Micro Nikkor P.C 55mm f/3.5 Macro 1:1 Lens Review

True 1:1 macro lens never been cheaper than old non-AI Nikkor lenses. Watch out Ebay frequently and if you are lucky you will be a proud owner of this lens as I am.

Vendor name	Type name	Product year
Nikon	Nikkor	1963
Focal min (mm)	Focal max (mm)	Focus min(cm)
55	55	24
Aperture max	Aperture min	Lens size (mm)
3.5	32	65.5x64.5
Elements	Diaphragm ACTION	Weight (g)
5 elements in 4 groups	auto	235
Filter size (mm)	aNGULAR FIELD	Body mount
52	43	Nikon F

This a perfect lens, very,very sharp, macro ratio 1:1 it has wonderful color rendering and one of the best bokeh what I ever seen, believe me I saw pretty much.Optically perfect I can't imagine better lens,more faster would great but 3.5 also good choice for macro work, because most of macro captures required to use flash or other external light source anyway. Only the problem what we need to accept on AI compatible camera bodies like latest NIKON DSLRs, aperture ring not works if lens is mounted on camera body.Must pre-set aperture value, before mount on camera body, this little inconvenience , not a big deal compare with low price and outstanding image quality.

Micro-Nikkor P.C 55mm f/3.5 Non-AI

User opinions:

I have a 55/3.5 Micro Nikkor P and a factory AI converted Micro Nikkor PC. Both are excellent and are good for subjects both near and far. Eventually I would like to add a 55/3.5 AI and a 55/2.8 to round things out. When the light is good a 55/3.5 P or later really is a nice normal lens.

(Jeff Adler)

I have been using Nikon lenses and cameras for over 25 years, and the 55mm Micro is without a doubt one of my all time favorites...and like you Wayne, I have used it as my main lens for many years.

( Ray Rupnow)

Sample pictures:

Resources:

Nikkor serial numbers

ebay.com
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Tags:

nikon/nikkor

Comments (3)

Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5

3Saturday, 31 March 2012 15:13

I use this lens quite frequently as a photographic artist specialising in portraiture in the Derbyshire Peak District of Britain. The results are first class. I am unable to comment on the use of this lens on digital cameras as I only use traditional cameras such as the Nikon F/F2 and the Nikkormats. The built-in meters of these cameras are not reliable so I use Gossen meters for reflected and incident light metering.

Nikkor 55mm Micro Lens

2Sunday, 05 February 2012 19:22

I bought a f2.8 version of this lens some weeks ago and on first using it seems excellent. I was slightly confused with your PC prefix which on Nikkor lenses refers to Perspective Control. I have a Nikkor 35mm f2.8 PC lens which I bought sometime ago and it is superb. I notice that Nikon now do a PC Tilt version but only in auto focus. I did try one in a Nikon dealers attached to my F3hp and it was very impressive. Some people state, quite wrongly, in my opinion that one gets no benefit from PC lenses on miniature cameras but I would disagree with them. I certainly have found mine excellent

P.C.

Saturday, 03 March 2012 17:14

On the early lenses the "P" means penta--for five elements, and the "C" refers to coated. Both marks were dropped later.

55mm f 3.5 Micro-Nikkor P

1Monday, 09 August 2010 22:11

Have you done any tests to see what the lens is like wide-open and where it's sweet spot is?
I wondered at what point its definition & contrast was best.
I have a 50mm f 1.8 'Pancake' (AI-S). That peaks around f4.
It doesn't focus very close & it also needs a service.
It is time the Micro-Nikkor came out for a play. Not sure what to expect from it yet.

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