The 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor: For those of you interested in the history of Nikon lenses I m going to make some brief comments on this lens that you could find interesting. Let me start...

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

For those of you interested in the history of Nikon lenses I m going to make some brief comments on this lens that you could find interesting.
Let me start by saying that the famous photojournalist David Douglas Duncan, born in 1916 and still alive at 99 years of age, was on assignment by Life to cover the Korean War when he stopped over in Japan on his way to Korea.

There he met a young Japanese photographer also working for Life called June Mikki who showed him some Nikkor lenses made for rangefinder cameras. Like the vast majority of photojournalists at the time Mr. Duncan was using Leicas but he was surprised at the quality of the Nikkor optics to the point that he bought two of them and made many shots of the war with them. Life magazine editors did not know anything about those lenses till Mr. Duncan returned to the USA and instead they thought the shots were made with Ernst Leitz lenses. Some of the shots with Nikkor lenses made it to the front page of the magazine.

The original 105 f4 Nikkor was introduced around 1948 for rangefinder cameras and the "introduction" of this lens for SLR cameras took place in 1975.
It was not a perfect lens. To start with it only reached half life size and many macro photographers were wanting a larger lens opening since focusing the lens with film cameras then was not optimal since the fresnel lens used to focus lacked the technology of modern focusing mechanisms making the images in the viefinder somewhat dark.
For that reason Nikon introduced a new version of their Micro Nikkor in 1984, this time with a f2.8 aperture and capable of life size reproduction.

The 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor has great optics, focusing with dSLR lenses is a breeze although it is a manual lens. It has excellent built quality and its half life size reproduction is more than enough for photographers like me although the extension ring PN-11 brings the focused image to life size for those who need it.
The lens is also great for general photography and especially portraits.
My version is from the 80's so it is an AI-S lens that I use with my digital bodies.

I am posting a couple of shots made in our garden, nothing out of the ordinary but they give you a pretty good idea of the optical performance of this excellent lens. I used a matte and frame with the help of Photoshop. Minor adjustments during editing using Topaz Adjust 5 cutting down the effect of the presets to make the pictures look more natural.

The camera was my D610 mounted on a Manfrotto 3021 tripod from the 70's with a Linhof ballhead. I used the self timer instead of a cable release. The flowers were shot at f16 and the other one wide open.

I have neglected using this lens for some time but I will be using it more from now on and I have to try some portraits with it.
I am very happy with the way it renders images in beautiful pastel colors.

(Download)

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

These are exquisite captures - both the quality of the captures and the simplicity of the composition. I found your narrative very interesting as well.

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Thank you. Enjoyed the history as well as your photos. ;)

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Interesting background information - it's often nice to have a more detailed understanding and appreciation of classic gear. Thank you also for posting two first-class examples.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Great lens. I owned one. Thanks for the history lesson.

camerapapi wrote:

For those of you interested in the history of Nikon lenses I m going to make some brief comments on this lens that you could find interesting.
Let me start by saying that the famous photojournalist David Douglas Duncan, born in 1916 and still alive at 99 years of age, was on assignment by Life to cover the Korean War when he stopped over in Japan on his way to Korea.

There he met a young Japanese photographer also working for Life called June Mikki who showed him some Nikkor lenses made for rangefinder cameras. Like the vast majority of photojournalists at the time Mr. Duncan was using Leicas but he was surprised at the quality of the Nikkor optics to the point that he bought two of them and made many shots of the war with them. Life magazine editors did not know anything about those lenses till Mr. Duncan returned to the USA and instead they thought the shots were made with Ernst Leitz lenses. Some of the shots with Nikkor lenses made it to the front page of the magazine.

The original 105 f4 Nikkor was introduced around 1948 for rangefinder cameras and the "introduction" of this lens for SLR cameras took place in 1975.
It was not a perfect lens. To start with it only reached half life size and many macro photographers were wanting a larger lens opening since focusing the lens with film cameras then was not optimal since the fresnel lens used to focus lacked the technology of modern focusing mechanisms making the images in the viefinder somewhat dark.
For that reason Nikon introduced a new version of their Micro Nikkor in 1984, this time with a f2.8 aperture and capable of life size reproduction.

The 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor has great optics, focusing with dSLR lenses is a breeze although it is a manual lens. It has excellent built quality and its half life size reproduction is more than enough for photographers like me although the extension ring PN-11 brings the focused image to life size for those who need it.
The lens is also great for general photography and especially portraits.
My version is from the 80's so it is an AI-S lens that I use with my digital bodies.

I am posting a couple of shots made in our garden, nothing out of the ordinary but they give you a pretty good idea of the optical performance of this excellent lens. I used a matte and frame with the help of Photoshop. Minor adjustments during editing using Topaz Adjust 5 cutting down the effect of the presets to make the pictures look more natural.

The camera was my D610 mounted on a Manfrotto 3021 tripod from the 70's with a Linhof ballhead. I used the self timer instead of a cable release. The flowers were shot at f16 and the other one wide open.

I have neglected using this lens for some time but I will be using it more from now on and I have to try some portraits with it.
I am very happy with the way it renders images in beautiful pastel colors.

For those of you interested in the history of Niko... (show quote)

Nikonhermit Loc: In This Place

The photographer you mentioned was named Jun Miki. He was the first Japanese photographer to publish in LIFE magazine.

denwin580 Loc: Kettering, Ohio

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and your talent !!!!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

camerapapi wrote:

For those of you interested in the history of Nikon lenses I m going to make some brief comments on this lens that you could find interesting.
Let me start by saying that the famous photojournalist David Douglas Duncan, born in 1916 and still alive at 99 years of age, was on assignment by Life to cover the Korean War when he stopped over in Japan on his way to Korea.

There he met a young Japanese photographer also working for Life called June Mikki who showed him some Nikkor lenses made for rangefinder cameras. Like the vast majority of photojournalists at the time Mr. Duncan was using Leicas but he was surprised at the quality of the Nikkor optics to the point that he bought two of them and made many shots of the war with them. Life magazine editors did not know anything about those lenses till Mr. Duncan returned to the USA and instead they thought the shots were made with Ernst Leitz lenses. Some of the shots with Nikkor lenses made it to the front page of the magazine.

The original 105 f4 Nikkor was introduced around 1948 for rangefinder cameras and the "introduction" of this lens for SLR cameras took place in 1975.
It was not a perfect lens. To start with it only reached half life size and many macro photographers were wanting a larger lens opening since focusing the lens with film cameras then was not optimal since the fresnel lens used to focus lacked the technology of modern focusing mechanisms making the images in the viefinder somewhat dark.
For that reason Nikon introduced a new version of their Micro Nikkor in 1984, this time with a f2.8 aperture and capable of life size reproduction.

The 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor has great optics, focusing with dSLR lenses is a breeze although it is a manual lens. It has excellent built quality and its half life size reproduction is more than enough for photographers like me although the extension ring PN-11 brings the focused image to life size for those who need it.
The lens is also great for general photography and especially portraits.
My version is from the 80's so it is an AI-S lens that I use with my digital bodies.

I am posting a couple of shots made in our garden, nothing out of the ordinary but they give you a pretty good idea of the optical performance of this excellent lens. I used a matte and frame with the help of Photoshop. Minor adjustments during editing using Topaz Adjust 5 cutting down the effect of the presets to make the pictures look more natural.

The camera was my D610 mounted on a Manfrotto 3021 tripod from the 70's with a Linhof ballhead. I used the self timer instead of a cable release. The flowers were shot at f16 and the other one wide open.

I have neglected using this lens for some time but I will be using it more from now on and I have to try some portraits with it.
I am very happy with the way it renders images in beautiful pastel colors.

For those of you interested in the history of Niko... (show quote)

Great compositions. Nice background for us lens fanciers.

Ward Posey

I have long considered this lens as the sharpest in my camera bag. Mine is from 1978 and I use it on my old F-2 Photomic when I shoot film. Unfortunately it is not A1 so I can't use it on my digitals.

Past Pro Loc: Spring Hill, Florida

This is the lens I will buy next, been thinking about it for some time.

MT native Loc: Big Sky Country — Montana

Beautiful captures. Thanks for the info and the view.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Nikonhermit wrote:

The photographer you mentioned was named Jun Miki. He was the first Japanese photographer to publish in LIFE magazine.

You are correct, I apologize for misspelling his name.

ssymeono Loc: St. Louis, Missouri

In the hands of a skilled photographer like you (you demonstrate it in your two great pictures), these lenses achieve miraculous results. The lens is compact and feels quite heavy at 500gm.
As a footnote to your excellent history, I am reading in Peter Braczko's, The Complete Nikon System (Rochester, NY: Silver Pixel Press, 2000, p.198) that Nikon issued an SLR version of the rangefinder lens the 10.5cm f/4 in March 1960 but produced few of them and they are very rare today.

Jim MacMahon Loc: Central Florida

I love the tonal quality of your pictures. They remind me of the flower series shot by Ernst Haas, very velvety. Thank you for sharing.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

very nice work. and a great prime lens even by today's standards.