Throw Back Heaven!

I was cleaning some old drawers in my office and found a big stack of very old Nikon brochures and literature.   In the stack was an old catalog from Norman’s Camera in Battle Creek, Michigan.  This was a dealer I bought some early bodies and lenses from and I had called them and gotten the prices on various items which are hand written above in the catalog.  The catalog is from 1970, the year I got seriously into photography!!!  Above the Nikon Photomic FTN Black goes for $244.97.  That was the D4 of that day, in today’s dollars, (calculated on 3% inflation per year for 44 years),  that would be approx. $568.33, today’s D4 sells fro $5,995.!!!!  My grandfather bought me a $5,000. car when I graduated from college in 1968, that same car today would sell for around $35,000. a 7 fold increase.  If the Nikon price had risen 7 fold it would have been, $1,714.19!  Sure would love to go back to these prices!!!!!!!

Here are some price comparisons on lenses from 1970 vs today:

20mm f 3.5 back then  $189.97  today’s 20mm f 2.8 AIS manual focus $674.

24mm f 2.8 then  $139.97  today’s 24mm f 2.8 AIS manual focus $529.

28mm f 3.5 then $124.51  today’s 28mm f 2.8 AIS Manual Focus  $499.

35mm f 2.8 then $87.  Today 35mm f 2 AF $329.95  (Manual must be bought  used)

Interestingly lens prices have not escalated as much as bodies for AF lenses, manual focus glass has increased more in keeping with bodies.  I have started to use my old Nikkor manual focus glass occasionally with the D700 body, a great combination.  When the D800 was released I took it and four manual focus lenses (24mm f 2.8, 55mm Micro Nikkor f 2.8, 105mm Micro Nikkor f 2.8 and the old classic 80-200 f 4.5 Nikkor zoom.)  I wanted to prove to myself that they were still viable lenses even on the super high res D800, below are some of the shots representing each lens.  The D700 is less demanding and these lenses look fantastic on that body.

I’ve since acquired a very rare, very hard to find, (John Gompf located it for me), 25-50 f4 AIS manual focus zoom.  This lens is really strange, it is not one of the legendary sharp lenses from Nikon, it is very sharp, but not in a category with the four lenses above, but it has essentially no Chromatic Aberrations!!!  The result is a look and color quality that no other Nikkor can match! It’s a two ring zoom which for the kind of work I do is wonderful.  While I use the Fuji X System 95% of the time, it is still a thrill to shoot this combo of manual focus glass.  I own a bunch more and my all time favorite long lens is the 400mm f 3.5 AIS, which I enjoy a lot!

Modern autofocus lenses can’t have firm focusing rings because they have to be turned by tinny motors to autofocus and the torque required for the little motors would be too much.  Most modern motors would burn up trying to turn my manual focus lens, focusing rings.  It is that wonderful tactile feeling that makes these old lenses such a joy to use. I usually use this gear when I can work close to the car.  Of course for sports and action shooters AF is a must, but for travel, landscape and Americana these old manual focus lenses are great.

The big bonus to manual focus glass is the great pricing!   These prices are from KEH, a used gear dealer, based in Atlanta, I really trust.  You can buy the following in Excellent + or Like New condition for the following prices:

 24mm f 2.8 AIS  $205

55mm Micro Nikkor F 2.8 AIS  $150.  

105mm Micro Nikkor f 2.8 AIS $339.

80-200 f 4 AIS  $94.

( this was the updated version of the old f 4.5 version which can often be found for around $50.!!!  The f 4.5 lenses are hard to find in Excellent shape though.  I own both and find them both razor sharp!!  F4 takes 62mm filters, the f 4.5 takes 52mm).  For their asking price they are screaming bargains!

If you enjoy this kind of subject matter, consider joining Jack Graham and I in Acadia, in October of this year!  Check full details at  www.jackgrahamphoto.com

By-the-way my first serious camera was the Nikkormat FTN above, in chrome!  Wow, this has been, and continues to be a great ride, thanks for coming along on my sentimental journey!!!

Blessings,

the pilgrim

http://www.keh.com

If you enjoy these kinds of old gear articles and posts, please let me know!  Happy to occasionally do more!