In article <32338e5c.5056260@news.one.net>, scarleton@cintech-cti.com says...

>From talking to folks, I have heard more then once that the VERY FIRST
>105 f2.5 is the sharpest 105 ever made. This was before the new AF
>lens and the lens I refer to is NON AI, the other nice thing is that
>if you look around, you can find them for VERY little mony, I bought
>one about a month ago for $80!!!!! I was happy, now spending the $30
>to get it AI-ed.
>P.S. you can tell that it is the first desine becuase it does NOT have
>the rubber thing for focusing on the barrel...

Hmmm, I think you have been talking to the wrong people....;-)
The first Nikkor 105mm f2.5 (small rear element, non-rubber
focus ring, non-AI) was good, and helped make Nikon's lens
reputation, but the early replacement (very large rear element,
other things the same as the earlier lens) was a great improvement.
The current AIS 105 may be the same optics (but multicoated - big
deal....;-), and is truly excellent (except near close-focus at
wide apertures), being zingy-sharp to the corners, even wide-open.
The current version is a truly fine lens (and whenever I check
one, it makes me question ever using a zoom again......, and I
have some really fine ones!;-).
Hope This Helps