Nikon Series E Lenses

[photo5]

I own the Nikon 50mm f1.8 Series E Lens. I've been pretty impressed with the performance of this little

lens from the photos I have taken with it. I also own a Nikkor-H 50mm f2 Non-AI, a Nikon 50mm f2 AI, a

Nikon 50mm f1.4 AIS, and a Nikon 55mm f2.8 AIS lens in this focal length range.

 

I've read on many photo.net forum discussions, as well as on Bjorn's site, that the Series E Nikon lenses

lacked the NIC that the Nikkor lenses had since AI was introduced (and earlier in some instances). From

other sources, such as the mir.com site, the Braczko Complete Nikon System book, they say the Nikon

Series E lenses did in fact have the same NIC coatings as the Nikkor lenses, and the main differences are

that the E lenses have a plastic focusing helicoid vs. an aluminum one in Nikkor lenses.

 

I would tend to agree with this, as to set aside a special coating process for the Series E lenses would cost

Nikon more money rather than just picking the finished lens elements out of the bin and making the E

lenses alongside the Nikkors.

 

So my question is, does anyone know of any difinitive sources from Nikon itself stating the Series E lenses

do in fact lack the NIC multi-coating?

 

When I look at the front element of my Series E 50mm, I see amber white and yellow reflections in the

elements. When I look at the front element of my Nikon 50mm f1.4 AIS lens, I see yellow, amber and

green. The lack of green reflections in the series E perhaps indicates no NIC coatings?

 

Thanks for your replies!

[rob_sato]

Some information from long time Nikon user Ken Rockwell's website:

It is easy to see what kind of coating you have:

 

No coating: bright white reflections from the glass, just like a window, drinking glass or most TV sets. (Better TVs and computer monitors are coated so you see less reflections from room lighting.)

 

Single coating: dimmer blue or sometimes amber reflections when looking straight into the glass.

 

Multicoating; much darker reflections of many colors, especially green or dark red.

[vivek iyer]

Ignore the quote above. Check out how an 85/1.4 looks like! It sure has NIC! OTOH, the 80/2.8 AF (made for F3AF) has very 'thick' looking purple/green multicoating, the newer 85/2.8 PC Micronikkor has pale green looking (NIC) multicoating.

 

Rather than how a front element is coated, what sort of material (glass) is used, how they are arranged and fitted are quite important. Many of the inner elements are also coated. The NIC was/is not expensive for Nikon.

 

If you have the 50/1.4, I wouldn't bother with the E-series lenses at all. It has nothing to do with the coatings.

[Peter_in_PA]

Dave,

 

You have, imho, too many 50mm lenses. If it were me, I'd just use the 1.4 and be done with

it.

[photojim]

I agree with Peter, except that if you don't need the extra stop of speed, the 50/2 AI is likely to be the sharpest of the bunch of lenses that you have.

 

In my experience the Series E lenses were single coated. The second-generation 50/1.8 AI-S and AF 50/1.8 and /1.8D have the same optical formula as the E lenses, but have multicoating. If you compare your lens' coatings to one of these lenses then you will have a straighter answer as to whether you have multicoating or not.

 

The E lens is very light and tiny and only worth about twenty bucks, so it's probably not worth selling it, but that /2 AI you have is a delicious lens...

[photo5]

Thanks for all your replies. When the weather improves around here, I'm going to have a showdown at the OK Corral with this group of Nikon 50mm lenses and post the results here. I'll probably sell off the Series E and keep the others.

[photo5]

Well if anyone is still reading this thread, I did the shootout between the 50mm lenses as

well as the 18-70mm Nikon DX zoom set to 50mm, and the 50mm f2 came in tied with the

Nikon 18-70mm lens as the sharpest, beating the 50mm f1.4 AIS and the 55mm f2.8 Micro-

Nikkor!! In fact, the 55mm f2.8 Micro-Nikkor came in last from the bunch. I didn't test the

50mm f1.8 Series E after all, figuring it would score the lowest. But now I'm curious to test it

as well. In any case, the f2.0 Nikon 50mm AI sure seems like a great lens that lives up to its

reputation. Very surprised it beat the f1.4 AIS!

[Michael R Freeman]

<i>"So my question is, does anyone know of any definitive sources from Nikon itself stating the Series E lenses do in fact lack the NIC multi-coating?"</i><P>

 

"Eyes of Nikon" (published by Nikon in 1985) <b>specifically</b> states that the 28/2.8E, 35/2.5E, 135/2.8E, 36~72/3.5E, 75~150/3.5E and 70~210/4E all <b>have NIC multicoating</b>. I also have an original sales brochure for the Series E line that confirms the same information.<P>

 

Conspicuously absent is any mention of NIC coatings for the 50/1.8E and 100/2.8E (in both the brochure and "Eyes of Nikon"). Since Nikon made a point of highlighting the NIC feature for all of the other Series E lenses, something they do not do for the "real" Nikkors in the book, one is left to assume that these two lenses do not have NIC coatings.<P>

The above is in reference to the later "chrome ring" Series E lenses. I do not know if the same applies to the original Series E line with the plastic mounting ring (the brochure for that line makes no mention of coatings).