From 1969 until 1977, Nikon made the GN Auto Nikkor 45mm f/2.8, a compact standard lens produced contemporaneously with the legendary Nikon F and F2. Three decades later, they made the Nikkor 45mm f/2.8P, an even smaller lens produced alongside their FM3a in 2001. Both this lens and the camera with which it was introduced were discontinued in 2006, in part because of challenges in complying with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive of 2003, legislation which attempted to limit the amount of toxic substances in electronic devices. A very kind and patient reader rec ..read more

In September of 2023, Nikon unveiled the Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, a super-fast, high spec, mid-tele portrait lens for Nikon’s Z series mirrorless cameras. The Nikkor Plena is only the second Z series lens to be given a “name” – the other being the astonishingly fast and very expensive Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct. Nikon does not often name its lenses. Since its beginning in 1933, the company has manufactured over 110 million lenses, and very few indeed have been engraved with any names other than Nippon Kogaku (Nikon’s old name), Nikon, or Nikkor. When Nikon names a lens, it’s because they ..read more

The Nikon Nikkor z 40mm f/2 fills an important gap in Nikon’s Z series lens lineup. It’s the modern mirror-less equivalent to the nifty fifties of the SLR era, a compact lens that offers high image quality at an extremely low price. I’ve spent the past two months shooting the Nikkor Z 40mm, and it has lived up to and surpassed the lofty legacy established by the nifty fifty lenses of old. Of course, to satisfy the requirements of the nifty fifty, Nikon had to keep an eye on size and cost. For this reason, the Nikkor Z 40mm naturally lacks some of the finer features of the more expensive lenses ..read more

The Nikon F5 was Nikon’s flagship camera in 1996, and arguably the most advanced 35mm film camera designed up to that time. It’s big, heavy, and was very expensive brand new. I didn’t get my copy until years later, when I started shooting film again regularly. Thankfully, the cost had significantly lessened. I’ve used many of the Nikon pro series bodies over the years and the F5 holds its own against all of them. In fact, this was the first of the modern professional bodies, and the same basic styling exists in the most current pro DSLRs. Nikon got this design right and it has held up over tim ..read more

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time reviewing macro lenses it’s that eyeballs are gross. Red capillaries wriggling through the sclera? Hideous. The fibrous stroma of the iris? Gag-inducing. And don’t get me started on tear ducts. But taking pictures of eyes is a strong test of any macro lens. And that’s where I found myself last week, holding my breath, the enormous front element of the Nikon Nikkor Z MC 105mm F/2.8 VR S quivering inches from my oldest daughter’s eye. Turns out that the Nikon Nikkor Z MC 105mm F/2.8 VR S is a truly impressive lens, and a solid choice for Nikon Z Serie ..read more

Yesterday, my Nikon F3 died. It was an honest mistake. I was practicing bass for an upcoming gig, whipped around, and knocked it off the table. It landed square on the HP prism, shattering the nameplate and destroying the penta-prism inside. The film door popped open too, ruining the film inside. My chest tightened as I heard the crash. My heart sank as I picked the F3’s pieces off the ground. My eyes welled with tears in a strange reflex that I couldn’t quite understand as I surveyed the damage. The film door wouldn’t close, the prism was completely totaled, and the advance lever lost a vital ..read more

A good friend of mine recently messaged me with a question. “What’s the best entry-level full frame mirror-less camera I can buy new today?” Having just gone through the tedious process of determining this for myself mere months before, I had the answer ready to go. It’s the Nikon Z5. Compared to the entry-level full frame mirror-less cameras of Nikon’s nearest competitors, the Canon EOS RP, the Sony a7II, and the Panasonic Lumix S5, The Nikon Z5 beats them all in both technical specifications and, importantly, price. And while the differences in the spec sheets are in some places marginal, th ..read more

In a previous article, I wrote about cheap 200mm telephoto prime lenses and offered the opinion that everyone should buy up while they are a bargain basement alternative to the signature portrait lens focal lengths. The lens I’m writing about today is just the opposite; much wider, much more expensive, and much harder to find. The Nikon Nikkor 15mm f/5.6 AI ultra-wide rectilinear lens is not only a lungful to say, but it’s also a marvel to shoot. I firmly believe that everyone should shoot with am ultra-wide rectilinear lens, at least once. At least, that’s my opinion after acquiring, travelin ..read more

I’ve recently decided to take everything I know about photography, and my large collection of photography gear, and throw it all (as well as caution) to the wind. In the 21st century film photography world we spend countless hours combing through forums, watching videos, reading articles (getting a bit self-aware here), and having conversations with fellow photographers, all to figure out what gear we should drool over next, or what niche camera will be smart to buy before they all vanish from the market. This tendency for gear obsession has recently reached a breaking point with me. This arti ..read more

While Nikon has long been a master at making exceptional wide angle lenses, it’s surprising just how much better their latest 20mm ultra-wide is when compared with its predecessor. Nikon’s Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S is a pretty amazing lens. Filling the space for a dramatic ultra-wide in Nikon’s higher-end S series of lenses for their mirror-less system, the 20mm f/1.8 offers top-level performance and everything we’d expect from a “professional lens.” It’s superbly sharp. It’s amazing in low light. It controls flaring, ghosting, chromatic aberrations, and coma better than any lens I’ve ever used, a ..read more