Nikkor-H Auto 300mm f/4.5

The Nikkor-P/Nikkor H Auto 300mm f/4.5 telephoto lens was in production between 1964 and 1977. It was part of a range of automatic-diaphragm lenses designed to complement the Nikon F SLR camera. During its production run, it was changed in 1969 from a five element/four group construction to six elements and five groups, and became the Nikkor-H (‘P’ stood for ‘Pente’, indicating five elements; ‘H’ stood for ‘Hex’, indicating six). The revision improved image quality considerably. This was a popular lens amongst Nikon users of that period, and remains sought-after on the second-hand market as an economic way of acquiring a 300mm prime lens of decent quality.
It is of peerless construction and measures 79 x 202mm (3 x 7.95in) and weighs 990g (2.1lb). The lens extends during focusing, almost doubling in length. It takes 72mm filters and has a built-in telescopic hood which provides approximately 45mm more length. There is a scalloped focussing ring, characteristic of most so-called "chrome barrel" Nikkors. It is equipped with two tripod mounting threads: one for ‘landscape’ photos and one for ‘portrait’. The focussing throw is 140 degrees, making it handle relatively well.
On an APS-C camera with 1.5x crop factor its field of view will resemble that of a 450mm prime on a full frame body. On a Nikon D2X with its high-speed crop mode deployed, the field of view becomes 600mm, although at a much-reduced pixel count.
The design is sublime. You could display it on a shelf and simply admire it every day. By common consent this lens is built to an unrivalled quality; anything approaching this standard in the current catalogue is going to be eye-wateringly expensive. Today, you can buy this workmanship for less than £100 (or, indeed, U.S. dollars) and although some examples will be bashed about, others will have led easy lives of only occasional use and be cosmetically excellent. Anything faster than this is going to be the size of a drainpipe and weigh more than a dumbbell. No ED glass of course, although opinions vary as to its efficacy in the lenses which succeeded the Nikkor-H. A good many users remark that sharp images don't really figure until the lens is stopped down to f/8 but coupled to a digital SLR, that won't be as great a challenge as the original buyers had to contend with, given the speeds of films available in 1969, when 100 ASA was considered pretty useful. Out of interest, this lens was priced at £203 in 1976. If you apply the Retail Price Index to that figure, in 2012 prices the lens would be £1,240. The nearest equivalent in the Nikon range is currently advertised at prices between £750 and £1,050. Thus lenses have improved and come down in price in real terms.
Photographed with a Nikon D2Xs and a Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 AF lens.