Nikon Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-s

TelephotoMount: Nikon F105mmf/2.5 – f/22
Introduced: 1971

Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-S is Nikon's classic short-telephoto portrait prime — the lens Steve McCurry used for his Afghan Girl photograph (Nat Geo cover, June 1985). The 105mm focal length sits at the "long portrait" end of the portrait range; the f/2.5 aperture provides shallow depth-of-field for subject isolation while keeping the lens relatively compact and affordable.

Key features

  • 105mm focal length on 35mm full-frame
  • f/2.5 maximum aperture
  • 52mm filter thread (matches the standard primes)
  • AI-S aperture coupling
  • Sonnar-derived 5-element design — tightly corrected
  • Distinctive Sonnar rendering — slightly compressed perspective with smooth bokeh

Use case + rendering

  • Portrait, half-length figure, head-and-shoulders work where the photographer wants more working distance than 85mm provides
  • Sharp wide-open at center; very sharp by f/4
  • The lens that took the most-recognized magazine cover photograph in modern history

Compatible bodies

  • All Nikon F-mount manual-focus bodies: F through FM3a and F6

Related lenses