Lens advice please

[Chairman Bill]

I'm planning on a 35mm prime. I've heard that the Nikon 1.4 gives less than stellar performance, and I do like my Zeiss 25mm, so am considering the Zeiss zf.2, but also the Milvus and the Sigma Art.

Any recommendations or comments, gratefully received.

[BernardLanguillier]

I'm planning on a 35mm prime. I've heard that the Nikon 1.4 gives less than stellar performance, and I do like my Zeiss 25mm, so am considering the Zeiss zf.2, but also the Milvus and the Sigma Art.

Any recommendations or comments, gratefully received.

What do you expect from this lens?

In F mount:
- The nikon 35mm f1.4 has IMHO the nicest look wide open, is OK at smaller apertures (not bad by any means),
- The sigma 35mm f1.4 - that I own a copy of now - is great technically, but I am not in love with its bokeh wide open,
- I don't have experience with the other 2 lenses.

Cheers,
Bernard

[stamper]

Bill if you are prepared to consider something a little wider then I can vouch for this lens.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/lenses/samyang-24mm-f1-4-ed-as-umc

It is fully manual and I use it on my Nikon D600 in live mode with a hood to keep light off the LCD. It will test all of your manual skills but it will be worth it. Definitely not for sports photography!

[PeterAit]

I'm planning on a 35mm prime. I've heard that the Nikon 1.4 gives less than stellar performance, and I do like my Zeiss 25mm, so am considering the Zeiss zf.2, but also the Milvus and the Sigma Art.

Any recommendations or comments, gratefully received.

I have the Sigma Art and find it to be really excellent. I can't compare it with the other lenses, of course.

[Rob C]

If you can consider manual focus, then the 2/35mm AIS Nikkor is cool, except that closer up at least, it does need about +2 (max.) to remove distortion. You can find one in good condition for about 300 quid. They are beautifully made, focus feels like you're moving silk. I'm rather fond of mine, but for overall sharpness, I'd prefer the 2.8/35mm Nikkor I used to have way back when. Different times, differing needs/desires.

Rob C

[Ian99]

Bill, my advice would be to read Mansurov’s review of the Nikon 35mm F1.8 FX lens before doing anything else:

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-35mm-f1-8g-ed/3

He finds it sharper than the Nikon f1.4 and the Sigma Art. You appear to be mostly a landscape shooter so I have to wonder at the need for f1.4  and I have never been discerning enough to see the difference between Zeiss and lower/cheaper brands in terms of their “magic” quality.

I bought the Nikon F1.8 and am very pleased. It is very sharp and light and gave me a new lease on life with a walk around set of a D800 + 35+85.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Bill, if I am not mistaken, you are mostly a landscape photographer. So, if you are not in a midlife crisis and, instead of switching to a Corvette or a young mistress, you decided to switch to war journalism, I have a hard time imagining why would you, or anybody, need the extra weight and cost of an f/1.4 wide-angle lens? F/8 and be there...and there (f/8) all lenses are equal.

[Chairman Bill]

I do shoot portraiture too, but I really don't need f1.4. I hadn't even thought about Nikon's 1.8 - something to consider.

I'm happy with manual focus (I still have some old Nikkors & the Zeiss 25mm is of course manual), but clearly not dismissing the idea of AF. Any thoughts about the 35mm f2 zf.2 & the Milvus equivalent?

[NancyP]

I enjoy the Sigma Art 35 f/1.4 as a walk-around "normal" prime on my Canon 6D. It is scary sharp, and I find the bokeh and AF good enough. Stopped down, it is diffraction-limited. When hiking fast and light, or when wanting to take several lenses, I tend to take the 130 gram (bought used at $0.96 per gram!) pancake lens Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM , which is as sharp stopped down. There's a lot to be said for good slow lenses.

 However, I can't say that I know a lot about the Nikon options at this focal length. I do like the old-time AIS lenses my dad gave me when he was cleaning out the house - 50 f/1.2, micro 55 f/3.5, 105 f/2.5, 135 f/2.8 - the design-by-slide-rule lens designers did a good job with rendering (balancing aberrations so the result is pleasing). I use the lenses occasionally on the 6D, via adapter.

[Paul2660]

I would consider www.lensrentals.com.  They should have a copy of each lens you are considering.  Great way to find which you prefer and sometimes they are willing to sell the particular lens.

As for the 1.4's.  I have the Sigma 35 1.4 and love it.  I like the fact that Sigma still designs a lens with the idea of possibly using it manually.  Nikon IMO has long given that up.  Their fast wides have great AF, but there is no good feedback with when you attempt to manually focus.  Examples, 20mm 1.8, 24mm 1.4 both of which I owned, but sold for the Sigma alternative. 

The only issue I have had with Sigma is Quality control.  There does seem to be quite a bit of sample variation.  I tried 2 35mm's and found the 2nd one the best.  It took 3 24mm 1.4's as the first two were off centered.  The 20mm 1.4 I just received and it seems fine.

One other facet, all of these lenses will suffer from coma, if are planning any astro work, sadly the Sigma 24mm 1.4 is one of the worst in this regard.  The Sigma 35mm has a very good coma correction however.  The Samyang 24mm 1.4 is the best I have used for coma, but it's manual only and there are times I want AF.  Still a great lens for the dollars, about the same size as the Sigma, but 1/3 less weight.

My use is landscape, on Nikon D750 or D810.

Paul C

[Chairman Bill]

Thanks for that Paul. Lensrentals is US-based, but there's probably something similar here in the UK. 'Try before you buy' makes sense

[Rob C]

Thanks for that Paul. Lensrentals is US-based, but there's probably something similar here in the UK. 'Try before you buy' makes sense

I've bought a lot from them by post, also second-hand; I trust them implicitly - and I'm away in Spain.

http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/index.php

Rob C

[Chairman Bill]

Rob, yes I do too (trust them, that is). Superb service.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Thanks for that Paul. Lensrentals is US-based, but there's probably something similar here in the UK. 'Try before you buy' makes sense

Bill, I've rented lenses from http://lensesforhire.co.uk. They've been excellent and I recommend them.

Jeremy

[Alan Goldhammer]

Bill, if I am not mistaken, you are mostly a landscape photographer. So, if you are not in a midlife crisis and, instead of switching to a Corvette or a young mistress, you decided to switch to war journalism, I have a hard time imagining why would you, or anybody, need the extra weight and cost of an f/1.4 wide-angle lens? F/8 and be there...and there (f/8) all lenses are equal.

I reminded of the great American inventor and pitchman, Ron Popeil.  When doing infomercials for his Rotisserie oven he would yell out to the audience, "set it and forget it!"  Pretty much my thoughts about F/8.  Obviously if you are confronted by difficult lighting situations you may need to open the lens up a bit or change the ISO, but............if it's a windless day and you have a good tripod; 'set it and forget it!'

[graeme]

Bill, I've rented lenses from http://lensesforhire.co.uk. They've been excellent and I recommend them.

Jeremy

+1

[Jeremy Roussak]

Bill, I've rented lenses from http://lensesforhire.co.uk. They've been excellent and I recommend them.

And I had an email from them today: because of the timing of Christmas and New Year, they're offering an extra 7 days' hire free if you hire for 7 days.

Jeremy

[D Fuller]

I do shoot portraiture too, but I really don't need f1.4. I hadn't even thought about Nikon's 1.8 - something to consider.

I'm happy with manual focus (I still have some old Nikkors & the Zeiss 25mm is of course manual), but clearly not dismissing the idea of AF. Any thoughts about the 35mm f2 zf.2 & the Milvus equivalent?

Im coming to think that the 35mm f:2 Zeiss is maybe the best lens I own. It's rendering is beautiful. It's sharp. And I seem to have a lot of images I've made with it that make me happy.

[pw-pix]

The Sigma 35/1.4 Art is famously good and good value too.

[kers]

lenstip.com has covered a lot of these lenses- i would suggest to have a look.

I have an old F2 35mm AF Nikkor- i cannot recommend it although @F11 it is very good and fills a 36MP.
Compared to the newer lenses it is open less sharp and lacks a good coating.
I have tried the 35mm F2 Zeiss but was not impressed with the sharpness of the sides/corners, but i like their coatings.
succes on your search!