FastGlassLover
Member
^ Not true. Ai and Ai-s behave the same on modern cameras unless you have a custom chip installed.
- User of Ai and Ai-s lenses.
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Ai or Ai-S functionality on a D810
- Thread starter Todd Jones
- Start date
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- Tags
- nikon d810
- User of Ai and Ai-s lenses.
FastGlassLover
Member
Ok. I appreciate all the responses but I still seem to be getting 2 different answers.
Can I control the aperture from the camera with an Ai-S lens and not the Ai? Or neither of them can be controlled in this manner?
thanks!
FastGlassLover
Member
The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
Neither lens handles flare well, I would recommend carrying a hoodnfor the Ai model unless you do not mind dealing with flare.
Neither lens handles flare well, I would recommend carrying a hoodnfor the Ai model unless you do not mind dealing with flare.
BasiliskPhoto
Senior Member
If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
Both 105mm ai and ais have really nice bokeh, but stopped down it is for sure different. Some people here speculate that straight aperture blades on ais are sort of downgrade from ai, related to mechanical lever. I also speculate, but don't think nikon engineers considered it as downgrade. From todays point of view, sure, rounded blades are valued more than straight ones, but IMHO this is only matter of trend and sort of "fashion". I wouldn't be surprised that 30 years in future, people get fed up with rouded blade bokeh look and intentionaly opt for lens with straight blades.If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
FastGlassLover
Member
Captain Obvious had landed!If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
BasiliskPhoto
Senior Member
Your original comment did not make it clear that the different bokeh rendering was only referring to stopped down usage. As these lenses are great at f2.5 it is not irrelevant to point out that wide open their bokeh is very similar. Indeed stopped down, the OOF highlights might be different shapes, but otherwise the bokeh may not be that different.Captain Obvious had landed!If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
FastGlassLover
Member
Saying that they render bokeh the same when wide open (meaning the blades are completely out of the way) is as useful as saying, "both lenses render the same when not mounted on the camera." Remove the differently shaped blades from the equation . . . and the differences go away. Amazing.Your original comment did not make it clear that the different bokeh rendering was only referring to stopped down usage. As these lenses are great at f2.5 it is not irrelevant to point out that wide open their bokeh is very similar. Indeed stopped down, the OOF highlights might be different shapes, but otherwise the bokeh may not be that different.Captain Obvious had landed!If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
The bokeh between the two is markedly different. No "might be different" about it.
Btw, the biggest difference isn't due to the number of blades. It's that the Ai has rounded blades while the Ai-s has straight blades.
Last edited:
Todd Jones
Senior Member
But the blades do still have an effect on bokeh even wide open at 2.5 correct?Saying that they render bokeh the same when wide open (meaning the blades are completely out of the way) is as useful as saying, "both lenses render the same when not mounted on the camera." Remove the differently shaped blades from the equation . . . and the differences go away. Amazing.Your original comment did not make it clear that the different bokeh rendering was only referring to stopped down usage. As these lenses are great at f2.5 it is not irrelevant to point out that wide open their bokeh is very similar. Indeed stopped down, the OOF highlights might be different shapes, but otherwise the bokeh may not be that different.Captain Obvious had landed!If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
The bokeh between the two is markedly different. No "might be different" about it.
Btw, the biggest difference isn't due to the number of blades. It's that the Ai has rounded blades while the Ai-s has straight blades.
FastGlassLover
Member
But the blades do still have an effect on bokeh even wide open at 2.5 correct?Saying that they render bokeh the same when wide open (meaning the blades are completely out of the way) is as useful as saying, "both lenses render the same when not mounted on the camera." Remove the differently shaped blades from the equation . . . and the differences go away. Amazing.Your original comment did not make it clear that the different bokeh rendering was only referring to stopped down usage. As these lenses are great at f2.5 it is not irrelevant to point out that wide open their bokeh is very similar. Indeed stopped down, the OOF highlights might be different shapes, but otherwise the bokeh may not be that different.Captain Obvious had landed!If you are referring to the number of aperture blades, that is true, but only if stopped down. Wide open, the blades are irrelevent.The Ai and Ai-s models of the 105mm /2.5 both render bokeh and sunstars very differently. If you are into portraits and smooth bokeh, get the Ai. If you like sunstars, get the Ai-s.
The bokeh between the two is markedly different. No "might be different" about it.
Btw, the biggest difference isn't due to the number of blades. It's that the Ai has rounded blades while the Ai-s has straight blades.
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