Nikon Nikkor 18mm f/3.5 AI-S

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Compact 11-element ultra-wide with close-range correction that focuses down to 25cm and, unusually for the focal length, accepts ordinary 72mm front filters. Rendering is lower in contrast than modern wides, with visible barrel distortion and soft corners wide open. The 70-degree focus throw is short, and the ring rotates in the Nikon direction.

Key specs

Focal length

18 mm

Max aperture

f/3.5

Mount

Nikon F

Image circle

Full frame

Close focus

0.25 m

Filter thread

72 mm

Weight

350 g

Field of view by sensor

Full frame

90° horizontal · frames like 18 mm on full frame

Super 35

69.3° horizontal · frames like 26 mm on full frame

Micro Four Thirds

51.3° horizontal · frames like 37.5 mm on full frame

What it goes on

F-mount's 46.5mm flange takes a thin glassless adapter to Canon EF and adapts to every mirrorless mount; the aperture ring is fully mechanical and easy to de-click. It is the usual wide end of AI-S cine sets; Duclos and Simmod style mods add an 80mm front and a 32-pitch gear, and a Leitax mount makes the EF conversion permanent.

• Nikon F camerasNativeURSA Mini Pro 12K, URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF, URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2
• Canon EF camerasWith adapterALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 +14 more

  Novoflex EOS/NIK · Fotodiox Pro NIK-EOS. 2.5 mm of room is enough for a plain ring. G-type lenses without an aperture ring need an adapter with its own iris lever.

• Sony E camerasWith adapterRonin 4D-6K, Ronin 4D-8K, Alpha 1 II, Alpha 7 IV +13 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 28.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Canon RF camerasWith adapterEOS C400, EOS C50, EOS C70, EOS C80 +10 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 26.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• L-Mount camerasWith adapterCinema Camera 6K, PYXIS 12K, PYXIS 6K, Ronin 4D-6K +6 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 26.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Micro Four Thirds camerasWith adapterMicro Studio Camera 4K G2, Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, Lumix BGH1, Lumix GH6 +1 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 27.3 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Nikon Z camerasElectronic adapterKOMODO-X 6K S35, V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV, V-RAPTOR XE

  Nikon FTZ / FTZ II. Nikon's own adapter. AF only with AF-S / AF-P lenses; manual AI-S lenses mount and meter.

• Leica M camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Ronin 4D-6K +1 more

  18.7 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

• LPL camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, URSA Cine 17K 65

  2.5 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

See every camera this lens fits →

Sources: photosynthesis.co.nz, photosynthesis.co.nz, spencerchumbley.tv