First Impressions: Nikon 28mm f/2.8 Series E

It was always part of the plan to eventually get a manual focus Nikkor AIS lens for my D90 and N80. The silky feel of a damped focus helicoid and the assuring click of an aperture ring are a part of the photographic experience one should still be able to experience even in today’s digital world.


A Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 would’ve been fine. Inexpensive, fast, superior quality. But too long for the D90’s 1.5x crop factor. Then I came across this little gem.

Nikon’s E-Series lenses are just the ticket for someone seeking a compact, lightweight, high quality lens, with a traditional look and feel. These lenses were released in 1979 along with the compact EM body. And the 28mm is the ideal “normal” focal length of 42.5mm in the D90’s DX/APS-C format.

Magnolia Blossoms

At first I was a little disappointed to find KEH sent me a first generation copy, not the second generation pictured on their website (the original E-Series were criticised for their use of plastic, and in 1981 their cosmetics were upgraded to include the traditional Nikkor chrome body ring, focus ring grip pattern and a metal focusing ring.)

The E-Series have a plastic outer barrel, but with “etched” (molded into the plastic) paint-filled (not tampo-printed) markings that give them a quality look and feel. The inner barrel is metal, as are the filter threads. They’re actually made a little better than today’s D-series, which are mostly plastic.

On the camera, it looks and feels great.  The focus is wonderfully smooth, the aperture ring click appealing. And it’s much more compact than the NIKKOR version. The all-black body of this first generation copy is a nice complement to the D90’s styling. The optical performance is great at f/5.6, but falls a little behind the NIKKORs at f/2.8.

Tulips

Of course, all this means shooting manual. Fully manual. External meter manual. And that’s fine, because one of the best ways to shoot is by taking incident light readings. The money I saved buying this immaculate used lens went towards a new Gossen DigiSix meter.

Phlox

But I didn’t buy the meter for the D90. Shooting manual with a digital camera is a totally different experience than film. If you’re not shooting action or sports, there’s nothing better than the preview and histogram. You take an exposure reading by taking a picture. You then assess the information, and adjust accordingly. Once you get your bearings, you adjust intuitively as the lighting conditions change. The more you do it, the better you get. You then transfer this experience to film.

More Tulips

More Phlox

Make no mistake, these Series E lenses are great quality; they just use a different design philosophy than their NIKKOR counterparts, one that allows for a smaller, more compact lens. They’re a great bargain on the second market and open up new possibilities.

So here I am, enjoying a 30-year old lens with a two-year old digital body. You gotta love Nikon.