Nikkor 35mm f1.4 Released
- Thread starter fcotterill
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O
Well-known member
Very fitting, interesting to see how the sales go. The 35mm 1.4 G was legendary for that unique look, it was also very popular.
Currently overall camera sales for the industry is flat again, it had a real boom with the transition from DSLR to Mirror less, now its sort of pipelined, real sales are not looking good and back to pre mirror less levels it seems.
Affordability is definitely a consideration today for many people.
Jojo
Member
I’ve owned the 35/1.4 for a couple of months or so and used it numerous times for street photography work.
I bought the lens over the 1.8 primarily for two reasons 1) the control ring gives me quasi aperture ring functionality and 2) it is slightly faster than the 1.8. Price really wasn’t a factor because with the 1.8 is on sale there isn’t really enough separation in the price (around $100 if I recall correctly). And quite frankly there’s not a huge difference between 1.4 and 1.8 so in reality I bought this lens for the control ring.
The 35/1.4 performs well. I shoot a lot in low light/night so I’m shooting wide open. The 35mm has no issues acquiring focus and the speed is good. The resulting images are very pleasing. I wouldn’t say this is a “character” lens like the 35/1.4G. It’s much sharper in the center and towards the edges which reduces the “character” of this lens. To me, it sits in between clinically sharp and character defining. Would I have preferred it to be either more clinical or have more character, yes. Do I regret buying this lens? Nope. I’m really happy with the performance and results. It gets the job done. It lives on my Z8 for street.
Comparing it to my 50/1.8, well, there’s no comparison. The 50mm is just on another level. AF is quicker, the images are sharper across the frame.
An interesting comparison is to the 40/f2. I love that lens and I think it’s more of a character lens than the 35/1.4. I don’t use that lens as much mainly because I think it looks funny on the Z8 and disproportionately small.
Lastly, I have a lot of experience with the Sigma 35mm/2 DG DN (I-series) on Sony. I would say the Nikon 35/1.4 is quite a bit sharper across the frame. The Nikon lens has more pop and subject separation even when shooting at the same aperture. The Sigma feels like it’s on another level with its metal construction to its clicky aperture ring. But the 35/1.4Z is just better when comparing AF speed and the resulting image.
Disclosure: I’m not really a pixel peeper and I would never use a MFT charts to make a lens buying decision so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
I bought the lens over the 1.8 primarily for two reasons 1) the control ring gives me quasi aperture ring functionality and 2) it is slightly faster than the 1.8. Price really wasn’t a factor because with the 1.8 is on sale there isn’t really enough separation in the price (around $100 if I recall correctly). And quite frankly there’s not a huge difference between 1.4 and 1.8 so in reality I bought this lens for the control ring.
The 35/1.4 performs well. I shoot a lot in low light/night so I’m shooting wide open. The 35mm has no issues acquiring focus and the speed is good. The resulting images are very pleasing. I wouldn’t say this is a “character” lens like the 35/1.4G. It’s much sharper in the center and towards the edges which reduces the “character” of this lens. To me, it sits in between clinically sharp and character defining. Would I have preferred it to be either more clinical or have more character, yes. Do I regret buying this lens? Nope. I’m really happy with the performance and results. It gets the job done. It lives on my Z8 for street.
Comparing it to my 50/1.8, well, there’s no comparison. The 50mm is just on another level. AF is quicker, the images are sharper across the frame.
An interesting comparison is to the 40/f2. I love that lens and I think it’s more of a character lens than the 35/1.4. I don’t use that lens as much mainly because I think it looks funny on the Z8 and disproportionately small.
Lastly, I have a lot of experience with the Sigma 35mm/2 DG DN (I-series) on Sony. I would say the Nikon 35/1.4 is quite a bit sharper across the frame. The Nikon lens has more pop and subject separation even when shooting at the same aperture. The Sigma feels like it’s on another level with its metal construction to its clicky aperture ring. But the 35/1.4Z is just better when comparing AF speed and the resulting image.
Disclosure: I’m not really a pixel peeper and I would never use a MFT charts to make a lens buying decision so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Thanks for that analysis. I'm overthinking my lens selection at the 24 to 50 range, and I think sticking with the AF-S 1.4s is still the way to go for me. Expensive, but the perfect combination of sharpness, CA-free, but still phenomenal depth and color rendition. I do own the Z50/1.2s, but it's a studio lens.
Jojo
Member
I might buy the 35/1.2Z if it’s ever released. Key word: might. I’m sure it’ll be a hefty beast.
John Navitsky
Well-known member
as one does
I'm totally enamored with my 1.4G, so actually I think I'll be able to resist. I actually owned it twice, gave it away when I left the F mount, then bought it new again...
John Navitsky
Well-known member
this is useful. i think for me it sounds like i may gravitate towards having the 1.2 and 1.8 versions. the former when i want the ultra fast attributes, but the latter for af speed as i recently realized that after performance was problematic with the 1.2 lenses and action
O
Well-known member
That's interesting, what was it specifically that made you buy a second one.
I have seen several people in our club keep this lens consistently, even after moving to mirror less.
The common reason is the 351.4G seems to deliver amazing bokah and outcomes that for the viewer is just super evocative.
It seems some people are cherry picking certain older DSLR lenses for their new mirror less cameras especially for video.
I wonder if AI editing tools will become the future here. You can add CA or flair.
Myself I have the 85 1.4 G i picked up many years ago used, i like it on the DF, but in great light its amazing on a D7100 due to the pixel density.
The 85 is not exactly tack sharp at 1.4, but as i understand it wasn't meant to be, unless i have a bad sample, it has some CA, occasional flair, as i recall its signature is similar to the 35mm 1.4G ?
In contrast my 50mm 1.8S is apart from being clearly incredible is a singe of where things are currently at, overall amazing. Its my only Z lens i own as i rent what i need.
One chap i met last year in my travels actually uses the 35 1.4G, 85 1.4G on a D3S, i asked him what the attraction was for selecting these tools over more modern ones.
He said, I can create engaging moody artistic works that represents what i see and feel.
His other cameras and glass are Blads, film and the latest digital Blads.
He said, the key for me is the glass, and i gravitate to certain types of glass to create what i feel. I even borrow a friend’s 200 F2 at times for specific shoots i want to create.
I remember him saying when I said, its nice to see you really love what you do, he said, the love is what drives my creativity my creativity is what drives my Love.
Rendition of depth, color and contrast. The images pop. Fenton @fcposted an article about it at some point. I'm told that the 24, 28 and 50 render similarly. The 35 in particular is devoid of ED glass but is still free of CA, which it is so expensive.
I gave my last F body to one of my kids with a bag of lenses. I then realized there is nothing in Z that performs as well, so I bought a new copy. I believe they are still being made.
O
Well-known member
Thank you, have you had any experience with the 85 1.4G
Alik Griffin had a nice breakdown of the 1.4 and 1.8 side by side.
alikgriffin.com
Nikon went for the classic lens character and offered an option.
Ricci is right about a lot of people complaining about modern lenses being to “clinical” or 2d crabwalk looking as camera conspiracy’s put it.
This looks like Nikon was listening. Two of my favorites are the 28 and 40 cheap Z lenses and I have the S prime 1.8s. I had to deliberately tone down the sharpness on the 50 and 85 last wedding I shot and used a lot of images from the AIS 50mm 1.2 on the Zf which is soft as heck in comparison but also sort of dreamlike.
The modern lenses are a bit much sometimes sharpness wise for portraits.
It’s a bit like the engineering team got carried away with technical perfection or got tired of reviewers panning every imperfection and were like “behold”. Meanwhile people are running around shooting older AIS and F mount primes.
Nikon was probably like wait wait we can sell that look again!
Nikon Z 35mm f1.4 vs Nikon Z 35mm f1.8 S - Sample Images | Alik Griffin
I’ve been shooting a bit with the 35mm f1.4 lately and am already in love with the lens. It’s not perfect; it’s not an S lens, which in this case means it’s missing the ED elements…
alikgriffin.com
Nikon went for the classic lens character and offered an option.
Ricci is right about a lot of people complaining about modern lenses being to “clinical” or 2d crabwalk looking as camera conspiracy’s put it.
This looks like Nikon was listening. Two of my favorites are the 28 and 40 cheap Z lenses and I have the S prime 1.8s. I had to deliberately tone down the sharpness on the 50 and 85 last wedding I shot and used a lot of images from the AIS 50mm 1.2 on the Zf which is soft as heck in comparison but also sort of dreamlike.
The modern lenses are a bit much sometimes sharpness wise for portraits.
It’s a bit like the engineering team got carried away with technical perfection or got tired of reviewers panning every imperfection and were like “behold”. Meanwhile people are running around shooting older AIS and F mount primes.
Nikon was probably like wait wait we can sell that look again!
fcotterill
Well-known member
Posts #15 and #16 refer - above
Most of the explanations etc - also much controversy - revolves around the NeoNoct, aka 58 f1.4G, with which Nikon followed up on the 35 f1.4G. The revealing explanations are in interviews with the engineers. Haruo Sato has been the main designer and he followed up with the 105 f1.4E and is involved in designing at least some of the Z Nikkors.
Both optics inaugurate progress in seeking the balance between a sharp plane of focus and the aesthetic rendering of the out-of- focus zones of the image.
bcgforums.com
See laboratory bokeh comparisons, unfortunately 35 f1.4G is not shown
bcgforums.com
Most of the explanations etc - also much controversy - revolves around the NeoNoct, aka 58 f1.4G, with which Nikon followed up on the 35 f1.4G. The revealing explanations are in interviews with the engineers. Haruo Sato has been the main designer and he followed up with the 105 f1.4E and is involved in designing at least some of the Z Nikkors.
Both optics inaugurate progress in seeking the balance between a sharp plane of focus and the aesthetic rendering of the out-of- focus zones of the image.
Neo-Noct, the 58mm f1.4G Nikkor
With the Mirrorless optics getting so much attention, it's easy to lose sight of the persisting qualities of certain DSLR lenses. Almost all of them can be adapted to Z mount and in the case of F-mount to many other MILC cameras, and this is the shared advantage of the many primes and Zooms of...
bcgforums.com
See laboratory bokeh comparisons, unfortunately 35 f1.4G is not shown
Is Background Bokeh really necessary in Wildlife Photography.
With all the movement towards the mirrorless glass these days coming out at 4.5 to 8 does that mean that bokeh is a thing of the past? With the exception of spending over 14,000 on up on a lens. I love my 600 f4 however the new glass is very much out of my reach these days. Just curious how the...
bcgforums.com
fcotterill
Well-known member
And further... In his video, Ricci Chera emphasized this 35 f1.4 is a Nikon design.
6 months since launch, the Z 35 f1.4 is yet another of Nikon's Marmite Optics, loved versus hated, because it follows the design goals of the 35 f1.4G and 58 f1.4G. Bokeh quality and image rendering will always be a subjective affair
There are the published images, including dedicated lens threads (eg FM) which testify to their potential for photographers to create works of art: including images taken wide open @ f1.4
More articles, and note in particular the quotes from Haruo Sato
bcgforums.com
6 months since launch, the Z 35 f1.4 is yet another of Nikon's Marmite Optics, loved versus hated, because it follows the design goals of the 35 f1.4G and 58 f1.4G. Bokeh quality and image rendering will always be a subjective affair
There are the published images, including dedicated lens threads (eg FM) which testify to their potential for photographers to create works of art: including images taken wide open @ f1.4
More articles, and note in particular the quotes from Haruo Sato
Nikkor 35mm f1.4 Released
It is unlikely to be made by Tamron. The stacked large rear glass elements so close to the mount flange is indicative that it is a unique Z-mount design that will be difficult to replicate for other mounts. Thank-you
bcgforums.com