I really miss the old days of Nikkor lenses.

[DB_Gallery]

<p>Even when Nikon does come out with fast proper format primes, I doubt I will get any of them since I prefer manual focus for what is does for optical alignment longevity and size. The exception to this is my Carl Zeiss 35 F/2 ZF, it is big. But it is insanely sharp even wide open. </p>

<p>Last Summer, I did a remote journey into the wilderness for an article. I brought just a D700 and a 28mm F/2. It did fantastic. </p>

[jbm]

<p>Some of the Nikkor zooms are just astoundingly good. Even my modestly priced 16-85 VR for DX on my D300 is incredibly sharp (well, less so since I dropped it from a huge height onto concrete...but that's a different story). I still enjoy using a prime though, not because of differences in image quality, but because with a zoom you tend to forget about perpective and just "fill the frame" at a convenient distance. What a bummer.<br>

I do have to echo the comment that projected slides are amazing. My Dad recently enearthed old Kodachromes from my Grandfather's honeymoon where he and Gram drove across the American West. They are 60 years old, taken with a Kodak rangefinder. They are all ASA 12, so even in bright light there is motion blur of moving cars...but my goodness there is nothing like looking at landscapes that way. They are totally surreal with a color palette I have yet to see replicated. A projection screen of a digital image totally pales in comparison.<br>

To the OP, keep shooting the primes, if you like 'em. They are all over eBay.<br>

Cheers,<br>

Jay</p>

[des adams]

<p>Ian Rance .... good picture.</p>

[oskar_ojala]

<p>Back in the day, Nikon offered what people wanted, as they do today. Seriously, one doesn't need a choice of three different lenses for the same focal length, e.g. the difference between 2.8 and 3.5 is small. Today, Nikon offers a large selection of normal DX zooms and f2.8 pro zooms from 14 mm to 200 mm. Naturally there are many lenses that are lacking from Nikon's lineup (say pro quality slower and smaller zooms), but OTOH there are positive developments like the new PC lenses.<br>

And I consider that serious lenses are made in West-Germany ;-)</p>

[alan_wilder1]

<p>The nice thing about the older MF Nikkors (especially from the 60's through the early 80's) is that they were so plentiful that today they can be purchased for a song as can most of the MF Canon FD series, both of which were built to take a hard pro use unlike some of the lighter duty AF lenses offered today. Both lines currently offer some lenses equal in build quality to their older sibling and the lighter duty comments mostly apply to some of their lenses designed with a price point. The biggest difference however applies to Nikon's or Canon's approach many years ago when trying to reach out to those with thin wallets. Economically priced lenses like the 28/3.5, 35/2.8, 50/2 and 135/3.5 sacrificed nothing in build quality against their more expensive siblings and when a lens was given the Nikkor label, it always meant that it could hold up to harsh pro treatment. Not every Nikkor was optically the top dog (some were just fair) but they were among the best built Japanese lenses. Now if you really want an example of superior lens build quality, consider the Leica R series lenses. </p>

[brooks_lester]

<p>I have a Nikon 50mm f/1.8AF N-series that I got for $30 dollars on Craig's list. A kid had inherited it from his father, who had used it (barely) on a Nikon film body. The kid wanted to get a Canon DSLR so he was liquidating the Nikon gear. It's almost my sharpest lens, sharper than my very sharp Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 but slightly less sharp than the legendary and ridiculously sharp 105mmf/2.5AIS that I just picked up, and its contrast and color rendition are extremely good with almost no distortion. And, it has food bokeh.</p>

<p>The IQ of the Nikon 50mm lenses is excellent, just read the professional reviews. The build quality of the AF lenses isn't so great, but as Ken Rockwell, who actually make a lot of sense sometimes, says, the lens may not feel substantial but it makes great pictures and it only cost $100 new.</p>

<p>The picture was shot handheld at 1/125 sec, after a big cup of coffee, and my daughter was not staying still. And, I'm not very steady. It looks fairly sharp to me (at the point of focus - aperture is almost wide open in this shot) with good contrast and color. (I boosted the saturation in PP to a high level). For $100 or so dollars it's a fabulous lens and does things that only much more expensive lenses can do.</p>

<p><a title="Luvin' on Her B by SuperFriend, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/3213560798_2d8026e2af_b.jpg" alt="Luvin' on Her B" width="768" height="1024" /></a><br>

another example:</p>

<p><a title="By the Fountain by SuperFriend, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2096/1509002561_7693ce11e0_b.jpg" alt="By the Fountain" width="681" height="1024" /></a><br /></p>

[peter]

<p>I would not say that I am actually getting sick of Nikons AF lenses but here's the thing. I only own on DX lens - the Nikkor 18-70 AF which is pretty good as a kit lens but plasticy and wobbly as all get out.<br>

I am taking more and more photos with my MF Nikkor lenses including several pre AI converted ones.<br>

And when I am using AF lenses most are those from the early to mid 1990's. I like the build quality of that era of AF lenses. Despite the criticism of the day that they are plasticy and weak compared to traditional MF Nikkors, they are robust and substantial compared to today's "plastic fantastics".<br>

And ....What about those MF Nikkors!!!!! They are just superb. I cannot get enough of them. They are beautifully made pieces of industrial art if I can call them that. Moreover apart from the joy of ownership, as I use them more and more, especially the prime lenses I find that this is making me rethink my photography. I get up off my backside and walk around rather than standing there, zooming in and snapping a picture that as we say in Australia "the drover's dog" could have taken.</p>