Nikon AI-S Lenses

AI-S Lenses
Circa 1981-present


Back row: 300mm f/4.5 ED-IF, 105mm f/2.8 mirco, 105mm f/1.8, 28mm f/2.8
Front row: 20mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, later 50mm f/1.8, 45mm f/2.8

Here is a sales brochure via Pacific Rim Camera.

For me these are the gold standard for manual focus lenses (Leica and Zeiss lenses are out of my price range).   Amazingly you can still buy some of these new today! However, many lenses were discontinued in 1998 and in 2005.

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-S (circa '81-'98)
Approximately 4500 made.  Also available in non-AI and AI mounts.

15mm f/3.5 AI-S (circa '81-'05)
Approximately 8700 made.  Also available in AI mount with a slightly longer focus throw.

16mm f/2.8 fisheye AI-S (circa '81-'98)
Approximately 24000 made.  Also available in AI mount.

18mm f/3.5 AI-S (circa '81-'05)

Approximately 14000 made.

20mm f/3.5 AI-S (circa '81-'84)
Approximately 28000 made.  Also available in AI mount with a slightly longer focus throw.  Replaced by the 20mm f/2.8 AI-S.

20mm f/2.8 AI-S (circa '84-present)

Approximately 70000 made.

24mm f/2.8 AI-S (circa '81-present)

Approximately 160000 made.  Also available in AI mount with a much longer focus throw.

24mm f/2 AI-S (circa '81-'05)
Approximately 47000 made.  Also available in AI mount with a much longer focus throw.

28mm f/3.5 AI-S (circa '81-'83)
Approximately 40000 made.  Also available in AI mount with a much longer focus throw.

28mm f/2.8 AI-S (circa '81-present)

Approximately 209000 made.

28mm f/2 AI-S (circa '81-'05)
Approximately 45000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI versions with slightly longer close focus distance.

28mm f/3.5 PC (circa '80-'05)
Approximately 35000 made.

35mm f/2.8 AI-S (circa '81-'89)
Approximately 73000 made.  Also available in AI mount.

35mm f/2 AI-S (circa '81-'05)
Approximately 123000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI versions with a longer focus throw.

35mm f/1.4 AI-S (circa '81-present)
Approximately 91000 made.  Also available in single coated, multicoated, K, and AI versions with a longer focus throw.

35mm f/2.8 PC black knob (circa '80-'99)

Approximately 27000 made.

45mm f/2.8 AI-P (circa 01'-'06)

Approximately 23000 chrome, 11000 black. The P indicates the lens has contacts.


50mm f/1.8 AI-S (circa '81-'85)
Approximately 170000 made.   Also available in AI mount with a longer focus throw.  Not to be confused with the compact version based off of the Series E lens.

50mm f/1.8 AI-S compact version (circa '80-'82 and '85-'05)

Approximately 575000 made.  This is the version based off of the Series E lens.

50mm f/1.4 AI-S (circa '81-'06)