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Nikkor QC f3.5 13.5cm Rangefinder lens
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 7:25 pm    Post subject: Nikkor QC f3.5 13.5cm Rangefinder lens Reply with quote

Recently I was given a small 35mm outfit by friends downsizing. I was sent this lens the rest is being shipped.


#1



I have not yet taken the lens our for a workout, but it fits and focuses well on my 4/3 Digital; the 4/3 is the only adapter I have in this Nikon rangefinder mount. My first impressions of this near mint example is it is heavy, has a small diameter (40.5mm filter thread), and small controls. From a handling comparison, I would much prefer my two Minolta MC 125mm f2.8 (6 element lenses) or the Takumar 135mm f3.5. Admittedly I am used to SLR lenses, but we will see.

Photosynthesis.co.nz has information on this lens as well as a link to a write up of the lens on the Pacific Rim Camera site.

If anyone knows more about this 1961 vintage lens, please let us know - especially how it mat perform on a digital camera. I do think I would ever use this focal length on a rangefinder.

This lens was sent with a Norwood Director meter, but it was DOA. The camera, a Contax IIa is being shipped.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 5:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats good looking piece!


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its a grand little lens.

I was in the market for one a couple of years ago when a funny thing happened - I inadvertently bought two of them online. Having saved one in my watch list, the seller sent me a special discounted offer, which I promptly accepted. Through an eBay glitch this appeared not to go through and I assumed that he had made a similar offer to another buyer and that person beat me to the punch by a few moments causing my acceptance to fail. So after some delay I bought another one in a sale which was just ending (which meant that I did not have the luxury of waiting to see what would happen with the first one). A few hours later I received confirmation in my in box that I had also bought the first one. I guess eBay was just running slow that day.

Laugh 1

Never the less they were pretty inexpensive to buy so I was content to have two such lenses (it would not be the first time I had duplicate lenses). It is a very dense lens being made all chromed brass and has a Sonnar design. As I love Sonnar lenses this makes it near perfect for me. Despite looking a little incongruous in pictures - being long and skinny, when mounted on a mirrorless camera it looks pretty nice as well as taking very nice images. I will see if I can find some I have made with this lens. This lens takes 43mm filters which were pretty common back in the day. They can still be bought if needed.

At the same time I also bought a slightly later design Nikkor 105mm f2.5 (also a Sonnar of course) in chrome and black livery also in Nikon S mount. It performs perhaps even better but the 135mm is not far off.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:38 am    Post subject: Re: Nikkor QC f3.5 13.5cm Rangefinder lens Reply with quote

jmkmva wrote:
Recently I was given a small 35mm outfit by friends downsizing. I was sent this lens the rest is being shipped.


#1


I have not yet taken the lens our for a workout, but it fits and focuses well on my 4/3 Digital; the 4/3 is the only adapter I have in this Nikon rangefinder mount. My first impressions of this near mint example is it is heavy, has a small diameter (40.5mm filter thread), and small controls. From a handling comparison, I would much prefer my two Minolta MC 125mm f2.8 (6 element lenses) or the Takumar 135mm f3.5. Admittedly I am used to SLR lenses, but we will see.

Photosynthesis.co.nz has information on this lens as well as a link to a write up of the lens on the Pacific Rim Camera site.

If anyone knows more about this 1961 vintage lens, please let us know - especially how it mat perform on a digital camera. I do think I would ever use this focal length on a rangefinder.

This lens was sent with a Norwood Director meter, but it was DOA. The camera, a Contax IIa is being shipped.


This lens uses 43mm filters. The hood has a holder for series VII filters. The Nikkor-QC 13.5cm F4 uses 40.5mm filters. Only about 1200 of those were manufactured.
Look for a 'C' on the side of the lens. This lens is probably made for the Contax, as that is the camera being sent to you.
This lens debuted in 1950. By 1961 still in production, but was in black and chrome finish.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A friend picked one of these up for me as a gift. It's an excellent lens! I was surprised by the seeming contradiction of its smaller form factor but immense heft. It's dense for certain! I have one easily accessible example. Image was made with a Nikon Z 6 or Z 7, I can't recall which. I have to say, I am really surprised by how well this lens renders scenes.





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