I am not a portrait photographer, so no, I didn’t purchased this lens to have those creamy, dreamy portraits. Well, of course I have my fair share of this type of photographs, but not on a dedicated basis. When I bought this lens, a good while ago (very long time that is), my main purpose was to use it as a prime, along my 28/2.8 and 50/2, primarily on my manual focus cameras. After a couple of months of using it, I sold my trusty 135mmm/2.8. And I really loved that tele lens, believe me. However, I have to be honest here: I bought a really nice 135/2.8 AI again, after a while 🙂 …GAS and all that 🙂
I was particularly fond of its usefulness on F2 and Nikkormats I have. Sometimes, it can be seen on my FM3a or (very rarely) on my F4, although for this AF camera I have a very good couple of lenses put aside, the AF 50/1.8D and the AF 35-105/3.5D. I am not exactly enjoying the use of MF lenses on AF cameras, and the other way round is valid. I really not feel well, comfortable. To each its own, I say.
In fact, I like this lens so much that if I will ever have to sell my Nikon lenses, I would keep this one and the 28/2.8. That’s how good it is: sharp, colour rendition brilliant, tonal separation impressive, and it’s very versatile, even if it’s not a tele lens. Even wide open, this glass makes everything right, providing you know what you’re doing of course. A brilliant lens in a very small package. A really fine mid-tele, in my opinion.
But all is not perfect: focusing with this lens can be somewhat a slow-ish affair. The focus throw, while not the longest, can take a while to get a close up coming from the infinity mark, and one has to be damn certain one had nailed the focus; otherwise the result can go south, really fast. The closest this lens can take an image is at 1 meter, which is perfectly all right for this focal.
I am not always using it for portraits, to be honest; many times it plays the role of a (mid) tele lens when traveling. Or when closeups of a landscape feature or whatever. I do find this lens to be very useful, not only for what is best known for, i.e. portraits. And of course, when needed, I reverse its role to, indeed, portraits.
So is this a legendary lens? It very much depends on what you’re looking to get out of it; if you bought it because of what others say about it, then you should make up your own mind. It’s not unheard of for someone to get this lens, only to get rid of it after a couple of films. The reason for this, many times, is that sometimes people buy photographic equipment and expect the Pulitzer prize in their post box.
Sometimes we forget a good photograph rests with the eye, the mind, the lens, the camera, the processing. Take one of these out of the equation and you have an incomplete thing. Not bad, mind, just incomplete.
Me? I did not bought this lens because I believe myself to be McCurry. I am me, and I try to use this lens to give me satisfaction. If no Afgan girl will appear in my portfolio, I am the only one to blame. This one, however, is my Afgan girl. A 5 weeks old kitty named Sisi, starting her journey on this Earth.