AF Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5

[lfbrown]

I just purchased an AF Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 lens off of Ebay in anticipation of purchasing a Nikon body that will

handle the AF lenses. I have several AF primes but wanted a knock around medium zoom for general use. Currently I

have a Nikon D40 and am playing around with the lens on that but focusing is manual. As advertised the lens looks brand new and functions fine with one exception that may or may not be a problem as I have never before owned a lens which has a macro option. Macro is accessed by depressing a button on the lens barrel and turning the zoom past the widest setting mark (28mm) to an "M" position.

 

Once set in the macro position there is precious little focus range even though the focus ring travels its full distance.

There is some leeway but for the most part the bulk of getting the subject in focus is done by moving the entire camera

back and forth until focus is pretty much attained and then use the focus ring for fine tuning only.

 

And when fine tuning the focus there is no snapping in and out of focus like with my micro 105mm. The adjustment is

very, very gradual and being sure the subject is in or out of focus is an open bet.

 

So enough set up, the question is: is this the normal modus operandi for this type of lens and /or this particular model or

is there a defect somewhere.

 

Thanks

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"...the question is: is this the normal modus operandi for this type of lens and /or this particular model or is there a defect somewhere."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Normal modus operandi. If there is a "defect", it's inherent in the design of this lens in that the "macro" range is at the 28mm end. It works by adding additional extension via a secondary helicoid at the rear of the lens (activate it with the lens off the camera and you can see this), and adding even a short amount of extension to any 28mm lens gives a very narrow focusing distance range.</p>

<p>I used this lens for several years with an F4. I liked it, although the focusing is a bit noisy and the "macro" feature is not very useful. Some of the other early Nikon AF zooms with a similar macro range feature work at the long end of the zoom (the AF 35~105mm is one IIRC) where it is more useful and gives better working distance.</p>

[SCL]

<p>It's normal for this older lens. The macro function is really only valid at the 28mm range, making it pretty useless for most general macro work (at least in my household). The good news is that this lens is usually inexpensive and quite sharp and works well with both my film and digital bodies.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

That's normal for that lens. I had one for years and sold it only after receiving a 35-70/2.8D AF Nikkor as a gift. You can use the zoom ring, in macro mode, and the focus ring to adjust fine focus and magnification. Otherwise simply moving the entire camera a bit to and fro is how you get it into rough focus.

 

Overall it's a bit flat compared with later Nikkor zooms. A little low in contrast and saturation. But sharp, without unacceptable barrel or pincushion distortion and a very good value now on the used market. It was the "kit zoom" of that era and often bundled with cameras like the N6006, comparable to the D70 and 18-70/3.5-4.5 DX.

[lfbrown]

Thank you, gentlemen, I appreciate the info. I won't be doing any macro in all likelihood, I did, however,

want to be sure the lens was functioning properly.