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Nikon Series E 75-150 mm f/3.5s Zoom lens
An excellent focal length for portraits, sports, and travel photography, although many may feel its focal length at both ends are neither too practical to make it a one-lens-does-all choice optic for photographers.
Well, I think quite a number of Nikon faithful are equally very easy to satisfy - it was all started with a lens test published by 'Popular Photography' back during early '80 which it has reported some favorable results achieve by the lens. The review has made many users thinking Nikon has produced another 'legendary" status lens. (Frankly, I think even Nikon was surprised and embarrassed by such positive respond in a Series E zoom lens instead of a Nikkor). If a test report is solely used as a yardstick to judge such a status, Canon could have a few bucketful of legendary lenses because any seasoned users/readers will notice Popular Photography rarely reviewed lenses made by Nikon during that time; even if it has, while you can see most of content were using careful choice of words which often contradict with lens test results in data sheet. Further, many lens tests of Canon optic published usually scored highly and brilliantly in lab and on the field test. So, I think to see such overwhelming reaction from Nikon users was truly amazing and it might even went beyond its creator's expectation.
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Credit: Image courtesy of Laura Kornylak® <shutterblade@comcast.net> from shutterblade*com where the Company has a website on its own. Image copyright © 2003. All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.
Generally, zoom lenses within on these focal length are much easier to design without overcoming too much optical aberrations, they usually performs much better than lenses of shorter focal lengths. There are two versions of this lens being produced throughout its entire product cycle. The earlier version has a lens fastening ring in black plastic while later version was changed to a metal (Aluminum) lens mounting ring. It has a extra broad focusing ring which provides secure, firm focusing and zoom action. However, the lens has a few great designing elements to term it as a good zoom lens. It features a one touch zoom/focusing ring design which is very useful for telephotography; it has a constant aperture of f/3.5 which is equally favorable by many photographers.
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The lens indeed balances very well when mounted on camera (especially with a motor drive attached). Optically, it never disappoint either, perhaps with NIC which has greatly contains internal reflection among the lens elements within, images produce are uniformly quite sharp for a zoom lens at all apertures and color fidelity is very stable. The lens exhibits a slightly higher contrast (for a zoom lens), where it also provides excellent depth of field scales (lines) which are brightly coloured to illustrate their curves while it zooms/focuses. Overall, since the lens was designed within a focal length generally very useful (and practical) for medium telephotography such as half length body portraiture, scenic/landscape to isolate a specific area of interest, family pictures and even a great choice for indoor studio photography. However, similar to other Series E lenses, the lens is not provided with a meter coupling prong and when use it with any Non-AI Nikon bodies, you have to be aware that it may not be able to provide proper open aperture metering guide. Another slight drawback is its rectangular grip for the aperture ring has a very strong, fragile plastic feel.
Credit: Image(s) courtesy of Bert Furnari ®™ where I found the image(s) from his excellent Ebay Store. All image(s) appeared herein are Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.
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As with any other medium telephoto lens you can find on the market, shooting portraits with aperture between f/8.0 and f/11 with flash, should produce excellent photographic results with this lens. Over the years, just like the shorter 36-72mm lens featured earlier, I noticed many of this zoom lens are also being used "in front of the curtain" at many of the One Hour Color Lab for taking passport or B/W ID photo).
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I am not here trying to upset some stomachs by making such a remark here. Actually, depending on your expectation and in what situation you are using them, most modern lenses are more than sufficient to generate an above average optical result - if you are very particular about factors such as resolving power etc...at every aperture it provides, then it is too unfortunate.
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I remembered one of my good friend who has read that lens test and Photostat a copy for me. He was so convinced with the report and thought that was the one last good lens Nikon has ever produced and eventually bought one himself (I presumed there are many others just like him). I did borrowed the lens fro him, used it for quite a while and overall, I was quite happy with the results it generates. However, my experience with the lens made me concluded it was a good lens, but it is nothing near such 'legendary' quality as others claimed.
Credit: Image(s) displayed here are courtesy of betteroffblu/Jenny® where the EBAY STORE is also one of my favorite spot to look for great images on used photographic equipment. Image(s) copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.
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I remembered one of my good friend who has read that lens test and Photostat a copy for me. He was so convinced with the report and thought that was the one last good lens Nikon has ever produced and eventually bought one himself (I presumed there are many others just like him). I did borrowed the lens fro him, used it for quite a while and overall, I was quite happy with the results it generates. However, my experience with the lens made me concluded it was a good lens, but it is nothing near such 'legendary' quality as others claimed.
Credit: A well captured image of the 75-150mm f/3.5s Series E Zoom lense displayed here was contributed by "The Earl of Duke" ® . Image Copyright © 2003. All rights reserved.
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Anyway, it is all right to use lens test as a buying guide, but I always discourage blind followers which may even mislead others to join in the buying queve. Come to think of it, if some form of media was being abused slightly with a different objective, manufacturers stand to gain the most. But personally, I would not think it was that bad as I would imagine that such things will happen because, generally, media operators usually maintain a high professionalism attitude in their works, it was only individual interpretation and lack of actual product knowledge that may twist such a thought. The best way to judge is to borrow a lens if you can, use it for your personal photography and determine if it is useful and practical for your kind of photography. Personally, the focal length the lens encompasses is more interesting (practical) - with an additional bonus it offers be able to work in at close to macro setting (1:5 magnification ratio). But if you try to pay a premium on a presumably ' legendary status' where the sellers demand it was, then just forget it. I would rather save my hard earned cash for something else.
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Technical Highlights: * A versatile zoom lens offering focal lengths from medium long to a full 3X telephoto. * Focuses down to a close 1m (3.5 ft.) at all focal lengths; a magnification ratio of 1:5 is possible at the 150mm focal length.
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* Well-corrected aberrations as well as Nikon Integrated Coating provide high contrast at every focal length from wide open to completely stopped down. *Single (One-touch) focusing/zooming ring provides a more responsive operation. * Uses 52mm filters. *Stops down to f/32 for additional depth of field. *Excellent for candid, head-and-shoulder portraits, travel photography, and sports.
Specifications:
Focal length/Aperture: 75-150mm f/3.5
Lens construction: 12 elements in 9 groups
Focusing/zooming control: By a single control ring
Picture angle: 31°40' -17°; Diaphragm: Automatic
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Aperture scale: f/3.5 - f/32 on both standard and aperture-direct-readout scales
Exposure measurement: Via full aperture method with Ai cameras; via stop-down method with non-Ai cameras.
Focal length markings: 75, 100, 150mm
Distance scale: Graduated in meters and feet from 1m (3.5ft.) to infinity (OO)
Weight: 520g
Credit: A well captured image of the 75-150mm f/3.5s Series E Zoom lense displayed here was contributed by "The Earl of Duke" ® . Image Copyright © 2003. All rights reserved.
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