Nikon Nikkor 43-86 mm  f/ 3.5 Lens

The Nikon Nikkor 43-86 mm  f/ 3.5

In the Internet I came into a very unusual 43-86 mm zoom lens -  the Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 43-86mm f/3.5, which was very popular in Nikon's first years, though judging by responses it did not perform well. In 1976 Nikon replaced the first 9-element version of the lens with an 11-element lens with the advanced design. The weight of the second variant was 450 g , and its length  - 73.5 mm.

The lens is fit both for ordinary use and for macrography (with aperture set at f/ 8). But the lens is of little use for architecture photography because of distortion. Besides, some photographers say its bokeh is not great. However, the lens produces quite a sharp image and minimum aberrations at the distance of 3 - 10 m, which makes it suitable for portrait photography. High contrast and accurate color rendering should be noted, as well.

Yet, the lens is considered to be one of the ten worst Nikon lenses.

The Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 43-86mm f/3.5 came in several versions:

• F -  9 elements in 7 groups, length 70 mm  (1963-1974)
• C -  9 elements in 7 groups, length 70 mm  (1974-1976)
• K -  11 elements in 8 groups, length 73.5 mm  (1975-1977)
• Ai -  11 elements in 8 groups, length 73.5 mm  (1977-1982)

• Review of Part One
• Review of Part Two
• Review of English-language site
• Part of the review of the site Ken Rockwell
• Nikon

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