rafa batlle

<p>There are some sample variations, i went through 4 of these lenses and kept the best, on the D3 it is as sharp as any other lens I own (40+) close down to f8 at any focal length, at 300mm it is tack sharp fully open and does not improve further closing down. Do not know how it does on D3x, but it is way sharper than my D3 (Camera pixels cannot resolve better than the lens). the two shots here are at f8 on D3, top at 50mm bottom at 300mm from same rock.</p>

<p><a title="Navy Centennial Flight San Diego 2.11.11 2 small by Rafael CA, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5441009668_b7a937e5c2_z.jpg" alt="Navy Centennial Flight San Diego 2.11.11 2 small" width="640" height="426" /></a><br /><br /></p>

I use it with the HN9, this lens is so sharp there is never a need to close it beyond F11. the HN9 darkens the extreme corner at F16 and F22 when mounted on a filter and at 25mm, but it does not darken the corner at f11 and below.

I just bought one off e-bay, very clean with pristine glass. Same behavior, 50mm F4 is soft, but f5.6 is very sharp. It is sharp everywhere else, with the corners soft at f4 when used wide. Paid $230, and it is tremendously sharp at f8 and f11 at all focal lengths, daytime landscape lens. 25mm is wide on the D3 and I like being able to compose by zooming as needed.

Here is the 35mm F1.4 AIS at F11 on a D3.

<a href=" title="Latiffa family by rafaelcasd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2086/2270421928_b7b3d1ae2a.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Latiffa family" /></a>

I have one and it does not rattle, it is very sharp on film and fairly sharp on the D200.

I found a mint 15mm AI F5.6 (Does not say QDC but it is the same lens). Center is the sharpest of all lenses I own. Illumination is perfectly even -yellowish color cast -no distortion. The edges get soft, but it is not lack of sharpness, it is due to extreme curvature of field. The edges focus much closer than the center. Can keep side walls in focus in interiors or keep a close up in the sides in focus with the background in center. I would not buy this lens as my only ~15mm, but it is fun to work with. Love the 14 reflections of the sun's rays in each element.

I have a ton of Nikon 35mm stuff, some of which actually gets used. I have a good number of high quality non-ai and ai MF nikkors, plus several AF and AFD, several non-ai, ai and AF bodies. I cannot use the F and nikkormat meters anymore, but I love to use my old non-ai nikkors. A while back I sold an F2 photomic, which was greatly missed (Even though its replacement was a brand new F4). There is something to using a capable tool that slows you down.... To replace that photomic, last fall I bought a black F2SB at a San Luis Obispo downtown photography store for $500, the camera is in great shape, not mint. With this SB I can use all my manual nikkors, Non-AI and AI. They can be mounted at any aperture and a quick twist of the aperture ring indexes the meter. f2SBs are rarer that f2ASs but users are cheaper in E-Bay, about $500 in Ex+ shape. AF lenses have to be stopped down to measure, but hey, I want to use an F2 to slow down... Bottom line is if you have ai and non-ai MF nikkors, the SB is more useful, and more unique.