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 |
| Maximim Aperture | f/3.5 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/16 |
| Maximum Angle of View (Full frame or larger format) | 74° |
| Optical Information | |
| Lens Elements | 6 |
| Lens Groups | 6 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 5 |
| Focus Information | |
| Focus | Manual Focus |
| Built-in Focus Motor | 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 |
| 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:
