Nikon 35mm lens for FF

PatrickO

PatrickO

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Patrick
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I'd like a good sharp 35mm prime for my D700, but can't afford loads of money

As I understand it there are three Nikon 35mm prime lenses available:

Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G for about £1300
Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8 G DX about £140.00
Nikon AF 35mm f/2D about £250

The f/1.4 is out of my budget. The f/1.8 is a DX lens so not suitable for D700 (vignetting). That leaves the f/2. Just about in my budget.

What do people think of the Nikon 35mm f/2?
Is there a really good third party lens?

Many thanks for your views.

Patrick
 
IMO, 35mm is a something and nothing focal length on FF, although it's great on crop bodies. Of your 3 choices, I would go for the f/2 version, after a good test of the copy I was buying (even Nikon have the occasional duff copy!). If you have a 24-70 zoom, I wouldn't bother with the prime, unless you plan on ditching zooms and just shooting with primes - it seems more and more people are doing just that! Try taping your zoom (if you have one that covers 35mm) at 35mm and seeing what you think of the focal length on FF (and crop, since you have the option) before you commit yourself.

Have a look in the classifieds here to see if anyone's looking to offload what you're after - you may be lucky. Depending on your views on 2nd hand kit, there are several dealers with large stocks who advertise in the back of AP and of course, there's also MPB Photographic who advertise on this forum.
 
Having looked into this myself (I love 35mm on FF btw), I ended up concluding that unless the 35mm 1.4 was affordable, it probably isn't worth it. The 35mm f/2 just seems like a lens that is neither here nor there. It is not known for being especially good but it is also not cheap enough that you may as well have one.

So some other options, as Nod say, a zoom, either 24-70 2.8, 28-70 2.8 or 35-70 2.8 (total bargain). If a zoom isn't suitable, there are lovely 35mm f1.4 and f2 AIS lenses but obviously both manual focus. There is also the 28mm 1.8g now which is a nice but a bit of a departure in focal lenght. And lastly I beleive Sigma are going to be launching a full frame 35mm 1.4 soon so maybe that is also worth waiting for. I'd guess it'll be getting on for £1000 though.
 
35mm f2 is superb mine was up for sale but now i have decide to keep it

its a lovely lens,
 
If autofocus is not very important (its not that difficult at this focal length) then Zeiss 35mm f2 Lens as well as Samyang 35mm f1.4 are very good.

Zeiss is fantastic with my D3.

Martyn also has Zeiss lens and I'm sure can't deny its magic...;)
 
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raj_kemp said:
If autofocus is not very important (its not that difficult at this focal length) then Zeiss 35mm f2 Lens as well as Samyang 35mm f1.4 are very good.

Zeiss is fantastic with my D3.

Martyn also has Zeiss lens and I'm sure can't deny its magic...;)
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Indeed ... however slightly more than the OP's budget of £250 ;)
 
The 35mm F2,seem to be getting quite popular again,about a year ago MPB a lot in a were selling them at £129,now it's more like the £200 mark,hopfully with the D600 out maybe a replacement due,an 35mm F1.8 for FF :)
 
I use a 35mm f1.8 DX lens on my D700 and I absolutely love it. Yes it vignettes but it is only really noticeable and a problem if you are under exposing. I tend to ETTR when I shoot but even if you expose correctly then there is only a slight vignette. If you expose to the right at all then the vignette becomes negligible. The sharpness, colours and contrast on it are fantastic. I paid £95 for mine and for that kind of money you really can’t complain.
 
-Rob- said:
I use a 35mm f1.8 DX lens on my D700 and I absolutely love it. Yes it vignettes but it is only really noticeable and a problem if you are under exposing. I tend to ETTR when I shoot but even if you expose correctly then there is only a slight vignette. If you expose to the right at all then the vignette becomes negligible. The sharpness, colours and contrast on it are fantastic. I paid £95 for mine and for that kind of money you really can’t complain.
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That's very interesting. And I guess it could be corrected easily in Lightroom. Any chance of some example pics?
 
I used to own the 35mm f2 and it was a weird lens. It was quite sharp when stopped down, but had the weird habit of starting out with the kind of average sharpness you'd expect wide open but never sharpened up as I stopped down until I got towards f8. It's a relatively cheap lens to buy though, but even at it;s sharpest, it was noticeably worse than the 35m f1.4 I replaced it with... and I don;t mean slightly.. I mean noticeably.


OK.. brace yourself for my advice... and I think this may be a controversial one...


Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC


Yes.. that's right... a Samyang. The only reason I can think of not wanting this lens is it's lack of AF. Optically it's HUGELY superior to the Nikkor 35mm F2D.. it's streets ahead and it's only £300 new.
 
The 35 f2 was a pricey lens when it was launched. It's not a "cheap" lens for a prime now. Sometimes you you don't expect a huge difference in primes when prices increase like you do with zooms, as most primes are pretty good... the 35 f2 very noticeably worse.. you didn't even have to look at it at 100% to see it. Normally, you expect better wide open performance from an expensive lens, yes, better controlled CA etc, but you don't expect it to wipe the floor with it's cheaper brethren. You also have to remember that the 1.4's price premium has a great deal to do with it's 1.4 aperture as well as it's optical performance.
 
Does it need to be 35mm? the new 28mm f/1.8 would be a good alternative.

That said, I love my 35 f/2 - it's a great little lens at f/2.8 (soft and lacking contrast at f/2).
 
Funny, I've just tried my 35 f/1.8 DX on my D700 and what do you know? it works pretty nicely.

It vignettes a touch too much when focused to the distance when wide open but otherwise it seems great!
 
Nawty said:
Funny, I've just tried my 35 f/1.8 DX on my D700 and what do you know? it works pretty nicely.

It vignettes a touch too much when focused to the distance when wide open but otherwise it seems great!
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I'd test corner performance before you got excited :)
 
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