For sale here is an optically superb Nikon 105mm f2.5 Nikkor-P lens.

This is a manual focus lens and non-Ai coupling.

It is one of Nikon's greatest lenses and was manufactured during the 1960's and 1970's when Nikon was the world leader in making high quality professional cameras and lenses.

The build quality is outstanding.

The lens sells with an HS-4 snap on lens hood, an original lens cap from the 1960's, a back cap, and finally a Nikkor lens 'bubble' case. Some items are marked Nippon Kogaku, Japan Optical Company which indicates they are from the 1960's. The lens has a six bladed iris for the aperture and it takes a 52mm filter.

The condition of the lens is excellent. The optics are super clean and unmarked.

Focussing is smooth and the apertures settings are crisp and positive.

There is very slight wear on the black focus ring paintwork. The original front lens cap, from the 1960's, could be a tighter fit on the lens front and the base of the 'bubble' lens case, also from the 1960's, needs a proper turn to engage the lens bayonet.

Nikkor 'bubble' lens cases are great because not only do they protect the lens from physical damage but also they offer much better protection from lens fungus-unlike leather lens cases which when used for long term storage tend to encourage fungus growth.

The lens's serial number is 235306 which places its manufacture at the end of the 1960's or possibly 1970.

Another indication this is an early 105mm lens is that it has the much sought after Sonnar optical lens design. The back lens element of Sonnar designed Nikkor lenses are smaller than on later lenses that had a Gauss optical design. Photographers like very much the sharpness and 'drawing' of Sonnar designed lenses and also the background blur when doing portraits. The Hasselblad camera company also liked very much Sonnar lens designs. Hasselblad and Nikon were the great NASA Space cameras of the Sixties and Seventies because of the high quality of their lenses and reliability, and NASA still use them both today.

This lens makes sharp, contrasty, colour saturated images at all apertures, and because of its small handy size it is perfect for people or travel photography or reportage, or street photography, or combat photography-but who wants to go to war? And it is an outstanding lens in a studio using day light, tungsten  and flash lighting.

This is one of the best portrait lenses ever made-and there is not an electrical signal, circuit board or digit in sight, it is all manual, and is built to the highest optical and mechanical standards by The Japanese Camera Company, Nippon Kogaku,  or known today as: Nikon.