I’ve been looking to shake things up in my film photography; in what I shoot and how I shoot it. I often combine photography with my other pastimes. Photography and golf. Photography and hiking. Photography and travel, or as happened last week photography and antiquing with my wife. I’ve not done much antiquing with camera in hand, but as I mentioned, I needed a bit of a new direction.
Some time ago, certainly no more than 3 years, when film cameras were still inexpensive, I found a Nikon FE for sale quite near where I live. It came with a lens attached. I arranged to pick it up later the same day I noticed it on the internet listing.
Upon arrival at a dingy basement apartment, my cursory inspection found the camera a little dirty, probably unused for some time, but otherwise apparently sound. The lens looked a little rougher still but the glass seemed to be intact and without any blemishes. For under $100 I took the camera and lens home. It was really the FE body that I was after. The lens turned out to be a Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5. I wasn’t at all familiar with it and thought the 55mm focal length a bit odd.
I put the FE to work straight after cleaning it up and it has performed admirably ever since. I eventually fit the Micro 55mm on it – or perhaps onto my Nikon FM and admittedly, gave it short shrift as far as its Micro (macro) capabilities. After that initial trial of the lens, it sat untouched in a camera bag until a week ago.
Last week when we decided to go antiquing, I picked up that neglected Micro 55mm and mounted it on the Nikon FE. My film choice was Ilford HP5 Plus. I knew the lighting would be dim so I pushed the film, but no farther than ISO 1600. At the maximum aperture of f3.5, the required shutter speed was typically 1/60 second and in a few instances 1/30.
These five images were scanned directly from the negatives. The only post processing was a bit of dust removal and some minor cropping. The well dressed cowboy is my favourite! Looks like he could use a smoke though!
Take a look.
I wasn’t at all sure that close focus photography and the relatively slow shutter speeds I needed to use, would result in successful images. I’m sure now though! The Micro 55mm performed magnificently. It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me and I’ll be using it much more frequently now.
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Will on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Jeffery Luhn on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Thomas Wolstenholme on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Gary Smith on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Graham Knox on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Manu on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Ibraar Hussain on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
I at times combine the photography with some other hobbies but with the wife I Have to be careful as she hates the sight of the camera - any camera!!
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
Daniel Castelli on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 15/05/2024
SteveEmber on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 16/05/2024
Like you, I sort of "inherited" the 55mm f/3.5 "Micro-Nikkor" in a bunch of items given to me by someone who had long ago left film behind. The stash included a beat up FE that I could not coax into working (but that was OK, as I have an FE in lovely condition) and this "mysterious" lens in rather nice shape. Also, like you, it was w while before I decided to play with the lens, but the experience was entirely rewarding. By the way, I think you'll find its color rendition equally rewarding. Actually my most recent shooting with the lens was, via adaptor, on my Canon EOS 40D (thus more like an 88mm field of view in capturing such springtime pastels as dogwood blossoms. The combination of the lens's sharpness and the Canon's lovely colors was definitely a pleasure to experience.
Thanks for sharing your "discovery" and here's wishing you lots of pleasurable shooting!
Alex on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 16/05/2024
Geoff Chaplin on 5 Frames with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5
Comment posted: 16/05/2024