History of the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 - the various versions
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- čas přidán 11. 08. 2019
- From 1959 to 1989 Nikon produced four different versions of the 35mm f/2.8. Two are worth owning for the shooter, one has collector value and the other can be avoided.
See what Nikon's own optical engineers had to say about this lens series:
imaging.nikon.com/history/sto...
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December 9, 2023
Hello Brian : I have learned so much from you. I have several Nikon F3 HP cameras with plenty of Nikon-Nikkor lenses that are all in mint shape. I use them all the time on my 2 grandchildren. I have plenty of black and white framed great photos on our walls. Of the young children. -You are a great advisor and authority. Thank you so much.
RS. Canada
Good to know. Got a coupleof months ago the s version in mint condition and putting it through its paces. It really seems a special lens
Thank you for this video. I have this Nikkor lens and haven’t used it much at all, not realising it was so special. I’ve recently changed my systems over to the new mirrorless Panasonic S1 and bought a bunch of adapters for all my old glass. And yes I can confirm that the results from this lens are very nice with it. I am indebted to you! I have a bunch of other 35’s both Leica and Voigtländer and have tended to sideline this one. No more!
I'm glad I could be helpful. Enjoy this most awesome lens!
I have a Nikkor S 35mm f2.8 with a serial number, 267xxx, very close to yours, and I can attest that it is a very special lens.
Great insight Brian - Thank you for what you do.
My pleasure!
This was very well researched and presented! This is very helpful as I am assembling a few sets of vintage manual lenses to use for cinematography. I have a Nikkor-S 35mm f/2.8 that looks similar to the older version you show here, but after comparing it with my other vintage Nikkors from the same era as well as other sets of prime lenses, my 35mm Nikkor-S wasn't too sharp, and reproduced colors strangely. I wonder if my copy of the lens is just a little banged up, or if maybe a weird lens flare skewed my tests - or else I must have the version of the Nikkor-S that came right before the good one in this video!
Very informative, and Aaron Sussman's book is an old friend of mine, nice to see it here and still being referred to
Thank you Brian. I bought the 35mm pre-Ai with rubber focusing ring and 6 elements (so the "K" series), knowing what i was buying, thanks to this video!
Awesome! So glad I could help. Enjoy!
Brian thanks so much for this detailed history of the Nikkor 35mm f2.8, I sure enjoyed listening to your voice teacher.
Very very useful video as usual. I have many older Nikon lenses for my F3 HP
Love your explanation.Thank you.I started collecting /using only the K series version of these lenses about 2 years ago but am having a hard time finding any information about them .Am unsure as to why?I absolutely love them .
I picked up a pre-AI 35mm S. Surprisingly for an eBay purchase, it was in out the box condition and very inexpensive. The single-coated version renders quite nicely.
Really awesome Brian. Thanks for the insights mate.
My pleasure; hope it was helpful
@@BriansPhotoShow Very much so. I just found a mint copy with 6-elements in Japan for a decent price. I suspect the seller didn't realise the significance of the serial number being in the 6-element group.
Nice video. I shoot pretty much Pentax but I do have some Nikon gear. Namely the 105mm and the 50mm f/2. Looking at a buying a 35mm, thanks for the insight.
glad I could be helpful
Great video! Thank you very much!
Glad you liked it!
Fantastic video! You have a great way of presenting your knowledge and i enjoyed learning. Are you a lawyer by chance? I can easily see you laying out your facts in a concise way to make a case! Thank you for making this as i dive deeper into classic Nikkor ownership! Please post more of your findings on these for other focal lengths if you have them!
Thank you. I'm a recovering criminal defense attorney.
@@BriansPhotoShow for a moment I just read "recovering criminal" and I was just "wait wot"
@@BriansPhotoShow nothing wrong with criminal defense attorneys. Aren’t all defense attorneys “criminal defense” attorneys?
Very detailes video regarding the focal length. I have me in my area, some is selling a nikkor 35mm 1.4 ais. Is this a great lens design or sharper compared to the 35mm 2.8?
Excellent review! I have the Nikkor -S version but it doesn’t say nippon kogaku after 35mm like yours. Is there any difference? Thanks
optically, no difference
Hello Brian , i really like your videos ! could you please let me know if the newer lens with S/N 861580 on the video is AI type ? Is it having the " speed post" on the rear of the lens which i undertand is necessary for matrix metering on F4 camera . Also do you know if it is possible to use this lens on camera D700 ? D850? thanks for your help . Daniel from France
The newer of the two lenses in the video is AI series, not converted K series. Accordingly, it does not have the groove on the rear end as the AIS series does. As for compatibility generally, any Nikkor AI, AIS or AI converted lens will mount and function in manual and aperture-priority modes on all full-frame Nikon DSLRs and all 7000-series crop sensor DSLRs.
Brian's Photo Show : I am not an expert like you but would like to buy a 35mm 2.8 lens as per your advice , and found one on eBay which might be the correct one but I al not sure so if I can ask , could you please check on eBay Lens number 184225706763 and let me know if it is in line with this video recommandation ? Many thanks Daniel from france
Excelente I formación amigo. Eres muy claro en lo que dices. Te ganaste mi suscripción
Interesting video, thank you very educating.
May I ask please your opinion on Nikon 35mm f2 ai-s?
Thank you!
I do not own one of those, but I've only heard good things about them.
@@BriansPhotoShow I appreciate your time and kind respond, thank you!
Hi Brian, the A series (auto) 35mm f2 OC is the multi coated variant of the 35mm range, but if S is for 7 what does O stand for? Octo, 8 elements. Reference, Nikon Compendium, hand book of the Nikon system, By Hove books. The one I have is a first English edition 1993. If you can get a copy its a great reference book for any Nikon collectors. Another great informative video.
Would either of these work with my F2 with the DP-1 head? I mostly work with black and white so which would you recommend?
They should both work just fine with your F2. The Nikkor-S has seven elements and six aperture blades, is single-coated and prone to flare. The multi-coated K/AI version has seven aperture blades and six elements and gives a "cleaner" look, though differences are subtle.
From the photosynthesis Nikon lens chart and looking at ebay, it appears the 'Nippon Kogaku' lettering was omitted from the later serial numbers, but the specs seem to have remained the same. For whatever reason KEH has a slightly higher price on the lens with the lettering.
Yes, KEH has always charged a "collector premium" for Nippon Kogaku labeling.
Will either of these work for the Nikon FM? I just got it and would like to start shooting with it, but I am in the market for a lens.
Either will work with an FM. Remember that if the lens is not AI compatible, you'll have to retract the AI tab and stop down the lens to meter. FYI here's my video explaining AI conversions: czcams.com/video/c7ePWjBplk8/video.html
I just bought a Nikon F2 with this Nikkor-s 35mm (and a Nikkor-s 50mm 1.4) and I'm very happy to see that is a beast of lens
Those are both great lenses. There are some real classics amongst the pre-AI glass.
Hmmm. I have a 35mm f2.8 AIS that has the distance scale on the chrome ring itself, not on the black painted part. How would one tell which version this is?
All 35mm f/2.8 AIS lenses had the five element formula.
I've been trying to find info on my lens. It's a Nikkor 35mm 2.8, non AI, no rubber focusing ring (I think. it feels more like hard plastic), and it's serial is 805xxx. I'm trying to find something to work with my FM3a. This one seems to fit without issue, but doesn't activate the AI metering system. Any thoughts on which lens I might have? Thanks in advance!
Do not put an unmodified pre-AI lens on an FM3a. You could damage the AI tab. I'm not aware of any Nikkor 35mm lens with a hard plastic focusing ring. Maybe it's a Series E, but then it wouldn't be pre-AI.
I use the 35mm 2.8 AI lenses on my Z6 and the pictures are outstandingly sharp. Many thanks for recommending this lens.
Hey brian, do you have the 35mm f2 ai lens? If so do you think the difference is big between the f2.8 and f2? Considering these 2. Kind regards
I've got the Nikkor-O 35mm f/2, but I haven't used it much. As between the AI series f/2 or f/2.8 (6-element), you probably can't go wrong either way. I suspect the f/2 version will be easier to find but more expensive.
@@BriansPhotoShow thank you for your input. I really enjoy your videos! Makes it easier for young people like me to learn the vintage nikon gear
How do these lenses compare to the Nikkor-O 35 mm f:2.0?
I own a Nikkor-O but I've only shot one roll with it so far so I'm not quite sure.
I've got one question. Actually where is stated that the 5-element ais version is worse in optical quality than the 6 element ai version? In Minoltas case f.e. according to Artaphot the optical formula changed too from a 7 element to a 5 element version and in Minoltas case the image quality was improvd by the 5 element 5 group design. I mean just bc in Nikons case the series E design was similar to the later Ais Nikkor doen't mean that the optical quality decreased compared to the Ai version does it? But maybe I'm wrong. I just got a Ais Nikkor 35mm f2.8 for 80€ (~90 dollars) in brand new condition and I've also got the MD 35mm f2.8 and I'm super interested, which lens performs actually better.
I got the Pre AI. Amazing lens 👍👏🤙🇦🇷
I tried to watch it over and over again but still confused about the 5 or 6 element ones because the description all sounds the same... please advise
I'm sorry you found the video confusing. My apologies. Perhaps read what Nikon's own engineers had to say; there's a link in the description.
What about those 2 compared to the 35mm f2 d lens?
I have a 35mm f2.8 Ai with serial Number 856xxx. I ask myself whether is it the one in your videos ? Or i having a 5 elements version .
I think you've got the six-element version. Do the hyperfocal marks extend under the focusing ring?
@@BriansPhotoShow yes they extend so i can see them when focusing
If the serial number starts with an 8, you have the 6-element version. The other versions start with a 3 or 5.
I keep holding out for a good deal on the S.
Very nice video. Thank you again for your hard work. I had the more modern 35 mm F 2.8 ai lens but unfortunately it was stolen, along with other equipment, in a recent house breakin. I replaced all my older wonderful NIKON equipment although insurance did not specifically cover any of the photography losses. I will now look into insuring my replacement Nikons and Mamiya 7 for another potential theft. I appreciate all your videos Brian. RS. Canada
Which Nikon lens were the photographers from Vietnam using?
Photojournalists during the Vietnam war used pre-AI glass, obviously, if they shot Nikon. I recently re-watched Apocalypse Now, and almost froze the screen during the scenes with Dennis Hopper where he has three Nikons hanging from his neck, just to see if I could identify the lenses.
My Nikkor 35mm has a serial number 259xxx. Is that the one you are describing. I can’t tell if those numbers are in centimeters..
Bummer - i have the 5 elements ver.
I got it way back then.
It's ok but nothing more I guess.
My 35mm F2.8 looks like your rubber grip 35mm except it doesn't have the second line of small aperture numbers. It came with the F2 given to me. No idea what model the lens actually. is
It sounds like a K-series pre-AI version