Information on Manual Focus Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 Lens
Part II - Instruction Manual

 

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Important !

* When mounting the lens on a camera with a lift-up meter coupling lever (Al type), make sure that the lever is correctly positioned; when mounting on a camera without this lever (non-AI type), conventional "manual" maximum aperture indexing is required. In both cases, refer to the camera's instruction manual. When the lens is used with certain SLR camera models, such as older Nikon F-401/N4004* or the newer series of AF SLR like the F65, F80 or equivalent, the camera meter coupling function does not operate and the exposure indicator LEDs do not appear inside the viewfinder nor the LCD panel.

Mounting the lens Position the lens in the camera's bayonet mount, aligning the mounting indexes on the camera and the lens. Twist the lens counterclockwise until it clicks into place. To remove, depress the lens release button on the camera and twist the lens clockwise. * Note: The Nikon 4004 is sold exclusively in the U.S.A. while the rest of the world is modeled as F401.

55microextended.jpg
Focusing Couples the lens/camera fully automatic diaphragm, the Micro-Nikkor can be focused with maximum image brightness on the screen throughout the entire focusing range. The depth of field is also minimized at maximum aperture, so that the image snaps in and out of focus rapidly and distinctly. To focus, turn the focusing ring until the image on the focusing screen appears sharp and crisp. The lens employs an internal dual-helical system, it focuses continuously from infinity to 9-13/16 inches (25cm) at a reproduction ratio of 1:2 (half-life size).
Recommended Focusing Screens:

Various interchangeable focusing screens are available for Nikon F5-, F4- and F3-series cameras to suit any type of lens or picture taking situation. Nikon FA, FE2, FM2 and FE uses either type K, B, E, K2, B2 or E2 and use the column for the Nikon F3 section in the chart.
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55microscreens.gif

<<<<< ----- A typical packing used for markets outside USA.
<<<<< ----- ( PDF Format file 148k ) on guide for selection of Focusing Screens

The Reproduction Ratio The reproduction ratio is the relation of the image size (to be recorded on the film to the actual subject size). For example, if the image on the focusing screen is one fifth the actual subject size. the reproduction ratio is 1 5 and this is indicated on the reproduction ratio scale on the focusing ring. In front of the distance scale are two reproduction scales engraved in orange. The inner scale, with figures from 1:10 to 2, represents reproduction ratios obtained when the lens is used alone.

The outer scale figures (from 1:2 to 1:1) represent possible ratios when the lens and PK-13 ring are used together. Using either of these scales, you can photograph at a predetermined ratio without calculating distance.

For an example, to photograph at a reproduction ratio of 1:5 just turn the focusing ring until the number "5" is aligned with the distance index line; then aim at the subject and adjust your position (closer to, or farther away from the subject) until the image appears sharp and crisp on the focusing screen.

Depth of field Depth of field refers to the zone of acceptable focus in front of and behind the area of sharpest focus in your shot. At high reproduction ratios, depth of field is extremely shallow; it's best, therefore, to preview before actual shooting. One way to do this is to press the depth-of-field button on your camera and the lens will close to the preselected aperture, showing you how much background and foreground is in focus. Another way is to read the color-coded indicators inscribed on the lens barrel. The pairs of colored lines on either side of the white indicator line correspond to the f/numbers of the same color on the aperture scale. At close distances, however, sometimes is in focus that it may be more useful to check the depth-of-field tables on the verve.
To avoid camera shake, close-up photography poses several problems not encountered in general photography. One is sensitivity to vibration - image magnification is so high that even the slightest movement during shooting will cause a blurred image. To avoid this, we recommend the use of a tripod with a cable release to activate the shutter.
pb6fullsetup.jpg At extremely close working distances, depth of field decreases drastically. Stopping down the lens partially compensates for this, but at very close working distances, an extremely shallow depth of field is inevitable Be sure, then, to place the camera carefully to ensure that the important surfaces of the subject are in the same zone of sharpness.

Close-up photography
When using the optional Extension Ring PK-13, Bellows Focusing Attachment PB-6, or other Nikon equipment to obtain a reproduction ratio of more than 1:2. better optical performance will be obtained by stopping down the lens to f/4 or a smaller aperture setting.

\When non-TTL meter is used

At Close ranges (reproduction ratios greater than 1:10), the amount of light reaching the film decreases as the lens-to film distance increases. When non-TTL measurement is used in these cases, photographs will be underexposed unless you have compensated for this decrease (when the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 lens is used with the Nikkormat or Photomic TTL meter, Compensation is not necessary since the meter will give accurate readings of the amount of light reaching the film.) The table below give the exposure factors (Compensation values) with exposure increases in f/stops for non-TTL exposure measurement at reproduction ratios greater than 1:10. To calculate the necessary corrections in shutter speed rather than in aperture value, multiply a given exposure factor by the exposure time. For instance, if the normal exposure at a 1:1 reproduction ratio is 1/8 second. the correct shutter speed is 1/8 x 4 = 1/2 second.

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Magnification achieved when used with close up accessories such as: Close-up Lenses No 0, No 1, No.2.; E2 ring, K-Ring set; PK-series Ring set; Bellow Units PB-4, 5 and 6; Slide copying Adapter PS-4, PS-5, PS-6; Macro Copy Stand PB-6M; Extension Bellow PB-6E; Reprocopy outfit PF-2, PF-3 and PF-4 and PN Ring.
(PDF Format 148k)

The following formula is used to calculate the exposure factor: Exposure factor = (1 + R)
2 where R = Reproduction ratio
Lens only

Reproduction ratio

Exposure Factor

Exposure increase in f-stop

1/10

1.2

approx. 1/3

1/8

1.3

approx. 1/3

1/6

1.4

approx. 1/2

1/4

1.6

approx. 2/3

1/2

2.3

approx. 1-1/3

1/1.8

2.4

approx. 1-1/3

1/1.6

2.6

approx. 1-1/3

1/1.4

2.9

approx. 1-1/2

1/1.2

3.4

approx. 1-2/3

1/1

4.0

approx. 2.0


Lens care
* Clean lens surface with a blower brush. To remove dirt and smudges, use a soft, clean cotton cloth or lens tissue moistened with lens cleaner (separately available). Wipe in a circular motion from center to outer edge, taking care not to leave traces and not to touch the other lens parts. * To protect the lens surface from dirt or damage, the use of an NC filter is recommended at all times. The lens hood also helps to protect the lens. * To protect the lens surface from dirt or damage, replace both the front and rear caps whenever the lens is not in use.*Do not splash water on the lens or drop it in the water because this will cause it to rust and malfunction. * If you will not use the lens for a long time, protect it from rust and mold by storing it in a cool, dry place. Also, do not store in direct sunlight, and keep it away from naphthalene or camphor.

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* Reinforced plastic is used for some parts of the lens exterior; to avoid damage, never leave the lens in an extremely high temperature environment.


*
Avoid performs lens changing (in particular turning the lens focusing mechanism singularly) without a rear cap in place.
Credit: Image Copyright 2002 of this Non-AI Micro-Nikkor 55mmf/3.5 lens courtesy of Mr Rose <rose@internetauctiongroup.com> of Berniesphoto ©

Optional Accessories Auto close-up ring; PK-13; Teleconverter TC-201; Teleconverter TC-14A; 52mm screw-in filters; 52mm screw-in lens hood HN-3; Hard lens case CL-31S; Hard lens case CL-32S (with PK-13 ring attached); Flexible lens pouch No. 61; Flexible lens pouch No. 62 (with PK-13 ring attached)


Specifications for Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8s lens:

Focal length/Aperture: 55mm f/2.8
Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
Picture angle: 43°; Diaphragm: Automatic; Attachment size: 52mm (P=0.75mm)
55mmicroupview.jpg
Aperture scale: f/2.8 - 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.
Distance scale: Graduated in meters and feet from 0.25m (9-13/16 in.) to infinity (
OO); with PK-13 ring, from 0.225m (8-13/16 in.) to 0.249m (9-13/16 in.)
Reproduction ratios: Scales provided; 1:10 to 1:2 for lens only; 1:2 to 1:1 for lens with PK-13
Weight:
290g; Dimensions: 63.5mm dia. x 70mm long (overall); 62mm extension from lens flange
Filters: 52mm front screw-in; Front lens cap: Snap-On Lens hood: HN-3 screw-in type

Lens case: Lens only: CL-31S hard leatherette, No. 61 soft pouch, or CP-8; With PK-13: CL-33S hard leatherette or No. 62 soft pouch
Usable auto extension ring: Usable auto extension ring PK-11, 12 and 13; Usable teleconverter: TC-200, TC-201, TC-16A
*, TC-14A; Note: Serial Number for this version of the Ai-S Micro-Nikkor lens may have began with 186211 * Only usable with selective AF bodies such as F-801, F-501 etc. to convert manual lenses into a lens with AF function on those bodies. Focal length of the lens in used will also magnify 1.6 times from original.

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| Early AF Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8s | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8s | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 | Ai Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 | Pre-Ai Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 | Non-Ai Micro-Nikkor-P 55mm f/3.5 | Non-Ai Micro-Nikkor-P.C 55mm f/3.5 | Non-Ai Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 Preset | Special version Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 | RF Micro-Nikkor 50mm f/3.5 lens |

Micro-Nikkor lense Family: Main Index Page (3 parts)
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50mm | 55mm (AF) | 60mm (AF) | 85mm PC | MF-105mm (AF) | MF-200mm (AF) | 70-180mm (AF) |

| Back | Main Index Page of Micro-Nikkor Lenses

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Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:-
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Nikkor Link.jpg   Special Application lenses:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm
Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm
Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm


MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm

Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20E

Recommended links to understand more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

Recommended Reading Reference on Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses | about this photographic web site

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leofoo.Gif Co-developed with my web buddy, Rick Oleson® & LARs.Gif Denmark, Creator of the Nikon Repair Group Mailing-List; A contributing effort to Michael Liu's Classic Nikon SLRs and Nikkor optic site.

Credit: MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites; Lars Holst Hansen, 'Hawkeye' who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official content; Ted Wengelaar, Holland who has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; Hiura Shinsaku from Nikomat Club Japan. Lastly, to all the good people who has contributed their own expeience, resources or kind enough granted permission to use their images of their respective optic in this site. It is also a site to remember a long lost friend on the Net. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets & brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification. "Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.