75-150/3.5 Series E - Is It Worth Having?

[john_hinkey]

<p>I found an excellent shape 75-150/3.5 series E AIS at the local pro shop for $99. The zoom/focus ring is not too loose - in fact if you hold the lens pointing down it does not slide (it needs a decent nudge to move).<br /> <br /> I already have a 105/2.5 AIS and 200/4 AIS to use on my D300 when I want a smaller package to lug around and AF isn't an issue. How will the 75-150/3.5 compare sharpness-wise to the 105/2.5 wide open and/or stopped down? Is $99 too much for this lens?<br /> <br /> Thanks - John<br /> <br /> I should say that one of my ulterior reasons for collecting some MF Nikkors is that one day I'd like to get a Panasonic G1 or GH1 of GF1 and have some very good quality Nikon glass to mount on it via the new F to m4/3 adapters available. And hell, maybe Nikon themselves will come out with a mirror-less APS-C camera capable of metering with AIS lenses!</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>One where the zoom ring doesn't slide by itself - didn't know that could happen on that lens. Jokes aside, the lens is a gem and highly regarded by many. $99 is definitely a good price for one in excellent condition - so go and get it. </p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Yes, worth having. Don't own it myself, but shot with it several times. Quite impressively sharp. Not in the 105 f/2.5 league, but not far off. On the copy I worked with, stopping down improved sharpness a tiny bit, but wide open it was already a very nice lens.</p>

<p>For me, the only weird thing is the the zoom; it feels backwards to pull the ring towards you to zoom in - but I'm used to rotating zoomrings, so maybe that's just me :-)</p>

[yann1]

<p>It's a great lens I used a lot, and will probably use again in the future. Mine has the barrel very lose, but it's rally a gem, go for it. </p>

[yann1]

<p>... By the way, John, look at the classifieds: There's one for $75.</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>great lens. i have used it for the F2AS.<br>

definitely woeth it.</p>

[douglasely]

<p><br />John, this is a wonderful lens. I use it on a D300 and have always been happy with the results. It is usually availabe on ebay bewtween $50 and $120. If you have a copy with no zoom creep, it is worth the extra cost. At $120 it is still a bargain. Enjoy, D </p>

<p>Here is a rview written by Bjorn Rorslett........he is a very well regarded reviewer.</p>

<p>"This modest lens, harking back to the Nikon EM glorious days of the early 80's, has deservedly got a reputation for its excellent quality. It is a one-touch zoom design where the focusing collar moves freely with little or no resistance at all to make working with the 75-150 fast and easy. In common with many other longish zooms it's a splendid performer when close-up lenses are added to its 52 mm front thread. I prefer to set the apertures in the f/8-f/11 range to obtain optimum sharpness. Beware of flare when it is pointed towards the sun, though.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html">http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html</a></p>

[bob_h]

<p>This lens was used by the late Galen Rowell, a superb nature photog.<br>

It is a nice lens, as were most of the E series lenses. Not stellar, but very, very good.</p>

[douglasely]

<p>Re" How will the 75-150/3.5 compare sharpness-wise to the 105/2.5 wide open and/or stopped down?</p>

<p>It is a little softer wide open and when set between f8 - f11, as sharp as the 105 f2.5 I sold my 105mm but kept the 75 - 150mm.</p>

<p>It is also very light, compact, and handles well.</p>

[slopoki]

<p>A very nice light and little lens with very good sharpness and works well with the 14x Kenko Teleplus pro 300.<br>

Price sounds about right<br>

Regards, Rick<br>

<a href="http://slopoki1.smugmug.com/Nature">http://slopoki1.smugmug.com/Nature</a></p>

[akira]

<p>I have only encountered positive impressions of the lens and no complaints. I would have like to use it with my G1, but the problem is that the lens in this range (85-200mm, equivalent of 170-400mm on G1) generally has no tripod collar, which may limit the usefulness of this otherwise very attractive lens. YMMV, though.</p>

[john_hinkey]

Thanks for all of the responses guys.

I had the opportunity to do some hand-held tests with this lens on my D300, unfortunately the best I could do was point it out the window and image the buildings and such lit by a bright sunny day. The center seemed to be pretty good wide open and got quite sharp stopped down, but I found the far corners, especially at 150mm needed to be at f/8 or f/11 to be really sharp (just like Bjorn said!).

I think I'll take another look at it tomorrow and try to take it out and put it on a tripod and use live view to focus it.

 

- John

[alan_wilder1]

<p>The nice thing about these classic MF Nikkors is that they can be purchased quite cheaply and for $99, you have little to loose. I have both the 105/2.5 and 75-150/3.5, each purchased for about $100 including a Nikon L37c filter. Testing both on my D700 revealed excelellent sharpness with central resolution exceeding what the sensor can resolve (about 56 lp/mm). I'm sure the 105/2.5 by f/5.6 beats the zoom at the extreme corner but given the convenience of the zoom in focal length coverage, I'll grab it first if I want to travel light with only two or three lenses. Lens speed is less of a concern with the high ISO ability of my D700.</p>

[oskar_ojala]

<p>It's at its best at the shorter focal lengths and around f8. As often seen on consumer zooms, the performance of corners is what suffers most at larger apertures. I've used mine quite successfully. preferably at f8. It doesn't perform in backlit situations as well as premium grade lenses, but some people may like the effect. I don't use mine so often because the barrel is too loose and I tend to shoot more at the normal/wide end these days, but if there is no creep and it works otherwise well then it's a pretty good lens to have when you need a compact lens that you can work with in the f5.6-f11 range.<br>

My experience is with a D70 and D300.</p>

[leif_goodwin8]

<p>A piece of masking tape on the inner barrel should cure any creep. Sharp, but not as good contrast as some more recent lenses. At that price you can probably resell it if need be on FleaBay at little loss.</p>

[bourboncowboy]

<p>I picked up a mint copy on Ebay for $30/shipped. Then the seller refunded $3 for shipping costs. So, for $27 I got this little gem. I agree with most of the above posters have said. I use this lens with a D700 and FE2 and get excellent results. Here's a couple from the D700..</p>

<p><img src="http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c385/BourbonCowboy/-7991.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<img src="http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c385/BourbonCowboy/-7958.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[walterh]

<p>By the way - if you run into the similar looking (though slightly larger) 50mm - 135 m f 1:3.5 Nikkor zoom this is an even better lens. It got the same illness of very loose zoom action but regarding IQ it is a great lens at FX and FF format.<br>

It may be a bit more expensive since it is not marked as Series E.<br>

I got both lenses and like them a lot and occasionally use them if I want a smaller and lighter lens (and less "scary" lens for portraits) than the current f2.8 pro-zoom lenses. As Mark's images suggest above these are nice lenses with a good "character" for portraits.</p>

[larry_miller5]

<p>Oh yes, this lens is a keeper!!! Believe it or not, I got mine free. I went over to a local camera store one day to buy a photo bag. When I bought it the clerk brought out a new, in the box with papers, chrome ring version of the lens and said this goes with it. I almost fell over. Have enjoyed using this lens ever since.</p>