----- Original Message -----

From: "T P" <tp@nospam.com>

Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm

Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:07 PM

Subject: Re: Wide Angle AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D Autofocus Lens

> "David Ruether" <rpn1@no-junk.cornell.edu> wrote:

> >I've owned a few 35mm f1.4 Nikkors, several 35mm f2 AIS Nikkors,

> >and a couple of 35mm f2 AF Nikkors. I liked the f1.4 least, for its overall

> >lower contrast and resolution (particularly at the edges) compared with the

> >MF f2. (I guess this is what "good bokeh" is, huh...?;-)

> For the avoidance of doubt, I said that the 35mm f/1.4 AIS (current

> version) that I owned had "interesting bokeh". I did not describe it

> as "good bokeh".

OK...;-)

> >The AF f2 is a good lens, sharp everywhere, but not as "crisp"-looking

> >as the AIS MF...

> I totally disagree (!). Neither is a great lens, but samples of the

> 35mm f/2 AF seem consistently to be sharper (crisper ... as in Corn

> Flakes?) than the AIS. Maybe yours had oil from the iris diaphragm

> blades on one or both adjacent elements ... not joking as the oil in

> the early versions got everywhere!

No - I check for such things...;-)

The AIS has better contrast, and both have good sharpness at

the wider stops ...

> >I also like the latest-version of the 35mm f2.8 PC for its excellent f2.8

> >performance...

> At last, something we can agree on!

Too bad it has been discontinued - it was an excellent lens, and the

"fastest" of the Nikkor 35s in terms of the widest stop at which really

fine performance occurred...

> I am surprised you didn't mention the late 28mm f/3.5 PC Nikkor which

> is probably superior to any other 28mm Nikkor in terms of sharpness

> and lack of distortion. I miss that lens more than any other of my

> Nikkors except ... well, about two or three others! ;-)

I almost always prefer the f4 version in all respects (distortion is

about the same as the f3.5, and the f3.5 can be a touch sharper

in the center at f3.5-4, though), and it appears more consistent

among samples for edge sharpness when shifted - and it is the

best 28mm I have seen (from about f5.6).

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com

Hey, take a gander at www.visitithaca.com, too...!