Its been a while since I posted in relation to my vintage lens journey and I’ve added to my collection during that time. The first of my recent acquisitions was a Nikon 105mm f2.5 Pre AI lens. It was a popular lens back in the 70’s and 80’s and was made famous by Steve McCurry who shot the famous Afghan Girl image for National Geographic with a copy.
I really like this lens. It’s very sharp with lovely smooth bokeh wide open. It is heavy, very heavy in fact, but that’s a small price to pay for a lens of this quality. It’s built like a tank which is just as well as I dropped mine from waist height onto a concrete floor last week. Luckily it landed on the lens converter and, despite the sudden jolt, the lens seems to have come through the ordeal unscathed.
As I was so happy with my previous Nikon purchases I decided to invest in a Nikon 28mm f2.8 AI a few weeks ago. There are several versions of this lens and what I really wanted was the later AIS version. That lens is regarded, in some quarters, as the best lens ever produced by Nikon. It has 8 elements, one of which is floating, as opposed to the 7 elements in my 28mm AI version.
At the time of purchasing my AI version I couldn’t get hold of the AIS model in the UK. It’s an expensive lens as well so I thought I’d buy an AI version which was a lot cheaper (about the third of the price of the AIS version). It had a small amount of fungus on the edge of the front element but that’s had no impact on my images.
The lens arrived just before a weeks holiday in Rethymno, Crete where I used it a lot. The hype around these Nikon 28mm lenses is justified in my opinion. This is a cracking lens and I really enjoyed using it last week.
Whilst we were away a Nikon 28mm AIS became available on Ebay in the UK. It was advertised as a mint example and was being sold by a seller I’ve bought from before and who I had been really pleased with. I decided to make a bid on the lens with a maximum price I was prepared to pay in mind. On the final sale day I won the auction by £3!
The lens arrived once we were back from Crete and it’s a really good copy. I’ve not had chance to use it yet but I’m looking to going out with it sometime this week. I might sell my existing 28mm or open it up and see if I can clean the fungus. I’m keen to have a go. I need to buy some Japanese Industrial Screwdrivers before I can open it up so I’m still mulling that one over.
The quality of these old Nikon lenses (and the Canon FD lenses come to that) is superb. They’re a joy to use and it’s made me revaluate where I’m going with these old lenses. I’ve found I now have favourites amongst my collection and I’m not using a lot of the mostly cheaper lenses I initially started out with.
However, the majority of these other old lenses seem to have at least one redeeming feature which makes me want to hang on to them. Usually it’s the way they render bokeh. That redeeming feature is probably why I bought a particular lens in the first place.
I’m still really enjoying using these old lenses but I’ve found myself moving on to higher priced, better quality, examples as my journey with them continues. So, for the time being, I think I’m going to resist making any further additions to my collection. Well, until I read another vintage lens blog with another amazing lens review and recommendation.
All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2026 – All rights reserved
Steve Hyde 
Ah, Steve. What an excellent post, thank you for sharing. I thought I would find that the image of Jodrell Bank as my favourite (I love Jodrell Bank, though I’ve never seen it ‘in the flesh’), but the expresso cup and coffee cup edged it out. And the cow. Frankly, the whole post was filled with bangers, and you’re getting some wonderful images from these lenses. Congratulations.
Thank you Keith. We couldn’t get into the Jodrell Bank grounds as we had our dog with us. They don’t allow dogs. It’s a shame because I really wanted to get up close to those telescopes. We toured the local lens and did get very close to the telescope in the image. I haven’t cropped the original at all. Have you converted that Helios lens yet?
Sadly, I’ve still done nothing with the Helios. Just after I got it I packed away all of my gear while I create some proper display cabinets. (That said, I’ve added some ‘new’ cameras that aren’t packed away.)
Very cool! I do not have vintage lenses, however Ive been enjoying my EF L lenses on my mirror less Vanon set up. I love the quality of the older lenses its incredible!
Thank you Pamela. I did also buy a used Sony 24-105 f4 zoom to partner with my Sony A7. I bought it with the wedding I shot at the weekend in mind as vintage lenses in that environment would be difficult. I took it away with us to get used to it and I must say I really enjoyed using it. The image quality is superb and auto focus is nice to go back to. Having said that I chose my vintage lenses over that zoom whilst we were away.
Thats cool! I have an EF 24-105 f4L lens that I love. Sadly it dropped last weekend so in the process of figuring that out! Its such a versatile lens! One of my favs for sure.
That’s a great lens. I still have an EF 24-105 f4L. I use to pair it with a Canon 5D mk 2 and mk3. My favourite ever cameras and my most versatile lens. It was my work horse through lots of weddings 🙂
Beautiful shots! You made these vintage lenses shine. I specially like the hot mug and the street scene.
Thank you Nes. It’s always nice to get a compliment from a photographer you admire 🙂
😊 Thank you, too.
Great pictures from the street scene to the coffee cup. Question, what does the AI after the lens mm stand for? I’m not technical at all, but interested in learning.
Hi Anne. It’s to do with the way the old lenses communicated the selected aperture to the cameras light meter. There was Pre AI, AI and then AIS. As far as I know it makes no difference on a modern mirrorless camera. I didn’t know myself and thought it related to lens coatings. It sort of does in a way as they were introduced as the lenses improved and were upgraded say from AI to AIS. I mainly use it to judge the age of the lens. I think it’s relevant if you’re using the lens with an old film cameras from that era. Here’s a link with more details – Nikon lenses I hope that helps. I’m going to try and get my head around that article myself now 🙂
Thanks Steve. I do have my old film Nikon stowed away in a box. Maybe I’ll take it out for fun.
Wonderful images Steve, particularly the cow and steaming cup.
Thank you Brad 🙂
I was lucky enough to borrow that 105 and the output from it is stunning. there are so many great vintage lenses but this Nikkor AI-S ones are so top notch.
The focus rings are so smooth that I actually use them for video. I have a 24mm and, an admittedly, temperamental 50mm 1.2 AIs. lol
as always, amazing shots!
Mike
Thank you Michael. I really like that 105mm lens. I was using it yesterday and it’s just a joy to shoot with. I now have a 28mm AIS and the first shot from that, a portrait of all things, was so nice. I’m waiting for some brighter weather, here in the UK, before taking out for a real workout. I did consider a Nikkor 24mm but I have a Canon FD24mm that’s superb and fills that gap for me 🙂
YouTube is starting to buzz with photographer channels that are starting to see the optical engineering prowess of the FD line.
so funny you mentioned the 28mm AIS – I have a post on it I wrote but never published. I actually have come to like the 28mm focal length a lot. and I think, for the AIS, it would do a lot specifically for my video stuff.
I have an EF 1.2 but now….I hate to admit it, I am on eBay looking at the 50mm 1.2FD, for video if anything 😂
looking forward to the next round of pics you show!
Thank you Michael. I have the Canon FD 55mm f1.2. When I was researching that lens a lot of the reviews were posted by videographers. The lens I purchased, from ebay, had been used for video prior to my purchase. It’s really heavy but a superb lens. I now use it for all my food photography 🙂
very nice! i have a weak spot for very wide max aperture lenses and I bet it’s an absolute joy to shoot with that 55FD every day. looking forward to seeing more shots from you Steve. Enjoy the weekend!
Thank you Michael 🙂