From gregory.krasichynski@freddy.supernet.ab.ca Mon Nov 21 08:30:11 1994 Path: news.ifm.liu.se!liuida!sunic!pipex!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!newshost.marcam.com!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!olivea!news.hal.COM!decwrl!tribune.usask.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!tibalt.supernet.ab.ca!freddy!gregory.krasichynski Distribution: world Newsgroups: rec.photo.advanced Subject: Nikkor lenses, an overview From: gregory.krasichynski@freddy.supernet.ab.ca (Gregory Krasichynski) Message-ID: <50.2390.5718@freddy.supernet.ab.ca> Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 04:01:00 -0700 Organization: Freddy's Place BBS - Edmonton, AB - 403-456-4241 Lines: 383 NIKKOR LENS FAQ v0.9 (pricing info not included) by Gregory Krasichynski - Copyright, all rights reserved. Disclaimer of bias: I have personally owned complete pro systems in Nikon F, Canon FL/FD, Pentax K and several obscurer mounts. I was a devout Nikon man for years, but have recently switched to a different manufacturer due to cataclysmic theft of my whole system. I am more than satisfied and secure in the future of my new system, but Nikon never failed me and deserves it's applause for the years of service I received from them. The various systems have their merits, and I start by giving Nikon their due credit. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction - The Nikon F mount What are the various features of the various Nikkor generations? What prime lenses has Nikon made for their SLRs? What zoom lenses has Nikon made? What are Micro-Nikkors? What is the Medical-Nikkor? What is a Noct-Nikor? What is a GN-Nikkor? What are the Fisheye-Nikkors? What is a UV-Nikkor? ====================================================================== INTRODUCTION Nikon has been making nikkor lenses since 19XX, from their first rangefinder Nikon I, to the N-90. Even with refinements in the RF lenses for inner and outer bayonets, the RF lenses could be modified to fit any of the SLR bodies. The N-F tube even allowed you to mount F lenses on the rangefinder cameras! DESPITE refinements in both body and lens designs to keep Nikon technologically current, like the past 35 years' developments of TTL Autometering (stopdown), Full Aperture Metering (AI), Autoexposure and Autofocus, their SLR lens mount has never changed shape. Since 1959, every Nikkor lens made for their SLRs has fit every Nikon camera made. The compatibility is bidirectional - you can use a shiny new ED-IF "I" series AF lens on a 1959 Nikon F and you can use a 1959 stopdown F lens on a Nikon N90 body. Automation is limited to the capabilities of the older component, but every Nikon SLR can be used with every Nikkor SLR lens and vice versa - a claim to which Nikon is the sole possessor. A commitment to the investment YOU have made in their optics. Contax has changed it's SLR mount four times, Pentax twice, Canon three times, Minolta twice, Leica couldn't get it right OR keep up to date - and every pro who invested in a suite of expensive optics from them lost the capability to upgrade their technology without annihilating their entire pre-existing and extremely expensive system. No established manufacturer of a major pro SLR system has maintained Nikon's dedication to avoiding inherent (planned) obsolescence. It is a dedication to economy, while others claim their obsolescence is in order to "advance the technology" - The problem is that others would have you believe to incorporate advanced technology, they must obsolete everything they've produced to date, and yet again force professionals to spend tens of thousands to move up with them. Nikon has proven that to be a falsehood. And I have =no= doubt that the Nikon F5 will outclass everything preceding it, and that it will allow all of the pros who have invested in Nikkor optics to seamlessly adopt the new imaging standards. NOT COVERED: We are all so far removed from the old rangefinder days that I will not discuss the myriad wonderful Nikkor lenses made for their S series cameras in any depth. That is now collectors' turf, and as you all will soon know, I find the inflationary influence of the collector market on the applied photographer's ability to afford a system to be utterly reprehensible. Collectors begone! Off with ye! Go stroke your Leicas and moan. The Nikkor lenses made for the 6x7 format were so short-lived that they are worth only this mention. EL- Nikkors and Repro-Nikkors, as well as specialty optics for institutional imaging are not included, as their markets are too limited, and although they serve to advance Nikon's lens technology and keep them in the pro market, they are not of import to the practical photographer. Instead, I will go into those products that are still available and still usable with your current equipment - First, Nikkor lenses for 35mm and later, Nikkor-SW for Large-format. ====================================================================== WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE VARIOUS GENERATIONS? ____________________________________________________________________ | MOUNT | Good features | How to identify | |-------|------------------------------|-----------------------------| | f | Nikon F bayonet mount | No Ai , no multicoating | | nic | NIC coating, all metal parts | No Ai , yes multicoating | | ai | Auto aperture Indexing (AI) | Engraved ADR markings | | f3af | Not much, so Nikon killed it | Huge on-lens external motor | | ais | Newest design, still in prod.| Orange minimum f/stop markg | | aip | P-chip in lens, manual focus | 500mm f4P is the only one | |-------|------------------------------|-----------------------------| | afo | Old autofocus, not great | Thin plastic focus ring | | afn | Newer AF, better ergonomics | Marked with an N | | afi | I.in-lens motor, the best AF | Marked with an AF-I | | afd | D.chip, distance info to body| Marked with a D | | adi | Both D and I features | Marked with AF-I and D | |_______|______________________________|_____________________________| ====================================================================== WHAT PRIME LENSES HAS NIKON MADE FOR THEIR SLRS? Legend: Good things 2t = Two-touch zoom nr = Non-rotating front on zoom lens IF = Internal Focus ED = Extra-low Dispersion glass crc = close range correction (floating element system) biltin= filters are built into the lens Bad things m = contains mystical properties which inflate price AU-1 = Mounting adapter tube for old supertelephotos 1t = 1 Touch zoom Other things * = Detailed in Specialty Optics section $$ = Selling price when first released in it's most recent mount - US dollars, full retail price. -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Prime Lens | Mt. | $$ |Weight|Filter| Notes | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| | | | | | | | |6mm f5.6 Fisheye | nic | | 430 |biltin|220d equidist.-finder *| |6mm f2.8 Fisheye | ai | | 5200 |biltin|220d equidist.-TTL *| |7.5mm f5.6Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|? *| |8mm f8 Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|180d equidist.-finder *| |8mm f5.6 Fisheye | nic | | ? |biltin|180d equidist.-finder *| |8mm f2.8 Fisheye | nic | | 1100 |biltin|180d equidist.-TTL *| |10mm f5.6 OP-Fish | ai | | 1100 |79/bi |180d orthographic *| |13mm f3.5 Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|? *| |16mm f3.5 Fisheye | nic | | 330 |biltin|170d fullframe | |16mm f2.8 Fisheye | ai2 | | 330 |rear |180d Fullframe | |16mm f2.8D Fisheye| afd | | | |180d Fullframe AF | | | | | | | | |13mm f5.6 | ai | | 1200 | rear |*Made to order, crc | |15mm f5.6 | nic | | 645 |biltin|crc | |15mm f3.5 | ais | | 630 | rear |crc | |18mm f4 | ai | | 325 | ser.7| | |18mm f3.5 | ai2 | | 350 | 72mm |crc | |18mm f2.8D | afd | | | |crc | |20mm f4 | pru | | ? | 52mm | | |20mm f3.5 | nic | | 235 | 52mm |crc | |20mm f2.8 | ais | | 260 | 62mm |crc | |20mm f2.8 | afn | | | |crc | | | | | | | | |24mm f2.8 | nic | | 270 | 52m |crc | |24mm f2.8n | ai | | 250 | 52mm |crc | |24mm f2.8 | afo | | | | | |24mm f2.8D | afd | | | | | |24mm f2 | ai | | 300 | 52mm |crc | |28mm f4 PC | ai | | 410 | 72mm |Shifts 11mm off-axis *| |28mm f3.5 PC | ai2 | | 380 | 72mm |Shifts 11mm off-axis *| |28mm f3.5 | pru | | 235 | 52mm | x| |28mm f2.8 | pru | | 270 | 52mm | | |28mm f2.8 | nic | | 250 | 52mm | | |28mm f2.8E | ai | | 155 | 52mm | | |28mm f2 | nic | | 355 | 52mm |crc | |28mm f2.8 | afo | | | | | |28mm f1.4D | afd | | | | | |35mm f3.5 PC | pru | | | | *| |35mm f2.8 PC | nic | | 330 | 52mm |Shifts *| |35mm f2.8 PC | ai2 | | 320 | 52mm |Shifts *| |35mm f2.8 | pru | | 240 | 52mm | | |35mm f2.5E | ai | | 150 | 52mm | | |35mm f2 | nic | | 280 | 52mm | | |35mm f2.0 | afn | | | | | |35mm f1.4 | nic | | 400 | 52mm |crc m| | | | | | | | |45mm f2.8 GN | nic | | ? | 52mm |Diaph.linked to flash *| |50mm f2 | pru | | 220 | 52mm | x| |50mm f1.8 | ai | | 220 | 52mm | | |50mm f1.8n | ais | | 145 | 52mm | x| |50mm f1.8E | ai2 | | 135 | 52mm | x| |50mm f1.8 | afo | | | | | |50mm f1.4 | nic | | 250 | 52mm | | |50mm f1.4 | afo | | | | | |50mm f1.2 | ai | | 380 | 52mm | | |55mm f3.5 Micro | nic | | 340 | 52mm |1:2 *| |55mm f3.5 Micro | ai | | 250 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |55mm f2.8 Micro | ai2 | | 390 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |55mm f2.8 Micro | afo | | | |crc 1:1 *| |55mm f1.2 | nic | | 410 | 52mm | | |58mm f1.4 | pru | | ? | 52mm |5.8cm, actually (old) x| |58mm f1.2 Noct | ai | | 365 | 52mm |Aspheric front elem. *| |60mm f2.8 Micro | afn | | | |crc 1:1 *| |60mm f2.8D Micro | afd | | | |crc 1:1 *| | | | | | | | |80mm f2.8 F3AF | f3a | | | |On-lens motor/F3AF only*| |85mm f2 | ai | | 310 | 52mm | | |85mm f1.8 | nic | | ? | 62mm | | |85mm f1.8 | afn | | | | | |85mm f1.4 | ai2 | | 620 | 72mm |crc | |100mm f2.8E | ai | | 215 | 52mm | | |105mm f4.5 UV | ai2 | | 515 | 52mm |Transmits UV *| |105mm f4 Micro | nic | | 500 | 52mm |1:2 *| |105mm f2.8 Micro | ai2 | | 515 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |105mm f2.8D Micro | afd | | | |crc 1:1 *| |105mm f2.5 | nic | | 435 | 52mm | m| |105mm f2.5n | ai2 | | 435 | 52mm | | |105mm f1.8 | ai2 | | 580 | 62mm | | |135mm f3.5 | pru | | 400 | 52mm | | |135mm f2.8 | nic | | 430 | 52mm | | |135mm f2.8E | ai | | 395 | 52mm | | |135mm f2 | ai | | 860 | 72mm | | |135mm f2 DC | afn | | | | *| | | | | | | | |180mm f2.8 | nic | | 880 | 72mm | m| |180mm f2.8 ED | ai2 | | 800 | 72mm | | |180mm f2.8 ED | ais | | 800 | 72mm | | |180mm f2.8 ED-IF | afo | | | | | |180mm f2.8 ED-IF N| afn | | | | | |200mm f4 | nic | | 510 | 52mm | m| |200mm f4 Micro | ai2 | | 800 | 52mm |1:2 IF Tripod Collar *| |200mm f4D Micro ED| afd | | | |1:1 *| |200mm f3.5 | pru | | ? | ? | | |200mm f3.5 AF | f3a | | | |On-lens motor,F3AF only*| |200mm f2 ED-IF | ai2 | | 2400 |122mm | | |200mm f2 ED-IF | ais | | 2400 |122mm | | |300mm f4.5 | nic | | 1100 | 72mm | | |300mm f4.5 ED | ai | | 1100 | 72mm | | |300mm f4.5 ED-IF | ais | | ? | ? | | |300mm f4 ED-IF | afo | | | | | |300mm f2.8 ED-IF | ai2 | | 2500 |122/39| | |300mm f2.8 ED-IF | afo | | | | | |300mm f2.8 ED-IF N| afn | | | | | |300mm f2.8D ED-IF | afi | | | | | |300mm f2 ED-IF | ais | | 7200 | 52mm | m| |400mm f5.6 | nic | | ? | ? | | |400mm f5.6 ED | ai | | 1400 | 72mm | | |400mm f5.6 ED-IF | ai2 | | 1200 | 72mm | | |400mm f4.5 | nic | | 4300 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |400mm f3.5 ED-IF | ai | | 2800 | 39d | | |400mm f2.8 ED-IF | ais | | 5150 | 52r | | | | | | | | | |500mm f4P ED-IF | afp | | | |The only P lens - good | |500mm f8 ReflexC| nic | | 1000 | 39d |mirror lens | |500mm f8 Reflex | ai | | 840 | 39d |mirror lens | |600mm f5.6 | nic | | 4800 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |600mm f5.6 ED | nic | | 4700 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |600mm f5.6 ED-IF | ai | | 2700 |122/39| | |600mm f4 ED-IF | ai2 | | 3900 |160/39| | |600mm f4 ED-IF | afo | | | |Rare,but not collectible| |600mm f4D ED-IF | afi | | | | | |800mm f8 | nic | | 4700 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |800mm f8 ED | nic | | 5300 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |800mm f8 ED-IF | ai2 | | 3300 |122/39| | |800mm f5.6 ED-IF | ais | | 5450 | 52r | | |1000mm f11 Reflex | ai | | 1900 | 39d |mirror lens | |1200mm f11 | nic | | 5500 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |1200mm f11 ED | nic | | 6100 |122mm |AU-1 mount required | |1200mm f11 ED-IF | ai2 | | 3900 |122/39| | |2000mm f11 Reflex | ai | |17500 |biltin|mirror lens | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Teleconverters | Mt. | $$ |Weight|Filter| Notes | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| | | | | | | | |Nikon TC-1 | nic | | ? | -- | | |Nikon TC-200 | ai | | 230 | -- | | |Nikon TC-201 | ais | | 230 | -- | | |Nikon TC-20E | afd | | | | | | | | | | | | |Nikon TC-2 | nic | | ? | -- | | |Nikon TC-300 | ai | | 300 | -- |For long lenses only | |Nikon TC-301 | ais | | 280 | -- |For long lenses only | | | | | | | | |Nikon TC-14 | ai | | 165 | -- | | |Nikon TC-14A | ais | | 145 | -- | | |Nikon TC-14B | ais | | 165 | -- |For long lenses only | |Nikon TC-14C | ais | | 200 | -- |For 300mm f2 only | |Nikon TC-14E | afd | | | | | | | | | | | | |Nikon TC-16 | ai2 | | 285 | -- |For F3AF only | |Nikon TC-16A | ais | | 270 | -- |MFslr-AFlens converter | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| WHAT ZOOM LENSES HAS NIKON MADE? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Zoom-Nikkor | Mt. | $$ |Weight|Filter| Notes | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| | | | | | | | |20-35mm f2.8D | afd | | | | | |24-50mm f3.3-4.5 | afo | | 370 | 62mm | | |25-50mm f4 | ai2 | | 600 | 72mm | | |28-45mm f4.5 | ai | | 440 | | | |28-70mm f3.5-4.5D | afd | | | | | |28-85mm f3.5-4.5 | ais | | 510 | 62mm | | |28-85mm f3.5-4.5 | afo | | 530 | 62mm | | | | | | | | | |35-70mm f3.3-4.5 | ais | | 255 | 52mm | | |35-70mm f3.3-4.5 | afo | | 270 | 52mm | | |35-70mm f3.5 | ai | | 550 | 72mm | | |36-72mm f3.5E | ai | | 380 | 52mm | | |35-70mm f2.8 | afo | | 660 | 72mm | | |35-70mm f2.8D | afd | | | | | |35-80mm f4.0-5.6D | afd | | | | | |43-86mm f3.5 | nic | | 450 | 52mm | | |35-105mm f3.5-4.5 | ai2 | | 510 | 52mm | | |35-105mm f3.5-4.5 | afo | | 450 | 52mm | | |35-135mm f3.5-4.5 | ai2 | | 600 | 62mm | | |35-135mm f3.5-4.5 | afo | | 620 | 62mm | | |35-135mm f3.5-4.5N| afn | | | | | |50-135mm f3.5 | ai2 | | 700 | 62mm | | |35-200mm f3.5-4.5 | ais | | 740 | 62mm | | | | | | | | | |75-150mm f3.5E | ai | | 520 | 52mm | | |70-210mm f4E | ai2 | | 730 | 62mm | | |70-210mm f4 | afo | | 790 | 72mm |Quickly discont'd, rare | |70-210mm f4.0-5.6 | afo | | 580 | 62mm | | |70-210mm f4.0-5.6D| afd | | | | | |80-200mm f4.5 | nic | | 750 | 52mm | m| |80-200mm f4 | ai2 | | 810 | 62mm | | |80-200mm f2.8 ED | ai2 | | 1900 | 95mm |Rare, prized | |80-200mm f2.8 ED | afo | | 1180 | 77mm | | |80-200mm f2.8D ED | afd | | | | | |85-250mm f4.5 | pru | | | | | | | | | | | | |50-300mm f4.5 | pru | | 2300 | 95mm | | |50-300mm f4.5 ED | ai | | 2200 | 95mm | | |75-300mm f4.5-5.6 | afn | | 850 | 62mm | | |100-300mm f5.6 | ais | | 930 | 62mm | | | | | | | | | |200-400mm f4 ED | ais | | 3650 |122mm |Quickly discont'd,prized| |200-600mm f9.5 | nic | | 2400 | 82mm | | |180-600mm f8 ED | ai2 | | 3600 | 95mm | | |360-1200mm f11 ED | ai2 | | 7900 |122mm | | |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| ======================================================================== WHAT ARE THE MICRO-NIKKORS? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Micro-Nikkor (Close-up Macro lenses: Make small things large) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |55mm f3.5 Micro | nic | | 340 | 52mm |1:2 *| |55mm f3.5 Micro | ai | | 250 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |55mm f2.8 Micro | ai2 | | 390 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |55mm f2.8 Micro | afo | | 400 | 62mm |crc 1:1 *| |60mm f2.8 Micro | afn | | | 62mm |crc 1:1 *| |60mm f2.8D Micro | afd | | | 62mm |crc 1:1 *| |105mm f4 Micro | nic | | 500 | 52mm |1:2 *| |105mm f2.8 Micro | ai2 | | 515 | 52mm |crc 1:2 *| |105mm f2.8D Micro | afd | | | |crc 1:1 *| |200mm f4 Micro | ai2 | | 800 | 52mm |1:2 IF Tripod Collar *| |200mm f4D Micro ED| afd | | | |1:1 AF *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| ======================================================================== WHAT SHIFT LENSES HAS NIKON MADE? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | PC-Nikkor (Perspective Control/Correction [Shift] lenses) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |28mm f4 PC ³ ai ³ ³ 410 ³ 72mm ³Shifts 8mm off-axis *| |28mm f3.5 PC ³ ai2 ³ ³ 380 ³ 72mm ³Shifts 11mm off-axis *| |35mm f3.5 PC ³ pru ³ ³ ³ ³ *| |35mm f2.8 PC ³ nic ³ ³ 330 ³ 52mm ³Shifts *| |35mm f2.8 PC ³ ai2 ³ ³ 320 ³ 52mm ³Shifts *| |____________________________________________________________________| ============================================================ Continued in next message from me.... From gregory.krasichynski@freddy.supernet.ab.ca Mon Nov 21 08:33:50 1994 Path: news.ifm.liu.se!liuida!sunic!trane.uninett.no!eunet.no!nuug!EU.net!Germany.EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!newshost.marcam.com!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!olivea!news.hal.COM!decwrl!tribune.usask.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!tibalt.supernet.ab.ca!freddy!gregory.krasichynski Distribution: world Newsgroups: rec.photo.advanced Subject: Nikkor lenses, part 2 of FAQ From: gregory.krasichynski@freddy.supernet.ab.ca (Gregory Krasichynski) Message-ID: <50.2391.5718@freddy.supernet.ab.ca> Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 04:08:00 -0700 Organization: Freddy's Place BBS - Edmonton, AB - 403-456-4241 Lines: 225 WHAT ARE THE MEDICAL-NIKKORS AND HOW DO THEY WORK? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Medical-Nikkor (Macro-only, built-in ringflash) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |120mm f4 Medical| ai | | 890 | 49mm |req.LD-2 & CU lenses *| |200mm f5.6 Medical| nic | | 700 | 38mm |req.LD-1 & CU lenses *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| The Medical-Nikkor lenses are bulky things, because they have a built-in ringlight flash wrapped around the outside of most of the lens barrel. The 200mm is a fixed focus, which you modify with the use of 6 supplementary close-up lenses that thread into the front. There are tables on the lens barrel indicating which combinations of close-up filters provide which magnifications. You set the film speed on the lens, and you then have to set the flash power according to the magnification ratio (from 1:15 to 3:1) used. Slow and inconvenient and bulky, not to mention that you have to carry the lens, the close-up attachments and the battery pack LD-1 or AC adapter LA-1 in order to power the ringlight flash. The 120mm is designed for focusing through a range of about 1:11 to 1:2 reproduction, and the reproduction can be brought up to 1:1 or greater with the use of close-up lens attachments, which are included with the lens. The ringlight in the 120mm is automated by its connections to the focus mechanism and the aperture control. When you stop the lens down, the built-in ringlight increases its output to compensate, and when you focus, it also compensates for distance, to ensure an accurate flash exposure regardless of what you set, where you focus or which Nikon SLR body you are using. It's a cool idea, and Yes, it's basically just a foolproof ringlighted macro lens, that doesn't readily focus to either infinity or 1:1. The ringlight flash requires the LD-2 battery pack or the LA-2 AC adapter. It's expensive, and no sharper than a Micro-Nikkor, but you can't mess up the flash exposure; it was designed this way to be used by quickly and easily by medical or dental staff who have no photographic expertise. Mostly used by the dentistry market. ======================================================================= WHAT IS THE NOCT-NIKKOR? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Noct-Nikkor (Engineering optimized for shooting at f/1.2) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |58mm f1.2 Noct- | ai | | 365 | 52mm |Aspheric front elem. *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| Like it sounds, the Noct-Nikkor is intended for night shooting, and as such it is specially corrected for use at full aperture. Historically, the appearance of comatic aberration has prevented the photographer from using a large-aperture lens of this sort wide open, particularly under conditions such as night scenes which generally include a lot of bright, scattered lights in a dark background. With the Noct-Nikkor, an aspheric front element is used for optimum comatic correction at full-aperture, thus delivering the image of bright points as they are, without flaring away toward the frame corners. It is a darned fine lens for handheld lowlight shooting at full aperture, but that is it's only substantial strength, but it is excessively expensive. Canon aspheric lenses are not particularly comparable to the Noct-Nikkor, because they are optimized for general use (maximum correction for the middle of their aperture range), and the Noct-Nikkor is optimized for use at f1.2, a true night lens. Canon currently holds a patent on aspheric =lasercasting= techniques - so others have to physically =polish= them aspherically - very difficult to measure and obtain precise tolerances. So, lenses incorporating aspherics from Nikon, Tamron and a few others are exhorbitantly expensive because of the additional time in the manufacturing process. Canon does it neat, clean and quick, making aspherics available in many of their EOS professional level lenses, especially the wideangles and wide zooms (at high but believable costs.) ======================================================================== WHAT ARE THE FISHEYE NIKKORS? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Fisheye-Nikkor (Circular format/equidistant projection) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |6mm f5.6 Fisheye | nic | | 430 |6bltin|220d finder required *| |6mm f2.8 Fisheye | ai | | 5200 |5bltin|220d TTL *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| These Fisheye-Nikkor lenses provide an amazing picture angle of 220 degrees - 40 degrees wider than the standard fisheye lenses; they even see slightly "behind" themselves. These lenses were originally developed for special scientific and industrial applications in which wider-than-180 degree coverage is required, such as surveillance work, photographing the interiors of pipes, boilers, conduits, cylinder bores and other constricted areas. The 6mm f2.8 is huge, but it can be focused and viewing is through the lens. The 6mm f5.6 is compact, has a fixed focus, and requires a 160 degree optical viewfinder, as it must be used with the mirror locked up. There are no practical pictorial applications for these lenses, but for curiosity, you can still find the 6mm f5.6 for about 500 bucks. The 6mm f2.8 is still in production, produced on special order, and is extremely expensive. -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Fisheye-Nikkor (Circular format/equidistant projection) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |7.5mm f5.6Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|? *| |8mm f8 Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|180d Finder required *| |8mm f5.6 Fisheye | nic | | ? |biltin|180d Finder required *| |8mm f2.8 Fisheye | nic | | 1100 |biltin|180d TTL *| |13mm f3.5 Fisheye | pru | | ? |biltin|? *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| These lenses project a circular image onto the film, covering a 180 degree angle of view, with all of the characteristic fisheye distortion. All of these lenses except the 8/2.8 require the use of the 160 degree viewfinder and mirror lockup for use. I'd venture to say that the only one of these worth using is the 8mm f2.8 fisheye, because of TTL viewing, the higher speed and the post-AI design; the older models sell for pennies. These are specialty lenses designed originally for meteorological surveying (getting the entire sky in one photo); although Nikon claims they are useful for special effects photography for advertising uses, I have yet to see a commercially valuable image taken with a circular format fisheye lens. -------------------------------------------------------------------- | OP-Fisheye-Nikkor (Circular format, orthographic projection) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |10mm f5.6 OP-Fish | ai | | 1100 |biltin|180d, finder required *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| This is a unique lens, in that it is the only one which optically resembles an actual fish's eye. Orthographic projection means that the image is larger in the center and gradually becomes more compressed toward the periphery than the images produced by other fisheye lenses. This is accomplished through the use of an aspheric front element. This projection formula provides a special configuration through which the luminance of a place is measured. When the light source is photographed, the proportion of the image area of the light source to the total area represents the luminance or brightness of the place. This proportion is called the "configuration factor" or the "skyfactor" when the light source is the sky. This feature is effectively applied to architectural design, street lighting, fire safety studies and other specialized applications. Another characteristic of the OP's aspheric design is that subjects of the same brightness are reproduced with equal density, no matter where they are positioned in the picture. Therefore, even with the use of narrow latitude film, uniform image brightness is obtained over the entire circular field. The lens requires no focusing, due to its enormous depth of field, and is used with the camera's mirror locked up. The OP-Nikkor comes with a 160-degree optical centering finder, and six built-in filters on a rotating turret. ======================================================================= WHAT IS A UV-NIKKOR? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | UV-Nikkor (Transmits UV wavelengths [all glass stops it dead]) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |105mm f4.5 UV- | ai2 | | 515 | 52mm |Transmits UV *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| Normal optical glass filters out ultraviolet wavelengths by nature of its very composition. Instead of quartz glass, the glass necessary to transmit ultraviolet wavelengths is more akin to the gem mineral apatite. The UV-Nikkor uses phosphate glass with a transition wavelength of 220nm, allowing full bandpass of longwave ultraviolet and even some shortwave. This type of lens is only necessary for certain very specific scientific recording purposes, and is very expensive. The only other manufacturer of a UV transmitting lens for an SLR is Carl Zeiss, for Hasselblad cameras. ====================================================================== ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPECIALTY LENSES NIKON MAKES? -------------------------------------------------------------------- | AF-Nikkor DC (Diffusion/defocus control) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |135mm f2.0 DC | afn | | | | *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Bellows lenses (Optimized for macro on bellows) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |105mm f4 Bellows| nic | | ? | 52mm |for bellows use only *| |135mm f3.5 Q | pru | | 460 | 52mm |bellows use *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | GN-Nikkor (Controls flash by connection from diaphragm to flash) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |45mm f2.8 GN- | nic | | ? | 52mm |Diaph.linked to flash *| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | AF-Nikkor F3AF (Designed for use with F3AF w/DX-1 finder only) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |80mm f2.8 AF | f3af| | | |On-lens motor,F3AF only*| |200mm f3.5 AF | f3af| | | |On-lens motor,F3AF only*| |__________________|_____|____|______|______|________________________| That's it for now, folks. I'llbe reposting this with a bit more explanation, better indexing and complete pricing information on what each of these is worth on the second-hand market. In the meantime, I hope you found this information useful or at least interesting in some weird photgrapher way. Greg K gregory.krasichynski@freddy.supernet.ab.ca Respond in e-mail: I don't hang out on the net much. Copyright Gregory Krasichynski 1993, 1994 All commercial reproduction rights are reserved.