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Nikkor 55mm f1.2 K pre-ai
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 6:41 pm    Post subject: Nikkor 55mm f1.2 K pre-ai Reply with quote
I bought this last week and have been gagging to take it out for a test ever since Very Happy

Sadly, because it's a pre-ai lens, it's not good for most Nikons. But us Canonians are in for a treat Wink All shot wide open at f1.2, and no pp other than standard Adobe RAW stuff (nothing exciting).

Lens on my 5D





Some scarecrows! The lens glows wide open Smile



100% crop



Flower



More flowers Smile



Purple thingy



100% crop to check glow





And again...



100% crop - nice



Struggled to shoot these - hit maximum shutter speed for 1/8000 second and had to reduce exposure by a whole stop Shocked



Furzey Gardens shop



This lens dates from about 1977 and I love it! The lens is totally mint and was owned by a collector before me. Focusing is really easy and the glass is impressibly big Smile Perfect for shooting in the dark, although you need to nail the focus Laughing


PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Impressive lens, very good iq. i shall give Nikkeanors a try
nice camera by the way Wink


PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excellent looking lens and nice pics.

My recently acquired Pentax-M 50mm F/1.4 has a similar glow wide open under natural light, I quite like the effect, good for portraits!

And glowing aside, the sharpness is impressive too!


PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I own and love its predecessor, the silvery one! Fantastic glass!
Congrats!


PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had latest one AIS very nice lens! Congrats!


PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
VERY nice lens!

Actually for us Nikonians it is quiet simple to convert this lens to Ai! You just have to file down a part in the aperture control ring to a specified point and it works flawlessly!

Done so with my 135 f2.8 and it was a 10min job, working really good!

Here is the spread sheet telling you how far to file!

http://www.chr-breitkopf.de/photo/aiconv.en.html

ciao,

Karhallarn


PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
congrats! beautiful results, send us more with this gem when you can


PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here are some high ISO shots from the casino last week (Canon EOS 5D @ ISO 1600 and 3200 - really at the limit which is why f1.2 is so useful at times):









100% crop:



PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great photos.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks a little soft wide open, but not more than is to be expected for a lens using only spherical elements.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have an older version that seems very similar to yours optically, it seems perfect for dim ambient lighting, where the glow is less of an issue.

Quote:
Looks a little soft wide open, but not more than is to be expected for a lens using only spherical elements.

My MC PG Rokkor doesn't have the glow when at 1.2


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow wow Smile really great results! an Extreme lens you got there:)


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
I have an older version that seems very similar to yours optically, it seems perfect for dim ambient lighting, where the glow is less of an issue.

Quote:
Looks a little soft wide open, but not more than is to be expected for a lens using only spherical elements.

My MC PG Rokkor doesn't have the glow when at 1.2


I don't know that one Japanese f/1.2 is going to be that much different from another, save for the ones with aspherical elements and a huge price tag (Nikon made both types). Leica designed and built prototypes of a 52mm f/1.2 Noctilux-R for the reflex cameras, but did not release it, probably because it did not meet expectations. A prototype can be seen here:

http://www.overgaard.dk/thorstenovergaardcom_copyrighted_graphics/Noctilux-R_52mm_f1.jpg

The page:

http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-history-page-2.html


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You have the AI version, Graham.
I have the pre-AI version and this is how it looks:



PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Mine is actually a later model than yours, but still pre-ai (no holes in the rabbit ears and no metering post). According the Nikon serial number guide thingy, it was one of the last pre-ai 55/1.2 lenses:

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
You have the AI version, Graham.
I have the pre-AI version and this is how it looks:


Sorry Orio, but Graham has correctly identified his lens as the K type and it's pre-Ai. Yours is also pre-Ai. pre-Ai refers to more than one type of lens. See Roland Vink's site

Edit. Sorry Graham I missed your post - I was checking pictures and serial nos.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
No problem, I stand corrected Very Happy


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ai or pre-ai, doesn't bother me...the lens works fine for its age Smile

This is the only f/1.2 I've ever tried, but I have a challenger on the way...a Konica 57/1.2. It will have to be a battle on the Nex though Smile


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats for your new gem! I had AIS version , lovely smile on your wife! I have Konica 1.2 I think they are pretty much same.
Pentax 1.2 SMC sharpest from all at wide open.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is how pentax K 50/1.2 at f1.2 looks like Smile
no PP than web/screen sharpening


PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hoanpham wrote:
This is how pentax K 50/1.2 at f1.2 looks like Smile
no PP than web/screen sharpening


It looks OK, what one should expect, no more, from a Japanese conventional 1.2.

Some info about super fast lenses:

http://photo.imx.nl/optics/optics/page81.html


PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here are two images of first and the last version of the 1.2/55mm Nikkor.

First the early Nikkor-S.C 1.2/55mm:





Then the late Nikkor Ai 1.2/55mm:


S


PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice! Like 1 small Like 1 small from a time when lenses were still of reasonable size...


PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Nikkor 55/1.2 underwent a number of changes from it's introduction in 1965. The earliest version had the engraving on the inside of the filter ring- "someone did not think that one out!" The engraving was moved to the outside of the filter ring early on. In 1969, the "Nikkor-S 55/1.2" was Nikon's first lens to receive multi-coated optics on the rear elements only. In 1972, all elements were coated and the name changed to Nikkor-SC 55/1.2. I have a mint sample of this lens. The "Rubber-inset-focus-ring" Pre-K version also had a modified optical design, optimized for closer focus. The final version of this lens was made in Ai, I have a mint sample of it as well. I sold my "Nikkor-S 55/1.2" with the coated rear elements some 15 years ago. Very good, but the Nikkor-SC is the better lens. The T-Stop of the multi-coated 55/1.2 is T1.25, according to Pop Photo test in 1976. I have a Nikon Df, no problem with non-Ai lenses. The Nikkor 50/1.2 replaced the 55/1.2, before the change-over to Ais.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nikon SLR owners would not forget that conversion from pre AI to Ai is a very easy task to accomplish with relatively minor skills. The tools involved require nothing more than a small screw driver for disassembly and reassembly of the lens mount, a sharp scribe to mark the cut on the aperture ring and a couple of small needle files. A small metal saw is desirable to accurately execute the beginning and ending of the notch that has to be filed in the rim of aperture ring. And a small pot of black modellers paint can be used to touch up the shiny surface of the notch where the cut has been executed so it matches the rest of the aperture ring. (But many people do not bother with the latter). The aperture ring is removed from the lens body for the requisite work to be completed then reassembled for testing and use so as to prevent metal filings from entering the lens (and to prevent any nasty slips with hard files around delicate, precision lens glass)

The only real knowledge required is where to begin the notch, as it is this that signals the maximum aperture to the camera body by moving a lever in the body. Full instructions are available online.

While some are reluctant to perform this task on the grounds that it may reduce the value of the lens, I believe that unless the lens is a rare model ( and in pristine condition as well) and hence of primary interest to collectors, not users and providing the work is executed neatly, it should not reduce value at all. To the contrary a working lens that can be used on any Nikon body increases its marketability to those who love these lenses and wish to use them
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