Nikon 135mm f 2.8 – Nikon 135mm f/2.8, a lens that has captivated photographers for decades, is a testament to the enduring power of classic optics. This telephoto prime lens, known for its exceptional sharpness, creamy bokeh, and timeless design, has become a staple for portrait photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a lens that delivers stunning image quality with a touch of elegance.
From its meticulously crafted glass elements to its robust build, the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 embodies the essence of precision and artistry.
Its f/2.8 aperture allows for beautiful shallow depth of field, isolating subjects and creating dreamy backgrounds. The lens’s fast autofocus ensures sharp images even in low light, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of shooting situations. The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a testament to the enduring power of classic optics, offering a balance of sharpness, bokeh, and build quality that has stood the test of time.
Optical Performance
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens, known for its versatility and affordability, boasts impressive optical performance. It delivers excellent sharpness, good contrast, and minimal chromatic aberration, making it a suitable choice for various photographic applications.
Sharpness and Contrast
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens is renowned for its sharpness, especially when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6. This sharpness extends across the entire image frame, resulting in detailed and well-defined images. The lens exhibits good contrast, rendering images with rich blacks and bright whites.
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a classic portrait lens known for its sharpness and creamy bokeh. Its ability to capture the subject’s details with exquisite clarity makes it a popular choice among photographers. When considering the best camera body to pair with this lens, the choice often comes down to the Sony a1 and a7rV.
Deciding between these two powerful cameras can be challenging, but a detailed comparison can help you make the right choice based on your specific needs. Ultimately, whether you opt for the Sony a1 or the a7rV, the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 will undoubtedly elevate your portrait photography with its exceptional image quality and beautiful rendering.
Chromatic Aberration
Chromatic aberration, a common optical distortion, is well-controlled in the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens. The lens demonstrates minimal color fringing, particularly in the corners of the image, even when shooting wide open.
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a classic telephoto lens known for its sharp rendering and creamy bokeh. It’s a popular choice for portrait photography, capturing the subject with a pleasingly shallow depth of field. However, if you’re looking for a more versatile lens that can handle a wider range of subjects, the Canon XA1-7260-609 EF EF-S canon xa1-7260-609 ef ef-s might be a better fit.
This lens offers a zoom range from 18mm to 135mm, making it suitable for everything from landscapes to close-up shots. Ultimately, the choice between the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 and the Canon XA1-7260-609 EF EF-S comes down to your individual needs and shooting style.
Bokeh Quality
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens produces a pleasing bokeh, or out-of-focus blur, characterized by its smooth and creamy rendering. This quality is particularly noticeable when shooting subjects against a blurred background, creating a visually appealing separation between the subject and its surroundings.
Rendering Characteristics
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens renders images with a natural and slightly warm tone. This warm rendition adds a pleasing aesthetic to photographs, particularly in portraiture and landscape photography.
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a versatile lens, capable of capturing stunning portraits and detailed landscapes. Its fast aperture allows for shallow depth of field, isolating subjects against blurred backgrounds, while its telephoto reach provides a unique perspective. Of course, with such capabilities comes the need for ample storage space.
You might wonder, how many photos will a 32gb memory card hold when shooting in RAW format with the Nikon 135mm f/2.8? The answer depends on the image size and compression settings, but it’s crucial to have enough storage for those breathtaking shots.
Comparison with Other Lenses
When compared to other similar lenses in the market, the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens offers a good balance of performance and affordability. While some higher-end lenses may exhibit slightly better sharpness and bokeh, the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens provides a competitive alternative for photographers seeking a versatile and capable lens without breaking the bank.
Design and Build Quality: Nikon 135mm F 2.8
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a well-constructed lens, reflecting the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality optics. Its design and build quality contribute to its excellent performance and longevity.
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a classic telephoto lens known for its sharp rendering and pleasing bokeh. While it excels at capturing distant subjects, it’s also a fantastic choice for portraits, thanks to its ability to isolate subjects from the background.
In contrast, a 35mm point and shoot camera is designed for everyday snapshots, offering a wider field of view and a more compact size. The Nikon 135mm f/2.8, on the other hand, demands a more deliberate approach, allowing for creative control and the capture of stunning detail.
Physical Design and Materials
The lens is characterized by its classic design, featuring a metal barrel that gives it a robust feel. The metal construction adds to its durability and weight, making it feel substantial in the hand. The lens’s exterior is finished with a textured black paint that helps to prevent fingerprints and scratches.
Build Quality, Durability, and Weather Sealing
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is known for its robust build quality, designed to withstand the rigors of professional use. The lens is weather-sealed, providing protection against dust and moisture. This feature is essential for photographers who work in challenging environments, ensuring the lens’s functionality and longevity.
Focus Mechanism and Performance
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 utilizes a silent wave motor (SWM) for autofocus, providing fast, quiet, and precise focusing. The SWM technology ensures smooth and accurate focusing, especially crucial for capturing moving subjects. The lens also features a manual focus ring that allows for fine-tuning adjustments, giving photographers complete control over focus.
Usability and Handling
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens offers a blend of classic design and modern performance, making it a compelling choice for various photographic endeavors. Its usability and handling are key factors contributing to its overall appeal.
Weight and Balance
The lens’s weight and balance play a crucial role in its handling, especially during extended shooting sessions. The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens weighs approximately 590 grams, making it a relatively lightweight telephoto lens. This weight distribution is well-balanced, providing a comfortable and secure grip, even when using it with smaller camera bodies.
- On full-frame DSLRs:When mounted on a full-frame DSLR like the Nikon D850, the lens feels well-balanced, with the weight distributed evenly between the camera body and the lens. This balanced weight distribution makes it comfortable to hold and shoot for extended periods.
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8, a classic telephoto lens, offers a unique balance of reach and sharpness. While its design emphasizes clarity, the Minolta MC Rokkor 24mm f/2.8, known for its wide-angle perspective, has its own fascinating history. The Minolta MC Rokkor 24mm f/2.8 lens, available in several versions, ranging from the early models to the later multi-coated versions , offers a glimpse into the evolution of lens technology.
Returning to the Nikon 135mm f/2.8, its legacy lies in its ability to capture detailed portraits and distant subjects with remarkable detail.
- On crop-sensor DSLRs:When used with a crop-sensor DSLR, such as the Nikon D5600, the lens’s weight may feel slightly heavier on the front, as the camera body is smaller. However, the lens’s balanced design still allows for comfortable handling.
Focusing Speed and Accuracy
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens features a silent wave motor (SWM) for fast and accurate autofocus. This focusing system is known for its speed and precision, making it suitable for capturing fast-moving subjects.
- Autofocus Speed:The autofocus speed is generally quick and responsive, especially in good lighting conditions. The lens can acquire focus rapidly, enabling you to capture fleeting moments.
- Autofocus Accuracy:The autofocus system is highly accurate, consistently delivering sharp images. The lens’s ability to lock focus precisely is particularly important for portraiture and other applications where accurate focus is paramount.
- Autofocus Noise:The SWM autofocus system operates quietly, producing minimal noise during focusing. This silent operation is advantageous for situations where quietness is essential, such as wildlife photography or video recording.
User Experience with Controls and Features
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens offers a straightforward and user-friendly experience. Its controls are intuitive and well-placed, making it easy to adjust settings and manage the lens effectively.
- Focus Ring:The focus ring is smooth and responsive, providing a tactile and precise feel during manual focusing. It offers a wide range of adjustment, enabling accurate focus control.
- Aperture Ring:The aperture ring is located on the lens barrel, allowing for quick and easy aperture adjustments. The clicks are distinct and provide a reassuring tactile feedback. The aperture ring can be de-clicked for smooth aperture transitions during video recording.
- Distance Scale:The lens features a distance scale, which is useful for manual focusing and hyperfocal shooting. The scale is clearly marked and easy to read.
Applications and Use Cases
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 lens, a versatile telephoto prime, finds its niche in various photography genres. Its combination of focal length, aperture, and image quality makes it suitable for a range of shooting scenarios, from intimate portraits to capturing wildlife in its natural habitat.
Portrait Photography
The 135mm focal length is ideal for portrait photography, offering a flattering perspective that minimizes distortion and emphasizes the subject’s features. The lens’s wide aperture (f/2.8) allows for shallow depth of field, blurring backgrounds and isolating the subject. This creates a pleasing bokeh effect, drawing the viewer’s attention to the subject’s face and expressions.
The lens’s sharpness and accurate color rendition ensure that portraits retain fine details and natural skin tones.
Comparisons and Alternatives
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a solid performer in the 135mm focal length range, but it’s not the only option available. This section explores other lenses that compete with the Nikon 135mm f/2.8, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision.
Comparison with Other 135mm Lenses
This section will compare the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 with other lenses in the same focal length range.
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 135mm f/2 DC:This lens is a popular choice for portrait photographers due to its pleasing bokeh and fast aperture. It’s generally sharper than the older Nikon 135mm f/2.8, but it’s also significantly more expensive.
- Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art:This lens is known for its exceptional image quality and fast aperture.
It offers excellent sharpness and beautiful bokeh, but it’s quite large and heavy.
- Tamron SP 135mm f/2.8 Di VC USD:This lens offers a good balance of performance and affordability. It features image stabilization and a fast aperture, making it a versatile option for various photography genres.
Alternatives Based on User Needs, Nikon 135mm f 2.8
This section explores alternative lenses based on specific user needs and preferences.
- For Budget-Conscious Users:The Tamron SP 135mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is a good option, offering solid performance at a lower price point.
- For Portrait Photographers:The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 135mm f/2 DC is a popular choice for its beautiful bokeh and fast aperture, while the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art is another excellent option for those seeking the highest image quality.
- For Wildlife Photographers:The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 is a good choice for its relatively lightweight and compact design, making it easier to carry around for extended periods. The Tamron SP 135mm f/2.8 Di VC USD also offers image stabilization, which can be beneficial for shooting wildlife in low light conditions.
End of Discussion
The Nikon 135mm f/2.8 remains a compelling choice for photographers seeking a lens that blends classic aesthetics with exceptional performance. Its sharpness, bokeh, and build quality have earned it a loyal following, making it a true workhorse for portraiture, wildlife, and other genres.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an aspiring photographer, the Nikon 135mm f/2.8 offers a timeless lens that will elevate your photography to new heights.