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Manual Focus Lenses

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed forum threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed forum threads packed with images.

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

09/09/2006
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.

Lens


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Fact Sheet


Vendor name
Nikon
Type name
Nikkor
Product year
1963

Focal min (mm)
55
Focal max (mm)
55
Focus min(cm)
24

Aperture max
3.5
Aperture min
32
Lens size (mm)
65.5×64.5

Elements
5 elements in 4 groups
Diaphragm ACTION
auto
Weight (g)
235

Filter size (mm)
52
aNGULAR FIELD
43
Body mount
Nikon F

4 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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

    1. On the early lenses the “P” means penta–for five elements, and the “C” refers to coated. Both marks were dropped later.

  3. 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.

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