Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> At 12:17 PM 09-03-98 +0100, you wrote: >I have just bought a 'poor man's Summilux 75', i.e. a Nikkor 85/1,4. It will >be interesting to see what it can do... >(Already owning a M-system, I simply can't afford the R-system as well) >/Hans > I have both the nokkor 85/1.4 AIS and the 75 Summilux. I originally bought the Nikkor with the plan of selling the Summilux. I still have both. I would be very much interested in hearing how you find the Nikkor. Dan C. <<<<<<<<<< I have the new AF 85 f/1.4 Nikkor. It's a new design compared to the AIS version (one more lens element in there, I believe), so I don't know how it optically compares to the manual focus lens. But the AF version is, hands down, my favorite and most used lens. In fact, that lens on an FM2 is what keeps me in the Nikon system (the 75 Summilux is too short for my needs and the R8, for me, too uncomfortable to hold). It produces beautifully sharp photos with velvety smooth tonal gradations - -- the closest performance to a Leica or Zeiss lens that I've seen in the Nikon line. For example, I recently photographed a multi-bulb ceiling lamp at f/1.4. In the resulting slide, the out-of-focus bulbs almost melted into a rich maroon background, and the lamp's highlights blended gently into the lamp. The sharpness of the focused areas accentuated the smoothness of the out-of-focus parts. Mechanically, however, it's nowhere near the quality of an M or R lens. The focus feel, while superior to many autofocus lenses, is noticeably looser than a good manual focus lens. And one of the aperture markings which reflects into the viewfinder, and which is printed on rather than engraved, is already rubbing off. Larry