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Nikon 18mm f/3.5
NIKKOR AI-s (1981-2005)

Intro    Specifications    Performance   Compared   Recommendations

image linked from manufacturer's site

Nikon 18mm f/3.5 AI-s (72mm filters, 12.6oz./358g, 0.8'/0.25m close focus, about $450 used if you know How to Win at eBay).

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

Sample Images

Benton, 05 Oct 2010

Sample Image: On the Road to Benton. Bigger. full tech story.

 

October and August 2010, September 2007    more Nikon reviews

 

NEW: Image Quality Examples 11 August 2010

Sharpness Comparison to all other 18mm lenses 11 August 2010

How to Use Ultrawide Lenses 11 August 2008

Nikon 18mm f/2.8 AF-D Review

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Introduction       top

Intro    Specifications    Performance   Compared   Recommendations

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This manual-focus lens works great on film cameras and the Nikon D3. It's silly to use it on DX digital cameras, since there are much better and less expensive alternatives, like the 18-55mm AFS II, which won't work on film and FX cameras.

The most intriguing thing about this 18mm lens, in addition to its small size, weight and low price, is that it appears to have less linear distortion than most other Nikkor wide angle lenses. Objects in the corners get sucked out towards the corners, the whole point of ultrawide angle lenses, but straight lines stay straighter than they do on my 20mm Nikkors and 17mm Tokina.

It has similar performance to the more compact 20mm f/4 AI and 20mm f/3.5 AI lenses I already own, but of course it's 10% wider.

 

Specifications         top

Intro    Specifications    Performance   Compared   Recommendations

 

Optics

It has 11 elements in 10 groups.

It has close range correction (CRC).

 

Diaphragm

It has a seven-bladed diaphragm stopping down to f/22.

 

Close Focus

0.25m or 0.85 feet.

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:8.3.

 

Filter Thread

72mm, metal, does not rotate.

(The 20mm f/3.5 AI-s and 20mm f/4 AI take common 52mm filters).

 

Hood

It takes an HK-9 hood.

 

Case

Use the CL-37.

 

Size

It's 2.953" diameter and extends 2.462" from the mounting flange (75.01 x 62.53mm), measured.

Nikon specifies 3.0 x 2.4" (75 x 61.5mm).

 

Weight

12.630 oz. (358.1g), measured.

Nikon specifies 12 oz. (350g).

 

Price

About $450 used in 2023 if you know How to Win at eBay.

About $450 used in 2010 if you know How to Win at eBay.

Sold for about $300 used in 2007.

It listed for $940 at B&H in December 1993 and $1,080 in December 1996, new.

 

Performance       top

Intro    Specifications    Performance   Compared   Recommendations

 

Sharpness

It gave the usual performance: a soft corners wide open, improving greatly a stop or two down.

See my Sharpness Comparison to all other 18mm lenses for explicit samples and examples.

 

Distortion

Cartlsbad Lifeguard

California Lifeguard Shack, 26 September 2007. 18mm at f/16, F6, Fuji Velvia 100.

The 18mm has less distortion than the manual focus 20mm lenses. If you keep a straight line, like the horizon, along the top edge, it stays remarkably straight. Few if any Nikon wide angles can make the shot above without the line along the top bowing out.

Lines parallel to any of the edges stay straight.

There is some bulging or barrel distortion in the center. If you shoot a brick wall, the outsides are great, and there is some slight bulging in the middle.

Distortion on the FX and film cameras is complex, and used judiciously, can give some nice results with architecture. It's bowed out in the center, the only part of the image used with DX cameras, but the far sides on film and DX straighten out again. For horizontal shots with vertical lines, put them towards the sides and they are perfect.

Used with a DX digital camera, it's first order distortion, easy to correct in Photoshop CS2's lens distortion filter with a setting of +3.

 

Falloff (darkened corners)

Falloff is moderate at f/3.5.

Falloff is minor at f/5.6.

Falloff is gone at f/11.

 

Flare and Ghosts

Carlsbad Lifeguard

Tower 28, 26 September 2007. 18mm at f/11, F6, Fuji Velvia 100.

There is one big, dim, red blob opposite the sun. Look very carefully and you can see it on the closest foot of the tower. It's not a problem. There also are a couple of little ones closer to the sun.

Ghosts and flare were a little worse than the 20mm lenses.

 

Sunstars

Carlsbad Tower 28

California Lifeguard Shack, 26 September 2007. 18mm at f/11, F6, Fuji Velvia 100.

Brilliant point of light may grow 14-pointed stars due to the excellent 7-bladed diaphragm. This is typical for most Nikkor lenses.

These become stronger as one stops down.

This is the same film as above, scanned more darkly. Film shows a lot more than the limited dynamic range of a computer screen. The darker version also shows the ghosts closer to the sun more clearly.

 

Filters, use with

The Nikon 18mm f/3.5 AI-s is a classic lens designed to take the smallest possible filter. That means that Nikon fitted it with the smallest possible filter threads, which means you're always on the hairy edge of vignetting.

Modern lenses like the bigger and better 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S are designed for oversize filters to eliminate the possibility of vignetting, but this 18mm isn't.

Therefore, if used on a D3 or film where you need the full image out to the corners, you'll want to use a Nikon brand filter, which are all thin, or a thin filter from others.

You'll get away with using a conventional 72mm filter, but you might get just a tiny bit of darkening in the corners.

I can use a 72 -> 77mm step up ring, but then the darkening is even more of a potential problem.

If you use this on a DX camera there is never any problem, but it's a waste of this lens to use it on a DX camera since DX cameras only use the center of the image. (see crop factor.)

 

Recommendations       top

Intro    Specifications    Performance   Compared   Recommendations

I skipped this lens in 1999 since I got the same or better performance out of my used 20mm f/4 lens, and this 18mm cost $1,000 new.

Today in 2010, this 18mm lens sells for less than half that, and is a steal compared to the the popular Nikon FX zooms that cover 18mm.

It works great on FX and 35mm cameras, and I suggest it for bargain hunters looking for portability and/or great performance.

 

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20 Jan 2023, October and August 2010, September 2007