Data sheet: Nikon series E 36-72 mm f/3.5

Pekka Buttler, 08/2022

Specifications

The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications:

Brand:	Nikon (Nikkor)	Lens name	Series E 36-72 mm 1:3.5
Focal length(s)1	36–72 mm	Angle-of-view2	62°–33°30
Maximum Aperture	f/3.5	In Production	1981–1985
Lens mount	Nikon F	Subfamily (if applicable)	Series E (Ai-s)
Length3	64,8 mm	Diameter4	66,5 mm
Filter ring diameter	52 mm	Weight	375 grams
Lens element count	8	Lens group count	8
Aperture blades (S/R/C)5	7 S	Focus throw	60 °
Minimum focusing distance	1,2 m	Maximum magnification	1:14,6
Has manual aperture ring	YES	Has Manual focus ring	YES

Further notes:
• This lens was introduced only in 1981. Hence, it exists only in silver ring trim (not in all-black).
• Alike all three series E zooms, it is a one touch zoom (push-pull zoom, zooming and focusing are done using the same ring) that uses a reverse-zoom approach (to zoom closer, pull the zoom ring toward the camera).
• The lens is relatively limited by its rather poor close-focus abilities.
• The lens’ dedicated hood is the HK-8.
• Series E lenses are Ai-s compatible.
• The lens’ filter ring (52 mm) rotates when focusing.

A brief genealogy of Nikon SLR lens types

Nikon is undoubtedly one of the great names in 35 mm SLR photography. The Nikon F mount has been in continuous production since 1959. During that time, the mount has developed/changed in some detail, however without ever fully sacrificing compatibility.

In short (a longer version is here), the development of Nikon’s SLR lenses can be traced as follows:
• 1959–1977: Pre-Ai. Manual focus lenses that use ‘rabbit ears’ to communicate selected aperture with the camera body.
• 1977–1986: Ai and Ai-s. Manual focus lenses that may have ‘rabbit ears’ for backward compatibility, but are designed to communicate selected aperture with the camera body through indentations in base of aperture control ring.
• 1986–today: AF and AF-D. Autofocus lenses that do not have a focusing motor within the lens, but rely on the focus motor within the camera. All AF and AF-D lenses are simultaneously Ai-s lenses (they are Ai-s lenses extended with AF) ⁶
• 1996–today AF-S and AF-P. Autofocus lenses that have an internal focusing motor and do not rely on the body having a focusing motor.

Series E lenses are – in this respect – a minor oddity. Intended as an economy offering (E as in economy) to forestall the onslaught of 3rd party lenses, Series E lenses are technically entirely Ai-s compatible lenses. Read more on the Series E here.

This lens is rather special for Nikon. Firstly, it is Nikon’s only standard zoom with a focal length range of 36–72 mm (35–70 zooms however are common). Secondly, it is Nikon’s last consumer-grade standard zooms to have a constant, rather bright maximum aperture.

Adapting

Besides adapting, this lens can be used natively on all current high-end Nikon dSLRs and several earlier medium-to-high-end older Nikon dSLRs⁷. Likewise, if jury-gigged with rabbit ears, it can be natively used on all Nikon F-mount film cameras ever produced (without the rabbit ears, it is limited to post–1977 bodies).

Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable dumb adapter (and such adapters are easy to find). Moreover, a wide range of special adapters (helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters, speed boosters) for using Nikon F lenses on most mirrorless systems are available.

Using Nikon F lenses on non-Nikon SLRs and dSLRs is likewise a distinct possibility. Thanks to the relatively generous flange focal distance of the Nikon F mount (46,5 mm), adapter rings for all dSLR mounts are available as well as for a goodly portion of film-era SLR mounts. Such rings may not allow for auto aperture, but even then the lenses can be used in stop-down metering mode.

Footnotes

¹ Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’.

² Picture angle is given in degrees and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
> 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
< 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens

³ Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity.

⁴ Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers.

⁵ S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures.

⁶ There is a further sub-class of AF-D lenses called AF-I lenses that are otherwise AF-D lenses (meaning, fully Ai-s compatible), but have an internal focus motor. Only long tele lenses were made in AF-I variants.

7 As of this writing, the following Nikon dSLRs fully support Aperture priority and manual metered modes on Nikkor Ai-s lenses: D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D200, D300, D300s, D500, D600, D610, D700, D750, D780, D800, D800E, D810, D850, D7000, D7100, D7200