Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens USA

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I am in LOVE with this lens. Sharp focus, AMAZING BOkeh. Worth every penny I spent. Not to heavy. I use it for wedding photography, kids and families.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

This is a fantastic portrait lens, my favorite! I also have the 85mm 1.4 so that's saying a lot.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

Fantastic lens. Just go and get it if you are thinking of it!

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

This has to be one of Nikon's best portrait lenses ever made, it's that good. Built solid (made of metal & glass) and very sharp even at f/2. The defocus control is a nice and subtle effect. It really can melt away a background and it renders the out of focus elements beautifully.

At 135mm, even on a full frame camera it can be a bit to long to use indoors and it does not have VR. You will also need to have a camera with an auto focus motor for it to auto focus.

This is one of Nikon's oldest manufactured lenses, get one before they discontinue this wonderful lens.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

SO SHARP............THE 135MM REACH IS GREAT..LIKE IT BETTER THEN THE 105MM....HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO PLAY WITH DC YET

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I was looking for a high quality lens for portraiture for my D600. I have a newly arrived daughter that will be my primary subject for years to come. I own the 85 1.8G so I thought a 105mm lens would be too close in focal length to the 85mm, although the 105mm f2.8 micro with VR is very tempting considering its had consistent stellar reviews and some added versatility with being a macro lens. I began researching the 135mm DC and learned more about this lens (and the 105 DC as well). Approximately 85% of the reviews I had read were positive while the remaining 15% really dogged this lens. For some it was lack of sharpness and others claimed CA were excessive. I read postings that claimed there were "bad copies" of this lens floating around and Nikon has issues related to quality control for this particular product. Photography is a hobby for me and I cannot afford to have any dud lenses lying around at this price, so I was apprehensive to purchase this lens due to some of the negative reviews I had read and debated the purchase for several days. I am a "bokeh dork" and the lab reviews done by Ken Rockwell and Photozone claimed this was a stellar lens, which in my mind trumped the opinions of the "common Internet blogger / user" (for the lack of a better term). After ~200 shots indoors and outdoors, I can say this is truly a magical lens. I can see, from a technical perspective, it is sharp, the bokeh is very nice, good skin tone rendering, etc. - but when you look at the photographs it takes, it has that something special that is hard to describe. I'll use the word magical – it gives the photograph a more artistic look - one I've never seen in any other Nikon lens I currently or have previously owned. I truly couldn't be happier with this lens and am glad I snatched one up before they discontinue it for a 1.8G model without DC (per the rumors). The build is rock solid. I shot 35mm for years and my D600 purchase was my first step toward serious digital photography. The lack of VR with this lens doesn't bother me since I never had it before (nor do I currently have it with my other lenses). Users who have become accustomed to having the VR function should keep in mind that technique becomes more important when shooting with this lens.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

The lens is built like a tank and will probably last a life time. Not as sharp as I expected and the DC did not perform as I had hoped.I'm sending it back. However, I like the f2 speed and will give the 105mm version a try.I may have received a bad unit

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

This is such a great lens, and totally unique. Used normally it is incredibly sharp. Correctly use the defocus feature and you get a subtle, but very pleasing improvement in the out of focus elements. Over do it, and your image is out of focus, period.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I've owned this lens before but I sold it because I didn't think I needed it at that time. I had many complaints about this lens (e.g., color fringing issues, not being dust sealed, slow AF). What brought me back to this, despite all my complaints, is that it remains one of the best portrait lenses out there and I realized why I fell in love with the lens the first time around, beautiful bokeh and "interesting" lens flare which can create a beautiful artistic effect - something that modern G lenses have managed to engineer away with nano coating technology.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I absolutely love this lens - sharp as a tack, amazing bokeh, just gorgeous. I may have a few more missed shots than I had with my previous go-to lens (the Nikon 85 1.8), but right now I am not sure whether that is the lens or the operator!

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I'm not sure what to say about some of the negative reviews on here other than perhaps you don't know how to use the lens itself, or more generally how to properly do photography. Someone here says this is a one trick pony. I couldn't disagree more - I use this lens for street, nature (it is one of my top 2 lenses for nature photography), events, and yes, portraits. In the same way that a 70-200 is not a one trick pony in the middle range of the focal lengths, neither is this fixed 135. As for the people claiming it takes "blurry" pictures, either it really is a lemon that you got, which should be under warranty, or, you aren't holding the camera steady. Like most people who have a DC 135, or are looking at getting one, I have a lot of high-end nikkor glass, the usual suspects, like the 14-24, the 70-200 vr2, and the 105 Micro. This lens has grown on me to the point it is my #2 user, even at this focal length. The only lens I use more is the 14-24. Get one, learn how to use it properly, and you will be simply amazed.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I've owned this lens for about 6 months or so, and am extremely impressed with it. Once you learn how to use it, you can greatly simplify and master generating soft focus in the fore or rear ground, as well as generating amazing bokeh.

The key to this lens is READ THE DIRECTIONS. If you pull this lens out of the box and start shooting like it's the 85mm 1.4, you will want to throw it out a window of a high building. This lens is designed to allow you manual control over focus.

In my experience, this lens is at its sharpest when you choose the rear DC aperature that matches the aperture youre shooting. For example, if you're shooting at 2.8, set the DC to rear 2.8, and you will get a crystal clear photo (assuming you know how to take sharp pictures to begin with). If you move the DC setting past 2.8, both the foreground and background will fall into softer focus (the further past 2.8 you'd set DC, the softer both fore and background typically are).

Keep in mind there are many variables which affect what I just described. The distance of your subject to you relative to the background, as well as to the foreground, will greatly change the behavior of the DC settings when you veer away from matching it to your true aperture.

I always play around a good bit with the DC settings when doing a shoot with this lens...after a few shoots you get a good feel for it. And like an old sports car you've owned forever, you can start to predict its behavior in various situations, before the situation arises.

Another vital point with this lens: You MUST set the DC aperature before focusing the camera. If you focus then set the DC, your picture will be garbage.

Once you master this lens, you appreciate the lens for what it is: truly a work of art by Nikkon.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

Fantastic portrait lens. The reason I bought the lens is the reason you want this lens. The bokeh is creamy and smooth. Just amazing.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

It has to be used to discover the most beautiful lens for portraits.I would only change the name of this lens. The"DC" doesn't describe it correctly.You get soft image only if you want it,and you can contro the effect, but it's one of Nikon's sharpest lens.
Great lens for weddings and with soft-focus feature,very friendly with ladies over 40ties

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I did some street photography with this and lens stopped motion, sharp, sharp... and the colors are stunning. I have also used it for portraits and is the most flattering lens i have used thus far!Have nothing bad to say about it!

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

Using this lens on a D90. Stunning just like most reviewers say. Defocus is cool concept but surprisingly subtle in most settings. Got a few of the "soft" shots at first, quickly learned that this was almost always hand steadiness. Agree with so many other reviewers it would have been nice to have VR on this thing. Otherwise incredible.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

You're going to have to put in your time to master this one, but it's well worth the effort. This is a Prime lens w/o VR so you will need to move in order to frame your subject, yet be rock solid for the shot. Images are SHARP, SHARP, SHARP (did I mention SHARP?) IF, and only IF, you get it right.

Since you are reading this review then you are obviously interested in the bokeh aspect so let me just say that it really delivers in both fore and background.

Quality is typical of Nikon with flawlessly smooth operation. The feel of the metal body is reassuring of its ruggedness and durability.

Please don't buy this lens thinking you can just pull it out of the box and get a "work of art" with every shutter click just because you've been in the business for years, post excessively on Flickr, or fancy yourself a photo snob.

You will only get out of it what you put into it and this lens will definitely separate the Wizards from the Wand Wavers.

B&H was awesome as usual.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I purchased this lens new from another retailer after reading all the stellar reviews. However, my first copy was never sharp at f/2 even after adjusting AF fine tuning. Images were technically in focus but at f/2 everything was hazy and soft as if the DC ring was set to 2.8 or 4. I kept the lens for a year but finally gave up on it and sold it. I decided to try another copy and was amazed at the difference in the new one. If you have used the 85 f/1.4D you know how beautifully it renders hair as simultaneously silky and sharp. My new copy of the 135 does exactly the same whereas my old copy rendered hair as a muddy, hazy mess at f/2. The new one even works beautifully on my D90 whereas my first copy was unusable at f/2 on the D90. I now see what all the reviewers are saying. I'm glad I gave the lens a second chance. Just beware that not all copies are the same. I never bought into the "this copy is sharper than the last one I tried" talk until I saw it clearly for myself.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I rented this lens over the summer to try at a workshop I was instructing at. All I can say is WOW. Very sharp, great color and contrast. Worked beautifully indoors in a studio setting as well as shooting wide open with available light.

Just waiting for the US version to be back in stock to purchase.

I was not sure that the defocus controls would be necessary after using the lens wide open but in a studio setting, shooting f8 I was able to blur a backdrop that I would have had to manually edit in photoshop. That is a real timesaver and an unexpected benefit.

Comments about Nikon Telephoto AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens:

I'm starting to view this lens as a "one trick pony." If you want a nice wide aperture portrait lens, for some dreamy, moody portraits, this is a fine choice. If you want more versatility, go with the 105 macro. It's sharper at every aperture, and every focusing distance, and still takes terrific portraits. In a digital age, where you can add blur selectively in post processing, the defocus control is more or less useless in my book. The bokeh is nice, but not incredibly better than a constant aperture zoom at f 2.8. Still, it's lightweight, and that counts for something if you're hauling it around all day.