View single post by Robert
 Posted: Thu Sep 14th, 2017 16:24
Robert



Joined: Mon Apr 2nd, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
Status: 
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At long last I have obtained another Nikkor 18-105mm due to my original and much used lens being so scratched and battered I felt it's IQ must have been suffering, in fact it's one of the reasons I haven't done much IR photography, coupled with a lack of time.

My original 18-105 has had a rough life, I bought it to go with my D3100 which I used in the workshop to document my car building activities, not wanting to expose the D200's to the rigours of angle grinders and other nasty, dirty tools. The front element has two severe gouges, numerous scratches and the zoom ring seal keeps popping off. It's currently held in place with some black gaffer tape.

This is an exposure taken with the D200-IR using the original damaged lens.

Nikon D200-IR 700nm: Nikkor 18-105mm, 38mm, 1/90sec @ f16 ISO200



This is taken with the new lens.

Nikon D200-IR 700nm: Nikkor 18-105mm, 35mm, 1/125sec @ f16 ISO200



I can't see anything wrong with either image. When taking exposures directly towards the sun I get some extra flare in the image, but that's all.

This is another image with the new lens at 105mm.



No sign of a hotspot, even wide open.

Slightly oddball: Some time ago I bought an EL Nikkor 105 f5.6 for my UV photography, this is the first image I have made with it! It's mounted on a helix mount and can easily focus well past infinity, really intended for UV.

Nikon D200-IR 700nm: EL Nikkor 105mm-f5.6, 1/125sec @ f5.6 ISO200



This is the damaged lens.




I have hankered after a 16mm Fisheye since I went to the D5/D500 launch day at Manchester. Using one on a D5 was impressive to say the least. I am hoping it will be good for star trails and possibly 360º panoramas if I can master the technique!

Here is a test exposures with the D3.

Nikon D3: Nikkor 16mm Fisheye, 1/800sec @ f8 ISO200



Same lens with the Nikon D300S:

Nikon D300: Nikkor 16mm Fisheye, 1/1600sec @ f4 ISO200



There was ¾ of a gale blowing while I conducted these tests, it must have caused some camera shake despite my using my heaviest tripod well spiked into the ground. In the two last photographs I selected the images with the fastest shutter speeds because the gusts were blowing the grass and bushes about so much they were badly blurred at slower speeds.



____________________
Robert.