Nikon 105mm f/2.5 | An Awesome Vintage Lens

[@DrCJSmith]

The 50mm 1.2 was a classic for news photographers.

[@thewildgoose7467]

The earlier pre-Ai 105 are a Sonnar design which gives it the unique 'look' but at some stage before Nikon switched to Ai the design changed. If the focal length is marked in cm (10.5) it's a Sonnar, however if marked in mm (105) it may or may not be. The way to tell is that the Sonnar designed ones have a much smaller rear element? The other Sonnar Nikkor is the pre-Ai 135mm f3.5 which could be bought for very little ($30?) before people realized how good these lenses are. Both render images beautifully but of all the lenses I've ever owned the 105mm would be my favorite.

[@matt_ricamino]

Thank you for sharing these pics and footage. Awesome lens

[@bubby372]

If there is one vintage Nikkor lens to own the 105 2.5 is THE ONE.

[@Ryan-xr8fx]

Your sample images and video clips are really stunning. Great work.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Thank you! I really appreciate it!!

[@ChristianAndrew1.4]

Incredible lens for sure! This is the Sonnar version of the 105/ 2.5 and is an absolute gem and a keeper.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Absolutely! Always a fun lens to use, thanks for watching!

[@Jeff-zc6rr]

@@ManyWaysFilms Hi, how do you tell if it's the Sonnar? Is it pre-AI, AI or AI-s?

[@Jeff-zc6rr]

YOu can tell it's the Sonnar if the back is smaller right? It has the inner ring.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Yes the back part of the lens is smaller

[@gabrielgolden4336]

I had no idea Johnny Depp was into vintage lenses.

[@tmewborn1]

Nice Video, I like the well made Nikor Vintage lenses. I have a 24mm f2 D, 35mm f2.8, 136mm f2DC lems. All of them are tack sharp.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

They really are, I’m fascinated with vintage lenses specially Nikon but Minolta lenses are really cool as well

[@andrewtongue7084]

When lenses were built with a precision that their modern counterparts can only wonder in awe at......

[@Jeff-zc6rr]

I just bought a Panasonic S5 and have been picking up Takumars but now i will change to these Nikons.

[@danncorbit3623]

The Helios 44-2 58mm lens is famous for it's swirly bokeh. It's an M42 screw mount lens, but there are cheap adapters for any mount. The 50mm f1.4 and 55mm f2 super takumar lenses are great, but they are made with thorium in the glass so there is a low level of radioactivity. So don't sleep with those under your pillow. They are both M42 mount.

[@andrewtongue7084]

Beautiful lens !

[@alexced3923]

The video samples are stunning. What condition was that lens you bought..? I see a very clean image. how much did you pay for it? Ebay?

[@_RocknRolla]

Hi!I Can't find information about Nikon Nikkor P-C 105 2.5, not Kogakau. What can you say about it?

[@reindeerdashie]

The later Nikon-P.C has improved coatings and uses a different lens formula. The original with a silver nose has a Sonnar formula, while the later with a black nose uses a Double-Gauss formula. I have the P.C version and it's extremely sharp and renders just as beautiful bokeh.

[@MrSimonj1970]

@@reindeerdashie this is correct, the common consensus seems to be that the P is slightly sharper and the PC (and later AI/AIS) has slightly better bokeh, but they are all beautiful. I've loved my PC since I bought it in 1987, it works better than ever on mirrorless with peaking and magnification. My favourite lens of all time, and they are still fairly cheap considering how good they are - thanks to their popularity and not being rare.

[@reindeerdashie]

@@MrSimonj1970 I can't grasp how a lens could be sharper than the P.C version I have. 🥴 It's pin sharp wide open on my 42 MP digital sensor.

[@MrSimonj1970]

@@reindeerdashie if you want sharper - I watched a review where he showed the AFS 105mm f/1.4 wide open at 400% and it was a LOT sharper than the older f/2.5!! (I think it was PC but not sure)

[@reindeerdashie]

@@MrSimonj1970 That sounds crazy

[@Alexandermeter]

one of my favourite is the 20mm ud, totally other side of the spectrum but still awesome and has some character and less clinical, as does the 50mm 1.2

[@Cleverconveyence]

I fpund out the latwr revisions are a bit better for close ups and also hace a sharpness jump at f/4. Am i niasing out at all?

[@boahandarrowsproductions4326]

Check out the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 NIKKOR-QC Auto Non AI.

[@pvairo]

Very good video and beautiful cinematic footage! Another amazing choice for as low as 100 USD could be the Nikkor 200mm f/4, I own the ai, and the 135mm f/2.8 (i own the ai-s)

[@ronaldmoravec2692]

Mine must be very early. All chrome with small rear element, reflex mount. Not as sharp up close compared to later Gauss version.

[@richardsimms251]

Monopods and tripods can be a fabulous help for sharper photographs.

[@pedrova8058]

look at Biotar 58, Pancolar 50, some fast pre Ai nikkors (28 f2, 55 f1,2 or 5,8cms f1,4) , Minolta 58 (any version), fast Canon SSC or FDs (35 f2, 55 Asph, 85Asph). And of course, some nice Takumars

[@plexycolor]

Try the Nikkor * ED 180mm f2.8! Nice video!!!!

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Thank you! I will check it out for sure. I’ve been shopping at yard sales, thrift stores and I have found some nice stuff as well

[@Jeff-zc6rr]

Please tell me which 105 2.5 is this exactly.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

I also have a recent video talking a little bit about both

[@Jeff-zc6rr]

@@ManyWaysFilms you have the sonnar because the back is smaller.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

True. I have both of them now

[@bran85photographyllc]

I have this lens same camera Nikon Z6II also try the 180mm 2.8D These are my favorite vintage lenses

[@ManyWaysFilms]

I’ll have to give it a try! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@bran85photographyllc]

@@ManyWaysFilms You’re welcome

[@danncorbit3623]

I second that motion. That lens has a unique character that makes images really stand out. I only have four of them now, because I gave two of them away to friends. Whenever I see one for a good price, I buy it. "Don't leave home without it."

[@jackyleecs]

Is this the pre-AI version?

[@ManyWaysFilms]

I believe it is

[@ooJBHoo]

As i`m informed, the pre-ai and the later ai/ai-s lenses dont have the same mount, so you could damage your newer dslr mount (or adapter to z) if the pre-ai lens not is converted first ? Maybe i am wrong, please tell because i`m also interested in the 105 2.5 with vintage look😊

[@Valeriy_Pasechnik]

is such a lens suitable for a mirrorless camera with a full frame? Thanks!

[@TheKimNeeper]

Yes it is, it was designed for 35mm film, full frame sensor is 35mm...

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Yes it is a full frame lens, like Kim said it was designed for 35mm film camera for the F mount which I use with my F100 and Z6 II with adapter

[@mickd1368]

try the nikon 135 f3.5.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

I’ll have to check it out! Thanks man!!

[@huellasdelobo1130]

Nice clips

[@ManyWaysFilms]

Thank you!

[@confrontingphotography4815]

The one thing that is important to mention is that there were two versions of this lens. You have the good version, the Sonnar. I have the bad version, it’s nothing special at all, and can’t recommend it.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

That’s awesome, I didn’t know about that. Thanks for letting me know!

[@joanarling]

Sorry to disagree, but I'd recommend the AI version anytime, on par with the 180 ED.

[@iprosopon9868]

Any 100/1.8-3.5 lens will make great portraits. Doesn't even matter how many aperture blades because it uses "focal length bokeh" not "aperture bokeh" like 85s and 50s. Yeah, I know. "Afghan Girl" blah, blah. It wasn't the lens that made that shot great. Any 100 would have done just as well. It was the subject herself, Kodak color science, and the photographer. Vintage lenses are old, heavy, don't autofocus, horrible flare resistance (old-tech single coatings and not on all surfaces -- often mostly worn off), and worn out. Stiff focus, oily or stuck blades, scratches on the elements, fungus, dust, haze... Are obsolete. Awkward and slow to focus on modern cameras and require klunky adapters... Hard pass. If you must I'd look at condition over "brand" and BS. Get a smaller, lighter, cheaper, always multi-coated, and not as old Vivitar, Soligar, Imado, Sears, JC Penny (often these were made by Tokina) from the 80's or 90's. The newer the better. If you must -- buy on condition, age(!), size, and weight not "brand". These are simple lenses sometimes containing as few as four elements (Ernostar variants...). They're also $20 usually in better condition than some beat to death old Nikkor that will set you back $100-200 or more. If it was 1973 I'd say stretch for the NEW (or slightly used) Nikkor. It's not 1973. They're 50 years on now. Lenses became smaller, lighter, cheaper with better coatings as the decades worn on..

[@Homer-0]

''The newer the better", "lenses became smaller,lighter, cheaper". Sounds about right.😂😂

[@schizophrantic]

I know it's hard for native Spanish speakers but you gotta work on your pronunciation of "z" and "v". Zi is not Ci and Video is not Bideo.

[@joseghernandez2009]

I WOULD LOVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR SPANISH PRONUNCIATION.....

[@ikaros4203]

best lens ever made... the Sonnar Nikon! i even just bought another in perfect condition to have a backup for my grandchildren 😂 a close second is the Nikkor 35mm 1.4 NC AUTO... floating elements for close focus and radioactive thorium glass.

[@ManyWaysFilms]

That’s awesome! I found the black version at a thrift store just last week for 20 dollars, I love it!