So Sharp You'll Cut Yourself! Super Sharp VINTAGE NIKKOR!

[@perko4590]

Wonderful Bluh, beautiful Bluh I love the Bluh!

[@paulpurpi9069]

I own several,and they are the smoothest focusing lenses I have ever used.

[@mistuhgee]

@@paulpurpi9069 agreed!

[@tonyhayes9827]

Ive owned this lens about 5 years now - the same f 3.5 you have. You've summed it up beautifully as always.

[@zenography7923]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@classic.cameras]

Great lens. The Canon FD 50 macro is also great. I was going to buy the vintage extender but then remembered I am adapting it so I bought some Neewer extension tubes on Amazon for cheap and can use not only this lens as a 1:1 but I can also make any other lens a macro. Highly recommended for anyone buy this Nikkor or the Canon.

[@mawob]

The Micro Nikkor 3.5/55mm was originally sold together with an extension tube to reach 1:1. Most eBay offers do not have it - but I was lucky and I got one for $35 with the extension tube. It's really fantastic, not just for macro work, but also for reproductions and artwork capture, because it's a flat-field lens.

[@terrygoyan]

The 55 f/2.8 is also flat field and was used in some copy machines, back in the day!

[@125farin]

I think I am correct in saying the reason for the 1:1 macro markings on the barrel was it was sold with an extension tube which made it 1:1. I have the 60mm f2.8 screw drive focus version which is very very sharp. Nice video as always thanks.

[@terrygoyan]

Absolutely correct. This lens harkens back to a day when close focus was achieved only with extension. The lens it's self extended 27.5 mm to give one half life size magnification. The extension tube for that lens is also 27.5 mm, combined the lens could close focus to life size (1:1). The early 105 micros (Nikons name) did the same thing but had some close range correction. The second set of magnification marks on the lens, for use with a PN-11 tube (52.5 mm), take that into account and also give recommended aperture settings for any given magnification. These are engraved above the PN magnification numbers. I love the 105 micro and use it on bellows for higher magnification.

[@philosimot]

Tested it with millimetre-paper: there's not the slightest distortion. I have been used it since 1973 until 2023 in the 1973-version as yours here; since 2023 (because of and Ai'd nostaligic 'mountain&valley' focussing ring) one from 1969. I have it in use on my 35mm film Nikons and the digital D300 as well, the latter shows the perspective of a 82,5mm telephoto lens with macro capabilities - very awesome - and it's an every-day lens in my life. Another very sharp macro lens is the Micro-Nikkor 4/105mm.

[@djtoman6875]

This is a fabulous lens, as is the f2.8 version. Another great one that has aged beautifully is the AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f2.8 macro lens.

[@philipjooste5688]

Hi, absolutely a great lens - I have the AFD 60mm f2.8 version and the two virtually the same. In addition to taking images, I also use the 60mm for digitizing my B&W negatives on a Nikon D600 camera body - wonderful lens for that purpose. Regards philip jooste

[@milesian1]

@@philipjooste5688 Very cool! I haven't tried digital film scanning yet, but that's the lens I have in mind to use.

[@thedondeluxe6941]

Seconded! I have this Nikkor and the Pentax/Takumar you mentioned. Love these old 50 macros, very handy little lenses indeed.

[@luukdeweert4462]

My most loved lens for copy work on a Sony A7 for many many years, great price/quality ratio, LOVE IT!

[@Magnetron692]

Hi Nigel, many thanks!! Your videos are much appreciated! I have the successor, the Nikkor AF-D 2.8/60 mm, also a fantastic lens! I use it in order to scan film slides and negatives. Best wishes, Ralf

[@paranormaltv2478]

Loving your new background, great video as always!

[@br2v]

Nice review again, it is great lens: sharp/contrasty/no coma/flare resistant/ and beautiful bokeh, while just using 5 lenses only. I have the same version since 1997. I got Bought it second hand, using it on a FM 2 , it did well on the D800 as well and I use it a lot on a Z7 and Z6 full spectrum. The other lenses that still are great on high pixel count cameras which I keep using over and over again are the Nikkor AIS ED 180mm and Tokina ATX 90mm f2.5.

[@ryanbeer5262]

Possibly my favorite vintage Nikkor. Managed to pick one up a few yrs ago with it's matched extension tube for $60 USD. It's a slightly older single coated version. It blooms a bit at 3.5 but clear at 5.6:& crazy sharp. Usually shoot it on a helicoid adapter which gives me an extra 25mm of extension so I rarely carry the tube. I use it as my main walk around lens.Agree the background can get a bit messy at times but love it snyway

[@kasper-3099]

I've wanted to try this one for a while. The Olympus 50mm 3.5 is really nice as well.

[@gerryhardman9060]

I agree with your findings as it is the sharpest lens I own. I have the older 3.5 compensating version with an aperture that opens up as you focus closer. I once compared it to the 35 F2 Leica Summicron and this lens blew it out of the water as well as all my other lenses. It’s only a five element Schneider Zenitar design like the 85 F2, 105 F2.5 and 1.8 Nikkors but it proved to be an excellent design that Nikon effectively used all these lenses. Great review of an old classic that still holds up on modern camera sensors today. Regards Gerry

[@zenography7923]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@robertmeyerson1618]

Love my 55mm Nikkor !!

[@mistuhgee]

Thank you for doing this review! I'd kind of lost track of mine, and this has me dig mine out. I think I will leave it on my Z5 for the week. Also, I read some years back that this was machined in such a way that its infinity focus mark is perfect and thus can be used for astro photography.

[@zenography7923]

It's a great little lens, enjoy!

[@fintonmainz7845]

Love All your videos. Do you think you could say something about black and white lens performance?

[@JimVim]

Any Vintage Lens suitable for Lumix S5 and or Leica SL (Type 601) Great lens No Idea these classic Nikon Micro lens were Sharp for High PXL Modern Sensors! Yet another Budget killer. Appreciate it Nigel another Ace lens review. Many thanks.

[@olio_benzina]

Hello and thanks for your review. I have had the very same lens for many years and agree with your assessment. I also have the f2.8 version that replaced it. Mine is the later AIS version and I can't see any meaningful difference between old and new. I believe this later version was available up until 2020 because it was still in demand for technical and scientific photography. An amazing and versatile macro lens.

[@sigurdurbaldvin2145]

I have both pentax 50mm f4 and Nikon 55 f2.8 and I would say that the Nikon is sharper.

[@ubeeh]

Would be great to hear your thoughts on how this lens stacks up against the Canon FD 55mm Macro.

[@numbersix8919]

Thanks for the tip. Manual focus is best for macro lenses, yes? Be seeing you!👌

[@zenography7923]

Manual is best for macro, for sure. Be seeing you!

[@vencibushy]

It's 1:2 (one to two) actually.

[@caw25sha]

After this lens was discontinued in 1979 its replacement AI-S was 2.8. It would be interesting to know how they compare. I think the AI-S would be a lot more expensive these days, and I'm always surprised by how cheap most pre-AI lenses are.

[@janb.5579]

I'm not sure... There are AI versions of the Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 on that auction site we all know and I wonder if those are the same lens as the older non-AI just in a new barrel. Although some say there never was a AI version of the Micro 3.5. Does someone here know more about that timeframe than I do? I was actually looking for one of these AI versions - still no fancy mirrorless camera with all those adapters for me. ;-) Are these the same lenses? Something different? Just an modified non-AI? (The ones I could find look fairly distinct from the one in this video, yet the general construction - deeply recessed front element and a very long focus throw - seems to be the same.) So many questions...

[@caw25sha]

@@janb.5579 There were three versions of the 3.5: 1 original single coated with scalloped focusing ring and silver filter thread 2 multi coated with scalloped focusing ring and black filter thread 3 redesigned K type with rubber focusing ring There doesn't seem to be an official AI but apparently they could be converted by replacing the aperture ring. The 2.8 was a new AI-S.

[@atomaalatonal]

ive just bought a used d200 and a nikon lens 80-200 2.8. i always wanted to use a nikon dslr. i waited 15years for this hehe. im really curious how it is compared to the 5d and its canon lenses. hope i will get that special zenography moment out of it:D

[@helmutwalter5465]

Thanks for this very interesting content, you were the reason for me to use all of my retired lenses, - adapters from Novoflex for my Zuikos on the Z6ii from Nikon, and of course all the old Nikkors and Vivitar Serie 1 Macrolenses. The results are amazing and I even tried out my old Rolleiflexes (SL-66e) with excellent Zeiss Lenses, but still found no adaption for the Z6ii for these beautiful Lenses.

[@zenography7923]

Glad you're enjoying those lenses!

[@d.r.martin6301]

I've had one for 30 years. An absolute classic.

[@tomislavmiletic_]

I've got the Zuiko variant, for Olympus OM, the 50mm f3.5, and yes, If I'd have to choose to live till the rest of my life with only one 50mm lens, that one would fit the bill...

[@gpjennett9819]

The optical design is based on the Tessar.

[@robert18productions]

It is based on a Xenotar design, not a tessar design.

[@marioarias9942]

I have the 3.5 and the 2.8 Nikkor both super sharp withe the 1/1 extension tubes .

[@photofreaksk]

I see that you have finally discovered the quality of Nikon lenses. - But that took a long time...

[@zenography7923]

Better late than never!

[@atomaalatonal]

ive got my d200 with its 80-200 2.8 d. unfortunately its just the push pull version, so to everyone who wants to buy the zoomring version dont forget to ASK the resellers beforehand about it^^. they almost never mention it behind the official terminology. but anyway this combination makes very beautiful pictures with a certain film quality to it. the bokeh bubbles at 2.8 are round circles and the grain at 800iso is like old filmgrain :D plus the colors are also very nice. maan im excited to shoot outside now with that package^^. i was lucky enough to catch a d200 with less then 17000 shutter count

[@stephanpaier9887]

How do you achieve those poping colors? Do you shoot jpgs or raw and do you enhance the colors in post? Thanx, I think, I will use my Nikkor 2.8 55 Micro AIS more in the future, thanks to your nice images.....

[@zenography7923]

They're straight out of camera jpegs, with no processing. Plenty of pop from this one!

[@stephanpaier9887]

@ Extraordinary!!!! Thx!

[@theinstructor2687]

Actually, Z, that's a 1:2 macro lens. I have a couple of 1:2 macros and I also have a couple of 2:1 macros. One is for crop frame and the other is for full frame. A 2:1 macro will give you a projected image twice as big as that from a 1:1 macro. For me, the 2:1 macros are difficult to use, at 2:1, because the DOF is even thinner. Quite rewarding when I get it right. I've never owned or used that lens, but it does seem very good. I do have a few old Nikon manual lenses that I use on my Sony mirrorless cameras. Another good video, Sir. Thanks.

[@zenography7923]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shy-guy5544]

I originally bought it with my Nikon F and now use it with my Fuji XT3 with an adapter.

[@bigshooter461]

LOL, I say this all the time about sharp lenses, sharp enough to cut you

[@laughinglads642]

Sorry im a noob would this be ok for a micro 4/3

[@sclogse1]

Tbe 60 would become a 120mm on Micro Four Thirds. Ask around if you'll lose infinity with it. But you're not buying it for that.

[@RossLarson]

I have the Olympus 50mm macro lens in this video. I adapt it to a Sony NEX 6, and I have enjoyed the sharpness and close focus distance. It's pretty great.

[@sclogse1]

As soon as I saw 60 macro...like the Contax macro lenses...not just sharp, but they are the kings of rendering a 3-D image. Choose your bsckgrounds as much as your subject. Once shooting macro, very close, backgrounds will blur well. My 35mm macro Nikkor is the same way. Like some kind of diamond cutter. My sage opinion on one to one is the amount of depth of field is going to be so narrow you'll only succeed at home, and even then, I recommend focussing with a rail on your tripod. (Niles tried with the lens) Anything else I'd leave to the youngsters who have more brain cells to fry then the old crowd has. 2:1 leaves just enough to allow you to still be able to read comments.

[@zenography7923]

There's plenty of blur for macro, no doubt about it!

[@robert18productions]

Nikon made some great macro optics, if interested, try the 105mm f/4 AI/AI-S and 105mm f/2.8 AI-S lenses. If you want to get into more dedicated macro work, I highly recommend Nikkor enlarger lenses. With a bellows and focusing helicoid you can get really sharp optics for a fraction of the price for what most vintage macro lenses are selling for. I have tried the EL Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 N and it is a bitingly sharp lens, sharper than most standard lenses at f/2.8. Just be careful, they are fragile. I would say you slightly overpaid but prices may differ in the UK. You can find the Non-AI version for around $35-50 if not cheaper in the USA.

[@aomanchutube]

I don't understand why the new lunar lander missed the target sir! It was based in Nigel finger units!

[@zenography7923]

:)

[@Peter-so3ty]

I do astrophotography. How is the focus at infinity?

[@zenography7923]

It seems pretty good to be honest!

[@Scooter_123_abc]

Your lens is a non AI version and that puts the production prior to 1975. At a guess I would put the production in the 1973 to 1975 time frame. As for the sharpness and image quality the 55 was renowned as being one of the sharpest 50mm lenses ever made.

[@victorseastrom3455]

There is also a F/2.8 version which is every bit as good and gives you a bit more background blur. I should mention that it does not go for any more money. Typically $50-$100 US.

[@johnyoung1606]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@yangfei7187]

l told a friend to buy this len with FM body when his newly buy second hand canon AE-1 was collapsed last year.

[@MrSimonj1970]

I think it's 1:2, not 2:1 - a lens channel should know this!

[@zenography7923]

Whoops, thanks for pointing out the error!

[@Wadidiz]

Looks like I have to go and do a search for what a £ is worth outside of the UK to find a referense point. € or $ displayed would instantly communicate to at least me.