Nikon Aperture and Focusing Rings

Early non-AI lenses tend to have scalloped metal focusing rings and ribbed aperture rings. For instance, all the cm marked lenses. The 24mm f/2.8 N, 35mm f/2 O, 85mm f/1.8 H, 135mm f/3.5 Q (earlier version), and the 300mm f/4.5 P and H always had ribbed aperture rings (unless they were adapted to AI). The 35mm f/2.8 H, 50mm f/2H, 50mm f/1.4S, 55mm f/3.5 micro, 105mm f/2.5 P, and 200mm f/4 Q (silver front) initially had ribbed aperture rings and transitioned to scalloped.



An early 50mm f/1.4 S with a ribbed aperture ring next to a newer sample with a partially scalloped ring:



The early non-AI zooms (except the very earliest 8.5-25cm f/4-4.5), and faster telephotos (135mm f/2.8 Q, 180mm f/2.8 P, 500mm f/8 reflex, 1000 f/11 reflex) as well as the 55mm f/3.5 P micro (non-compensating) had rubber focusing rings with a diamond pattern:



Some non-AI lenses have aperture rings that are flat on top but scalloped on the underside. The 35mm f/1.4 N, the later samples of the 50mm f/1.4 S, the 135mm f/2.8 Q seem to have this.



Most (non K) non-AI lenses have scalloped aperture rings. The later designs especially tend to have this design, like the 20mm f/3.5 UD, 28mm f/2 N, 55mm f/1.2 S, 105mm f/2.5 P (black front), 135mm f/3.5 Q (newer version), and 180mm f/2.8 P.



K non-AI lenses have rubber focusing rings and modern looking knurled aperture rings. The pattern on the focuses varies and tends to be taller and thinner than on later AI and AI-S lenses?



The 16mm f/3.5 AI is a little unusual in that its aperture ring is mostly flat on top but knurled on the underside:



The early black versions of Series E lenses have rubber focus rings and aperture rings, both with square nubbins.



The silver versions of the prime Series E lenses have rubber focusing rings with the usual AI/AI-S pattern but keep square nubbins on the aperture ring:



The 50mm f/1.8 E and 36-72mm E have even thinner aperture rings than the rest. The Series E zooms have a smaller square pattern on their aperture rings.



Some of AI zooms have the same pattern on the focusing and/or zoom ring:



Most AI and AI-S lenses have the same style rubber focusing rings and knurled aperture rings:






If you are interested in these things, check out Richard de Stoutz' Lens Typography.