GL

DR

Comments by DR, unless otherwise indicated

80mm f4.5 AF

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very early AF lens, with internal AF mechanism, may exist as prototype only
80mm f2.8 AF

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early AF lens for F3AF (1983); has a good reputation
85mm f2.8 T/S Micro

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tilt-shift macro lens, MF only, with push-button diapragm stop-down; goes to 1:2
85mm f2.8 PC-ED T/S Micro

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tilt-shift macro lens, MF only; push-button diapragm stop-down; auto-diaphragm possible with D3 and D300; goes to 1:2
85mm f2

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4.8

several samples; performance declines at wide stops near minimum focus; otherwise excellent even wide open
85mm f1.8 non-AI

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4.8

2 samples; very good wide open; excellent siopped down slightly; flares easily with backlight in non-multicoated samples
85mm f1.8 AF

5/4

4.9~5.2

2 samples; one sample slightly better in corners wide open near minimum focus distance than near infinity; other sample excellent to the corers wide opem; excellent wide stop close focus performance
85mm f1.4

5/5

4.8

4 samples; good wide open, floating element maintains good performance down to minimum focus distance ; doesn't have quite the "snap" of other 85mm Nikkors tried
85mm f1.4 AF

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90mm f4.8 Soft-Focus

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part of limited-offering "Fun Lens Set"; fixed aperture; converts to 120mm f4.5 macro
100mm f2.8 E

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4.8

3 samples; light and compact; exellent performance even wide open
105mm f4.5 UV

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lens designed to pass ultraviolet
105mm f4 preset

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normal focus range; same optics (3/3) as the 105mm f4 from the rangefinder era (LV)
105mm f4 Micro

4.5/5

3.5

3 samples; not great at wide stops, though others report much better results with this lens than I found; goes to 1:2; the 105mm short mount version has the same optics
105mm f2.8 MF Micro

4/5

4.4 close,
5 at infinity

2 samples; excellent center to corner performance at infinity at f2.8; note that the 180mm AF, 135mm f2 MF, later 105mm f2.5, 100mm f2.8 E, 85mm f1.8 AF, and the latest-version 35mm f2.8 PC are also performing unusually well at infinity-focus at f2.8; goes to 1:2
105mm f2.8 Micro AF

5/5

4~4.5 at infinity, 4.8 close

3 samples; too difficult to focus manually near infinity - focus is too fast, and alignment problems have been noted in two samples near infinity; excellent stopped down; goes to 1:1
105mm f2.5 early

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4.4

several samples; small rear element (early non-AI with silver front); very good performance at all stops
105mm f2.5 later

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4.8

several samples; performance declines at wide stops when near minimum focus (DR); serial #500.001 and up; a great portrait lens; the very reason I bought my first Nikon body (LV)
105mm f2 DC AF

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permits shifting the areas of under/over-corrected spherical aberrations relative to the plane of focus
105mm f1.8

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4.5~4.6

many samples; performance wider than about f4 can be good, though disappointing compared with other Nikkors in this range; excellent stopped down somewhat 
120mm f6.3 Micro

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one of four high-magnification micro lenses, with manual diaphragm and no focus - with 39mm thread mount (1/3X - 4X on 35mm, 1X - 4X on 4x5)
120mm f4.5 Macro

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part of limited-offering "Fun Lens Set", fixed aperture, only two fixed magnification ratios, converts to 90mm f4.8 soft-focus
120mm f4 Medical

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needs power pack for built-in ring flash
135mm f4 short mount

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135mm f3.5

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4.5

2 samples; very good sharpness at all stops 
135mm f2.8 non-AI

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4.5

3 samples; very good sharpness at all stops 
135mm f2.8 compact

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4.8

4 samples; performance declines at wide stops when near minimum focus; otherwise excellent even wide open
135mm f2.8 E

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4.5

2 samples; very good sharpness at all stops
135mm f2

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3~4.9

3 samples; 3 at minimum focus, 4.9 beyond about 10'; very sharp center to corner at f2 at mid to long distances, with some very slight field curvature just detectable at wide stops near infinity; performance is poor at wide stops when near minimum focus; otherwise excellent even wide open
135mm f2 DC AF

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permits shifting the areas of under/over-corrected spherical aberrations relative to the plane of focus
180mm f2.8 non-ED

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4.6

1 sample; good wide open, excellent stopped down slightly 
180mm f2.8 ED

4.8/5

4.8

1 sample; good wide open, excellent stopped down slightly 
180mm f2.8 EDIF AF

5/5

5.2

1 sample; this lens is wonderful at all stops, center-to-corner, all distances (even on a short tube) (DR); GL rates older, pre 1988 version 5/4 (LV)
180mm f2.5 preset

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adapted from rangefinder to SLR-camera
200mm f5.6 Medical

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uses 6 screw-in close-up lenses in various combinations of one or two in order to reach magnification ratios of 1:15 to 3:1, with no other focus adjustment; needs power pack for the built-in ring flash
200mm f4 older

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3.8~4.2

several samples; can be quite good even wide open 
200mm f4 compact

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4.5

several samples; very good even wide open; can be great as a macro lens; the best auto-diapragm lens for about 3X that I have used (DR); serial #670.003 and up (LV)
200mm f4 IF Micro

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4

2 samples; slight sample variation, (one nice at infinity, but less so close; the other the reverse); goes to 1:2; compact, with internal focus 
200mm f4 EDIF Micro AF

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3.8~4.5

1 sample; 3.8-4.5 at infinity (depending on f-stop), 4.5 close; rather large, heavy, and expensive macro lens with fine infinity-focus performance by f8 (but not much wider); goes to 1:1 ; see article on this lens: http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/70-180mm-200mm.htm
200mm f3.5 EDIF AF

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early AF lens for F3AF (has a good reputation)
200mm f2 EDIF

4.5/5

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all of the fast EDIF Nikkors have good reputations
300mm f4.5

3/4.5

3.6~4.2

several samples; some variation, often not wonderful at wider stops, not good with converters; fairly compact and light
300mm f4.5 ED non-IF

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4.8

1 sample; excellent sharpness at all stops; very good with converters; fairly compact and light
300mm f4.5 EDIF

4.8/5

4~4.4

3 samples; good to very good sharpness; good on tubes but not good with converters; fairly compact and light
300mm f4 EDIF AF

5/5

4.8

2 samples; compact and light compared with the f2.8 versions; excellent sharpness even wide open; good with converters (especially the TC14/14B/14C)
300mm f4 EDIF AF S

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5

1 sample; large for a 300mm f4, but well-balanced and not heavy; equally sharp at infinity-focus and minimum-focus which may make it useful with converters and achromats (neither were tried) for macro work; the sharpest of the Nikkor 300's wider than f8
300mm f2.8

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300mm f2.8 EDIF

5/5

5

3 samples; very sharp even wide open - contrast improves to f8; excellent with converters (good even wide open on matched converters); large, heavy, and expensive, as are all the long and fast teles
300mm f2.8 EDIF AF

4.8/4

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marks by GL are for the 1st AF version (LV)
300mm f2.8 EDIF AF I

5/5

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internal focus motor
300mm f2.8 EDIF AF S

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internal focus motor
300mm f2.8 EDIF AF II

4.8/4.8

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lighter than earlier 300mm f2.8 Nikkors; internal focus motor
300mm f2 EDIF

5/5

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came with the wonderful TC14C
350mm f4.5 semi-auto

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adapted from rangefinder to SLR 
400mm f8

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part of limited-offering "Fun Lens Set", fixed aperture, unusually comact when "telescoped", accepts 52mm filters
400mm f5.6

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400mm f5.6 ED non-IF

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400mm f5.6 EDIF

4.8/5

4.8

1 sample; very good with converters, fairly narrow and light (and overpriced, as are most of the big, fast teles of all brands, in my opinion...); excellent sharpness at all stops
400mm f4.5 non-AI (ED)

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came as lens head that fit a standard focusing unit common to 400mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm lenses of the time (the 400mm, 600mm, 800mm, 1200mm heads were available as either ED or non-ED)
400mm f3.5 EDIF

5/5

5

2 samples; excellent at all stops; excellent with converters (good even wide open on matched converters)
400mm f2.8 EDIF

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400mm f2.8 EDIF AF I

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Good lens, great boat anchor: 6kg vs 3kg for the f3.5; couldn't Nikon make the 400 f3.5 as an AF lens? (GL)
500mm f8 mirror, early

3.8/5

4

3 samples; good with TC14/14B; performs better near infinity than near minimum focus distance (4m); rate film speed 1/2 stop lower when using this lens; there is a moderate center "hot spot" (as there is with most mirrors); using the TC14/14B reduces this; fairly compact and light (DR); GL does not specify early/late version (LV)
500mm f8 mirror, late

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3.6

2 samples; very close focus (1.5m), best performance near middle of focus range; compact and light
500mm f5 non-automatic

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adapted from rangefinder for SLR
500mm f5 mirror

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3.2

1 sample; large, but surprisingly light;  minimum focus 50' (15m); sharpness OK
500mm f4 EDIF P

5/4.5

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MF, but contains AF electronics (DR); wimpy tripod mount (GL)
500mm f4 EDIF AF I

5/5

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AF version is sharper wide open in the corners than the MF, but they both are quite good (GL)
600mm f5.6 non-AI (ED)

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(see 400mm f4.5 notes)
600mm f5.6 EDIF

5/5

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600mm f4 EDIF

5/5

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1 sample; inconclusive results from a brief trial 
600mm f4 EDIF AF I

5/5

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internal focus motor
600mm f4 EDIF AF S

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internal focus motor 
800mm f8 non-AI (ED)

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(see 400mm f4.5 notes)
800mm f8 EDIF

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800mm f5.6 EDIF

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1000mm f11 mirror

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3.3

1 sample; it is very difficult to use a lens this long beyond a few hundred feet because the air qualities greatly affect the image quality; OK to good scharpness; fairly light and compact for its very long focal length
1000mm f10 MTO mirror

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1 sample; remarkably even illumination; OK sharpness 
1000mm f6.3 mirror

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very large - minimum focus 100' (30m) 
1200mm f11 non-AI (ED)

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(see 400mm f4.5 notes)
1200mm f11 EDIF

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2000mm f11 mirror

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very large, very heavy, very expensive
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