AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm: The Missing Piece

After my last setup for scanning negatives, I sought out an easier method (ideally with less moving parts). The answer manifested in the form of the Nikon ES-2 adapter, which ended up being exactly what I needed.

The adapter screwed directly to the lens, so I didn't have to worry about alignment of negatives and the camera setup, so we wouldn't need our DIY copy stand. The different included film holders would also make scanning entire strips (or slides) a lot easier. At the end of the adapter has a built-in frosted, translucent material, so we would just need enough light to get a good exposure.

Unboxing it was like an early Christmas. I was ready for another fun project and excited to give this more streamlined method a whirl. The ES-2 adapter had a 52mm filter thread, which was the magic thread number for a lot of Nikon lenses I have in my collection. It screwed right onto my 50mm lens, but I when I took a look through the viewfinder, everything was out of focus.

I checked every increment along the lens' focal range. The kit included some spacers, and I added those between my lens and the ES-2 after incorporating some step rings. No good.

This was a great life lesson to remind myself to always read the product listing as well as any documentation that comes with new gear. Upon further research, I found that the negative scanning kit is made to work with specific lenses, and I unfortunately had none of them. While the experience was a bummer, I figured I could work around that by possibly adding some extension tubes. Enough length, and I was sure I could get the lens to focus on the negatives. But that would be a project for a different day.

Fast forward to 2023, to when I did an event in Bozeman, Montana to do a store event with the city's own Bozeman Camera. Brick and mortor camera stores are few and far between, but Bozeman Camera has been one of my favorites to visit. I browsed around their offerings, but found myself spending the most time looking at the vintage lenses. One in particular caught my eye: the AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D. I remembered the lens was one of the lenses compatible with the ES-2 and it was the last piece I needed to get it to work. I made the most of the opportunity, bought it on the spot, and had it shipped back to our office in Illinois.

It did make negative scanning as easy as could be, and pairing it with a high-resolution camera like our a7R II gave me a fairly large scan (I can't even imagine the file size for the newer, high-res cameras). The convenience factor for the kit was unmatched; I didn't have to refocus, and the film holder let me load a strip that has up to six frames. Changing the image was just a matter of slotting the film holder to the next click over, and all processing could be done in Photoshop.

Even if I wasn't using the lens specifically for negative scanning, the lens made for an excellent find in the wild. Right off the bat, I loved the build quality. Despite the lens' size, it's got some weight to it. 60mm is only a hair longer than a nifty fifty. Its f/2.8 aperture allows for plenty of light and is perfectly suitable for a shallow depth of field. The macro functionality is likely one of the best features of the lens, as its able to achieve a 1:1 reproduction ratio. This alone makes it a nice addition to your kit since it has all the perks of a standard macro lens (usually between 90-105mm) while

Overall, the lens made for an excellent purchase. The majority of my camera gear has been purchased online, which only makes my in-store experience at Bozeman Camera all the more special. It's nice to look through products and physically hold them before purchasing, even more so if there's a collection of older, vintage gear to look at. While it's definitely less common to find a true camera store these days, if you ever find yourself in a town that has one, stop in and visit. You never know what sort of gems you can find.