longkangman
Senior Member
Another lens I try recently is the 200mmf2 not bad too. 
Just wondering..Any nikonians crazy over manual nikkors like me and still use them?
- Thread starter XC Pictorial
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XC Pictorial
Senior Member
Getting a 180mm f2.8 ED soon to try...
Interested in test out the diff between the ED version and the non ED one before it.
I currently own the 180mm non ED and it is already fantastic, in terms of sharpness, contrast etc.. i find that it renders very good and vibrant colours, probably exceeding the 105mm f2.5 even..
Anyone here has used either or both and care to comment? thanks
Interested in test out the diff between the ED version and the non ED one before it.
I currently own the 180mm non ED and it is already fantastic, in terms of sharpness, contrast etc.. i find that it renders very good and vibrant colours, probably exceeding the 105mm f2.5 even..
Anyone here has used either or both and care to comment? thanks
Wah.. I din even know there's a non-ED version of the 180/2.8! ;pGetting a 180mm f2.8 ED soon to try...
Interested in test out the diff between the ED version and the non ED one before it.
I currently own the 180mm non ED and it is already fantastic, in terms of sharpness, contrast etc.. i find that it renders very good and vibrant colours, probably exceeding the 105mm f2.5 even..
Anyone here has used either or both and care to comment? thanks
Ansel
Senior Member
Yeah...it is probably a pre-AI version.
Technically, the difference between an ED version vs non-ED version should be just the Chromatic Aberration (CA). Try shooting subjects with hard dark to light transitions, such as leaves and branches against a bright sky. and check the images out a 100%. Presence of CA will cause images to look less-sharp in non hard transitions. So, the overall effect of using ED elements is that of increased sharpness in lenses of long focal length (telephoto).
Then in that case, it may not just be presence/absence of CA because the construction of the lens might be different also, so SA etc will be affected also.
Ansel
Senior Member
The construction need not be different. It may be simply replacing the same element with one made with ED glass. I am quite sure this is in fact the case with the lens in question, ie, the 180/f2.8. So, SA characteristic should remain the same, but with increased sharpness on the focused plane.
The current AF-D 180/f2.8 has got 8 elements (compared with the old 6 elements) because Nikon made it IF. They had to add 2 more elements in order to achieve IF.
In that case, then the AF one will be different from the MF copy. But I'm really not sure if the ED and the non-ED version is of the same construction. ;p
Ansel
Senior Member
Just did some research at home and found some interesting facts:
I was wrong in my earlier post. The 180/2.8 has only 5 elements.
Originally launched in 1970, the 5 element design of this lens did not change throughout its production life, not even in later ED versions. It is believed early versions of the 180 had a front element of ED glass not announced by Nikon. No wonder they are as sharp as the ED ones. Facts from Moose Petersons' "Nikon System Handbook".
gooseberry
Senior Member
There are actually 5 versions of the 180/2.8 (not including the 2 pre-AI ones)
The Ai version (without the ED designation) was 5 elements in 4 groups. The Ai-S version (with ED designation) was 5 elements in 5 groups. The 3 AF versions all have 8 elements in 6 groups.
Lens Serial Numbers Date Optic Focus Macro Filter Diam Length Weight Hood
Ai 180/2.8 360001 - 377928 - - 5/4 1.8 1:8 72 82 132.5 880 built-in
Ai-S 180/2.8 ED 380001 - 454048 - Mar81 - Dec05 5/5 1.8 1:7.5 72 78.5 130 800 built-in
AF 180/2.8 IF-ED 200001 - 210854 - Sep86 - 1988 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 750 built-in
AF 180/2.8 IF-ED New 250001 - 299557 - Nov88 - Aug95 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 760 built-in
AF 180/2.8 D IF-ED 400001 - 418916 > Dec94 > 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 760 built-in
The Ai version (without the ED designation) was 5 elements in 4 groups. The Ai-S version (with ED designation) was 5 elements in 5 groups. The 3 AF versions all have 8 elements in 6 groups.
Lens Serial Numbers Date Optic Focus Macro Filter Diam Length Weight Hood
Ai 180/2.8 360001 - 377928 - - 5/4 1.8 1:8 72 82 132.5 880 built-in
Ai-S 180/2.8 ED 380001 - 454048 - Mar81 - Dec05 5/5 1.8 1:7.5 72 78.5 130 800 built-in
AF 180/2.8 IF-ED 200001 - 210854 - Sep86 - 1988 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 750 built-in
AF 180/2.8 IF-ED New 250001 - 299557 - Nov88 - Aug95 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 760 built-in
AF 180/2.8 D IF-ED 400001 - 418916 > Dec94 > 8/6 1.5 1:6.6 72 78.5 144 760 built-in
XC Pictorial
Senior Member
Nope my 180mm is AI/AIS (must go check) but non ED.. Got it from a very nice elderly gentleman at a more than reasonable price. Damn sad i haven had the chance to fully utilise it since getting it. But occassional test never fail to impress.
So from your point, i should not see a sharper and better colour range image with the ED version if im not shooting in conditions prone to flare?
Thanks! Very comprehensive.
XC Pictorial
Senior Member
Mine with 375XXX would be the first version then. Great im on the way to having both manual versions
.. I will try them both out and see the both versions actually have ED coating. If so then might considering selling one set away.Just got my 35f1.4, 85f2 and nikon-EOS mount adaptor with AF confirmation chip today.. :lovegrin: :thumbsup:
Erm.. ED is not a coating. It's a special glass formulated to reduce dispersion. Previously fluorite was used but Nikon found it to be too fragile so they developed ED glass.Mine with 375XXX would be the first version then. Great im on the way to having both manual versions
Just got my 35f1.4, 85f2 and nikon-EOS mount adaptor with AF confirmation chip today.. :lovegrin: :thumbsup:
Ansel
Senior Member
Interesting from your photo that the rabbit ears have been removed?
No, CA has got nothing to do with flare. It is the inability of the lens to focus light of all colours to a point, so you will see colour fringing on hard edges in your images.
You might have gotten one of those early copies which actually have an ED element that is not acknowledged by Nikon. That may explain the sharp performance of this lens.
Not exactly related to the thread topic but i simply love this... :lovegrin:
This recreation of the legendary Nikon rangefinder camera came bundled with a reissued multicoated, 7 elements in 5 groups design RF W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8 lense and has a suggested price of 690,000 yen (original SP with lense were approx.; 88,000 + 39,500 yen minus inflation..). The total production quantity has an initial "suggestive" number of 2,500 units where all are supposedly meant for domestic market in Japan. The camera as well as the companion wideangle lense will each bear a starting number from SP 0001 (camera) & 0001 (lense). The entire package will consist of the camera, lense, production certification, lens hood, cap, case and accompanying boxes. This faithfully recreation camera has its famous universal optical rangefinder system to accommodate the widest range for focal length from 2.8, 3.5, 5.5, 8.5, 10.5 and 13.5 cm RF-Nikkor lenses. The shutter is using cloth curtain system and a built-in self timer.
This recreation of the legendary Nikon rangefinder camera came bundled with a reissued multicoated, 7 elements in 5 groups design RF W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8 lense and has a suggested price of 690,000 yen (original SP with lense were approx.; 88,000 + 39,500 yen minus inflation..). The total production quantity has an initial "suggestive" number of 2,500 units where all are supposedly meant for domestic market in Japan. The camera as well as the companion wideangle lense will each bear a starting number from SP 0001 (camera) & 0001 (lense). The entire package will consist of the camera, lense, production certification, lens hood, cap, case and accompanying boxes. This faithfully recreation camera has its famous universal optical rangefinder system to accommodate the widest range for focal length from 2.8, 3.5, 5.5, 8.5, 10.5 and 13.5 cm RF-Nikkor lenses. The shutter is using cloth curtain system and a built-in self timer.
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