The Nikkor 85mm F1.8, Nikon's First Professional Near Telephoto Designed For the Nikon F
All dimensions in engineering drawing in mm.
When Nikon introduced its Nikon F SLR it very well could have accompanied it with its rangefinder series 85mm F2.0, but Nikon did not. It, indeed, had done just that with its 10.5 cm F2.5 offering which did get introduced essentially simultaneously with the F and the other earliest lenses. Mirror clearance was certainly not an issue in this focal length regime. And, it was certainly in the same or better optical performance league with the 5.8cm F1.4 and the early retrofocus wide angle offerings. But that was exactly the problem. These were designs that had compromised optical performance out of necessity. So, what prevented the rangefinder 8.5cm F2.0 from being directly applied to the "F" series of lenses. The answer is that it was a Nikon strategic "status and quality" decision.
Recall that the 10.5 was a superlative (for the time) optical solution that obtained when Nippon Kogaku optical engineers took the basic 8.5cm F2.0 lens, scaled all the linear dimensions up by approximately 23.5% and cut 20% off of all of the lens component diameter dimensions. The result, which was amazing for that time, produced a lens than spanned about four decades in production made Nikon hesitate to use the relatively inferiorly formulated rangefinder 8.5 cm. Further Nikon's early and immature retrofocus designs were giving its optics a second class reputation. Nikon needed a winner to impress the pros whose market it was after.
About five years after the introduction of the Nikon F, Nikon's optical engineers delivered the 85mm F1.8 which was not only a fraction of a stop faster than the 8.5cm F2.0, but it was sharper over its entire F stop range and did gain Nikon credibility with the pros...gaining the description of a truly "legendary" lens.
The very earliest version of this lens (version 1) was a very small number of them with lens data engraved on a flat portion of the focus ring which was visible when the lens was viewed from the front, SN's under 188011
The next or second version had serial numbers ranging from 188011 thru 195180 and was manufactured from May 1964 to 1968. It is characterized by a black painted front ring, a wider and easier to grip front focusing ring. And, lens information inscribed on an angled ring inside the filter ring.
The third version, through SN 247064, has the lens data moved to be engraved on the rim outside the filter ring. A minor change occurred when the engraving changed Nippon Kogaku Japan to Nikon after 254000 through 285000.
The fourth version, SN's 390001 through 402398, onset December 1973 with the "C" designation and the employment of NIC. This version lasted through April 1975 and SN 402398.
March 1975 (version 5) , along with other lenses in Nikon's line up, the lens got a revised physical body and "look". The look was changed to incorporate RIFR. The minimum focus distance was reduce to 2.6 feet. No AI version of this lens was ever offered but an AI "FACTORY" conversion kit was offered. The proper hood for this version is the HN-12. Nikon ceased production with this version and its NIC variant which was sold for a duration after it was out of production and replaced by the 85mm F2.0.
In 1988 (version 6) , Nikon resurrected an optical variant of this lens mechanically and optically re-engineered for autofocus applications. There were many alteration but the principle ones comprise: Filter/accessory thread size 62mm; Novel rear element shift focus design enabling very rapid focus; Recommended Hood HN-23
March 1994 (version 7) introduction of the AF-D version with a wider rubberized focus ring.
