New (to me) Nikon 50mm 1.2 (problem?)

Not sure what happened here Half of the roll is perfect and half is not... Is this a lens issue? Not sequential but a few in a row then good frames then a bad frame ect. ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The out of focus is probably me - but the silhouetting on the right side of some of the frames is the issue that I refer too

It looks like the indoor pictures, probably shot at lower shutter speeds, are OK, some (not all) of the outdoor shots, probably at higher speeds, are affected. What camera is it? If it's a horizontal shutter (F, F2) the blinds may not be moving across evenly at the higher speeds, causing uneven exposure.

And the outdoor shots not affected also have more depth of field, suggesting a small aperture and therefore a slower shutter speed.

Maybe the F3 in A mode was trying to shoot beyond its 2000 shutter speed?

I'd also suspect the shutter needing adjustment, as it appears to me that the slit between the curtains isn't functioning properly at one end of its run. A CLA is probably in order.

Research shutter capping. Happens more at higher speeds, which you may be using more with the faster lens? This involves shutter tension on the two curtains being out of synch with each other from slowly degrading springs, and is a relatively simple adjustment, but probably not one you should do yourself. Basically the first curtain is slightly slow and the second catches up with it before they move off the film, closing the shutter early.

I ve shot a few rolls through this camera recently with no issues but with a slower lens. I was really just testing this lens as I just acquired it but in my excitement of using the widest aperture, I wasnt thinking about the shutter speed being up at 2000 ... I will go back to my normal shooting and see if I have any more issues. If I do then it will be a trip to the camera doctor.

Maybe the F3 in A mode was trying to shoot beyond its 2000 shutter speed?

- I believe that's possible, and would likely result in shutter-capping as described.

 

It's easy enough to test the camera. Open the back, remove the lens, and point the camera skyward with the shutter manually set to maximum speed. If the shutter caps you should clearly see a darkened edge. If not you'll see the full frame rectangle evenly lit.

 

Try the same with a bright sky and A mode. Again, any capping should be clearly visible.

And the outdoor shots not affected also have more depth of field, suggesting a small aperture and therefore a slower shutter speed.

 

This is what I think too.

 

BTW, you have one of Nikon's most famed lenses. Tape the aperture locked to f/1.2 and use it that way for its marvelous rendering. They will have to "pry mine out of my cold dead fingers"...

Looks similar to a problem I'm having with my contax iia at top speed. It has a vertical shutter. I posted 2 photos on another forum here: Contax IIA shutter problem at 1/1250

Once you get the camera repaired it would be nice to see some more images and your evaluation of the lens. Which 50/1.2 is it?

Once you get the camera repaired....

It may not need repair. It could just be that the shutter is being driven beyond its top speed in A mode.

 

Seems likely, since an 'average' EV 13 outdoors with 100 ISO film and f/1.2 would need a shutter speed of around 1/5000th.

Edited March 7, 2019 by rodeo_joe|1

I have had that problem in the past (KOW). It never happened all the time, and only at certain speeds. It might be easier to see if you look through the back over a florescent light source.

This is what I think too.

 

BTW, you have one of Nikon's most famed lenses. Tape the aperture locked to f/1.2 and use it that way for its marvelous rendering. They will have to "pry mine out of my cold dead fingers"...

 

Is this the famed lens? I wasnt aware that there were multiple 1.2 lenses

 

Is this the famed lens? I wasnt aware that there were multiple 1.2 lenses

 

Nikon made 7 assorted 1.2 lenses. Two of them were NOCT versions. See

 

Nikon Lens Specifications

So mine is not special then.... But I also did not pay the "special" price..... I think I would buy the Zeiss 75 1.5 Biotar lens if I was going to pay for a special lens....

Here's my early '70s Nikkor-S 55mm f/1,2 still doing service on my Canon cameras as well as on my older Nikons:

This one is non-AI.

It, and the 35mm PC-Nikkor, were the reasons I went to Nikon at the time.

Well, I have never heard of a camera selecting a shutter speed, aperture, or ISO that was not programmed into it. If there is no auto-shift for ISO then the camera will simply underexpose or overexpose if it can't reach the correct exposure. The images appear to be correctly exposed, but seem to show shutter drag of some sort. It could be the aperture is lagging behind but I don't think it would appear only at the side.

 

 

Looks like a 50/1.2 AIS, which is generally the most desirable, but I would have to see the back of the lens to know for sure. The tell tale slot in the mount.

Well, I have never heard of a camera selecting a shutter speed, aperture, or ISO that was not programmed into it. If there is no auto-shift for ISO then the camera will simply underexpose or overexpose if it can't reach the correct exposure. The images appear to be correctly exposed, but seem to show shutter drag of some sort. It could be the aperture is lagging behind but I don't think it would appear only at the side.

 

 

Looks like a 50/1.2 AIS, which is generally the most desirable, but I would have to see the back of the lens to know for sure. The tell tale slot in the mount.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's an AI lens, not an AIS.

Still very good. I think the AIS likely only introduced slightly better coatings.