Nikon AI Lenses

AI Lenses
Circa 1977-1981


80-200mm f/4.5 (newer version), 105mm f/4 micro, 135mm f/3.5, 135mm f/2.8
43-86mm f/3.5, 105mm f/2.5, 55mm f/3.5, 24mm f/2
28mm f/3.5, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8

Here are two nice sales brochures via Pacific Rim Camera.

Earlier K lenses, when upgraded with a factory AI kit, are basically indistinguishable from the AI lenses unless you check the serial numbers. The only exceptions are the 35mm f/1.4 (K stops down to f/22, AI to f/16) and 105mm f/2.5 (K f/32, AI f/22).

I've already written some about the differences between AI and AI-S lenses. By and large the differences are not worth worrying about, but typically AI-S lenses have shorter focusing throws for some reason. Sometimes AI-S lenses have newer (and usually better?) designs (the 18mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.8, and 105mm macro e.g.) or different cosmetics (the 35mm f/1.4 and 105mm f/2.5 e.g).

As always this is a strictly worse version of Photosynthesis.

8mm f/2.8 Fisheye AI (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 2500 made.  Also available in non-AI and AI-S mounts.

15mm f/5.6 AI (circa '77-'78)
Approximately 700 made.  Also available in multicoated and K versions.  Replaced by the 15mm f/3.5 AI.

15mm f/3.5 AI (circa '78-'81)
Approximately 1900 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a slightly shorter focus throw.

16mm f/3.5 fisheye AI (circa '77-'79)

Approximately 1600 made.  Available in an older style (diagonal pattern focus ring) and K versions.  Replaced by the 16mm f/2.8.

16mm f/2.8 fisheye AI (circa '79-82)
Approximately 4900 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

18mm f/4 AI (circa '74-'82)
Approximately 8000 made.  Also available in K mount.   Replaced by the 18mm f/3.5 AI-S.

20mm f/4 AI (circa '77-'78)
Approximately 11000 made.  Also available in K mount.   Replaced by the 20mm f/3.5.

20mm f/3.5 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 28000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a slightly shorter focus throw.   Replaced by the 20mm f/2.8 AI-S.

24mm f/2.8 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 160000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focus throw.  Also available in AI-S mount.

24mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 17000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focus throw.

28mm f/3.5 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 194000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focus throw.

28mm f/2.8 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 184000 made.  Also available in a K version.  Replaced by the 28mm f/2.8 AI-S.

28mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 30000 made. Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI-S versions.  The AI-S version has slightly closer focusing.

28mm f/4 PC (circa '77-'80)
Approximately 2300 made. Also available in a K version. Replaced by the 28mm f/3.5 PC.

35mm f/2.8 AI older (circa '77-'79)
6 elements in 6 groups. Has the depth of field scale lower than the focus ring.  Approximately 19000 made.  Also available in K mount.  Replaced by a newer version of the 35mm f/2.8 with 5 elements in 5 groups.

Here are comparison shots: newer lens on the left, older on the right.









35mm f/2.8 AI newer (circa '79-81)

5 elements in 5 groups. Has the depth of field scale at the same level as the focus ring.  Approximately 11000 made.   Also available in AI-S mount.

35mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 121000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI-S versions.   The AI-S version has a slightly shorter focusing throw.

35mm f/1.4 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 17000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI-S versions.  The AI-S version has a shorter focusing throw.

35mm f/2.8 PC chrome knob (circa '77-'80)
Approximately 9600 made.  Also available in single coated and K versions.  Replaced by the 35mm f/2.8 PC black knob.

50mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'79)
Approximately 313000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, and K versions.  Replaced by the 50mm f/1.8 AI.

50mm f/1.8 AI (circa '78-'82)

Approximately 405000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focus throw, not to be confused with the compact version based off of the Series E lens.

50mm f/1.4 newer (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 911000 made. Also available in K and AI-S versions.  The AI-S version has a much shorter focusing throw.

50mm f/1.2 AI (circa '78-81)
Approximately 73000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a shorter focusing throw.

55mm f/3.5 AI (circa '77-'79)
Approximately 165000 made. Also available in cm-marked, single coated, multicoated, and K versions. Replaced by the 55mm f/2.8 micro AI-S.

55mm f/1.2 AI
Approximately 26000 made. Also available in single coated, multicoated, and K versions. The single and multicoated versions do not focus as close.  Replaced by the 50mm f/1.2 AI.

58mm f/1.2 AI Noct (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 2400 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focusing throw.

85mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 90000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a much shorter focusing throw.

105mm f/2.5 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 157000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI-S versions.  The AI-S version has a slightly shorter focus throw and a built-in lens hood.

105mm f/4 micro AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 44000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.  Replaced by the 105mm f/2.8 micro AI-S.

135mm f/3.5 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 104000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with a slightly shorter focus throw.  Note my sample has the wrong metering foot from an earlier non-AI lens.

135mm f/2.8 AI (circa '77-'81)

Approximately 147000 made.  Also available in K and AI-S mounts.

135mm f/2 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 7500 made.  Also available in K and AI-S mounts.  The AI-S version has a shorter focusing throw.

180mm f/2.8 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 18000 made.  Also available single coated and (rarely) multicoated.   Replaced by the 180mm f/2.8 ED AI-S.

200mm f/4 AI (circa '77-'81).
Approximately 148000 made.  Also available in K and AI-S mounts.

300mm f/4.5 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 34000 made.  Also available in single-coated, K, and AI-S versions.  The AI-S version focuses closer.  Surpassed by the 300mm f/4.5 ED-IF.

300mm f/4.5 AI ED (circa '78-79)
Odd, rare lens.  Approximately 1000 made.   Also available in a K version.

300mm f/4.5 AI ED-IF (circa '78-'81)
Approximately 8000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount with 9 aperture blades instead of 7.
400mm f/5.6 AI ED (circa '77-'83)
Approximately 850 made.  Replaced by the 400mm f/5.6 AI ED-IF.

400mm f/5.6 AI ED-IF (circa '78-'82)
Approximately 2800 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.


Zooms:


25-50mm f/4 AI (circa '79-'81)
Approximately 11000 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

35-70mm f/3.5 AI (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 48000 made.  Replaced by the 35-70mm f/3.5 AI-S.

28-45mm f/4.5 AI (circa '75-'77)
Approximately 2000 made.  Replaced by the 28-50mm f/3.5 AI-S.

43-86mm f/3.5 AI (77-82)

Approximately 239000 made.  Also available in a K version.

50-300mm f/4.5 AI (circa '77-'79)
Approximately 950 made.  Replaced by the 50-300mm f/4.5 ED.

50-300mm f/4.5 AI ED (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 4100 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

80-200mm f/4.5 AI older (circa '77)

Approximately 15000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, and K versions.

80-200mm f/4.5 AI newer (circa '77-'81)

Has a rectangular rear shade and a dash to index the aperture.  Approximately 153000 made. Replaced by the 80-200mm f/4 AI-S



Other rare or exotic lenses:



6mm f/2.8 Fisheye AI (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 120 made.  Also available in non-AI and AI-S mounts.

13mm f/5.6 AI (circa '77-'82)
Very rare, very expensive, very wide.  Approximate 40 made. Also available in K and AI-S versions.

300mm f/2.8 AI ED-IF (circa '77-82)
Approximately 2500 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

400mm f/3.5 AI ED-IF (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 3700 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

600mm f/5.6 AI ED-IF (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 1500 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

600mm f/4 AI ED-IF (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 1500 made.   Also available in AI-S mount.

800mm f/8 AI ED-IF (circa '78-'81)
Approximately 270 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

1200mm f/11 AI ED-IF (circa '79-'82)
Approximately 160 made.  Also available in AI-S mount.

1000mm f/11 Reflex (circa '76-'77)
Approximately 640 made.   Also available in single coated, multicoated, and K versions.

2000mm f/11 Reflex (circa '77)
Approximately 20 made.  Also available in single coated and multicoated versions.

180-600mm f/8 AI ED (circa '77-'82)
Approximately 20 made.  Also available in K and AI-S versions.

200-600mm f/9.5 (circa '77)
Approximately 1900 made.   Also available in non-AI, K, and AI-S versions.

360-1200mm f/11 AI ED (circa '77-'81)
Approximately 30 made.  Also available in K and AI-S versions.

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