Nikon Prime thoughts - time to step up a gear?

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Damian Brown
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I shoot on crop bodies and the main lenses that I shoot for work with are the Nikon 17-55 on one body and the Nikon 85 1.4 on the other. I also use a 10.5 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 35 1.8, all Nikon, when occasion calls for it. I love all of my lenses.

But realistically i mainly use the widest end of the 17-55, and I'm more excited by that end of the zoom. Also since getting into 85mm lenses, the amazing 70-200 2.8 has taken a backseat and only comes out on certain jobs which I could get cover by using my legs more ;)

I have now started thinking about the latest 24mm 1.4 and wanted to hear your feedback on this well reviewed lens. I'm honestly thinking it would be way more useful to me than the long zoom, even the wide zoom I have (though sensibly I'd keep that at first) and the 35. Though the 35 is great for travelling especially as its small and light. If only it were a tad wider ;)

Maybe for me the main set up (not imc backup and specialised) I'll end up with this year could be:

Nikon 24 1.4, 50 1.4, 85 1.4 ....

Who knows? Could be a plan though. I think I'll keep the fisheye too, for construction and architecture work it seems to do a great job kept in its place. Not sure I'd need the 50 1.4 but it looks more "covered" on paper. I had the 1.8 and that was great but I'd go 1.4 if I did it this way.
 
The 24mm 1.4G is stunning, colour, contrast and sharpness are incredible - at 1.4. I took a punt on a used one and was staggered at how good it was wide open. Focus is accurate, not super fast but it doesn't mess about. Main thing I can't get over is how good the IQ is at 1.4, it's astounding. And that lovely defocused background combined with the 24mm perspective can really make a subject jump out of the image if you're close, not sure how well it would translate to DX bodies though with a ~36mm field of view...
 
Aperture sold an as-new one recently for £1190, quite a saving on new. These originally retailed at £1900+
 
The "holy grail" would be:

Small
Light
Fast (1-4/1.-8)

(Nikon, just to be snobbish, but price depending I'd go with another as I've had great lenses from sigma and tamron in the past)
 
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