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Interesting lens. I remeber the Olympus OM-1, it was small but very popular.

Thank you for the focusing tips. Do have any suggestions for someone struggling to focus with multi lens glasses?

I recently bought a used D700 and D3s for fun to shoot with and I'm enjoying the D700 all over again. I had to send my D3s for repair and cleaning but in my initial using D3s, it was super fun! I'm amazed at what you can buy now for a few hundred and use my D series nikkors and G series. I use my Nikon mirrorless for serious work.

You took some great pictures there Jules! Thanks for sharing! I had been meaning to ask for some time if you could show real photographs as opposed to your more usual test scene which you use. So without asking my wish came true!! One thing which your video doesn’t touch on is the experience when used WITHIN its performance envelope. Understandably yours is a more comparative outlook with what is contemporary today. I will say that it is an incredibly satisfying camera to use. There are physical buttons for everything. You have the banks so you can configure it somewhat to toggle between different usage / roles. More importantly it feels really great in the hand. The weight helps keep the camera steady during slower shutter speeds. Some people like light tiny and fashionable cameras. They would not care for this at all. But I would argue that there are those that would prefer bigger heftier and a larger hand grip. Have I just described a professional packaged camera? 🤣 Add the huge back catalog of affordable Nikon lenses and you have a winning camera here. In my opinion Jules… the D700 is The Legend because it is so satisfying to use and with todays software you can post process and develop truly amazing photographs that in some ways look better then the latest Nikons. What mirrorless affords you really is a much higher keeper rate and less stress. Advances in autofocus and being able to detect and track across the frame and preview exposure are wonderful things. Mission critical even. But if one is given a few extra moments to setup the D700 it can do one hell of a lot… You create some great topics. Always great to watch your videos. Hope you have a lovely week ahead!!!

I'm doing self portraiture on thi camera and it was hella confusing. this video really helps! <3

film is expensive. shall I say, precious? if you are shooting film today, it means you really mean it. you're doing it for you. you're probably not doing it for paid work, because that's digital now. I believe that no matter how you prefer to do your film photography, whether you want full control or let the camera do some of the decisions while you concentrate on the composition, you should welcome some automation like auto film loading. young photographers who had never shot film before should spare themselves the pain of a botched film loading.

I loved my D700 sidekick to my D3S. The compact size . Sadly, this year my D700 succumbed to the faulty shutter , mirror up error. Eventually, it’s stuck up.

Still got mine and use it for special jobs in nature, it's no longer just a camera, now it's an old friend.

Very much so. I have 4

Hey, not able to move my F2 photomic’s ASA dial. The shutter dial starts to move. Is there a button that I need to hold to move the ASA

Hi Jules. Nice video for the king of these years who made me dream a lot but I didn t get the budget at that time :). My favorite Nikon dslrsr are the d700 for it s price now, the Df for its capabilities to mount everything on it and the D810 for its sensor and low iso. I never wanted to buy a D850 - the best dslr ever - because all the others were sufficient for my usage. It’s always a pleasure to use these old cameras and we also see that except the functionnalities that make the photographer life easier such as a good autofocus , an even higher dynamic range, a better image/sec… the pictures didn t improve a lot since that time… this could just slow down our eagerness to buy the very new model…

The aperture stick when u look through the lense to match it with the shutter speed on my camera is stuck dangling on the bottom jigging up and down do u know what the reason for that is

Yes.

Nice job. The D700 is lengendary, I never had one as my progression was D100->D7000->D850. However, $400 for a camera that originally sold for $3000, that is fantastic. Thanks again.

I bought one and like it a lot. Works good!

just got my third D700 today - I have purchased and sold two others, but keep missing the colors that this camera produces! Thanks for the video!

Great video. I have a D700 and other vintage Nikons. That 45mm Tamron you mentioned is an excellent lens. I do'n't care for the 50s and prefer slightly wider.

my fuji x-t3 has pc sync port, and many modern cameras still has it

Proud owner of a d200, d300 and d700. All of them provide a unique feel and distinctive output. Back in my university years I couldn't afford professional gear, but today i hunt for vintage Nikon. Thank you for an amazing video, i really appreciate your professional comments and recommendation on vintage Nikon gear.

Thanks a lot for the information. I agree with you pretty much. I bought one a little while ago and it is a pretty good camera specially for being so old it does take great. I like my Fuji camera better but d700 is a special camera.

I got one from MPB UK . It's an excellent camera and it fully deserves the reputation and love it gets. The most important aspect for me is the skin tones it produces without post processing. By the way which colour profile you used in your pics?

The Contax S2 beats any Nikon F in every way imaginable.

Dude, I don't believe it... a Nikkormat FTn and a Minolta SRT101... I have exactly the same cameras! (Although I'm testing a SRT303b right now that I will probably end up staying with.) Is the 50mm f2 lens the standard kit lens on the Nikkormat? I have the same, with the official in-house AI update, and it's an absolute gem.

Nice video. Do you think that there is an appreciable difference in image quality between the Nikkor 28mm AI and AIS versions? You mentioned that the number of elements differs. Thanks

heyy just found out your channel ! I'm a fan of nikon lenses as well . keep on posting sir !

Soooo, I carry 3 types, or more, of cameras with me. I carry Polariod. I carry a mechanical SLR, and I carry a digital camera. All full sized. I just picked up my first DSLR, and haven't used it outside. I don't like it much. Maybe I would like the nikon 90s better.

Pretty amazing the level of sharpness that comes from such an early lens. Thanks again for the video.

Jeez, the D700 is the 🐐

Hi Jules, to be honnest I was really delighted of the quality of the old non AI 105mm f2.5 : short , fast and sharp and Very handy to shoot with my Zf. but when I retry this one I was not so pleased. I found a lack of contrast on it and not an exquisite sharpness. So I definitely prefer the 105. About 135mm I recently discovered and old sigma manual lens which opens to 1.8… so can be the plena for not rich people :). It’s sharpness in the center is quite surprising full open and even if it’s large it s not as big as the plena. I will make some bokeh shots with it.

Phones are alright, but I love taking the GX9 or Z30 anywhere with primes. In the Vegas area there's also the Charleston Peak near Red Rock.

I’ve got the 135/2.8 Q that someone AI’d with a file and it works great. I’ve also got the 135/3.5 AI-S and it seems to be just a bit more contrasts. I love both lenses and in many ways they seem to give the 105/2.5 AI-S a run for its money! Thanks for the video, Jules!

Mister Jules I have the chance to buy a d810 with 60k shots for 700 usd. What would you recommend? Should I go for it?

You are spending my money! Just picked one up for $37 in good condition from reputable dealer. The images you had were amazing, and so I got one for my Nikkormats and my F2.

I own 3 pre ai lenses and I love them all. My favorite is the 105mm f/2.5 re ai. Great for portrait and it is very sharp. I usually have the 35mm f/2 on either my ZF or Z6ii for walking around.

I recently bought this lens with the hood at a thrift store by waiting for the 1/2 half off date. I will need to count the blades. It fits my Nikon FE auto camera but does not mount on my D70s. and I have a Nikon to Canon EF adaptor, so it works okay. It does have a slight haze behind the front element, and I am trying to get the ring loose so I can clean it. For pictures of outdoor flowers, I don't see any negative effects as they are already soft. I also got the 24mm pre-Ai lens at the same time.

I have the 135mm 2.8. It looks quite similar. Didn't use it for a couple of years though.

muchas gracias

Wow those potraits are amazing/ I have been using the similar lens (exactly 105 mm PC f2'5) but the pics are yellowish/ It has old fungus on the rear glass could fungus be responsible for the warm tones ?

Love mine! It's also had a factory Ai conversion.

I also have that lens and have so far only used it on my F & F2. Mine is also in excellent shape and is a 7 blade model. I have used my other F mount lenses with the FTZ on my Z7 and have been happy with the results but I'm not sure if I've used the 135 on it. At 72 my memory is a little fuzzy at times. I do like your memo idea as the biggest lie we tell ourselves is "I'll remember that"

I have the same lens!!! Its amazing!!! 🇦🇷👏👍🤙

One of my favorite non-Ai Nikkor lenses. Several years ago I won an auction for one of these for $12.50. It arrived in the original Nikon box, in the Nikkor plastic bubble with the original paperwork and was absolutely pristine.. it had never been mounted on a camera before. I am keeping it in it’s bubble for now! I like my 85mm f:1.8 for lower light portraits and the 105/2.5 & this 135 for brighter condition portraits.

Great review Jules! I totally agree. It's a wonderful lens in every way and I use mine a lot both on aps-c and my F2 and FA.

It’s funny how many lenses you review that I own! Anyway, this version (exactly the one I have) is the earlier Sonnar optical formula. Not only did they change aperture blade configurations, but also the optical formula. I also have later 135mm NIKKORS, including the excellent AIS version. Optically, that lens is superior to the Sonnar version, but then the bokeh and overall rendering for portraits might make this version special. It would be interesting to have you compare real portraits with this versus your new Plena…just for kicks :)

Thank you for the video, beautiful pictures. Makes me wanna go out and take pictures ❤

Brilliant! Thanks.

I missed whether those Z8 photos were RAW or JPEG. I use my iPhone 15 Pro Max all the time and do sometimes find it more capable than my Z6ii now iii. Other than long telephoto shots, the iPhone can do as well as my Nikon - for my uses. The only reasons I keep using Nikons - and the reasons I just bought a Z6iii - is because it is more fun, and because it is ergonomically a better experience. But I never think I am being short-changed if all I have with me is the iPhone.

Hello, Jules! I have found noise on my D810 as low as the 1000 ISO values. But that's ok. It looks like "digital grain" more than noise. I don´t think the D810 was designed to be an "available light monster". It's more for studio with flashes or landscapes on a steady tripod with low ISOs. Just my thoughts!

Glad someone is posting videos where the “alternative” of film is canvassed. I come from the days of “film” - the creator of the video has clearly indicated the advantages of digital - I use it myself - and I would be inclined to steer a beginner in the direction of digital but isn’t it good that a medium - film - which “ruled the roost” for many decades is mentioned to the beginner. Shooting film slows one down for starters - which is not a bad thing in this age of endless pressing of the “photo” symbol or button on digital devices !

Learn about lighting , a cell phone is good enough .