Whats the sharpest Nikkor SLR MF Wide Angle?

Here's another possible contender: I have the 28mm PC lens. It is quite sharp, extending well out into the field, at moderate apertures like f/8 or so. Of course, you have to use stop-down manual metering.
 
68degrees said:
what do you think of the 20mm 3.5 AI?
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I used to have one; very sharp for up-close; not so much for distant objects. Best use for this lens is to pair it with a K1 ring for wide angle macros.

I've since sold it to get a CV 20/3.5, which IMHO is a better lens overall.
 
I tried a 28/2.8 AIS - the one you can still get new - on a D300 (which is much more demanding than film) and it was simply amazingly sharp, at least in the center. Sharper even than the Zeiss ZF 25/2.8 which I owned at the time, but the Zeiss behaved a lot better toward the edges and corners of the frame, so I returned the Nikkor. On film I doubt you would see the difference, but then again 135 goes a lot further out into the image circle than a DX frame so I could be wrong. It was wonderfully compact and well made.

FWIW the ZF 25/2.8 was excellent even on a FF D700. The much-discussed field curvature only became an issue at extremely close distances; for "normal" WA use it was great.
 
I have often wondered how good the relatively new 28/2.8 Color Skopar is compared to the 28/2.8 AIS or the ZF 25/2.8 ?

Anybody know ?
 
I had the 28/2.8 ais and was impressed by its sharpness at near and middle distances - but not at far distances.
I have a humble 50/2 ai and it is sharp, sharp at 2.8 on. A worthy, inexpensive, workhorse lens.

PS - too bad its not wide angle. So i'd go with the 24/3.5 PC or the 35/1.4.
 
68degrees said:
Nikon FM wide angle. Whats the sharpest manual focus AI or AIS wide angle Nikkor for Nikon FM that you know of?
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My old favorites are the Nikkor 20mm f/3.5 AI-S (52mm filter ring) and Nikkor 28mm f/2 AI or AI-S. The 20mm was my special favorite for years as it is small and light. The later f/2.8 model was supposedly sharper and more even, but I preferred the look of the f/3.5 model.

G
 
I like the 28/2.8 AIS. I don't care much for the Nikon 20mm lenses, my OM 21mm lenses perform better. I have the Nikkor 20/2.8, and the old UD Nikkor, neither are as good as the OM 21/3.5 or 2.0. Perormance often varies from sample to sample, so keep that in mind.
 
I have the 24 and was wondering if there was a sharper one. Also during the course of this research I used a reverse ring to mount it to my FM and was amazed at the magnification. Does anyone know what it is? its got to be at least 2x lifesize.

Thanks everyone
 
I think that contemporary CV lenses would be sharper as many of the Nikon primes are not up to date from my recollection. Zeiss would probably be sharpest but $$$. However if you want sharp, going RF makes more sense, to me.
 
msbarnes said:
I think that contemporary CV lenses would be sharper as many of the Nikon primes are not up to date from my recollection. Zeiss would probably be sharpest but $$$. However if you want sharp, going RF makes more sense, to me.
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dont used nikon rfs start at around 2500 with entry level lense?
 
The 28 2.8 Ais is amazing at close distance, not really any experience at infinity or close to infinity.
I always thought the 24 2.8 Ais was a good performer but when i got the 14-24 2.8G i did a comparison on my D800. I was a bit shocked when i saw that the 14-24 is sharper in the corner at 2.8 than the 24 Ais at f8 i did not test for center sharpness but i have no doubt that the Zoom also will be better there.
The 50 1.2 Ais is actually very good stopped down and have very good contrast too!

Should have left the 50 out as i realize this is about WA.
 
JSU said:
The Nikon 24/2.8 has been my benchmark SLR wide angle since 1976. I got my first one in 1976. I've updated a couple of times since then, my current version is the AF-D.

May be or may not be spectacular, but for me it is absolutely good enough.
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good to know. Thanks.
 
68degrees said:
I have the 24 and was wondering if there was a sharper one. Also during the course of this research I used a reverse ring to mount it to my FM and was amazed at the magnification. Does anyone know what it is? its got to be at least 2x lifesize.
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Measure it. Focus on a mm ruler, see how many show up across the frame. Then divide that number into the size of the frame format, that will give you the magnification.

For instance, if you're shooting with a Nikon APS-C format DSLR, the long edge of the format is 24mm. If you can see only 20mm across the frame, divide 24 by 20 and you'll see that the magnification is 1.2:1 or 1.2x life size.

G
 
Godfrey said:
Measure it. Focus on a mm ruler, see how many show up across the frame. Then divide that number into the size of the frame format, that will give you the magnification.

For instance, if you're shooting with a Nikon APS-C format DSLR, the long edge of the format is 24mm. If you can see only 20mm across the frame, divide 24 by 20 and you'll see that the magnification is 1.2:1 or 1.2x life size.

G
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thats a really good idea! Thanks Godfrey.
 
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