So I got the Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Ai-S lens today. 
Holy cow. I was expecting a very good lens, but I wasn't expecting what it could do with the D800. This lens is an entirely different realm as far as what it can do with the close focusing and resolving power. I'm still trying to get my head around this lens trying to think of all the things I could do with it. The first shots I took with it were of my wife and I couldn't believe that the facial details were as good as I have seen with the 85 mm 1.4G, although I have yet to do a direct comparison (I should do comparative resolution tests, maybe for next time). I've had a few Ai-S lenses to test so far and all were ok with images typical of what I would expect from that era, but this thing, wow. Anyway, below are the usual images of the lens on the D800 and F4 and then some first closeup test shots, along with the usual resolution Angel series at different apertures. I found from that that things really pop into super sharpness at f8, although f4 and f5.6 are still pretty good. What is interesting is that the sharpness holds its own fairly good in comparison to f8 at f11, f16 AND f22 even (!). That was pretty interesting to see. Then by f32 things started showing a bit more softness on account of diffraction. With such a long focus throw (my first time working with a dedicated macro lens), and I could be wrong (?), I noticed what seemed to be focus breathing, but I would have to test that.
Anyway onto the photos....
Here is the Nikon D800 with the 55mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor....the combination I used for the test photos.
And on the Nikon F4. I think this is a genuinely beautiful lens, just by way of its proportions and how it has this very deep lens shade built into the design. It almost makes it possible to forget the protective UV filter so as to get the best possible resolution. Usually I find wide aperture lenses very cool looking, but this lens has such beautiful coatings, it just is very striking in spite of its relatively small maximum aperture.
From the very first serious closeup shot below, I was in love with this lens.
And the second shot...
And the fourth shot, a longer shot.
Here is a 100% crop from the first photo, showing the incredible detail in the paint grains. These were taken with the on-camera flash on the D800.
Then, I took a shot of my computer monitor at the closest focus.
What I was amazed to see were the individual RGB pixels on the screen. I had never seen this before from photos I have taken off my screen in other instances (I use the screen to check resolution and it always lets me use faster shutter speeds).
Here's the 100% crop from the above image.
So, onto the resolution Angel. Here's an initial test shot with the SB-800 off-camera triggered by a radio trigger. I mean, I've shot this angel with many different lenses before, but it never looked like this. Just unreal. Mind you, I'm pretty close to it so that will help.
Here is a 100% crop from this image.
A higher res shot at F11.
And finally the comparisons at different apertures.
EDIT:
The angel comparison is a bit small because it is a long image so I split it in two in order to show the detail better.
Can't wait to try it out on some flowers.....get going spring!
Holy cow. I was expecting a very good lens, but I wasn't expecting what it could do with the D800. This lens is an entirely different realm as far as what it can do with the close focusing and resolving power. I'm still trying to get my head around this lens trying to think of all the things I could do with it. The first shots I took with it were of my wife and I couldn't believe that the facial details were as good as I have seen with the 85 mm 1.4G, although I have yet to do a direct comparison (I should do comparative resolution tests, maybe for next time). I've had a few Ai-S lenses to test so far and all were ok with images typical of what I would expect from that era, but this thing, wow. Anyway, below are the usual images of the lens on the D800 and F4 and then some first closeup test shots, along with the usual resolution Angel series at different apertures. I found from that that things really pop into super sharpness at f8, although f4 and f5.6 are still pretty good. What is interesting is that the sharpness holds its own fairly good in comparison to f8 at f11, f16 AND f22 even (!). That was pretty interesting to see. Then by f32 things started showing a bit more softness on account of diffraction. With such a long focus throw (my first time working with a dedicated macro lens), and I could be wrong (?), I noticed what seemed to be focus breathing, but I would have to test that. Anyway onto the photos....
Here is the Nikon D800 with the 55mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor....the combination I used for the test photos.
And on the Nikon F4. I think this is a genuinely beautiful lens, just by way of its proportions and how it has this very deep lens shade built into the design. It almost makes it possible to forget the protective UV filter so as to get the best possible resolution. Usually I find wide aperture lenses very cool looking, but this lens has such beautiful coatings, it just is very striking in spite of its relatively small maximum aperture.
From the very first serious closeup shot below, I was in love with this lens.
And the second shot...
And the fourth shot, a longer shot.
Here is a 100% crop from the first photo, showing the incredible detail in the paint grains. These were taken with the on-camera flash on the D800.
Then, I took a shot of my computer monitor at the closest focus.
What I was amazed to see were the individual RGB pixels on the screen. I had never seen this before from photos I have taken off my screen in other instances (I use the screen to check resolution and it always lets me use faster shutter speeds).
Here's the 100% crop from the above image.
So, onto the resolution Angel. Here's an initial test shot with the SB-800 off-camera triggered by a radio trigger. I mean, I've shot this angel with many different lenses before, but it never looked like this. Just unreal. Mind you, I'm pretty close to it so that will help.
Here is a 100% crop from this image.
A higher res shot at F11.
And finally the comparisons at different apertures.
EDIT:
The angel comparison is a bit small because it is a long image so I split it in two in order to show the detail better.
Can't wait to try it out on some flowers.....get going spring!
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