It was also the first super-fast telephoto lens that was actually practical to use in the field, shooting indoor and outdoor sports equally well.
While some restrictions do exist — due to the changing of autofocus mechanisms, aperture adjustments transitioning from manual to automatic and shutter mechanism compatibility — most vintage Nikkor lenses work perfectly well with new Nikon DSLR bodies. To help you find that perfect analog match for your high-tech digital SLR, we’ve picked our ten favorite classic SLR lenses that will get you shooting timeless images with your DSLR right away. It has been produced in various iterations, e.g. Before you get yourself a new Nikkor lens, we recommend checking out this comprehensive guide to double-check that your camera body and new lens are compatible. How Does Apple Fitness+ Stack Up to Competition? 100mm f/2 Olympus OM Zuiko Auto-T Olympus OM 100mm is one of the best vintage portrait lenses still available today.
When used as a portrait lens, the 85mm f/1.4 AI-S produces beautiful bokeh and is a favorite lens of many loyal Nikon shooters. True, prices on the 28mm are steep, but that comes with the territory of supreme quality. Minuscule numbers of these lenses were made, and they had to be special ordered from the Nikon factory where they were custom made. 4. For those looking to dabble in sports photography, but don’t want to shell out for a newer autofocus lens — like the Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED lens ($1,222) — the 80-200mm is a good choice. Helios 44 58mm f2 – Full review
This was Nikon’s first internal-focusing 300mm f/2.8. The 80-200 f/4.5 is an extremely affordable tele zoom lens; it can range from $30 to $100 dollars. The Prime Day for Cheap Furniture Ends Today. Prices can reach as high as $25,000 for these lenses, which is why they’re so rare. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, What to Buy from the Oxo of Millennial Home Goods, The Best Standing Desks for the Home or Office, 6 CBD Products Professional Trainers Swear By, The 6 Best Mechanical Keyboards to Use at Work. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Turn Your Canon DSLR or Mirrorless Camera Into the Highest-Quality Webcam In the Chat, In the Mirrorless Age, Here’s an Argument for a DSLR.
(Not all the inexpensive glass you dig up on eBay is going to suit your needs.) Over the years, a number of Nikon’s best lenses have been discontinued, yet they can still be bought in vintage camera shops or garage sales around the globe. And, when it comes to optics, it’s still the gold standard in Nikon’s 300mm line.
the Super-Multi-Coated and SMC Super Takumars, in both M42 and K mount.
The Nikkor 13mm f/5.6 was one of Nikon’s best and rarest lenses ever made. Nothing really compares to the optical quality of a prime lens, and the 50mm f/1.8 D is one of the best primes Nikon ever made.
Use vintage lenses on your DSLR by finding the right adapters. Many vintage lenses still work with modern Nikon DSLR’s, and they can be had for a fraction of the price of new lenses. All are excellent performers and opinion varies as to which is best. Or you can find them on eBay, like the lenses below.
Learn More. Using a vintage SLR lens on a DSLR can be a fun and, occasionally, frustrating experience. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. 2. When shooting a horizon, the horizon line stays perfectly straight (provided your composition was level at the time of shooting). Versions are available all the way back to 1978, with the autofocus D lenses being the most desirable. And they still make it today. There are newer versions of the lens produced today, but none compare to this vintage, ultra-smooth autofocus version. Though Nikon still produces an autofocus version of this lens, the manual-focus version (which was axed in 2006) has far superior optical quality. Why a Pair of Patagonia Shorts Went Viral, The 9 Best Commuter Bikes for Every Road and Rider, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Browse our lens and camera reviews. But the Nikkor 13mm f/5.6 is fine demonstration of Nikon flexing its muscles, even if it’s more for show than profit. And its sharpness is consistent throughout the entire aperture range (f/4.5 to f/32). Buy Now: $96+ 85mm f/1.4 AI-S You won’t spend much but you will get a lot to experiment with. It’s extremely wide at 13mm, but produces no distortion — which is a thing of beauty. 35mm f/2 Leitz Summicron Introduced in 1958 as an 8-element design that’s still regarded as one of the best performing non-aspheric lenses ever, the current version is the Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH that uses a different formula. Even wide open, at f/1.4, Nikon’s 28mm (produced from 1994 to 2006) is extremely sharp — even in the corners. Throughout its history, Nikon has (effectively) never changed its lens mount; a Nikon F2 produced in the ’70s has the same mounting ring as the new D5 digital SLR.
Although prices have been going up lately you can still find this lens at a very interesting price. Every product is carefully selected by our editors.
While some photographers often compare this lens to the much more expensive Noct-Nikkor 58mm/f1.2 or Leica 50mm f/0.95, the price of the Minolta on the used market makes this lens so much more interesting! And loads can be purchased at an affordable price. And loads can be purchased at an affordable price.
its 9 aperture blades create an interesting bokeh that appeals to a lot of vintage lens aficionados.
The 135mm f/2 DC comes with what Nikon called “defocus control.” Defocus control isn’t soft focus; rather, it is a mechanism to adjust the bokeh in your images. Even though this is quite a heavy lens (it’s f1.2 after all!) That makes the Nikon F-mount, first introduced in 1959, the only SLR mounting system that is over 50 years old. Versions are available all the way back to 1978, with the autofocus D lenses being the most desirable.