The Nikon 55mm f/1.2 was a historic part of Nikon's legacy, this was Nikon's very first lens they ever developed with an aperture faster than f/1.2. At the time there was a race between lens manufacturers to create ultra fast glass. This was Nikon's contribution to the market of large aperture lenses. The original Nikon 55mm f/1.2 non Ai version was developed in 1965, and the Ai (aperture indexing) version was manufactured by the Nikkor company in the spring of 1977. This model is the Ai version, this means you can still use it on any of Nikon’s DSLRs, but it will only meter on the more advanced models like the D7000 and up. The great thing about the Nikon system is its amazing compatibility, you can use lenses manufactured many decades ago and even the Non ai lenses if you modify the mount a little. This is because the Nikon SLR system has carried the same F-mount since its beginning. You can tell the difference between Nikon Ai and Non Ai by looking at the lens mount; you can see from the image provided that there is a notched out portion on the aperture ring. If the lens was a Non-Ai Nikon lens there would be no notch and instead the black ring would travel completely around the bottom of the aperture ring. Without modifying the aperture ring on Non-Ai lenses you will damage your lens mount on modern DSLRs and even some Nikon SLRs as well. The 55mm f/1.2 Ai has 7 elements in 5 groups in a typical Gauss type fashion, and these elements are multicoated which should assist in flare reduction. It also has a 7 straight bladed aperture which was quite typical for SLR lenses of the time. These Nikon Ai primes are fantastic lenses that can be purchased for very little on the used market. I purchased this model for around $250 in bargin condition from Keh. Most old Nikon Ai lenses are under $150 in great condition. If you use Nikon DSLRs I would recommend having a set of these primes as long as you don't need auto focus.
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