Lens Summary
Brand: Nikon
Also Known As: Nikon NIKKOR-H 28mm f/3.5
Lens Type: Prime Lens
Format: Full Frame / FX
Focus: Manual Focus
Lens Mount: Nikon F
Release Date: 1959-01-01
MSRP Price: N/A
Made in: Japan
Infrared Rating: Good
Production Status: Discontinued
Photography Life Review Summary: The NIKKOR-H 28mm f/3.5 is a solid lens with an all-metal barrel. While its performance is quite good in the center (peak performance is reached at f/5.6), the mid-frame and corners are very weak due to heavy field curvature. The effect of field curvature is so heavy, that the lens requires stopping down to f/11 to get average results throughout the frame. Focusing in the corners can yield sharp results, but it blurs the center and mid-frame severely. Hence, unless only center sharpness is desired, this is not a good candidate for modern digital cameras. Read the full Nikon NIKKOR-H Auto 28mm f/3.5 Review by Photography Life.
Nikon NIKKOR-H Auto 28mm f/3.5 Specifications
| Lens Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens Type | Prime Lens |
| Focal Length | 28mm |
| Mount Type | Nikon F |
| Format | Full Frame / FX |
| Compatible Format(s) | 35mm Film, FX (AI converted only) |
| Compatible with Teleconverters | No |
| Vibration Reduction (Image Stabilization) | No |
| Aperture Information | |
| Aperture Ring | Yes |
| Maximum Aperture | f/3.5 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/16 |
| Maximum Angle of View (Full Frame format) | 74° |
| Optical Information | |
| Lens Elements | 6 |
| Lens Groups | 6 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 5 |
| Nano Crystal Coat | No |
| Super Integrated Coat (SIC) | No |
| Focus Information | |
| Focus | Manual Focus |
| Built-in Focus Motor | No |
| Silent Wave Motor (SWM) | No |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.6m |
| Filter Information | |
| Filter Size | 52mm |
| Accepts Filter Type | Screw-on |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weather / Dust Sealing | No |
| Mount Material | Metal |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Dimensions | 62.5 x 54mm |
| Weight | 215g |
| Other Information | |
| Available in Colors | Black |
Lens Construction
MTF Performance
Here is how the lens performed according to Imatest:
The lens showed a rather severe case of field curvature visible at all apertures, especially from f/3.5-f/8. For best overall performance, the lens should be stopped down to f/11, as can be seen from the above chart. The center performance peaks at f/5.6, where the NIKKOR-H 28mm f/3.5 produces very sharp images comparable to modern prime lenses.
Distortion
Overall, the distortion is controlled quite well. However, the NIKKOR-H Auto 28mm f/3.5 suffers from a slight “mustache distortion“. Imatest measured it at 0.22 (pincushion), which is not bad.
Chromatic Aberrations
Chromatic aberration levels are moderate. Imatest measured CA at over 1 pixel, as shown below:
Vignetting
Vignetting is quite strong wide open, reaching as much as 2 full stops of difference in the corners. As the lens is stopped down, vignetting is reduced considerably. By f/5.6 vignetting is reduced to less than a stop and is almost fully gone at f/11:
Here is an illustration of the worst case scenario, shot at f/3.5:
User Review Policy: All user reviews are moderated. If you would like your review to be posted, please make sure that there is enough valuable information for others to read. Two or three word reviews will be deleted. Also, please do not forget to give a star ranking to the reviewed product. Thank you!