Vincent Peri Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Like the greedy pig I am, I just bought a Nikkor 18 f/3.5 AIS lens on ebay. What the heck, I already had the HK-9 lens hood for the lens :p Decades ago, I had one for a short time, but it was too close to my 20 f/2.8 and I sold it. Now, even though I have a 20 2.8 lens, I wanted to compare the 18's rectilinear qualities to the 20's. I'm hoping it will arrive by Saturday so I can put it through its paces. I'm just curious as to whether anyone else here has an 18mm 3.5 lens and how do you like it? Thanks for any comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanford Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I have the 12-24mm Tokina zoom for Nikon. The wide end is an 18mm equiv. and it take some getting used to each time I use it. An 18-36mm equiv. is tough enough, being restricted to just 18mm would be "limiting" but a challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsetto Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) I just bought a Nikkor 18 f/3.5 AIS lens on ebay. What the heck, I already had the HK-9 lens hood for the lens :p See, this is where you're more clever than some of us: having a practical reason, any slight excuse, wipes away all the guilt from the pleasure! :) So I guess the lesson here is, I need to buy some more hoods? ;) Edited January 14, 2021 by orsetto 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Peri Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 See, this is where you're more clever than some of us: having a reason, any slight excuse, wipes away all the guilt from the pleasure! :) So I guess the lesson here is, I need to buy some more hoods? ;) Hmm... I have an HS-10 hood lying around some- where... what lens do I need to buy for it...??? http://bayouline.com/o2.gif 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanford Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 any slight excuse I knew there was a reason for saving batteries to cameras I no longer have. I used to check the obits from my home town paper using the "life is short" reasoning for a new purchase. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter Schaefer Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 HS-10 hood lying around That would be for the 85/2 Ai. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crowe Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 My primary focal length for 25 of 35 years of photography has been 17mm. It was displaced for 5 years with a Nìkon 14/2.8. I owned the 20/3.5 UD for a time as well. I still use the 8/2.8 on occasion. While Bjorn Rorslett certainly seems to like the 20/2.8 more than the 18/3.5 the extra 2mm is extremely significant. It certainly will be challenging to compose with an 18mm, but when you do it effectively it is extremely satisfying. Be sure to post some comparisons when you get a chance. Now I am off to find a case for the 13/5.6, to give me a good excuse...though that will be all that I could afford! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsetto Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) I used to check the obits from my home town paper using the "life is short" reasoning for a new purchase. Dark, dude. Dark. :eek:;) A nice quality of the 18mm f/3.5 is its surprisingly low edge distortion: used carefully, you can get away with murder compared to many other ultra-wides. I haven't seen the dealbreaker vignetting Bjorn Rorslett complains of, but sample variation is always a possibility. The front barrel with 72mm filter mount is borderline too small for the optical coverage, which can lead to trouble for those who rely heavily on filters and hoods (perhaps this is what annoyed Rorslett). 18mm was too wide for me to make good use of, 20mm is my limit (and even that I'm not great with). But its a nifty, compact lens for anyone with a nose for suitable subjects and the skills to make it sing. Compared to the 20mm Nikkors, it fuses the best qualities of the f/3.5 AIS and f/4 K-Pre-AI, adding lower distortion and wider impact. Edited January 14, 2021 by orsetto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_allegretta Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 The 18mm f/3.5 is one of my favorites. It makes the lowest edge distortion I have ever seen. It uses standard front filters, offering plenty of imaging options. The next wider lens is the 15mm, but it's big, flares more, not as sharp, and offers limited filtering options, in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Peri Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 That would be for the 85/2 Ai. Aw nuts! Just out of curiosity, I looked on ebay, and sure enough, I found an 85 f/2 in great condition for a fantastic price. I am so gonna regret this, especially when the wife finds out....:eek: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chulster Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Aw nuts! Just out of curiosity, I looked on ebay, and sure enough, I found an 85 f/2 in great condition for a fantastic price. I am so gonna regret this, especially when the wife finds out....:eek: It's a terrible, terrible addiction, for which the only cures are bankruptcy and death. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albins images Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 It's a terrible, terrible addiction, for which the only cures are bankruptcy and death. The best cure for NAS* is to start collecting jazz vinyl records, I found out :eek: * the often discussed but rarely treated 'Nikon Acquisition Syndrome' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 for which the only cures are bankruptcy and death But not necessarily in that order.....:( 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_murphy5 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 I have one and love it. I sold my 20mm f/2.8 AIS when I got this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_murphy5 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 The 18mm f/3.5 is one of my favorites. It makes the lowest edge distortion I have ever seen. It uses standard front filters, offering plenty of imaging options. The next wider lens is the 15mm, but it's big, flares more, not as sharp, and offers limited filtering options, in comparison. I agree about the predisposition to ghost with a bright light in the frame and its size, but having had both for a number of years and both used in architectural photography, it's level of sharpness is right on par with the 18mm f/3.5 AIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 Aw nuts! Just out of curiosity, I looked on ebay, and sure enough, I found an 85 f/2 in great condition for a fantastic price. I am so gonna regret this, especially when the wife finds out....:eek: A long time ago, I thought about getting an AI 85/2.0, but never did. And I don't have a lens hood for one, either. Actually, I am not very good at using lens hoods, even when I should. Well, sometimes I will shade the lens with my hand when needed. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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