I picked up the Nikkor 105mm f/2,5 F-mount lens sometime in 2010. I was told that it was glass made for portraits. I was told that it had buttery bokeh, and sharpness and colour out the wazzoo. Cool beans I said.

But I'm not a portrait photographer, and have never really cared to work with people. I dig the control afforded the still-life life. Still, I thought it possible that some day I'd put a person in front of my camera and click away, maybe directing a lighting assistant, maybe shushing a model toward a nice reflective wall.

Then, my wife and I boarded a plane for Sweden. And gee whiz, Sweden is beautiful, especially in the fall. And what started out in my mind as portrait lens, became a lens I'd take with me on afternoon walks, on morning walks, on backcountry hikes, and trips to the big city.

And while re-discovering Sweden, I realised two things: 1. that I wasn't a talented landscape photographer; 2. that I dug narrow angle views. Subsequently, 105mm became my go-to lens for a couple of years.

It feels great on a Nikon F-mount camera, rotating about 165º from close focus to infinity, and buckling a hood to its nose. It shares the same 52mm filter thread as all my go-to Nikon lenses: 24/2,8; 28/2,8; 35/2; 50/2; 85/1,8K, and so rocks the house in film, APS-C, or FF digital.

Nikkor 105mm f/2,5 F AiS in front of the classic Nikkor 10,5cm f/2,5 LTM

And a view of thhe coatings of both lenses

Here's how it all started (fanfare for The Eagles)

Disclaimer: eventually I discovered that I preferred a good, light 90/2,8 and e39 filters. I now roll with Leica. All images were imported via Lightroom and given VSCO treatment at the most-est.

Here are some images I took in Sweden with the 105/2,5 and the D200:

Sweden

Sail boat (famously shot by 4x5 slide photographers since hells bells), Stockholm (urban landscape) — Sail boat (famously shot by 4x5 slide photographers since hells bells), Stockholm (urban landscape)

Japan urban landscapes

Of course, Japan, a country smaller than Sweden, but with 13x the population, isn't to be outdone - if not in beauty, in the oblivious weaving of technology and run-around-with-your-head-cut-off-busynes-of-life-style to equate a new definition of complication. Still, in this cobweb of a country, there is beauty in the abstract, and fog, of the city:

Canada

Finally, we returned to Canada for a breather. And, for ducks.

Back to Japan

Since returning to Japan, I've used the 105 to shoot several commercial events/products, as well as to shoot my never-ending hobby, my wife. Which, I assume, would take this lens further into its portrait niche. (NOTE: all shot via the Sony A7r):

In a later article, I will compare the sharpness and utility of the 105mm f/2,5 AiS to the 10,5cm f/2,5 LTM. I no longer have the D200 or D800, so anything else from this lens must be shot via the Sony A7r, about which I have very mixed feelings.