Longest production run Nikkor optical formulas

The top ten Nikkor prime lens optical formulas between 20mm and 200mm with the longest production run - Number One will surprise you!
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[@borisgalos6967]

You missed the 105/4.5 UV which has been in production since April 1985 and is still in production for a life of 38 years so far.

[@Narsuitus]

Thanks for a very valuable list. I own and use seven of the lenses on your list. The 28mm f/2, 20mm f/2.8, and 24mm f/2.8 are the three I do not own. In the late 1960s, the 35mm f/2 was the first lens I purchased for my Nikon F body. In 2002, I upgraded to the 35mm f/1.4 The 35mm and the 180mm are two of my personal favorite lenses. I routinely use them in a 35/85/180 kit.

[@FerdinandII]

I have 8 out of the 10.....collected over the last 25 years.

[@ryanbeer5262]

Wow, impressive list. I need to show my 35 f2 more love.

[@neilpiper9889]

I have a non ai 50mm f1.4 s-c and a 24mm f2. 8 Afd both of which are awesome performers. Great Video sir. I love my Nikon FE and Nikkormat ft2 cameras and my de lightful Nikon F75. I have a D300s and a Sb600 Speedlight. I love the ability of all these lenses to be used on all cameras.

[@seanmuller5145]

Just wanted to let you Brain you do great work with history of Nikon lenses. Because of you and a few others I bought a 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4 and 105 f2.5 for my Canon 6D and work great and have so much character. All bought from Japan on Ebay under $400 . Thanks again

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad to be helpful.

[@masud184]

Hi Brian , I am happy to own four off your collection as first Hand still have that original Bills. 24 mm 2.8, 35 mm 2.0 with C coating, 50 mm 1.4 and my Favoriten 85 mm 2.0. All are these AIs except 35 mm. I bought these in 80ies, with my FE2 and F3 Hp. I am so glad to Abboniert your Page, good Luck

[@BriansPhotoShow]

You have quite the nice collection. I hope you are still enjoying them.

[@mjoelnir58]

Always interesting stuff on your channel Brian,thanks for that.And thanks for pronouncing in a way I as a german can understand everything.

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Thank you. I try to speak so that non-native English speakers can understand.

[@mjoelnir58]

@@BriansPhotoShow Well done

[@Analogbrain]

Interesting. Brian! I can see why! I have the 35mm f2.0, and the 50mm f1.4, both AI versions, and they are my favourite Nikkor lenses. It would be fun if anyone could make the same list for other manufacturers too.

[@BriansPhotoShow]

Oh I'm sure there's a similar Pentax video out there somewhere.

[@nouneyhill9795]

I just got my 50mm f/1.4 so outrageously clear. Very interesting facts.. Have you noticed how used Nikon equipment blew-up in last 6 months? Do you know why?

[@BriansPhotoShow]

I haven't bought any Nikon gear recently and hadn't noticed a price increase.

[@Ni5ei]

The 28 2.8 AIS is one of Nikon's best lenses ever. Why don't you own one?

[@thomasmoje5926]

I have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AI lens which I purchased with my FM camera back in 1980. I purposely picked that lens over the f/1.4 version because I didn't see the need for the slightly wider maximum aperture along with the excellent reviews of the f/1.8 version. Also have a Series 'E' 28mm f/2.8 lens which I purchased in 1984. Those two are my oldest lenses of any make in my collection. Never felt slighted that I bought the Series 'E' 28 mm over the equivalent Nikkor: it has excellent optical quality the only shortcoming is that it does not have the meter coupling prong to allow it to couple with the meter on my Ftn Photomic; then again I did not envision at the time I bought it that I would ever own a non-AI Nikon camera body. Interesting video lots of good info to keep my eyes open for older Nikon lenses.

[@bfs5113]

I bought a 50 f/1.8 for my F2A back then as well, but it was because that was all I could afford at that time, after paying for the body. My two oldest lenses are 50 f/1.8 AI and 105 f/2.5 AI. 😊

[@thomasmoje5926]

@@bfs5113 since my first comment: acquired a Nikon Nikkor S/Nippon Kogaku 50mm f/1.4 lens, single coated (circa sometime 1965-1970) to go along with my Ftn. It is in pristine condition still has the JCII sticker on it. It now qualifies as the oldest lens in my collection.

[@bfs5113]

@@thomasmoje5926 A lucky find for you! 👍 Since it reminded me of a pre-AI 50 f/1.4 that my friend gave me decades back, so I went to look it up and found it was from 1974-76. A few years older than my supposedly oldest 1978 50 f/1.8.

[@thomasmoje5926]

@Pete Lucchini Thanks for the tip on the E series 28mm lens: I have a look at it and consider having the meter coupling prongs put on it. Don't really want to buy another lens now rather make use of what I have. I bought the older Nikon/Nippon Nogaku 50mm/f1.4 'S' lens basically to have a lens made about the same time period as my Ftn Photomic and it stays mounted on that camera. It's an excellent lens but I do see some differences in photos taken with it vs. my 50mm/f1.8 AI lens: The AI lens seems to yield slightly better color saturation given the same variables: I attribute that to the older non-AI lens is the single-coated version. Whether or not that really has anything to do with it I don't know. No matter I enjoy using both.

[@randallstewart175]

I bought and used a last of the pre-AI 105 2.5 Sonnor designs in 1976. I had it converted to AI by Nikon USA. It was a great lens. Unhappily, it was stolen in a home robbery years later. I replaced it with the later 105mm 2.5 Gauss design, which seems as good or better. Over the years, I have acquired many of the Nikkors mentioned in the vdeo and have no quibble as to their superiority.

[@neilpiper9889]

28mm f2 8 is a stretched 35mm design which I don't happen to like,. I have the Nikkor 24mm 2.8 Afd which I prefer. I have a Nikkor 50mm f1. 4 s-c and the Nikkor P 105 mm. f2.5 I do have a Huonghu 35mm F2 af lens which I use with the Nikon HB-47 lens hood. Looks cool and works pretty good. So cheap. I have Nikon FE, N75, and Nikkormat ft2 bodies. And a Nikon Apsc D300s on which I use the 24mm 2.8 afd. It gives a 36mm equivalent field of view and is fast focusing and VERY SHARP. I also have a 75mm to 150mm f3.5 e series lens which is my only zoom. I like the constant aperture, build quality and it's sharpness.

[@brayan19976]

I can use a "modern" lens like a 50mm 1.8 d nikkor on a nikkormat ft2, does it work? Or is there a problem?

[@BriansPhotoShow]

An AF-D series lens will mount just fine on a Nikkormat FT2, but it will not couple with the metering pin because it doesn't have the "dog ears" metering prong, so you must stop the lens down to working aperture in order to get a correct meter reading. You may want to see my video "Nikkor Lens Compatibility for Manual Focus SLRs": kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWOUhWOvqaZ9bNU

[@srfurley]

I own the 50 mm f1.4 x2, one still in pre-ai condition, and the other converted by me using the official conversion ring, which I managed to find. I have converted several lenses, and have kept the original rings so they can be returned to original condition if required. I also own the 35 mm F2, which was converted by a previous owner by machining away part of the aperture ring. This has been done in the right place, and works correctly on ai bodies.

[@diyextravaganza]

What still puzzles me is how some beyond fantastic lenses are short lived whereas some others last. For instance, I have the 20 f/2.8 AFD, which is good, but nothing against the 20mm f/4 AIs that (who lived somewhere between 1976 - 1978)

[@BriansPhotoShow]

In order to remain in production, the lens must be commercially viable. Ken "Angry Photographer" Wheeler claims that the 20/3.5 is the best of that focal length made by Nikon, and it was replaced by the 2.8 only because the "slow" max aperture wouldn't sell.

[@diyextravaganza]

@@BriansPhotoShow this I understand, people usually realize their actual value once they become rare (or collectibles). I have some less common lenses. 15 f/3.5 AIs 20 f/4 AIs Micro-Nikkor 55 f/2.8 AFD, Micro-Nikkor 70-180, 105 f/1.8 AIs and they are all really good

[@admintilburgers]

I have my strong doubts about the optical formula of the 20mm Ai-S and the later 20 AF f/2.8 The Ai-S lens is much sharper. That can't be the coating alone.

[@BriansPhotoShow]

I think you just got a bad sample of the AF lens. Optically, they share a 12 element in 9 group design. How different can they be?

[@admintilburgers]

@@BriansPhotoShow Thanks for your reply. I know. I had more samples of the Ai-S and the AF. I noticed I am not alone in my observation www.naturfotograf.com/lens_wide.html

[@randallstewart175]

not much. However, the outstanding belief is that Nikon tweeked the AF optical formula to optimize the AF performance. I own bothe the MF and AF versions, and I do not see a significant difference in image results.

[@XwaD666]

@@admintilburgers Also take into consideration that phase detection autofocus is not always 100% accurate. Try manually focusing both lenses in live view with the focus point zoomed in all the way and compare results.

[@tomallen6073]

50mm f1.2? Still in production.

[@ldyrtdyrt8872]

yes

[@patriziodalessandro1693]

Production started in 1981. That makes it a 39 years run. If you are interested it is still available from dealers in Italy with official 4 year warranty from the local Nikon importer for over 800€. Parallel import now is around 700€. Strange, since only a few weeks ago it was offered for around 500€ new.

[@TheMarkedWolf]

First