Sleeping Legacies: Nikkor AI/AI-S Cult Classics

Many new comers exploring Nikkor's vintage F-mount AI/AI-S lineup are usual presented with the same set of legendary lens, but its often worth considering the rest of the expansive Nikkor catalog. Whilst there are poor lenses in the historic Nikkor lineup, there are other lenses which are often overlooked by the mainstream and they exist with their own cult statuses.

The Anatomy of a True Cult Lens

To understand what makes a "cult" lens we need be cold and differentiate between a "mainstream legend" and a true "cult lens". Lenses like the wonderful Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-S, or the 180mm f/2.8 ED AI-S are magnificent but they are not cult items. They were well received and recognised as legendary lenses but they are too famous and too common to be considered cult. For a lens to become a cult lens it requires:

• A specific perceived fault that mainstream rejected but found favour with its adopters
• Scarcity or other reasons that prevent it from becoming mainstream

When evaluated against these criteria, I've got my list of manual focus AI/AI-S Nikkors that I'd consider as genuine cult classics. They are not flawless, but their own distinct traits, compromises, and real world utility make them interesting and compelling lenses that are distinct from the mainstream.

The Galen Classic: Nikkor 20mm f/4 K/AI

This lens established a dedicated following entirely due to its advocacy by the pioneer of "fast and light" wilderness photography, Galen Rowell. When introduced in 1974 to replace the large for the time 72mm filter size 1967 20mm f/3.5 UD Auto, it came with a newer optical formular and slower f/4 maximum aperture. The potential negatives were put up against a compact ultra wide pancake lens weighing a mere 210 grams that successfully gave an the market an ultra wide in Nikon’s standard 52mm filter size.

By late 1978, Nikon phased out the f/4 variant and launched a redesigned 20mm f/3.5 AI (and later AI-S). This replacement was likely engineered for a brigher viewfinder image too dim for easy composition in low light environments. While the subsequent f/3.5 version developed its own niche following particularly among infrared film shooters due to its lack of center hotspots the original 20mm f/4 AI remains a favourite for its distinctively longer focus throw and similar resistance to ghosting and flare when pointed directly into a light source: saturation and micro contrast are often discussed as optical attributes on this lens. Personally I've also found the f/4 sharper at mid-far distances and without the moustache less distortion of its faster younger sibling.

Furthermore over the years Galen's recommendation of this lens has been rehashed repeated on various forum and websites and that itself created its own cult status and intrigue. The optical qualities were often celebrated over the latter AI/AI-S ultrawides.



The unique HK-3 lens hood that was released for the AI lens gives the lens transforms the lens from the very small package size and focus handling.

The Photojournalist Legacy Lens: Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI

The 35mm focal length was once a standard photojournalists tool the 35mm f/2 AI Nikon retained its legacy 1965 8 element optical formula entirely unchanged when transitioning this lens into the robust 1977 AI barrel design and obviously was popular. Perhaps not suffering the same fate as the 85mm f/2 AI with its faster f/1.4 and slower f/2.8 sibblings it does not seem as popular on the 2nd hand market as its siblings. I find the lens is sharp from full aperture with smooth out of focus rendering that can be forced further given its relatively minimum focus distance.

The Original Nifty Fifty: Nikkor 50mm f/2 AI

This lens was abruptly discontinued after only two years of production (1977-1979) to align with the market for the f/1.8 variants. Today many people won't even consider the f/2 whilst looking for a classic 50mm, The 50mm f/2 AI continues with a 1964 6 element symmetrical configuration inside the AI design-language of the 1970s barrel. Because the front and rear glass elements are physically smaller, this lens naturally suffers from far less geometric distortion than its faster f/1.4 counterparts. Wide open it produces a distinct dreamy veiling flare and potentially poor/jittery out of focus rendering but optical character changes significantly as you stop down the from f/4 onwards provideing improved sharp and contrasty images.

Look closer: Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI

Mainstream buyers tend to consider the faster 55mm f/2.8 AI-S, leaving this f/3.5 version as a reasonably affordable alternative and without all the sticky aperture blades of the f/2.8. The f/3.5 lens relies on the exact same 5 element, 4 group optical formula designed by legendary optical engineer Hideo Wakimoto used for the 1961 5.5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens (which itself evolved from a 1956 Nikon rangefinder lens). Nikon left this optical successful formula fundamentally unchanged for nearly two decades due to its lack of distortion and uniform edge to edge flatness of field. I find this lens incredible sharp and betters its longer 105mm f/4 AI cousin.

The Forgotten Portrait Companion: Nikkor 85mm f/2 AI-S

In the short telephoto portrait space, this lens was entirely overshadowed by the faster (and heavier) 85mm f/1.4 AI-S and the famous 105mm f/2.5 AI-S. Built as a compact, budget friendly portrait option, its slower f/2 aperture may have disappointed folks for the f/1.8 K it replaced. For me it has shades of the 50mm f/2 AI with its Wide open performance, but surprisingly this lens' far/infinity performance is very very good which makes it a lightweight option for portraits, street and architecture. Stopping down to f/2.8 and especially to f/4 and beyond the lens is sharp. My copy of the 105mm f/2.5 AI-S was never sharp until f/4 although many people claim the 105mm is very sharp wide open.

The Affordable Telephoto: Nikkor 200mm f/4 AI

Its performance to weight/size ratio serves as an anchor for a lightweight alternative to heavy, professional f/2.8 telephoto zooms and this lens also regained some popularity for its telephoto to cost ratio with a lens could be used for a wide range of uses such as travel and astrophotography. The standard Nikkor AI/AI-S build quality further endured recent adopters who had been used to the contemporary plastic lens construction. In terms of performance, the lens delivers high contrast and pleasigly saturated images even wide open.

Conclusion

Of course this is just another article about lenses and anyone reading this will be justified in questioning the credability of opinions here. Looking at the AI/AI-S lens linueup from the mid 1970s to the late 1980s, this list covers the mainstream focal lengths that I've used and newcomers to the vintage Nikkor lineup will be overwhelmed by the options given the F-mount dates back to the late 1960s.

In the end, this is obviuosly my opinion but it can be start for those who want to recognise there's more to the vintage Nikkor lineup other than the mainstream Nikkor legends.