Information on Nikkor 28mm f/2.0 Lens

Nikkor 28mm f/2.0 S - For the photographer who wants to carry only one wideangle lens

As I explained at the index page, 28mm focal length's 74° picture angle has made it an ideal wideangle lens for all round applications. I would not dispute some opinion that claims the one stop slower f/2.8 counterpart is a more attractive alternative because it is priced more reasonable despite it also provides similar high performing optical features. If you are to select only lens to be your solution for all your wideangle needs, this lens may be the ultimate choice for a wide variety of photographic application. Well, it only takes someone who has owned some of those slower Nikkor wideangle lenses and migrating up to the faster ones to appreciate the extra stop gain in lens speed can do for them. Why these high speed lenses possess such charm ? Well, sometimes it is not all about charm - basically, the speed gain can mean a more secured handling of a situation, naturally, that closely relates to low available light photography. Its faster speed also provides the photographer with a better control of depth of field, especially when using with higher speed film in daylight.

Optically, It has a 9 elements in 8 group construction and strangely such optical arrangement has never been revised since its inception back in 1971 towards 1977. However, the AI-S version which was introduced in December, 1981 has a revised 8 elements 8 group design and Nikon optical engineers managed to improved its closest focusing distance down to 0.25m (0.9ft) from 0.3m (1 ft) found on the early version. The newer design has increased its weight considerably from 345g to 360g ! Cosmetically, it has only one real upgrade from the metal ring which obviously you can distinguished them easily from the AI-Nikkor version which uses a rubberized focusing ring.

Along with the slower f/2.8 counterpart, both lenses have been incorporated with a rear elements focusing system or more known as "Close Range Correction system" (short for "CRC"). This has enabled the lens to maintain its superlative image quality even when working at its closest focusing range. The lens is also very well corrected for typical spherical aberration and Coma which commonly found in wideangle lenses of retrofocus design. Despite its weight, which often many users complaint about - but I find it balances very well when used with any Nikon SLR camera in particular with a motor drive attaches (Strangely, very few people making noise on a mighty and heavy Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 super telephoto but complaints a lot at a smaller lens which only carries 1/8th weight of the gigantic 300mm lens on a camera, strange huh ?...); Although its performance is every inch how a classic optical lens should be, I would rather think its price is more a negative factor to hinder its widespread popularity. With the ultra-fast AF-D 28mm f/1.4 lens introduced, this lens may find it difficult to position in the Nikkor lens family and probably why Nikon has never considered giving the f/2.0 an AF rebirth. Whatever it is, if AF is not your priority, very often you need to work with available light photography and need a wider picture angle, perhaps this fast speed, high performance wideangle Nikkor lens, could be the solution provider.

Technical Highlights:

ï Picture angle of 74° makes it ideal for candids group shots, land- and cityscapes, travel photography, architecture and interiors.
ï Large f/2.0 maximum aperture gives you bright and easy-to-focus images in the viewfinder and allows shooting in very dim light.
ï Sharp images from center to edges at all apertures - very well corrected for coma and spherical aberration.
ï Close-Range Correction System insures high image resolution even at a minimum shooting distance of 0.25m (0.9 ft.).
ï Weighs only 360 grams and accepts popular 52mm filters, despite its very large maximum aperture.

Specifications:

Focal length/Aperture: 28mm f/2.0
Lens construction: 8 elements in 8 groups
Picture angle: 74°
Diaphragm: Automatic
Aperture scale: f/2.0 - f/22 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 (0.9 ft.) to infinity (OO) Weight: 360g

Dimensions: 63mm dia. x 68.5mm long (overall); 58.5mm extension from lens flange
Filters: 52mm front screw-in
Front lens cap: Snap-On
Lens hood: HN-1 screw-in metal
Lens case: CL-31S hard leatherette, No. 62 soft pouch, or CP-8 plastic
Usable teleconverter: TC-200, TC-201, TC-16, TC-14A

ProductionSerial Numbers believed to have started from 575001 for AIS lens

| Back | to Main Index Page of Manual Focus Nikkor lenses at 28mm focal length

28mm focal length Manual Focus Nikkor Lenses:
| Early non-AI versions | mid-1970 (pre-AI) | Late 1970 | Early 1980 - Present: 28mm f/2.0 ; 28mm f/2.8 | 28mm f/3.5

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Fisheyes - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawide - 13mm 15mm 18mm 20mm | Wide - 24mm 28mm 35mm | Standard - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto - 85mm 105mm 135mm 180mm & 200mm | Super Telephoto - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm | Reflex - 500mm 1000mm 2000m

Special Application lenses: Micro-Nikkor - 50-60mm 85-105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm
Dedicated Lenses for F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor

Nikon Series E lenses: 28mm 35mm 50mm 100mm 135mm | Zoom: 36~72mm 70~150mm 70~210mm

Zoom Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300 | 80~600mm | 200~400 | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm

Recommended links to understand more technical detail relating to the Nikkor F-mount:
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

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Co-developed with Denmark <LHHansen@zi.ku.dk> 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.