Richard Haw's Classic Nikon Repair and Review

Hello, everybody! I was watching some old pre-war clips, I did that to learn more about how it was back then, How we used to behave and think, what people did or ate, things of that nature. I am always fascinated by how much we have changed throughout the decades. Our standards are a lot more different today, what was deemed acceptable then is now taboo and what was cool is now treated as novelty by the majority. Today, I will show you something that used to be cutting-edge for its time but is now considered a relic of a bygone era. Despite not being relevant anymore I think it is still worth studying it so we will appreciate how fare we’ve gone since the early days of SLR photography.

Introduction:

The Zoom-Nikkor 85-250mm f/4 Auto is the successor to the legendary Zoom-Nikkor 8.5-25cm f/4-4.5 Auto, that lens is the first Japanese-made zoom and the 2nd one ever-made for the 35mm format. That’s a historically-significant lens but Nikon thought it could be better so this one was made. It was sold from 1969 to 1973, a short period compared to the older Zoom-Nikkor 8.5-25cm f/4-4.5 Auto which was sold from 1959 to 1969. It’s obvious that the Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/4.5 Auto that’s introduced in 1969 is the more practical model so its production was halted. The Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/4.5 Auto is smaller, lighter and cheaper to produce, I don’t think there’s any way you could argue with that.

The combined focusing-and-zoom barrel is handy because you could operate it with one-hand. This is what I’d call a “pumper-zoom”, I like this setup when shooting with manual-zooms specially for taking action photos. It needs some time to get used to if you’ve never used one. A Nikon Df is great for shooting with it since you can use pre-Ai lenses with it.

Hello, everybody! Are you old enough to remember the so-called “bubble-economy” of Japan? It was a time of wanton spending, a time when bar hostesses from Tokyo had the money to fly to Sapporo just to eat ramen there and fly-back to work in the same day. It was a false-economy and it won’t last long when the bubble burst. That was a time when people realized the value of money. The attitude became more grim as people turned-back to their old, frugal ways to make the most of what was left. Products began to be made with budget as the biggest concern and companies began to look elsewhere to spread their profits. Today, I’ll show you a lens that was a product of that era and how it has evolved into an even-cheaper version of itself elsewhere as Japan had to find ways to manufacture her products cheaper. The bar hostesses will have to survive on instant ramen from then-on, no more Sapporo ramen for you, miss.

Introduction:

The AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-80mm f/4-5.6D was sold from 1994 to an unspecified date but some sources claim that this was sold from 1993 to 1995. It was soon replaced by the cheaper and more flimsy AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-80mm f/4-5.6D (N) in 1995 but both were sold at the same time and were bundled with different cameras. The earlier ones were made in Japan and the later ones were made in the same Thai factory that made the latter one. Despite sharing the same name, both lenses share different optical formulas, even within this very version there are 2 different subvariants, the earlier ones have a different optical formula while the later ones have identical optics to the plastic AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-80mm f/4-5.6D (N) but the exterior design of the barrel looks the same. To make things clear, this one is the earlier version with its older, simpler optical formula. Things aren’t what they seem in Thailand, this is a bit difficult to identify if you’re a novice and the best way is to look underneath to see if it is indeed what you think it is.

It’s a compact lens and it’s not heavy, too. This makes it a great lens to bring on a trip but its slow-speed means that it’s limited only for shooting under ideal lighting conditions. The build quality won’t match the earlier all-metal Nikkors but it will survive a use in the field so long as you take care of it. Compared to the AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-80mm f/4-5.6D (N) that replaced it, this one has more metal parts, the most important being the bayonet. It won’t break into pieces when you accidentally drop it or bang it against a hard surface. The focusing ring turns as it operates so you should keep your fingers away from it when you’re shooting with it.

Hello, everybody! Do you shop online? The products you see may look great but they look different once you have unboxed it. It’s amazing what presentation can do to enhance a product’s image. Internet hype and rumors can make a shabby product turn into the best one ever made. This is why influencers make money. I was approached once to be an influencer for a lens company, I turned it down because I didn’t like how they treat their employees. Money and influence aren’t everything for me and I won’t sell my honor just for those. Today, I’ll be showing something to you that has been hyped on the internet thanks to these so-call influencers. I am going to review it for you and see if the hype is actually true or not. Let’s search for the truth together in this article.

Introduction:

The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 Series-E was sold from 1981 to 1985. It was made to complement the Nikon EM under the trade-name of “Series-E”. The lenses under the Series-E brand were made to be cheap but still retain a respectable amount of optical performance in order to be appealing to new photographers. Many Series-E lenses are quite good optically despite having lesser performance or build-quality compared to the true Nikkors, only missing the points due to poor coatings and a cheap-looking rendering. Despite all that, many people still hold-on to them because of the value they represented. Unfortunately, the hype has gotten a bit too much so they now cost more than their Nikkor counterparts. Of all the overhyped Series-E lenses this one gets the prize but it’s justifiable as its performance is quite good, rivaling the image quality of the Nikkors.

The build is decent but nowhere near Nikkor standards. Despite that, the plastic parts are durable and I think it will endure abuse in the field to some extent. The focus-throw is just-right if you ask me and handling is superb. It’s light and compact, It is the smallest 135/2.8 that Nikon has ever made. One funny thing about this lens is it was never sold within Japan and is considered rare locally. I have always wondered why but it seems that Nikon had a policy of not selling Series-E lenses in the domestic market if there is an equivalent Nikkor being sold at the same time. This was to prevent any conflicts in sales.

Hello, everybody! Did you play LEGO blocks when you were young? I sure did and I even went to an exhibit which was really memorable. My kid now shares the same enthusiasm that I had when I was little. She now has a lot of blocks scattered around the room which I step-on occasionally, causing me great pain in the middle of the night. These blocks are considered classic and they haven’t changed much since 40 or more years ago when I used to play with them. Some things stand the test of time and they did not change much from their original form. Today, I will show you one such classic. Despite being old and replaced by several new models it still has a huge following in the macro-photography community, specially with people who shoot coins and stamps. This is one of the sharpest lens that you could get if you have a tight budget, read this article to find out what this lens is.

Introduction:

The Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 Ai-S was sold from 1981 to 1983, it replaced the Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 Ai which is a bigger lens. This one is a lot slimmer and its design language was inherited by the Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Ai-S that followed it. It’s a really sharp lens and many people claim that it’s the sharpest 105mm Micro-Nikkor ever until the Ai AF Micro Nikkor 105mm F2.8 came into the scene. I can see where this is coming from because the Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 Ai is a very sharp lens and it has the same optics as this one. The reason for this lens’ existence is the move to the then-standard Ai-S system which allows it to be used with a couple of Nikons that could meter with it in all auto-exposure modes.

It has a helpful focus-lock to prevent accidental turning of the focusing ring. It shares the same design as the Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Ai-S which you could easily mistake it for. Handling is great and it balances well with any camera. The build quality is great, it could withstand professional abuse in the field.

Hello, everybody! I sometimes like to visit flea-markets in order to look for bargains. You can occasionally see a couple of great deals but most of the stuff being sold are overpriced rubbish. There’s money in refuse some people say but that can go both-ways, too. Today, I will show you something that I occasionally see on my trips to the flea-market. Unlike the overpriced junks that I see these are usually being sold for very little money, it’s a great find if you could see one for sale under $20.00.

Introduction:

The Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AF (N) is an updated version of the Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AF. It’s made from 1989 to 1994 with the last batches made in Thailand. Many people were dismayed at the quality of many early autofocus Nikkors so a couple of them were upgraded with newer barrels and this is one of them. Despite all that, this lens didn’t receive the important D-chip that enables it to work better with speed-lights. I don’t know why this didn’t get that upgrade but I suspect that it may have to do with keeping costs down.

It feels a bit more “premium” compared to the Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AF. The focusing ring is broader and some of the parts feel a lot sturdier. It handles better as well thanks to the improved focusing ring. If you think that nobody cares about it since it’s an autofocus lens then you’re wrong because people still shoot with manual cameras at the time this was still being sold.

Hello, everybody! Do you know “Ta-chan” (ターちゃん)? It is an old 1980s parody of Tarzan which was published in a weekly magazine for young adults. It’s toilet humor made it influential, breaking the barrier of what was considered acceptable back then. Many people consider it to be a real classic because of its shock-factor but younger people do not know about this masterpiece. It has now been relegated into a small corner as part of Japan’s subculture due to its scandalous nature. Many of us still remember it with fondness and we would like to share the blessing of reading “Ta-chan” to today’s youth. Today, I’ll share something that used to be popular back then but somehow became obscure due to the changing times. I believe that it’s still a relevant product today so long as you’re aware of its limitations. Read this article to find out what this is.

Introduction:

The Zoom-Nikkor 25-50mm f/4 Ai-S was sold from 1981 to 1985, a minor to the older Zoom-Nikkor 25-50mm f/4 Ai which in-turn replaced the Zoom-Nikkor 28-45mm f/4.5 Ai, an upgrade of the Zoom-Nikkor 28-45mm f/4.5K, Nikon’s first true wide-angle zoom. It retained a fixed maximum-aperture, a convenient feature that signifies that it’s made for professionals. It’s a beloved lens, many people consider this to be an excellent performer in its day. In fact, you can find people using these well into the 2000s because it’s really that good. Many people forgot about this since there are many excellent options these days that could go wider and faster.

The build quality is rather good and it’s more like an Ai lens in this regard. It’s heavy but well-balanced when held, giving you the impression of a professional’s tool. It could survive a lot of punishment and was built to last like an old Mercedes-Benz 123. It has separate rings for focusing and zooming which is unusual for a lens of this vintage. I assume that this was originally made for use with a tripod for landscape photography so the 2-ring setup will be better since zoom-creep won’t be a problem. The old “pumper-zoom” style is better-suited for action photography where it’s more important to operate your lens quick using just a single hand. It doesn’t have a depth-of-field scale which is a shame. The red numbers you see here are for infrared photography.

Hello, everybody! Do you believe in conspiracy theories? I don’t believe them myself as most of what’s being circulated are just nonsense. Conspiracy theories such as “Paul is dead” and “Elvis is still alive” are impossible to believe, Bigfoot is stretching it out too far. The Saddam Hussein sightings are justifiable before his demise since he was really a fugitive. I tend to be interested in the latter and things of the same nature since the probability of them being true is quite high. Of course, we are never short of these in the camera business. Today, I’ll show you one such thing and for all we know, it was real after all. That is if this is indeed the real thing. Read this article to find out what this phantom lens is. Is this real or an elaborate fake? Only you could decide, and like what the late great Jack Palance always said, “Believe it or not“.

Introduction:

The mythical Ai AF Zoom Nikkor ED 28-80mm f/2.8D (IF) was never produced. It was only seen once a few decades ago and was lost in collective memory until recently. Only 2 examples are known to exist and one of them arrived to me for servicing. I do not know much about this lens and I even made the name up but here it is, this thing is real. From what I know, this was supposed to be the replacement for the aging AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D but that was officially replaced by the Ai AF-S Zoom Nikkor ED 28-70mm f/2.8D (IF) around 12 after the former’s debut. That is a long time for lenses from this class which usually see replacements after 5 or 6 years. So what happened during that long period? Well, this thing happened but it wasn’t produced. We do not know if it was due to the then-upcoming release of the Ai AF-S Zoom Nikkor ED 28-70mm f/2.8D (IF) or the management thought that this is not a “finished” product. Nobody knows but one thing I know is that it only gave Canon another bite at the marker because there was nothing Nikon had at the time to challenge the Canon EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM which was the best of its class.

It’s a rather long lens, approaching the size of the AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 ED. This is because the front barrel is rigid. It’s a tough lens because of it unlike the Ai AF-S Zoom Nikkor ED 28-70mm f/2.8D (IF) which is more compact but its front barrel isn’t rigid and moves in-and-out when you zoom. It retains the fragile plastic A/M switch. The other details are standard for its time such as the crinkle-finish and the distance-scale window. It handles great as expected and the rings are easy to identify with your fingers.

DISCLAIMER:
There’s no official word on this lens’ existence. In fact, there’s no information about this at all. Just treat this article as a conspiracy theory or anything along that line. I will merely document this according to my experience using it and what I assume it to be. It’s not a real Nikkor unless Nikon says so, that’s why I added the word “alleged” to the title.

Hello, everybody! I recently saw a DeLorean while walking down the street. It’s the stock version but it sure turned a lot of heads, specially if one is a fan of the movie that made it famous. It’s a rare car, I do not imagine the owner driving it regularly. Maybe for picking-up chicks at some sci-fi convention is a good use for that, I suppose. Of course, the owner should bring it out at times to exercise it or the car will develop troubles from not being used. I do not own a DeLorean but there’s something that I own that I rarely use. It’s not expensive or rare, it’s just that I do not have a lot of practical use for it. Like the DeLorean, it’s also rather unusual in the sense that no modern Nikkor has the same feature that was incorporated in it and its immediate successors. Stay and read the whole article to know what this is.

Introduction:

The Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/3.5 Auto was sold from 1973 up to 1976 where it was updated as the Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/3.5 <N> and later as the Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/3.5 Ai which was sold until 1979. Before it, all Fisheye-Nikkors were of the circular-type. It means that the resulting projection is a circular-image instead of something that stretches across the whole film aperture. This is limiting in terms of creative use so I suspect that they were initially made for use by the scientific community. Most of the earlier versions do not allow you to view through-the-lens because they require the mirror to be locked in the up-position. This is the first practical model in the whole Fisheye-Nikkor family and it allowed many photographers to experiment with it as a creative tool.

This is really a very beautiful lens. Its build quality is amazing, something that you don’t see much these days. It’s heavy despite being an odd-shaped and compact lens. Handling is standard, the focus-throw isn’t that short since you could focus really-close with this, up to about less than a foot or so. At this distance you could be easily-fooled because your subjects appears tiny in the viewfinder but it is actually really close to the tip of the lens. Keep this in mind to prevent any accidents.

Hello, everybody! It’s still early but it’s already dark outside. This is normal for this time of the year as the Sun sets earlier than it usually does. This means that there’s less time for me to take nice photos in daylight but it won’t prevent me from shooting at the dark since night-time urban photography is something that I am known for, at least I imagine myself to be famous for that. You’ll need fast lenses in order to shoot at lowlight, many of which aren’t cheap, specially if you’re talking about wider lenses. Today, I’ll show you one such lens that has fascinated me and it’s my pleasure to present to you one of Nikon’s more useful lens for shooting in the dark. Read this article to find out what this lens is.

Introduction:

The Nikkor 24mm f/2 Ai-S was sold from 1981 to 2005, quite a long time for a Nikkor. It succeeded the older Nikkor 24mm f/2 Ai, an amazing lens that began this class of lenses and it was sold from 1977 to 1981 where it was replaced by this lens. There was an initiative to upgrade or replace every Nikkor around that time to the then-new Ai-S standard, that’s the reason this lens came to be. It’s a great lens and it offered something that proved to be quite useful, a fast maximum-aperture which is uncommon for lenses in this category. This lens class allowed new creative expressions and a way to shoot with faster-speeds in lowlight situations. It was an amazing lens but it came at a cost and that’s the reason why not many people owned one, preferring the cheaper but slower ones instead.

It has a compact barrel with a wide front element which still accepts 52mm filters. The focus-throw is rather short which is typical of many wide-angle Nikkors of its time. It’s well-built but the older Nikkor 24mm f/2 Ai is a lot tougher. The Nikon Df works great with it, both are compact so they match each other perfectly.

I consider this shop to be a hidden gem, it’s difficult to find and the only way I knew about this is from a friend. Despite being just a small shop it’s well-stocked and the inventory is better than most shops that I know of. I occasionally find interesting items here, parts, junks and items that are priced reasonably. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable, he seems to know how to repair, too. I always have interesting conversations with him when it’s not busy. The only reason I don’t go there often is it’s situated at the other side of the city, quite far from where I live.

This is what the shopfront looks like, it’s situated at the 3rd floor of an old arcade, by the stairs. From the outside you can see that it has a lot of things inside, some of which aren’t found in other shops. This is not your average used-camera shop, it’s a place for a camera-geek to get their next purchase, big-or-small.