Nikon 180mm/2.8 on Leica SL2-S: Experience

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I would like to use my Nikon 180mm/2.8 on my Leica SL2-S - have the adapter and see that it works. Would like to know about experiences with this combo since I  want to take this (excellent) and my Leica 24-90 on a hike. Is anybody using this combination?

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[the eye of the deer]

try and show please! 😉

 

AHOI

S

Edited December 6, 2022 by the eye of the deer

[MediaFotografie]

I'm a bit sceptical about the lens; I have one from the days of the F4, it's rather mediocre; as far as I know the optics haven't changed since then either.

Can try it out with 2 adapters: L to M and M to Nikon F.

[douglas fry]

I use the 300mm F2.8 Nikon, and its a great manual focus lens, the colours are different to the Leica but can be adjusted of course in LR. It is sharp and easy to focus. I wouldn't photograph a football match with it, I would get about 3 shots in focus but for anything else that needs a bit of range its absolutely fine

[Robert E]

I regularly use Nikon lenses on my SL2 with the Novoflex adapter. The main thing to remember is to have a Nikon F "E" lens, as opposed to "G" lens.

With the E lens series I get autofocus and EXIF info each time. I've had great success with the Nikon 500pf, 300pf on my SL2, even with the 1.4TC by Nikon.

If you're using a G lens it will most likely be manual focus. The E series like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1292140-REG/nikon_af_s_nikkor_70_200mm_f_2_8e.html is just an example of what to look for.

There's a great selection of older F lenses out there that give excellent results on the SL2 at a much lower price point then the Leica counterpart.

And in some cases, Leica doesn't even have FL available, as in the 500mm pf.

Cheers 😀

[BernardC]

16 minutes ago, MediaFotografie said:

I'm a bit sceptical about the lens; I have one from the days of the F4, it's rather mediocre; as far as I know the optics haven't changed since then either.

This page says that all of the AF versions use the same optics.The manual focus version received ED glass with the AI-s redesign in 1981.

I've only ever used a manual focus Nikkor 180, but I don't remember which one. It was a long time ago. It wasn't outstanding, compared to similar lenses (Zeiss Contax 180 and 200, Canon 200). The lens was popular with fashion photographers at the time, but ultra-flattened beauty shots are no longer in vogue (or in Vogue), for many reasons.

I suspect that the lens will be fine, stopped-down to 5.6 or so. It won't be as good as any of the Leica R APO 180s, but much better than almost any Japanese 80-200 zoom from the same era.

 

[RBB]

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It's fun to do, I use the Ai version sometimes, in my opinion don't do it for the quality, there are beter lenses to pair with the SL2 / SL2s.

[jrp]

This was a great lens in its day, for film.  I had it and loved it.  But it's not in the same league as modern lenses from an edge sharpness / absence of aberrations perspective.