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It's cosmetic condition is very good. The lens is perfectly clear and the shutter action sharps. For my taste the focus / zoom action is a little soft. Image results from use are excellent.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
As the title states, the zoom range on the lens is absolutely horrible - it can't zoom wide enough to capture a large scene well, and it can't zoom in close enough to capture a distant scene well either. That said, when I am able to capture something that's framed well or the composition is good, I love the results with the lens - because it's an old school manual lens, the resulting pictures have a touch of that old-school haze - it automatically gives your pictures a softer, more airy quality that you cannot get with the ultra-high resolution of modern lenses. As a geek for older technology, I particularly enjoy the manual aperture settings - especially since the lens is properly marked for focal range at each zoom level & aperture setting. In addition, because the lens is fully manual, it offers a good bit of flexibility for reverse mounts/macro mounts or other similar pieces. Ultimately, for the price I paid, it's a cheap way to mix up the type and look of shots that I take.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Back when I was a professional photographer, I had a disdain for zoom lenses of any type. I viewed them as the lazy man's lenses for those that didn't want to take the time to compose and because of perceived poor image quality. Now, 20 years after getting a "real" job, I have taken a second look at a few of them. One in particular is the Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 43-86mm. First, the image quality of this lens is astonishing considering it is being asked to do several things, long wideangle, normal FL and short telephoto. The different types of distortion are held to a minimum throughout the zoom range, making it excellent for "quick-response" snapshots and tight space portrait-style work. Second, it is not so large it bangs against something at every turn. Every photographer has felt the pain of bumping a lens into a door frame or other immovable object. Usually, the object wins. With this lens, it is easy to crawl around in tight spaces and have a usable range of focal lengths. That proved handy for me when I was photographing aboard the U.S.S Yorktown. I left the camera bag behind with my son while I slipped into a crawl space or other limited-space area and had all I needed to get the shot I was looking for. Third, I am getting older. Carting around alot of gear is not as easy as it once was. I don't always have the luxury of having a porter with me. With this lens, I can leave three lens behind for just this one. Weight plays a big part in how I pack a camera bag these days. At 14 1/2 ounces, this lens disappears, as compared to 28+ total ounces for three lenses covering the same focal lengths. Is this lens as fast as the fixed focal-length lenses? No, but that's what a flash, (or a tripod), is made for. It will make you more creative in your photography by making you plan your shots. Besides, in 38 years, I truly can't think of a time I really needed something faster than f/3.5 to get the shot I wanted. So now, instead of a 35mm or 50mm lens on my cameras, I am packing this little jewel. Maybe I should say, four little jewels. Or is it five, I can't remember. Call me old-school, but film still rocks. I want total control of my shots...not what some micro-chip is suggesting. Throw-away photography (digital) is not creativity. I've seen too many people with the mega-bucks DSLRs take a picture only to trash it afterward. Make every shot count as though it will be in the next issue of National Geographic. And do it with a lens like this, (on a film camera). You will not be sorry.Read full review
I've bought this product to expand my options of lenses as I'm beginning reflex photography. Before I've decided to buy it I've looked up some reviews about it on the internet. It seems that there's a model of this lens which produces images greatly distorted with aberrations. That wasn't true for the lens I've got. In fact, it gives excellent pictures with great contrast and surprisingly good sharpness (on my Nikon D3200). The colors appear to be a bit saturated, that was no problem for me as I was looking for a more satured lens. It feels realy nice to handle on the camera and both the zoom and the focus are very smooth. It's some how heavy compared with my other lenses but that was expected considering it is full metal made. The focus range and the depth-of-field marks are also well placed and can be helpful, specially if you're taking film pictures. Some of the cons are that it still has a lot of periferic aberrations (chromatic aberrations are noticeable) when the aperture is set to the greatest setting (f/3.5). Also, the zoom range isn't that uselful. As a conclusion, there a lot of better zoom lenses out there. Pick this one if you're experimenting or if you find it for a very good price. Mine came with a nikkormat EL and i'm having a lot of fun for the price I've paid. (the two make a nice combination).Read full review
Nikon introduced this lens over 50 years ago in 1963, as their first standard zoom, being a good match for the Nikkorex F, their first consumer SLR. Even though it could be used on professional equipment, it clearly wasn't meant for that. That lens was clearly ahead of its time, though, and it took Nikon until 1975 to introduce any other zoom in that range. In terms of construction, the lens is superlative by today's standards: it's a full-metal lens, surprisingly heavy in spite of its small size. Optically, it isn't good, both when compared to modern zooms and to fixed lenses of the time. It is soft, has some distortion, a lot of flare and ghosts, and the background blur is harsh. That being said, it admirably covers a full 35mm frame, and I'd pit it any time against modern small-sensor equipment, especially in low light. This isn't a lens to buy in order to get top-notch images. It is a lens to buy in order to get the imprecise feel of vintage photography, for which modern computer-designed lenses are just too good. While tricky to use on a modern Nikon cameras, this is a good match for Canon DSLRs, especially when used with a focus-confirm adapter.Read full review
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