unusual colouration with a Nikkor 105macro?

Hi all...thanks for your help in advance. I have a small selection

of Nikkors, 24-120, 20, 80-400VR, and a 105mm AF macro lens. I have

noticed, that when using my 105 there is a slight difference in

colouration that with my other lenses. I don't really think it can

be described as saturation, I know that saturation increases with

better optics. I have noticed that my 20mm has much nicer colours,

especially stopped down, compared to some of my other lenses, but I

don't think that's the issue. I can't really describe it...but it's

as though the colours through my 105 are COOLER somehow...more

subdued....almost more seventyish as opposed to the violent blues and

greens of today. I don't know if that makes sense, but that's the

best I can describe it. I was just wondering if this is only my

lens, or do others find this to be the case as well? I don't really

know if it's a good or bad thing...it's just different. Is it a

coating thing? And optics thing? A bad batch thing? Any ideas?

Thanks again, Michael D. Bradigan, Okayama, Japan. BTW, in case

you think it's pertinent, I'm shooting with a F80 and mostly Velvia.

Just to clear up a minor point , Michael, You are not using skylight / UV filters etc on the fronts of these lenses are you? That could make a difference.

Michael,

 

AFAIK it could be 3 things a) skylight b) your using the it as a 'normal' 105 c) your (maybe as a result of b) overexposing Velvia(dark slides).

 

Thats about all i can think of

 

Greetings,

Nope, no skylight filter on it. Occasionally CPL and/or 81A, but never skylight or UV. I don't understand why it would be different colouration when used as a macro or as a normal lens...can you clarify that a bit? Also, the colouration remains the same when shooting macro. I don't think it's an underexposure issue (although, I can't say I don't often have a problem with that!). If I line up the same composition with my 105macro and then my 80-400VR at about 105, and then my 24-120 at about 105, the 80-400 and 24-120 look quite similar...while the 105 shows much more subdued colouration. Wish I had a scanner so I could show you guys! Anyway, thanks for the answers so far...anybody else have any experience with this problem or is it just me? Michael.

Hmmm. Are your macro shots in shadow and your out-and-about not? Shadow runs bluer.

nope...similar lighting conditions....all lighting conditions in fact. It's just cooler. I don't really understand it. But you guys don't find this in your lenses I take it? Strange. Oh well...it's slightly interesting at least...a mystery! Thanks for all the responses so far guys, I appreciate it. Michael

Micheal,

my (rather detailed) response from today noon somehow didn´t reach the forum. To put it shortly, it is most probably a coating thing: Firstly, Nikon colours are not constant, most Nikkors are in general neutral/cool (eg. AIS 180/2.8ED, AIS 20/2.8 and also my AF 105 Macro), but some (I think, mainly cheaper ones) are warmer /more reddish (eg. AIS 200/4, 75-150/3.5 E). Now two points on colour saturation: 1. Saturated colours have, I think, NOT much to do with quality. Eg., Leica lenses have very neutral "seventyish" colours which many people describe as just right and natural (and pay a lot of money for them)though they might look a bit boring and dull to others. 2. My 18-35 Nikkor, the only newer one I have, has much more saturated colours than any other Nikkors I have used.

I guess that with the "new" (???) SIC coating (Nikon boasts a bit about it in some lens catalogues)lenses tend to be more saturated in colour (not necessarily better quality, that is a matter of taste). This would make some marketing sense because most people like strong, larger than life colours (Velvia). Maybe your AF macro doesn´t have the new coating. Another explanation would be that you have a lot of dust inside the lens, so contrast and colours are weakened (happened with my AF105 after 11 years of use).

Michael,

 

First of all it sounds to me you are having trouble with chromatic abberrations. The 105 AF Micro-nikkor is optimised for close focus, chromatic and sferical abberations are more likely to occur in distant focus, this is not the case you said. The only other thing i can think of is some misalignment in the lens(a bad batch thing as you called it) which causes the excessive occurrance of chromatic abberations.

 

Greetings,

Have you tried another film? Velvia amplifies colour casts. I have 11 Nikkor lenses, and basically the manual focus ones have a little less contrast and perhaps a little less saturated colours, but all the AF lenses (9) are pretty close as far as I can tell. There are slight differences in the individual characteristics of the lenses but colour balance differences are very slight as far as I can tell. What does Nikon say about your lenses? Can you go to a store and test another 105 side-by-side?

Thanks for all your answers so far. I can't really go to Nikon, because they don't speak English and my Japanese just isn't quite up to snuff yet. Oh well, it's really not that big of a deal. I kind of like the subdued effect...it's interesting! I will try a different film though, and see if that changes anything. Maybe next time I am in my local money pit...I mean, camera store....I will check out a new 105 and see if the colours are radically different than mine. If so, maybe I will whine and bitch more about it. In the meantime, I'll just complain about not having enough money to upgrade my F80 to F100. Thanks again all, Michael D. Bradigan, Okayama, Japan.