhotography · Feb 14, 2011

does the owners manual explain how to set up the d7000 for older lenses? I'm getting a d7000 in about a month and have an array of older lenses my grandfather gave me. I use them all the time on my 3000, but not having the capability of metering kinda sucks.