Photography can be a funny hobby sometimes when it comes to camera gear. Like most creative pursuits that require specialized equipment, there are always two camps of people: those who seek to have the best of the best no matter the price tag, and those who are compelled by the cheap, weird, and uncommon. While I'd say I typically fall somewhere in the middle and try to build a good kit based on my realistic needs and budget, I can't help but occasionally be drawn to a tool that is often scoffed at or discarded.
Enter the Zoom-NIKKOR Auto 43mm-86mm f/3.5. A certain known reviewer of Nikon cameras and lenses- lets just call them Ren Kockwell, had this to say:
"The original Nikon 43-86mm is the worst lens Nikon has ever made. It's worse than the worst, because not only is it terrible by itself, it was so awful that it has tainted the reputation of all other zoom lenses to this day. What makes it so bad? It's Nikon's softest lens, and is loaded with untold levels of distortion. It also has awful flare and ghosts."
Jeez Ren, tell us what you really think.
Anyways, the moment I read that blurb I knew that I had to get my hands on one of these, and when I saw one pop up on Used Photo Pro for just barely over $20, I hopped at the chance. A few days later it showed up at my door, and I stuck it on my Nikomat FTN with a roll of Kodak Vision 3 250D. Over the course of the next couple weeks I proceeded to take the worst photos of all time. Here are a handful from downtown Chicago, a known urban hellscape and active war zone:
Jesus Christ, what an abomination. Won't somebody please think of the children?!
At the risk of landing myself in The Hague for crimes against humanity, I finished off the rest of my roll while walking around my neighborhood, and with a trip to Graceland Cemetery. The simple act of using this lens means my days are probably numbered anyway.
If you have not picked up on the sarcasm by this point, you may have noticed that the quality of these photos are not inherently as terrible as the internet would have you believe. Does it possess the flaws mentioned in the above review? Sure, but are things like softness, flaring, and distortion considered flaws in every case? Not at all. Especially in the world of film photography, something that many photographers actively seek out is character. I would say that this lens has a decent amount of it.
The more that you zoom and enlarge these photos you will no doubt spot chromatic aberration along the sharp edges. But I ask you dear viewer, do you give a shit? I certainly don't. You're probably reading this on your phone. If I had one complaint, it would be that this is a difficult lens to achieve critical focus with, and that is to be expected from what was literally Nikon's first ever zoom lens. You rarely hit it out of the park on your first swing. But to say that this lens sullied the reputation of all future zoom lenses is an absolutely ridiculous take.
As always, the best camera/lens is the one you have with you. I might not reach for this lens every time I go out to shoot in the future, but it's not going in the garbage either. There are worse ways to spend $20.