YEA! IT'S HERE!!!! First thoughts, sample images, and issues with a new used lens.

[Stradawhovious]

Well, the much anticipated Nikkor 180mm AF-D f/2.8 arrived, and I couldn't be happier.....


Maybe....

For those of you not familiar with my previous rants, I purchased a heavily used Nikkor 180mm AF ED f2.8 for $200 on the intrabays.


So here goes the good.....

the lens is in a lot better condition than the seller advertised. Many of the "damage" on the lens were just smudges that cleaned right of with a microcloth

This thing is really sharp, and the focus is spot on. This image is a 100% crop, and the picture was shot from the hip. From OOF, to the eye, depressed half way, shutter clicked the second focus locked. No messing around, just focus/click. So far, so good.


DSC_5331 pp by Stradawhovious, on Flickr

Ok, now Bokeh. This thing provides BEAUTIFUL creamy backgrounds. This one is a f/3.2, and hastily shot, but you get the idea.


DSC_5270 by Stradawhovious, on Flickr

Now on the the not so good.


Under certain circumstances there seems to be some pretty serious CA issues. More than you would expect from a $1000+ lens. If you look close (may not be visible without original file) in the kiddo's hair, middle of the bangs just above the nose, there is some pretty serious purple fringing. Not seemingly an issue unless you're pixel peeping, but enough to irritate me..... especially when I don't know enough about PP to get rid of it. My guess is that they corespond with nicks on the front element, since it isn't evenly dispersed throughout the pic, but only in certain spots.

Overall, getting a $1,000+ lens (back in the day)for $200, I guess you shouldn't expect the world.

My questions..... Any good tutorials or tips on removing small areas of CA from photos? Also, what else should I be doing with this lens to push it to the limits. There is a 7 day return policy, that I would like to use if necessary. So far though, I think I can live with it If I can get used to using it.

 

[Marc-Etienne]

Very nice. Good deal if it works well for 200$! Could send picture of "heavily damaged" lens? I was looking today at a similar lens used today. I feel like a fixed 180mm would be quite nice!

 

[Stryker]

a Nikkor is a Nikkor and a Nikkor is a Nikkor. Pretty good bargain. Sample shots are clean and crisp.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Could send picture of "heavily damaged" lens?

Here is the original eBay pic.... P1060941.jpg picture by biggscamera - Photobucket

Here is a shot of the element after cleaning with nothing more than a light wipe a microcloth.


DSC_5368 by Stradawhovious, on Flickr


I'm pretty sure if the seller had done this, it would have sold long before I had a chance to look at it. It cleaned up real nice.

 

[Stryker]

You got to be kidding!! That looked like you bought it from a war correspondent and went through a lot of front line shots...

 

[Stradawhovious]

You got to be kidding!! That looked like you bought it from a war correspondent and went through a lot of front line shots...

As far as I know, that could very well be the case.

The only issue is the marking on the front element. I've already pounded the filter ring back to true, so tha't shouldn't be an issue. The only thing that still bothers me is the CA Im' experiencing. As far as I'm concerned it's a good deal.

Any suggestions on that CA issue? Maybe a coated filter? Learn how to PP it out? Maybe it's the circumstance, and not the lens?

 

[RockstarPhotography]

I doubt it's the scratches on the front glass. You can damn near smash a front element and still take fine pictures.

 

[reznap]

Any suggestions on that CA issue? Maybe a coated filter? Learn how to PP it out? Maybe it's the circumstance, and not the lens?

The direct sun is probably a big part of the reason. Blown highlights cause CA with most lenses, even pretty high-end ones - in my personal experience and from what I've seen on the web anyway.

When editing the raw, turn the saturation adjustment to like -100 (whatever is all the way down) for the purple & magenta channels (or green or whatever).. or do it in post afterwards. I like to use a hue/saturation adjustment layer with the CA's color channel desaturated. Then, turn that layer into a mask and invert it (control+i). Now you can paint the CA away with a brush set to a white color.

I'd also bet the fringes would be almost gone around f/4 and totally gone by f/5.6.

 

[Stradawhovious]

The direct sun is probably a big part of the reason. Blown highlights cause CA with most lenses, even pretty high-end ones - in my personal experience and from what I've seen on the web anyway.

This seems to be the case. Seems it might just be a learning curve. I haven't experienced it with any of my other lenses...... I also ma not have been scrutinizing them as hard as this one.

I'd also bet the fringes would be almost gone around f/4 and totally gone by f/5.6.

That would be a bet you would win.

My guess is that I'm still on the fence about the purchase, and want to find a reason to return it. There doesn't seem to be one, and for that I'm pretty thrilled. I will be taking a bunch more photos in the next few days.... just to make sure. Thanks Reznap, for putting things into perspective for me. Perspective seems to be something I'm lacking when I think I might have made a bad purchase.

As far as how to fix it in post, I'm sure what you said will work, now I just need to learn how to do it.

 

[Derrel]

No, the purple fringing is a characteristic of the 180 Nikkor. It has nothing to do with the scratches on the front element. Check around, and you'll see that this lens suffers from CA in strong light situations.

 

[Stradawhovious]

No, the purple fringing is a characteristic of the 180 Nikkor. It has nothing to do with the scratches on the front element. Check around, and you'll see that this lens suffers from CA in strong light situations.

Good to know. I guess that seals it, the lens stays. Other than the purple fringe (which is only visible in the bright sunlight shots..... And even then only sometime...... and even THEN only if you're looking for it) This thing seems pretty solid with the few shots I've taken. I cant wait to put it through the ringer this weekend! I guess the moral of the story is on bright sunny days, keep it above f/4.