Overview of Tele-N 3.5 / 200

Many thanks for the opportunity to review the Tele-N 3.5 / 200 lens Ivan Kosarekov.

Overview of Tele-N 3.5 / 200

Overview of Tele-N 3.5 / 200

Telear-N 3.5/200 is an amazing Soviet telephoto lens. Tele-N has a 200mm focal length and F3.5 aperture, which is a very good indicator for such a large focal length.

Tele-H 3.5 / 200 bokeh example

Tele-H 3.5 / 200 bokeh example

TTX Tele-N 3.5 / 200

  • Focal Length: 200mm
  • Aperture: F / 3.5-F / 22
  • Number of aperture blades: 8 pieces
  • Weight: 700g
  • Optical design: 5/5
  • Front Filter Diameter: 62mm
  • MDF: 1.6m
  • Bayonet mount: H, similar to Nikon F, AI (sometimes PRE-AI / NON-AI)

The lens sits perfectly on the camera without causing weight imbalance.

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 sample photo

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 sample photo

Tele-N can very much blur the foreground and foreground. Blurring the background is very important for photographing a portrait. Tele-N can easily compete with such super expensive and high-quality professional lenses as 80-200mm F2.8 and 70-200mm F2.8, since at 200mm focal length there is maximum blurring of the background. The difference in aperture between F2.8 in modern professional zooms and F3.5 in old Tele-N is only 1.56 times. Therefore, if you need exactly a good TV set for wonderful portraits, then it may be the old Soviet Tele-N.

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 sample photo

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 sample photo

How to use Tele-N with modern cameras?

The Tele-N lens has the same mount as all Nikon cameras. Thus, in order to use the lens on any Nikon CTC, no adapter is needed. Also, Tele-N is an AI lens. How to use Soviet lenses you can find Nikon on any central control center in the pro section Soviet lenses, or, in the section about AI-S.

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 example of a portrait

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 example of a portrait

Indicators

The lens has an aperture control ring with values ​​of F3.5, F5.6, F8.0, F11.0, F16.0, F22.0. Between F3.5 and F5.6, you can set F4.0. The depth of field scale is indicated only for F8, 16, 22.

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 color rendition

Tele-N 3.5 / 200 color rendition

The weight

The lens is quite weighty. Allows you to avoid shaking when photographing with your hands. Weight is associated with a good manufacturing quality of the lens of iron and glass. My copy is 1996, it is already over 18 years old, and it works just as well.

Tele-N 3.5 200 blur background on the covered aperture

Tele-N 3.5 200 blur background on the covered aperture

Focusing

Focus ring rotates 270 degrees. Focusing is very comfortable, smooth with a nice rubberized ring. The lens has MDF of only 1.6 meters, and after 30 meters, “infinity” begins on the focusing distance scale. When focusing from MDF to infinity, the lens trunk extends 4 cm. When focusing, the front lens does not rotate. Finding a 62mm filter will not be a problem.

Tele-N 3.5 200 blur background

Tele-N 3.5 200 blur background

Lens hood

The lens has a built-in telescopic lens hood.

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Image quality

The lens is not sharp enough at F3.5, but this sharpness is quite enough for portrait shooting. Normal sharpness starts at F8.0. At F22.0 on my camera, sharpness deteriorates due to diffraction. At apertures up to F8.0, the lens suffers a lot from chromatic aberrations, which make the picture at F3.5 slightly soft. The lens completely lacks distortion and vignetting on cameras with an APS-C sensor. Tele-N reproduces pleasant bokeh. Unfortunately, the built-in hood does not help the lens in the fight against backlight and side light, the lens easily loses contrast in difficult conditions.

Separately, it is worth noting the lack of multi-enlightenment. In general, image quality has strengths and weaknesses.

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Personal experience

Using a manual telephoto lens is quite difficult. It's not the most comfortable lens to use. In general, who does not need exactly 200 mm focal length, it is better to look towards the shorter, but more interesting lens MC Jupiter-37A 3.5 / 135.

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Tele-N 3.5 200mm sample photo

Sample Photos

Camera photo examples Nikon D40. Original photo size here.

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Conclusions:

Telear-N is an old Soviet telephoto, it has many shortcomings, but a good ratio of focal length and aperture allows you to use it not only as a short telephoto lens, but also as a portrait and creative lens.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Oleg

 

 

Comments: 165, on the topic: Overview of Tele-N 3.5 / 200

  • Arthur

    Hello, I ran into a problem that infinity was shot down, it turns out a flight. Can anyone come across this, there is no information on the Internet at all. Disassembling without any instructions is a little scary

    • Arthur

      To adjust it, you just need to unscrew the focus ring on three bolts, then you need to play around in what position and how far to turn this unscrewed ring and tighten it. By the way, the bolts come off easily, so don’t overdo it.

  • Alexander

    My copy has a small problem with attaching to the Nikon D5300 - if you insert it according to the marks, it does not rotate, it does not fix. It was installed and fixed only in such a way that the aperture scale was on the left of the arizu, and not at the top.

  • Nicholas

    The experience is sad. I bought this miracle in a second-hand store in Voronezh and at the first sharpening it fell apart into two halves! Do not buy at Voronezh second-hand stores! A waste of money, and the owner is rude!

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