NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Jan Anne on January 07, 2019, 20:46:19
-
Mes amis,
I've sold the A7RII and a Z6 is on the way to complete my recent jump back to a two camera Nikon setup together the D500 (attached to a 200-500VR).
This also means that I have to let go of my beloved Sony Zeiss 35/1.4 FE as my main lens and have to find a suitable replacement, as I've been going around in circles for a while now about which lens to buy you guys can maybe help me out a little :)
In essence I'm looking for a fast 35mm but something a little wider like a 28mm might also work, aperture should be f/1.4 or faster and should be usable sharp wide-open in the centre with the entire frame being sharp at f/5.6 or so. Most important of all is an ultra smooth boke and a gentle transition from sharpness to the OOF areas, boke balls should be big, free of onion rings and if possible round in shape across the frame (as my 50/1.2 already has severe cat eye syndrome).
On the D800E I was big fan of the Nikkor 35/1.4 AFS, a lens designed with a nice character in mind. On the Sony I initially went with the Voigtlander 35/1.2 VM, less sharp wide-open at f/1.2 but the boke was insanely good, I'm a big fan of mechanical vignetting (versus PP) but the Voigtlander was sometimes too extreme because of Sony's fat filter pack. When Sony introduced the mentioned 35/1.4 FE I switched as I wanted to add AF for my main lens and just because I had to try this beast of a lens, compared to the other two 35's I disliked the colder colours the lens produced and the onion ring boke balls which seem to be the norm nowadays.
Though I hate to re-buy lenses formally owned the first two lenses are back on the table as I like to keep an open mind, as the Z6 has a slimmer filterpack the heavy vignetting should be less of an issue with the Voigtlander. A lens I've never tried is the Nikkor 35/1.4 Ai-S and it seems to tick a lot of boxes plus its light and compact.
Of course the 35/1.8S is also on the short list though a little on the slow side for my taste, would be nice though to have a modern native autofocus lens added to mix to balance out the classic looks I tend to gravitate to of lenses like the Nikkor 50/1.2, Canon 85/1.2FD and Voigtlander 125/2.5 APO. Based on the images I've seen so far the boke varies from stunning to horrible depending on the background and it also seems have the dreaded onion rings, on the plus side its very sharp but this means very little to me personally when the boke isn't pleasing to look at.
Mount wise I have no restrictions, as long as it can be adapted to the Z mount it's fair game :)
So, which hidden gem did I miss or do you have any experiences to share of the mentioned lenses?
-
Jan,
out of your list I only have the 35 1.4 ai-s. I´m in love with it. I use it mainly around f4 but focusing with the z6´s aid is very easy at any aperture.
I´ve got a mint copy with box for 400€ recently. Digging a little could get you something like that? You can´t go wrong
If af is important, the latest 28mm 1.4 is very impressive. Very. I haven´t seeing many copies second hand and new goes for 2000 new. It is a good time of the year to find good deals and discounts.
Both I recommend
-
Welcome back :D
The first option that comes to mind, other than the native 35/1.8, is of course the 35/1.4 AFS. You should try both alternatives in practice to learn how they stack up. I have personally no severe complaints about the 35/1.8S as it is very sharp even into the corners already wide open, and has a nice drawing that doesn't get too clinical. However, if you do pixel-peep, I'm certain you can spot the odd onion-ring once in a while. The AFS you are already familiar with so shan't repeat its virtues.
It is true the 35/1.4 AIS is quite small compared to the two lenses mentioned above. However, it is also quite a bit more temperamental in its drawing and this changes pronouncedly as you go from the lens wide open to its optimum performance range f/4-f/5.6.
I'll probably have some of these with me to Scotland, but ponder at present a short trip to Delft (to the camera shop we visited last time).
-
Zeiss ZF 1.4 35mm is one of my favs, not sure if it isn´t to heavy for the Z6 , used quite fair priced as people buy the Milvus version now
-
Sigma Art? I did not try them but I hear good things of these lenses. Wide open the Ai-S 1.4/35 Nikkor is more of an effect filter than a serious lens:
http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=3262.30
-
From what I have seen, The Sigma Art 35/1.4 is sharper than the Nikkor, but the Nikkor paints are more beautiful picture, the Art has rather harsh background bokeh (disclaimer: no direct experience with either lens).
-
I have not used it, but the new Zeiss Milvus 35/1.4---a new design not related to the ZF 35/1.4--- is well-regarded by certain lens-savvy commentators (Lloyd Chambers and AnotherMike at DP Review), but light and compact it is not. Also no AF.
The S-Line 35/1.8 is out of consideration?
-
From what I have seen, The Sigma Art 35/1.4 is sharper than the Nikkor, but the Nikkor paints are more beautiful picture, the Art has rather harsh background bokeh (disclaimer: no direct experience with either lens).
I won't recommend the Sigma, double edge-bokeh... and not so nice rendering at night. I vastly prefer the Zeiss 35/2 ZF2.
-
I would start investigating the Nikkor Z 35/1.8S first.
I didn't think I wanted it at first either but once I tested it out, it was an instant purchase for me.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gryphon1911/albums/72157704668669064 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/gryphon1911/albums/72157704668669064)
-
I would start investigating the Nikkor Z 35/1.8S first.
I didn't think I wanted it at first either but once I tested it out, it was an instant purchase for me.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gryphon1911/albums/72157704668669064 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/gryphon1911/albums/72157704668669064)
from what I see in your pictures the 1.8/35S seems to be a winner just like the 1.8/50S
-
I'll probably have some of these with me to Scotland, but ponder at present a short trip to Delft (to the camera shop we visited last time).
http://www.mkoptics.net (http://www.mkoptics.net)
I havent seen a 35mm f/1.4 ai ever on his webshop, people seem to hold on to their copies.
There is one here, shop in Amsterdam:
http://www.secondhandcamera.nl/?page_id=1316 (http://www.secondhandcamera.nl/?page_id=1316)
and if i am correct Nikon still makes them?
-
The Nikon AI-S 35/1.4 is still available new, and no shortage of good used AI and AI-S lenses on ebay...
-
The Nikon AI-S 35/1.4 is still available new, and no shortage of good used AI and AI-S lenses on ebay...
Available new and still made are two things. Does any one here know more?
-
Although I have no experience of using it, I would mention Zeiss Distagon ZM 35/1.4 for Leica M mount which is a whole new design and much smaller than the siblings for the DSLR.
-
Most AI-S Nikkors were officially discontinued at the start of 2006 (production for many models probably ended earlier). The AI-S Nikkors that remained in production include the 20/2.8, 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 50/1.2, 55/2.8 micro and 105/2.8 micro. These, along with most AF lenses which survived the 2006 announcement, were given new serial numbers. Since then, numbers which have been sent to me and included in my database have almost always arrived in sequential order. If Nikon had made a large stock-pile and then stopped production, there is a good chance the serial numbers would have been all over the place as stocks were pulled from the warehouse at random. Either Nikon is careful about releasing stocks in sequential order, or they are still being made in small batches in sequential order. Maybe Ric Haw knows, he seems to have close contacts with people in Nikon...
-
Thank you, Roland
-
Wide open the Ai-S 1.4/35 Nikkor is more of an effect filter than a serious lens:
http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=3262.30
Thanks Frank, the Ai-S seems like a fun lens but a little too temperamental wide open to be usable as a main lens.
-
If af is important, the latest 28mm 1.4 is very impressive. Very. I haven´t seeing many copies second hand and new goes for 2000 new. It is a good time of the year to find good deals and discounts.
Thanks Paco, interesting lens for sure.
Would also be a nice main lens on the D500 when another lens is mounted on the Z6, though not as compact as a native lens it is more flexible this way and I expect the AF of the D500 to be much faster than the Z6 when light levels become more challenging.
-
I won't recommend the Sigma, double edge-bokeh... and not so nice rendering at night.
Exactly, sharp but not the boke master I'm looking for.
-
I have not used it, but the new Zeiss Milvus 35/1.4---a new design not related to the ZF 35/1.4--- is well-regarded by certain lens-savvy commentators (Lloyd Chambers and AnotherMike at DP Review), but light and compact it is not. Also no AF.
Looks good but at 1.1Kg not very suitable for a small mirrorless camera, at least not for me.
The S-Line 35/1.8 is out of consideration?
It is the obvious choice currently but on the slow side and Nikon already announced that besides the 50/1.8S there will also be a 50/1.2S, I think and hope they will extend this approach to the other primes as well and come up with a 35/1.2S in 2020 or so and that will be the lens I want for sure (to complete my f/1.2 trio once more).
So the 35/1.8S will be a placeholder for me and as I only go out and shoot a few times a year I'm done with the huge depreciation of lenses I already know I will sell. That said is does look like to be a very nice and capable lens so it IS hard to ignore.
-
there is an autofocus Sony E to Nikon Z adapter - you can take your Zeiss again http://sonyaddict.com/2019/01/19/techart-pro-sony-e-mount-to-nikon-z-mount-adapter/ (http://sonyaddict.com/2019/01/19/techart-pro-sony-e-mount-to-nikon-z-mount-adapter/)