Nikon 135 f2 DC

Lensflare

Lensflare

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Simon Everett
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Anyone had any experience of using the Nikon DC lenses please?

They make (or made) 2, a 105mm f2 DC and the 135 f2 DC....I know thye are not cheap, they are a specialist portrait lens, Iknow this too.

What I was after if anyone has used them and what they think of the results, aany quirks about them, they do work, they don't work.....blah blah blah.

Murky buckets.
 
There is a thread on Nikon Cafe all about this. I follow it closely, as I've got my eyes on this exact lens.
 
Here is the thread on this, and the 105 DC.
 
That's fantastic - thanks.

Also made me think about the shorter one....which I think, looking at the photographs produced with it, would suit me down to the ground.

I had never heard of Nikon Cafe before - and I have been shooting Nikon professionally for 23 years now. I need to get out more!
 
I hadn't - but i HAVE NOW. It gets rave reviews everywhere. i have yet to see a negative comment about either lens...only comparisons and preferences between the two.

I think I will probably go for the 105 in the end - it will be more useful in tight situations and gives almost an extra half a stop for low light (because it is that bit shorter.....I can probably get away with 1/60th on this one, where the 135 would need 1/100th). Most situations you can generally go closer, but many times you can't get back any further.

Thanks for all your help folks.
 
Lensflare said:
I hadn't - but i HAVE NOW. It gets rave reviews everywhere. i have yet to see a negative comment about either lens...only comparisons and preferences between the two.

I think I will probably go for the 105 in the end - it will be more useful in tight situations and gives almost an extra half a stop for low light (because it is that bit shorter.....I can probably get away with 1/60th on this one, where the 135 would need 1/100th). Most situations you can generally go closer, but many times you can't get back any further.

Thanks for all your help folks.
Click to expand...

To top it off it looks like a proper lens with that crinkle finish, and built in hood, have nearly pulled the trigger on one of these many times.

105 Sample Images

135 Sample Images
 
Not sure if this helps, but I compared a 135 DC vs 70-200 in-store a couple of weeks back, and the 70-200 was sharper (!). More money, but you also get VR, 85, 105 and 200mm focus lengths.

Also consider the 105 VR, gets great reviews everywhere also and has macro ability, which would let you do beauty-style shots. Unforgivably sharp too (which is not always optimal for portraits of course).

85/1.4 or 1.8 is also excellent for head and shoulders to full length portraits.
 
I think another lens that may be well worth considering is the Zeiss 100 f/2 Macro-Planar. Again, Nikon Cafe have a couple of thread about this lens (thread 1, thread 2), and it seems like a really superb one.

The only thing is that it goes for well over £1,200 at Robert White, and of course it is only a manual focus.
 
I wouldn't be happy buyng from a "do-it-all" shop I am afraid...the peace of mind you get going ot Greys, Calumet, Fixation, Robert White etc is worth the few quid extra...and you are only looking at the advertised price don't forget.

Funny thing about the internet. Shops on lin eoften have very much cheaper prices than the specialist shops...and the you go to try and get one. Funnily enough they are out of stock. Warehouse has the 105DC listed, but out of stock....£739.

Greys have a couple in stock, a new one at just under £900 and a couple of used ones.

The thing is, if I don't have any, mine are only £530 as well. BUT, when I have one they are £875.....the cheap price is put up as a spoiling exercise. It makes you wonder and stops you buying from the outlet....good game! The sharks play it all the time.

A PROPER shop, that has a worldwide reputation, is going to be honourable to deal with...any probsd, they will sort it. Some of these cheap, fly by night outlets are a nightmare to deal with if you have a problem. That is when you find out they are actualy based in the Phillipines or somewhere, and just have a UK ghost address.

Bought one of the grays ones...they advertised it as exc ++ - there isn't a mark on it anywhere. I cannot see how they have downgraded it from mint.

Off to play with it now, to see how crap at portraiture I am!
 
Lensflare said:
Warehouse has the 105DC listed, but out of stock....£739.
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WHE are suffering like most retailers with the seemingly endless stock shortages from manufacturers. At least with WHE, they would have honoured that price should it have risen since placing the order.

Enjoy the lens. :thumbs:
 
Lensflare said:
I......

The thing is, if I don't have any, mine are only £530 as well. BUT, when I have one they are £875.....the cheap price is put up as a spoiling exercise. It makes you wonder and stops you buying from the outlet....good game! The sharks play it all the time.

.....
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Funny that you mention this; when I worked for a major car manufacturer, there was this one dealer who always used this tactic. It eventually backfires and leaves a bad reputation in the market. Still, though, many do use it I guess!
 
rdh said:
Not sure if this helps, but I compared a 135 DC vs 70-200 in-store a couple of weeks back, and the 70-200 was sharper (!). More money, but you also get VR, 85, 105 and 200mm focus lengths.
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Sharper in that instance or not, I think you're kinda missing the point of a lens with defocus control.
Imo, for a portrait lens, DC is miles more desirable than any VR or zoom function.
 
Joxby - I am with you, I think the point of my question was missed by Wail. I know he/she meant well and I am grateful for the concern/thought/optional point of view, call it what you will. The thing is I have already have a 70-200, I don't need another one. I had two, but sold one off the other month for those that remember. The reason I asked about the DC in particular was because of its specialised results.

having got the 105 (rather than the 135 as I initially thought) I am chuffed to its with it. The crispness is miles above the 70-200, the defocus control requires a bit of getting used to, because although you dial in rear defocus, you do actually get some front defocus as well.

I haven't played with the front defocus yet...but as it is the background that I am primarily interested in that is where my concentrations will lie. There generally isn't an aweful lot betwen the lens and my subject when I am doing portraits! Sometimes, like desk clutter for corporate portraits, but not as a general rule. The 105 is about half the weight of the 70-200 too - and being a prime lens there is less to fiddle with - you have that length and you're stuck with it...so you can concentrate entirely on the subject.

If anyone wants a specialist portrait lens - and a medium telephoto that is just incredibly sharp - take a gander at these pair. They are worth a play with.
 
I've got the first model 135/2 DC. Got it for a nice price from Ffordes a few years back, £400-odd I think.

One thing to be aware of with the early ones is the rather distressing 'whack!!!' noise it makes hitting the end of its focussing range. I talked to a couple of people who've owned one for a very long time on Nikoncafe and they say that it doesn't seem to do any harm, but I'm still pretty careful to avoid it on AF.

I think it's an excellent lens and full of character, even without the DC feature. The latter is a bit subtle in use, and you need to be pretty close to wide open to really see it, but it has its uses. It does 'dreamy' really well.

I'll have a dig around for some samples.

Edited to add: here you go - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=259059
 
Thanks Druid - I have been away for a few days working.

The DC set higher than the f stop in use acts like the filters for the mamiya 90mm lens and gives lovely effect to female skin. You get that "soap advert" feel to it!
 
Lensflare said:
Joxby - I am with you, I think the point of my question was missed by Wail. I know he/she meant well and I am grateful for the concern/thought/optional point of view, call it what you will. The thing is I have already have a 70-200, I don't need another one. I had two, but sold one off the other month for those that remember. The reason I asked about the DC in particular was because of its specialised results.

.....
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I just saw this, and was wondering ... I didn't suggest the 70-200. What I was suggesting is to have a look at the Ziess 100 f/2 Macro Planar!

Since the Nikon 105 and 135 DC are all about defocus and image quality that are unique to their own right, I thought you'd may be want to have a look at the Macro Planar, since it too has a very unique and wonderful bokeh, especially for that focal length (not exactly a DC function, but it's probably along the same line).

I would say either of these two lenses are sexy and if you need the specific DC function then may be it's a toss-up between these two.

At least, for me that's the situation I'm in, as I only have the budget to get one of these two.
 
For other systems (including Nikon) there's the manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 f/2.8 70-150mm http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/51A.html (three were sold on eBay for less than £140, about a year ago)

-- and for Sony/Minolta the manual focus 135mm Smooth Transition Focus http://www.the135stf.net/

There's also the manual focus Tokina f/2.8 60-120mm which was designed for portrait range rather than infinity. Rare, but one in PK fit sold in March for $150.
 
Thanks Photon, but I use all Nikon glass - f2.8 or faster.

I wouldn't even consider an independent lens nowadays - I used to though and was a Tamron supported photographer for some years, back in the days of manual focus and AIS lenses.

The 105 was the one I decided on in the end. It is very good and light and handy and balances beautifully - a real cracker. Glad I got the 105 instead of the 135 too (tried both).
 
Lensflare, do you have any thoughts (or experience with or direct comparison of) the 105mm f/2 DC lens and the Nikon 85mm f/1.4 lens? I'm thinking purely from a portrait perspective...

Steve :)
 
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