Nikkor-N 35mm/1.4

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

This is a pre-AI lens. At the time of introduction (1969) it was a pinnacle of lens design: first multicoated Nikon lens, second Nikon to feature floating elements (which should improve performance at close range), thorium glass. This is a solid hunk of glass and metal, 400g, 9 elements in 7 groups, 9 aperture blades. My lens is quite yellow from radiation, the colors are not too bad though.

Now nobody talks about it because not many people have it: it was an expensive lens mainly used by reporters and they've switched to AI loooooooong time ago. However, with mirrorless there are no obsolete lenses anymore and I couldn't pass an opportunity to try it. Yesterday, I've received an adapter (Fotga). Unfortunately it does not allow infinity on my NEX-5, the furthest I can focus is about 20 meters. However, at f8 it woks fine for long distance shots as well. Here are some samples from the last 2 days:

#1,2,4 are wide open, the kid, the cat and B&W flowers are f2.8, others are stopped down further.

EDIT: re-uploaded pictures after the site crash.

Smoli4 · Expire: 2013-06-07

wow is the second pic wide open? looks very sharp!

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Impressive! You might have started me off on a new line of lenses Smile

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

Shows its lineage, very fine lens and the start of several models based on it. Thanks for sharing with this eclectic collection

patrickh

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

This is the lens I really want, but it's above what I can afford right now. So I've decided to settle for a Nikkor O 35mm f2 lens instead.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

Some more pictures. Since I've read that AI and AI-s versions have an unpleasant bokeh, I've included a couple of shots with a busy background.

I've finally got an adapter that allows to reach infinity, now need to take this baby somewhere nice.

EDIT: re-uploaded the picture after the cite crash.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3669 Location: Calgary

I was debating between the NC 35/1.4 & OC 35/2, I ended up getting the 35/2 since it was cheaper and in better condition and had good reviews, your shots make me want to get the 1.4 too.
I also have the S 35/2.8 which was the start of my Nikkor collecting and it is a nice lens too.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

Hehe, I know how it works. Usually when I get a good budget lens I eventually end up with the whole line. It's just progressively harder to get each next step-up lens at a good price as there are fewer copies around, so first you score f2.8, then f2... Eventually you'll get Nikkor-N too, it's a great lens and a very useful 1 stop over Nikkor-O. I would think that every journalist had one at the time, so there still must be plenty of copies lying in the closets.

My ground rule is that 100 Euros for an extra stop in a good line is almost always a no-brainer, if it's more than that, then one already needs to think.

Esox lucius · Expire: 2011-11-18

Wonderful "pop" and 3D!

Boomer Depp · Expire: 2011-12-04

Sweet shots! You've done a very nice job of shooting this lens.

Surprising how well that lens does on that overgrown point and shoot...Sony has sure made some inroads on their sensors....not enough for me to buy one,but impressive non the less.

Got my first copy of this lens in '74 the N.C. Auto version...later picked up all it's successors.

When shooting closeup, distant objects can have a pleasing bokeh....But there are times when not shooting closeup or wide open with a busy background or at night with bright objects in the background when the bokeh is fugly.The lens has typical performance for a fast spherical wide lens > low contrast everywhere due to the veiling effects of spherical aberration and soft in corners with loads of coma, improving greatly as it's stopped down more.Actually two of those shots in the first set I would have stopped down a wee bit more to smooth the background.

The lens suffers from saggital coma flare...The visible phenomenon is a point image on the picture trailing toward the exterior or the center of the image, like a comet, which is where the name comes from.Coma spreading radially from the optical axis forms a teardrop-shaped flare, usually called a meridional coma flare.A sagittal coma flare occurs concentrically, forming a diamond-shaped flare.Coma can be reduced by stopping down the lens.

Still have a couple versions of this lens the N.C. Auto and the immediate successor the K...sold the AI-S version and gave the AI version to my daughter.All versions of the lens are quite sharp in the center,the edges and corners however aren't as sharp as the Nikkor 35/2.

The image quality of the 35/1.4 non-AI/ AI/AIS has been further improved by the new AFS 35G, this does not mean the older lens is a poor performer.....any of the old versions can still test my Nikon D3's sensor in terms of resolution in the center of the image.

I have always considered the manual focus 35/1.4 to have temperamental peculiarities and one should learn the ways in which its drawing changes with aperture settings. Some find it lacking in quality at the widest settings, others enjoy its special rendition there. It comes down to learning the lens,and using it to the it's fullest potential....which you've obviously done here.

Esox lucius · Expire: 2011-11-18

In my opinion, the Nikkor 35/1.4 Ai-S is very very tempered at f/1.4 to f/2.8, but it shines at f/4 to f/5.6. Owners should (in my opinion) not use it for critical work at apertures f/1.4 to f/2.8, but when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6 it will deliver more than your sensor can.

Boomer Depp · Expire: 2011-12-04

I find it's usable from f2.8 to f11 and extremely sharp from f4 to f5.6.

Still one of my favorite lenses from the era....there are those who like it's rendering wide open and others who abhor it wide open.

Kind of hard to refute the 44 & 43 lpmm(MTF 50) at f4 & f5.6,which is something many lens can't achieve....the modern AF-S G is capable of 46 & 45(MTF 50) at f4 & f5.6...showing the almost 50 year old manual focus lens is quite capable indeed.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

Thanks for the comments, Boomer and Esox Lucius, I pretty much agree with what you say. I would use it in f2.8-f8 range without any qualms, and in f1.4-f2 range with reservations. There is no magic of course, fast non-aspherical lens is bound to have significant contrast and resolution penalty wide open. Then again, f1.4 is far from unusable. If the light is bad, put the subject bang in the middle, add contrast and clarity , remove the CA in post and it will work out just fine in many cases.

This lens potentially has some advantages over AI and AI-S versions (thorium glass) and some disadvantages (more primitive coatings). For the age the coatings are very impressive though. I've put the sun in the frame a couple of times and it simply ignored it - no flare at all and good contrast. I haven't tried putting the sun in the corner yet, I doubt something good will come out of it, but will be interesting to see.