Re: RE: [Leica] God, no Canon vs. Nikon...

["Ken Iisaka" <kiisaka@attglobal.net>]

Byron Rakitzis wrote:
> Ken Iisaka wrote:
> >Nikon has long touted conpatibility and adaptability of its lenses and
its
> >top-of-the-line bodies.  There is however one pre-Ai lens that cannot be
> >used on F3 onwards.  It is the 2.1cm 1:4 lens that requires a mirror lock
> >up, due to its symmetric, Aviogon-like design.
>
> Well, the F3 and F4 both have MLU. Doesn't the F5 have it as well?

Yes, it does.

> I don't see what the problem is with mounting this lens.

This particular lens requires a little tab that resides at the 11:30
position just behind the mount to secure it.  You will notice that it is
present on F, F2 and certain Nik(kor)mat cameras.  Nikon also changed the
mount ever so slightly so that only this particular lens cannot be mounted
on newer cameras.  It is interesting to note that other older lenses which
required a mirror lock up, namely 10mm 1:5.6, 8mm 1:8, 7.5mm 1:5.6, and 6mm
1:5.6 fisheye lenses can be mounted all bodies with a MLU.

BTW, this lens was at the time the brightest 21mm available for 35mm SLRs.
There was no retrofocus 21mm lens at the time.  It is one of the lenses
designed by Dr. Wakimoto, a legendary designer who later designed many of
Nikon's stepper lenses.  On the surface, it looks similar to Schneider Super
Angulon, with negative elements on each end, and cemented triple on the each
side of the aperture.  However, this particular lens has
positive-negative-positive cemented group instead of
negative-positive-negative, which is more advantageous for larger aperture
for spherical abberation correction, according to an article on Nikon's
homepage.  In all, it is a fine lens, free of linear distortion, and with
total absense of chromatic abberation.  It has a certain amount of coma
abberation, lowering the overall contrast of the image, but considering its
age is that of the old Schneider Super Angulon 21mm/4, it is a respectable
performer.

> If anything, the old F had a very weird MLU which forced you to lose a
> frame of film.
>
> If there is any incompatability, it is with NAI lenses and the F5 which
> is the first F camera not to have the flip-up tab on the AI ring. I
> think you can add it as a special-order item, though.

Yes, with F5 not having a flip-up aperture lever, they are trying to say,
"ok, enough is enough.  You are going to use Ai or later lenses with this
body."  However, it is quite magnanimous of Nikon to still let you have it
modified so that NAI lenses can be used.  Only Leica is so generous today in
the 35mm world.