Nikon 13.5cm (135mm) f/3.5 NIKKOR-Q Auto Non AI Nippon Kogaku Japan Manual Focus Lens Review

The Nikon 135mm f/3.5 NIKKOR-Q Auto is a pre-AI manual focus telephoto lens from Nikon's Nippon Kogaku era, designed for F-mount bodies before the introduction of Automatic Indexing in 1977. This four-element Tessar-type design was a budget-friendly option in Nikon's classic lineup, offering moderate telephoto reach for portraiture and general distance work. With a maximum aperture of f/3.5, it's slower than the professional f/2 and f/2.8 variants but trades speed for compactness and affordability.

As a non-AI lens, it requires either a pre-AI compatible body or an AI conversion to meter properly on modern Nikon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras with adapters. The 52mm filter thread is standard for lenses of this era. At this price point, typically found in bargain or well-used condition, it can serve as an entry point into vintage Nikon glass for shooters interested in manual focus telephoto rendering, though condition and optical quality will vary significantly depending on the individual copy.