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?
Some lenses became famous because they are rare and/or expensive. Neither is the case for the Nikon Nikkor 105mm 2.5 Ai. In fact – from the early 70s to the mid 80s – Nikon made a lot of them, it was by far their best selling short tele prime. Why was that? And are there still good reasons to use this lens today? Let’s find out in this review.
Continue reading Review: Nikon Nikkor 105mm 2.5 Ai – The Portrait Tele Bestseller
The optical design of this Nikkor 55mm 1.2 dates back to 1965, which makes it Nikon’s first f/1.2 lens for the F-mount. Among Nikon’s three manual focus f/1.2 ~50mm lenses this is not exactly a fan favorite though and usually considered the worst of the bunch. Let’s try to find out in this review if that bad reputation is actually justified.
Continue reading Review: Nikon Nikkor 55mm 1.2 Ai – The first f/1.2 F-mount lens
Introduction
Impact-Site-Verification: a2860072-f116-4f45-9cf9-c8b7959dd6e4
This time we take a look at another famed vintage lens, namely the legendary Helios 40. It’s an 85mm f/1.5 lens, known for, let´s see if we get it from its many titles: The King of Bokeh, The Bokeh King, the Russian Bokeh King, The Funky Bokeh King, The King of Russian Weird Bokeh, The Vintage Lenses’ King of Bokeh, etc. etc. etc. Dear child has many names. You get it, it has a reputation for its bokeh. It is also very popular among videographers seeking a dreamy vintage look with beautiful bokeh in their footage. While this lens was quite popular even back in the day, it has grown in popularity during the digital era to new heights and created kind of a cult around itself.
It was made by KMZ in the former Soviet Union for the Zenit range of SLR cameras. Like the previously reviewed “Helios 44”, there is a belief that when Russians got their hands on Zeiss Jena factory by the end of WWII, they took back the technology and drawings of many lenses to the Soviet Union, copied, and manufactured them. This one is believed to be a “copy” of Carl Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5 from 1938. While the optical formula is very similar, it is a widespread Double Gauss Planar design. Besides, it is an 85mm lens. Therefore, some claim it was designed by Russian engineers themselves “based on” the Biotar 75/1.5 in 1950. Anyway, let’s have a closer look at it!
Continue reading Review: KMZ Helios 40, 85mm f/1.5 – Can the Legend Live up to Its Reputation?