Here is another photograph taken using a Nikon Ai-s legacy lens from the early 1980s. This image of the Toronto Skyline was captured using an 85mm f1.4 lens. It is the most precise and well-built 85mm f/1.4 lens ever made by anyone. It's a legendary professional lens that takes incredible images and for many photographers, their favorite Nikon lens of all time.
The lens is made of metal and is heavy at a pound and a half, and the quality is apparent when you hold one in your hand. Even the lens hood is metal made from a solid piece of machined billet aluminium. The lens is built to the highest mechanical standards of any lens ever made. When Nikon introduced an autofocus version in 1995, they continued to manufacture this manual focus lens for another 10 years.
This lens came from Japan where owners tend to really take care of their lenses. Despite being manual focus and close to 40 years old, a copy in mint condition sells for as much as $1,000 on eBay. I managed to get this near perfect copy for considerably less.
Even though it lacks all the modern “bells and whistles” of today’s autofocus lens, it is a real pleasure to use due to its precision and quality. And, it produces stunning images.
