Portrait / short tele prime · Full frame

Nikon Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5

The Nikon Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5 is a full frame prime lens (105 mm, f/2.5) for Nikon F and Nikon F. It belongs to the portrait / short tele prime class — ideal for head-and-shoulders portraits with flattering perspective and creamy backgrounds.

105 mmf/2.5Nikon FNikon F
105 mm
Focal length
f/2.5
Maximum aperture
23°
Diagonal angle of view (Full frame)
Full frame
Designed for

Specifications#

Brand
Nikon
Model
Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5
Lens type
Portrait / short tele prime
Focal length
105 mm
Maximum aperture
f/2.5
Image circle
Full frame (36×24 mm)
Mount(s)
Nikon F, Nikon F
Projection
Rectilinear
Lensfun correction profile
Yes — distortion/vignetting/TCA

Equivalent focal length on different cameras#

Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).

Camera formatAt 105 mmEquiv. aperture (DoF)
Full frame105 mm · 23°f/2.5
APS-C158 mm · 15°f/3.8
APS-C (Canon)168 mm · 15°f/4.0
Micro Four Thirds210 mm · 12°f/5.0

Depth of field & background blur#

Computed on its native Full frame format (CoC 30 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index. Full table: 105 mm f/2.8 on full frame.

FocalApertureat 1 mat 2 mat 5 mat 10 mHyperfocalBlur @2 m
105 mmf/2.51.2 cm5.2 cm33.3 cm1.35 m147 m6.5%
105 mmf/41.9 cm8.3 cm53.4 cm2.18 m92.0 m4.0%
105 mmf/83.9 cm16.5 cm1.08 m4.52 m46.0 m2.0%

Handheld & night-sky limits#

NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).

BodyMin. handheld shutter (longest focal)500 rule at 105 mmNPF at 105 mm, f/2.5
Full frame1/100 s5 s3 s
APS-C1/160 s3 s2 s
APS-C (Canon)1/160 s3 s2 s
Micro Four Thirds1/200 s2 s2 s

Adapt it to other systems#

Frequently asked questions#

Is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5 full frame?

Yes — it covers the full 36 × 24 mm frame.

What is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5 equivalent to on APS-C?

On a 1.5× APS-C body it frames like 158 mm, and like 168 mm on Canon APS-C.

What is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5 good for?

As a portrait / short tele prime it suits head-and-shoulders portraits with flattering perspective and creamy backgrounds.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources