Nikon 20mm f/2.8
(1984-today)
© 2004 KenRockwell.com

Nikon Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 AI-s.

July 2008    More Nikon Reviews

NEW: How to Use Ultrawide Lenses 11 August 2008

Introduction

This has been Nikon's most popular manual focus 20mm since the 1980s. That's too bad, because I prefer the smaller and lighter f/4 AI or f/3.5 AI-s versions that take my 52mm filters, however most folks have opted for the f/2.8 and it's larger size and 62mm filter thread. As stated elsewhere, I prefer to use my huge collection of 52mm filters and prefer to carry as little as possible.

As all of the Nikkor AI-s manual focus lenses of its day, this lens represents the highest standard of mechanical precision and durability that Nikon has ever attained.

Nikon still makes them in 2008, and you can buy them brand-new from B&H Photo-Video.

Specifications

The 20mm f/2.8 AI-s has the same optics as the current 20mm f/2.8 AF lens: 12 elements in 9 groups, seven-bladed diaphragm stopping down to f/22.

Close focus is 10" or 0.25m and it has close-range correction (CRC).

Filter size is 62mm. It takes the HN-14 slip-on hood.

Size: 1.669" extension from flange by 2.559" diameter (42.40 x 65.00mm), measured.

Weight: 9.125 oz. (258.75g), measured.

Performance

Optically it's a typical Nikon wide-angle: soft in the corners wide-open due to coma and some light falloff that goes away stopped down. The barrel distortion is a little more complex than usual: the center of the image has the usual barrel distortion, however it starts to straighten out at the far edges. This makes it measure a little better in tests, but also makes it much more difficult to correct in Photoshop.

Recommendations

This lens is much sturdier and precisely built than its optically equivalent AF version.

You could save money and get an AF version for use on your manual focus camera if you don't mind the AF lens' sloppier mechanics.

There is no major difference in performance between any of the 20mm lenses tested here.

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