Tuesday, February 25, 2025

My Complete Nikon ~ Nikkor Lens Kit

AF VR Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5 - 5.6 D + Nikon D780

I started out with a Nikon FE2 and a couple of Nikkor AI-S lenses. I learned how to use this camera and how to take care my equipment with it. I bought different focal length lenses and different cameras learning by taking lots of pictures. 35mm film was it! Or that’s what I thought… I was all in with the Nikon system and I still am to this day. The local lab processes and scans my film. I add it here in the appropriate pages, I continue to use this web site to track my progress. 

35mm film photography is fun but sometimes frustrating and expensive. At times my pictures were out of focus, other times the processing sucked. The local lab blew a few of my favorite images and suggested that I “embrace the imperfection of film photography.” It was disappointing to work so hard at getting a good picture only to have it slightly out of focus or splotchy from poor development technique, and then there is the cost. The cost and disappointment prompted me to look into digital photography. It was instant results and a low cost to learn ratio.

I bought the D780 and I could use my AI-S lenses however I began investigating auto focus lenses. I bought a AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR FX lens that did nearly everything. I loved that lens but I also secretly hated it. It was hard to learn what focal length I wanted, it just did it with a twist of the zoom ring. I wanted to understand first, before letting the lens choose for me. It just worked so well for everything but it was only good at replacing my decision at what lens to use, the opposite of what I wanted out of learning to use different focal lengths. I sold it. It served its purpose yet now, I understand its purpose and it is a fantastic lens for what it was designed for. I just wasn’t ready to own one, problem is, I now understand and miss it, really, but not really.

The quiver killing AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR FX

I also sold all my manual focus cameras and lenses. It was an excellent experience and I learned so much from it. No longer do I have anxiety on which lens to use and I’ve shifted away from being a “collector” and more into being a photographer. Collecting those AI-S lenses was a cool experience. I don’t miss the cost of manual focus photography, sourcing old lenses, expensive Velvia film, the cost and waiting on development only to be disappointed at the results…

I decided to purchase a F6. I tried to do it cheaper but after purchasing two bad F-100, I just bit the bullet and bought an F6. Nikon’s last professional grade 35mm camera. The F6 lives up to its reputation as an amazing 35mm film camera. I use it with the modern lenses I purchased for the D780. Again, I learned about lens types by purchasing and using them. I learned that the G series of lenses were not my favorite. G stands for gelded. Removal of the aperture ring, the aperture is set electronically. Gone is the tactile aperture ring setting by hand on the lens, replaced on the camera by fingertip control. 

I found that I liked a certain type of Nikkor lens, they had many of the qualities of the AI-S lenses. All metal construction and like many say, “built like a tank.” The new G lenses aren't, they are made of plastic. They seem cheaply made but wow! The performance in them is amazing. There is a type of lens before the G series that I really enjoy and I wrote a little bit about them and there is a link to a dedicated page below. Recently I bought a second DSLR, the D610. I also sourced a small point and shoot camera. Sometimes I’m a tourist and I don’t want to carry a serious camera. The L35 AF  is a sweet vintage Nikon with a sharp 35mm f2.8 lens that just makes these cool pictures. It is small and unobtrusive, and I love that little thing, I’m such a tourist with it.

Anyway, my lens kit now consists of a dozen Nikkor AF prime and zoom lenses. A wide zoom is my favorite configuration of lens. I also enjoy the telephoto AF VR Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5 - 5.6 D for options in longer focal lengths. Zoom lenses have improved so much over time but I still enjoy shooting with a prime lens too. The AF Nikkor 24mm f2.8 D is a favorite for sure. The Nikon AF DC-Nikkor 105mm f2 D is super sharp as well and the AF Nikon 300mm f4 ED is an amazingly sharp lens.

As I said, I’m a fan of wide zooms as you can see below, they are so inspiring and help frame and nail the focus so I can take creative photographs quickly.

All of these lenses work with the my F6. That’s my favorite 35mm film camera and the cool thing is, I can manually focus them all if needed. I aspire to master the F6, I love the looks and feel of film photography.

Speaking of film photography, recently I purchased a medium format camera, the Mamiya 645 1000s and I use a Mamiya M645 Sekor C 45mm f2.8. I meter the camera with a Sekonic L398A. That’s a whole other story to tell, I’m still learning how to set up photographs with this system. Already I’ve taken a few good shots with it. Medium format photography is contemplative. I can tell that the process of it is improving my skill set. The viewfinder, the lens, shutter speed and aperture is all manual, no internal light meter that sets shutter and aperture, I have to calculate that by measuring from my light meter and inputting into my camera. I am learning by doing.

That’s a brief overview where I’m at. I made a lot of mistakes but I’ve also learned many valuable lessons on my own and it’s those hard earned lessons that have made my photography worth it. Check out Photography Basics, it’s an article I wrote, sort of a self review so I keep focused on what’s important.




The crinkle paint finished lenses are probably my favorite. I started out with manual focus lenses and many of my photographs have been made using them yet the percentage of my in-focus shots are higher with an AF lens. These crinkle finish lenses are exquisite, their construction is exemplary and the optics are simply amazing. Yes, this lens type bridges the gap for me, MF to AF and back again. It brings together the highest build quality that Nikkor offers with their MF lens in a single AF package. Metal construction, a beautiful hard but subtle black crinkle paint finish and the best of the Nikkor optics formula, I believe some of Nikon’s best. Mechanically driven by an in camera body motor through a shaft coupled focus, bomber construction with optics that are simply amazing.

——————————

Discontinued (highlighted lenses I have owned and used but are no longer in my inventory)



camera | lens | film | flash
at
Labels: , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)