Test Image For Lightroom Experimentation - The Kodak Instamatic 500 (Circa 1963): Using The Nikon D700 & Nikkor-Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5 Ai-S @ 70mm (Close Focus) & f/3.5 - Sadly 126 cartridge film is no longer made 😖 *Please See Description*

If like me, you tend to have a more methodical perhaps some might say old fashioned approach to photography, then I highly recommend this manual Nikkor-Zoom lens..

 

I personally have no actual need for autofocus lenses, although I do own some Nikon AF glass (35mm f/2 & 50mm f/1.4), and the very good Sigma 17-50mm OS HSM lens for my Nikon D7000 (quality vintage manual ultra wide angle lenses are hard to find), I find the majority of modern glass sadly isn't to my taste (with it's hybrid elements and lackluster micro-contrast which only shallow DoF and extensive post-processing can disguise), and of course the professional grade AF-S lenses are prohibitively expensive for an amateur photographer like myself..

 

In fact, having rented a few professional Nikon lenses to try out (some primes, 24-70mm and 14-24mm), my favourite SLR lenses still are, to this day, all vintage manual glass, while not necessarily flawless optically they do have real 'character', some Nikon lenses are even better optically than their modern equivalents, however..

 

Here's my 'short list' of lovely affordable lenses (some are not as affordable now as they once were): M-O-G Lydith, Jupiter 37A, Tair 11A, Helios 40 & 44, Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4, Takumar 35mm f/3.5, CZJ 135mm, 35mm & 20mm, Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 & 105mm f/2.5 Ai, Nikkor-Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5 & 80-200mm f/4 both Ai-S.

 

I highly recommend trying the above lenses at least once, if you get the opportunity and take the time, you won't be disappointed ☺️.

 

©MJPhoto

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