The Nikon 135mm f/2 DC: A Lens So Good It Became King

[@ONTHERIZEMAG]

I still use the 105 dc on portrait sessions. There is no substitution for it's ability to render depth due to the low element count, while having no ed or aspherical glass elements it is still sharp at f2 and the bokeh balls are twice the size of lenses of it's focal length. The manual focus has confirmation on the z cameras when using the ftz2. Like the angry photog said, it is the best portrait lens ever made :)

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@ONTHERIZEMAG 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@denisnicholson2528]

I absolutely love my copy. I got it on a steal of a deal, $200 for this lens and a 180mm 2.8 1st version (plastic). Yeah, both of them have heavy dust on each of the elements, but they don't show up at F2, where I usually shoot at. I've shot this on the D700 and my D3S and OMG, the colors are insane. One of my all time favorite portraits was with this lens and the D700. It's wicked sharp, the compression is to die for, I honestly can't say enough good things about this lens. I'm hoping to get it serviced one of these days, but it's such an incredible lens. I'll add the 105 DC to my collection, but i'm seriously so happy with this lens. Treating this lens well, it'll outlast me and I hope it can be a lens I can pass down to my kids.

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@denisnicholson2528 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@ericxin-lp7jd]

really wish Nikon could release a FTZ with focus motor so I can use this on Zf.

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@ericxin-lp7jd I’ve been wanting that since day one, but I’ve heard some folks make a really good point of why Nikon has no incentive to, and it’s a good enough argument that it’s depressing lol

[@LOLA6ifyable]

@@ZWadePhoto Rumers started circling it might happen after all. Don't hold your breath , but don't loose hope just yet.

[@johnw.3636]

Seriously. I have no idea why this hasn't happened.

[@kaminobatto]

I bought this lens a few years back specifically for the DF feature. Kon and Becky said at the time that it starts to show its age on sensors with more than 24 megapixel resolution, but to me this is again part of the charm if you are going for a dreamy look. I have my lower resolution bodies if I am looking for the optical performance sweet spot. It's a beautiful looking lens with great rendering.

[@ZWadePhoto]

Hey 45 mp generally needs a little texture pull as to not offend the subjects haha might not be a bad thing

[@JiiV3e]

Dude, like I recomended this lens for an other KZbinr like 2 hours before you uploaded this video. Great minds think alike!

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@JiiV3e we are psychically connected

[@NikonDave]

Still own this puppy and try several times a year to find a use case to take it out. Really enjoy this series. Like Pokemon...gotta catch them all. Cheers!

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@NikonDave haha 🎵gotta catch em aaaalllllll, Ni-I-kon 🎵

[@jpdj2715]

About as fast as the Plena, I guess, in T value. DxO Mark did not test this one, but the 105/2 DC has T=2.2 and only 2 micrometer chromatic aberration. I would expect the 135/2 DC to be comparable. Sharpness and vignetting are sort of mediocre. But distortion is very good. Best matched to the 24MP full frame cameras. My current favourite in the 100..135 range is my Z 105mm/2.8S macro lens. It does not suppress focus breathing and at 1:1 closest distance it becomes a 160mm/4.3 - or at 1.5..2 metres it will be close to 135.

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@jpdj2715 thanks for watching today!

[@OriginalWatchcow]

The DC feature is even weirder than that. It's really tweaking the chromatic aberration that is inherent in these fast midrange telephotos. That green-magenta fringe you see around your backlit subject on nearly all these fast tele primes can be shifted to virtually gone if you use the DC feature correctly. It's not intuitive at all and most people never learned what that ring does. By changing the distance between a couple of lens elements in one of the middle groups it corrects what was essentially a flaw in the materials available so you have a choice that impacts accuity a little to eliminate an undesirable optical artifact. Newer lenses with separate fucus motors can correct for this over a wide range of distances where these simpler designs were bound by fixed mechanical movement ratios and could only be fully corrected at one distance.

[@ZWadePhoto]

Thats incredibly complicated. haha. but nice lenses either way

[@johnfromconnecticut]

Nice reporting on a great lens that seems to have been forgotten in time! Wonder if this lens influenced the design of the Z 135 f/1.8 Plena in any way?

[@ZWadePhoto]

Hmmm. I don’t know. They are very different, but certainly as premier and legendary as this lens is perhaps Nikon said, “the last time we did a 135 it was a lens with a special power and totally primo. Let’s make another lens with a special power”

[@roybixby6135]

The 135 and 105 DC are two of the AFD lenses I really miss using (I have a list)..🦘

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@roybixby6135 👀 you don’t have them?

[@roybixby6135]

@@ZWadePhoto What makes you think that I dont have them ??? 🦘

[@zackchoy1969]

I prefer the 105mm f/2 DC

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@zackchoy1969 🙌🙌🙌

[@Adreno23421]

Nah, the Zeiss 135mm F2 Z.F2 is waaay better, it's miles ahead of the Nikon. As I read once on a forum "The Zeiss is a God and the 135 is a minion if that". 44 on DxoMark, "Unsurpassed Moderate Telephoto" as they put it, insane sharpness. You don't have a single video on the Zeiss 135mm F2, do a side by side to the Nikon and you might revisit this video.

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@Adreno23421 Darn you’re right. I regret comparing the 2 in this video

[@longrider9551]

✌✌

[@ZWadePhoto]

@@longrider9551 🙌🙌🙌

[@OkwyUgonweze]

I have 105 dc in pristine condition,anyone wants can have it for 450 usta . I have moved to mirroless.

[@johnw.3636]

Hi. Can we discuss? I've been wanting a copy for the longest.

[@OkwyUgonweze]

@ lens is in upper mariboro Maryland . If you want it will make a live video and share with you if you provide the details . Am away right now on holidays will be back on 12 .

[@Ton-x4r]

I have the 105mm version. Also pretty good but wide open so f2 a bit soft. But yeah my D850 has lenses for breakfast. From f2.8 no problem.

[@ZWadePhoto]

@Ton-x4r 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@Aliquot1914]

That is not the King of Bokeh, My Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 smokes the Nikon DC lens in all image quality.

[@Capcity44]

I have the APO Sonnar too. I have no plans to sell it