With the rise of the 80-200mm f/2.8 zooms it seems the 180-200mm f/2.8 primes fell out of fashion, as for more than 20 years no manufacturer bothered to design a new lens like this (not counting a few third party macro options). While Canon last updated their 200mm 2.8 in 1996, Nikon never updated the optical design of their Nikon AF 180mm 2.8 since 1986. Is this still a worthwhile lens today? Let’s find out in this review.
For one and a half decades – from 1995 to 2010 – the Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 had been Nikon’s top of the line fullframe portrait tele lens. It saw the peak of analogue photography as well as the peak of the digital SLR. When it had been released this was an expensive premium lens aimed at professionals, but in 2024 it has become much more affordable. Reason enough to have a closer look at it and see if this is a lens still worth considering today.
Continue reading Review: Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D – The ideal Portrait Lens?
40mm is one of my favorite focal lengths. Closer to the human’s natural angle of view than a 50mm, and slightly wider than 50mm, it allows for more context to be included in the image. I prefer this focal length in front of a 50mm for street and everyday photography. The Nikon Nikkor Z 40/2 with its compact format is therefore an interesting lens. It is not an “S” line Nikkor Z lens, which is Nikon’s premium series but very compelling nonetheless. Let’s have a look at it!
I tested this lens on a Nikon Z 7II with its 46 Mp sensor.
You can see this review as a YouTube video here.
Continue reading Review: Nikon Z 40mm f/2 – The Street Sniper for Discreet Photography
Canon users that wanted to get into the fullframe mirrorless E-mount world early were in a good spot: the Sigma MC-11 and the metabones Canon EF to Sony E adapters allowed using Canon EF-mount lenses on Sony cameras with only little limitations. For Nikon F-mount users the situation was sadly way worse and it took some time before the first similar adapter (Commlite CMF-EN1) was released – and that one had a lot of issues.
But suddenly, out of nowhere, the situation changed. With the release of the Monster LA-FE1 and later the LA-FE2 adapter we can now finally adapt Nikon F-mount lenses in a similar quality as those Canon EF-mount ones. The LA-FE2 even allows auto focus with the screwdriven Nikon AF(-D) lenses to work on Sony – something not even possible on Nikon’s own Z-mount cameras. Let’s have a closer look.
Update 07/24: more lenses tested, FW 06 for LA-FE1 tested
Continue reading Review: Monster LA-FE1 and LA-FE2 AF Adapter (Nikon-F to Sony-E)
Cosina is always up for a surprise and when they announced this Voigtländer 55mm 1.2 SL IIs Nokton for the Nikon F-mount in 2023 – 5 years after Nikon transitioned to the Z-mount – that surely was a big surprise. Lenses as fast as f/1.2 are rare birds in the F-mount world because they are really operating at the limit of this bayonet. As I will show you in this review, Cosina’s engineers managed to create something that Nikon’s engineers were not able to achieve in over 60 years.
Continue reading Review: Voigtländer 55mm 1.2 SL IIs Nokton – The last F-mount lens?