nikon 105 2.5

I have acces to a nikkor 105, 2.5 ai lens in like new condition. If I buy it, I understand it will not meter on my S3 (but could if I ever move up to an S5!) but this is not unlike the PC 35, 2.5 I already use for careful tripod work.

I hear this is one sharp lens and would like to use it for two things, one, indoor concerts, usually small groups, shot close to the stage; and macro work with tubes and or a good quality close-up lens.

Can anyone comment one suitability for use given the 1.5(6)x factor , or own personal experience? Many Thanks, Shoester

Hey Shoester,

I use this lens with my S2 and have been very happy with the results, but have never used it for macro work. The lens is very sharp, lightweight, solid, and the manual focusing mechanism is super smooth. In addition, it has a built in lens cap, which, while not perfect does an adequate job. At the prices this lens sells for, it's well worth the investment in my opinion.

No, it won't meter on the S3, but with the S5 you shouldn't have any problems. I'm sure the 85mm 1.4 is a better lens, but it's also a whole lot more money, larger, and heavier. I hope to purchase either the 70-200VR or 80-200 shortly, which I expect to use in place of the 105, but I'll never sell the 105 2.5. It's so lightweight and compact, ideal for the aerial photography that I often do. Actually, I was considering the 135mm as well, as it shares many of the same characteristics of the 105.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Regards,

Mark

I purchased the s5 a few days ago......my 105 2.5 meters fine!

You just have to program the manual focus lens into the s5 ....maybe
a few minutes at the most !
Also you'll need the latest filmware for AWB for a non cpu lens.

Hope this helps
--
Phil Scott

Thanks for the replies, I assure you a S5 is a long way off, and the S3 is working just fine. I have some time to give it a go before I commit so I'll try it out a see how it suits. I'd like some of that long 2.8 zoom glass too, but I feel like a Go-kart racer that just showed up at the Formula 1(but with the previous budget). Shoester

I have 105/2.5 AI-S and it is definitely one of the legendary Nikkors. It meters OK with D200, so should on S5. Very sharp lens at f=4.0 and above and very usable even at 2.5.

Here are two samples taken with D200.

f=5.6



f=4.0



Regards!

Shoester said:

I have acces to a nikkor 105, 2.5 ai lens in like new condition. If
I buy it, I understand it will not meter on my S3 (but could if I
ever move up to an S5!) but this is not unlike the PC 35, 2.5 I
already use for careful tripod work.

I hear this is one sharp lens and would like to use it for two
things, one, indoor concerts, usually small groups, shot close to
the stage; and macro work with tubes and or a good quality close-up
lens.

Can anyone comment one suitability for use given the 1.5(6)x factor
, or own personal experience? Many Thanks, Shoester

Click to expand...

This is a legendary portrait lens - extremely sharp and with excellent "bokeh" and also works extremely well for telephoto landscape shots. However it is most definitely not a macro lens. OK you can attach extension tubes for closeups but you might be disappointed with the results - it just doesn't really have the right optical characteristics. For macro get a lens designed for the job - if looking for a used manual focus lens the old 105 F4 AI micro is an excellent choice worth considering.

Bostjan: Very nice shots, I'm assuming these are OOC. I have to see if I can get past the "Shoot, adjust, reshoot" method this lens will require.

Regards, Shoester

Thanks, just the sort of info I was looking for. Best regards,Shoester

Shoester said:

Bostjan: Very nice shots, I'm assuming these are OOC. I have to see
if I can get past the "Shoot, adjust, reshoot" method this lens will require.

Click to expand...

Doesn't tale long to get used to. Just set an appropriate speed to stop camera shake, guestimate your aperture = it's just like those diagrams they used to put on the film packs - Sunny f11, medium f8 shade 5.6, and Fuji tend to be most forgiving in the highlights so no problem to err in the direction of overexposure.

BTW, thanks for encouraging me to wipe the fungus of my 105, which is at least 20 years old. Here's a few tests from today. I reckon you could make nice A4 prints using this lens but I don;t think it would print well much larger (mine anyway:
I think this was shot at f4



and this one 5.6



--
http://www.winggang.com/gallery/folio
'think for yourself; question authority'

Shoester said:

I have acces to a nikkor 105, 2.5 ai lens in like new condition. If
I buy it, I understand it will not meter on my S3 (but could if I
ever move up to an S5!) but this is not unlike the PC 35, 2.5 I
already use for careful tripod work.

I hear this is one sharp lens and would like to use it for two
things, one, indoor concerts, usually small groups, shot close to
the stage; and macro work with tubes and or a good quality close-up
lens.

Can anyone comment one suitability for use given the 1.5(6)x factor
, or own personal experience? Many Thanks, Shoester

Click to expand...

Yes. With the 1.5x crop, she's a little long for portraiture in my studio. But in a situation like stage work, it's a killer.

What kind of concerts are you shooting? For rock, I personally think autoexposure is necessary: the lighting changes to much from second to second to guess exposure, read histogram, and reshoot. For classical, jazz, and country, the lighting is steadier, and manual exposure is a workable solution.

And for your macro work, FrankG nailed it. We optical engineers have a highly technical term to describe how the 105mm f2.5 works on extension tubes. We say it "sucks". That particular lens builds up spherical aberration so fast at extension that you can't get a really sharp macro, even wide open.

However, there is a budget-conscious alternative. Another Nikon legend, the 55mm f2.8 micro-Nikkor often goes for $100 or less on eBay (this week's batch went for $102, $97, $89, $70, and $57). It's another lens that you'd have to manually focus and guess at metering, but dang, that thing is sharp and contrasty. And it has a great mechanism for smoothly and easily focusing at macro distances.

With those two lenses in your bag, you'll get some of the best portrait and product shots you've ever seen.

--
Normally, a signature this small can't open its own jumpgate.

Ciao! Joe

http://www.swissarmyfork.com

Thanks Joe: I didn't get a chance to shoot this weekend with the lens, but I'll give it a try tonight at the kids soccer game, exposure will be slightly less tricky than focus, but I think I can just pick a shot, focus, and wait for the action to come to me (little kid soccer and a smaller field).

As for the concert thing, I help out with a local folk society, so the the lighting is very simple. In past I'd use my 24-120 VR or a 70-300 sigma APO, but by the time I get to the necesaary zoom ,and set for sharpness the f-stop is around f-8, so even at 1600, I'm exposing at 1/30th or 1/45th. The S3 is quite forgiving I find and shadow noise has been less of an issue that I thought. I'd really like to try a faster/sharper lens. In this setting the exposure won't really change (as the lighting is fixed) so I am encouraged by your words. I can't show photos directly, but here is a link to some previous shots,

http://gallery.imagetrekkers.com/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=7800

I hadn't thought of the 55 micro nikkor since I have a 50, 1.8 but i realize now that these are very different lenses. Thanks for the advice, Shoester

Nice, I like the sharpness and the bokeh in the first shot, and the exposure advice- I remember the days of the instruction on the back of the film box too. I just have to get out and give it a try. Thanks for the posting. Shoester

Just a caution: This is an older lens and apparently has two versions of the nikon mount used during its life. The older mount (which I own) is just SLIGHTLY too thick to mount on my S2. Others have reported the same problem. It "?MAY?" be true that the single coated version has the thicker mount and the multi coated version has the more modern mount. Anyway, If at all possible, try and mount/use this lens before you buy it.

It is a great hunk of glass
--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

Tom: Thanks for the warning. Something else to be aware of. Is this the raised lip on some of the pre-AI lens that would prevent mounting? The lens fits ok and I am still evaluating it. Shoester

Shoester said:

Nice, I like the sharpness and the bokeh in the first shot, and the
exposure advice- I remember the days of the instruction on the back
of the film box too.

Click to expand...

Thanks Shoester. BTW, the next day I tested the 105 against my 85 1.4 and the results were amazing - shooting raw there is no significant difference in IQ. Started a thread on this in the Nikon SLR lens forum and surprisingly, others agree and that all those reports on how great the 85 1.4 seem like Nikonian hype trying to justify the double weight and quadruple price increase. WIsh I'd had the ability to compare lenses so quickly 20 years ago, would've saved a lot of money.
Get that lens before someone else does!
--
http://www.winggang.com/gallery/folio
'think for yourself; question authority'

I was sort of wondering if I could stand the manual focus, manual exposure challeng that this lens presents with the S3. I took it to the kids soccer game on Monday and found that in even light (slightly cloudy) I could mostly set and (almost) forget the exposure. Just a quick check with the camera set to Preview to confirm the LCD after a shot.

Next challenge was the focussing; I actually found it easier at times to aquire focus manually than the S3 does on AF! So I probably had a higher number of keepers in the end. And it is sharp, sharp and contrasty SOOC. So all that is left is the price. $200 CDN for a very well cared for (like new) lens......Hmmmm

Shoester said:

..... all that is left is the price.
$200 CDN for a very well cared for (like new) lens......Hmmmm

Click to expand...

Hmmm indeed. That is relatively pricey. If you can be cagey and enjoy bargaining then don't mention how easy it was for you to get used to it or the great IQ ;-). I'd suggest you refer the seller to recent ebay prices for the same lens.
--
http://www.winggang.com/gallery/folio
'think for yourself; question authority'

It's a case of "a bird in the hand". Sure I can try and get something on Ebay, of unknown quality or functionality, have it shipped to the border, drive down, pay duty, drive back, try it out, hold my breath and hope its a good copy, etc, etc, and then reverse the process if it isn't working for me. (if that's even possible). This is a local copy and a quick check of the online retailers in Canada put the lens between $225 and $300 plus before shipping.

As to negotiation, I take your points, and will pactise my "poker face" accordingly if I proceed. Shoester