Nikon Ai 105mm f/2.5

The Nikon Nikkor AI 105mm f/2.5 is a classic medium telephoto prime lens with Nikon F mount, designed for portrait, reportage, travel and available-light photography. Part of Nikon’s AI generation introduced in the late 1970s, it features fully manual focusing and a mechanical aperture ring, providing the traditional handling experience appreciated by photographers who enjoy vintage Nikkor lenses. Its 105mm focal length combined with a bright f/2.5 maximum aperture provides strong subject separation and shallow depth of field, characteristics that have made this focal length especially popular for portrait photography. The AI version uses an optical construction of 5 elements in 4 groups, with Nikon multi-coating designed to improve contrast and colour rendition while reducing flare and ghosting. The aperture can be adjusted from f/2.5 down to f/22 and uses a 7-blade diaphragm. The angle of view on 35mm full-frame format is approximately 23°20', while the minimum focusing distance is 1 metre, with a maximum reproduction ratio of approximately 1:7.7. Its long and progressive focusing ring allows precise manual adjustment, particularly useful for portraits and shooting at wide apertures. The lens accepts 52mm filters, a common standard among many classic Nikkor lenses, and weighs approximately 435g. Autofocus, optical image stabilization and electronic CPU contacts are not provided, so metering functionality and EXIF information depend on the Nikon camera body being used; on modern Nikon Z mirrorless cameras it can also be used through an FTZ or FTZ II adapter while retaining manual focusing. Thanks to its predominantly metal construction, bright f/2.5 aperture and distinctive classic Nikkor rendering, the Nikon AI 105mm f/2.5 remains a highly regarded lens for portrait and creative photography on both Nikon film cameras and compatible digital systems.