35mm lens for Df

[RobOK]

Is there an existing thread for 35mm lens comparisons? I mostly shoot with AF lens but open to exploring.

Thanks,
Rob.

[Roland Vink]

http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,4606.0.html has some useful discussions.

[Airy]

The thread is about MF Nikkors. For some reason, I've never used these. I got interested in a 35/1.4 AIS and tested a very nice copy in a shop, just to be told that it had just been sold to another customer.

I am moderately satisfied with the Sigma 35/1.4 because of bulk and weight, plus the problematic bokeh. Probably going to re-sell it. On the other hand, the Zeiss 35/2 is easily found second-hand, and is an excellent performer, especially for night shots, or shooting against the light. This is the most common "use case". Stopped down, both are equally sharp, and visibly better that the PC 35/2.8, the latter being an interesting lens nevertheless.

[tommiejeep]

Rob, thanks for the query and Roland thanks for the link.  I just sold the Sigma 35 1.4 and 24 1.4 Arts just because the size and weigh meant I was not using them often.  Now left with only my old 35 f2D and many wides for Sony.

The 35 f2D works but in the market for a better option but in similar size/weight 
Thanks again,
Tom

[pluton]

The 35/2 AF is, as I recall, a fairly small lens.
 If you are looking to replace it with a MF lens, the manual focus 35/2 Nikkor-O K/Ai/Ais, and the 35/2.8 K/Ai and AiS would be in that size range. 
The famous 35/1.4 N/K/Ai/AiS is a bit bigger and heavier.  It does have one of the smoothest out of focus transitions of any known 35mm lens for Nikon.
The current AF-S 35/1.4G maintains that smooth look into the AF future, as it were.
I have the Zeiss ZF 35/2, a high performance lens.  It is unusually sharp in the extreme close up range.

[RobOK]

The 35/2 AF is, as I recall, a fairly small lens.
 If you are looking to replace it with a MF lens, the manual focus 35/2 Nikkor-O K/Ai/Ais, and the 35/2.8 K/Ai and AiS would be in that size range. 
......
I have the Zeiss ZF 35/2, a high performance lens.  It is unusually sharp in the extreme close up range.

How do the Nikon and Zeiss 35/2 compare?

[pluton]

I haven't possessed the Nikon manual focus 35/2 and the Zeiss 35/2 at the same time;  I had the Nikon 35/2 back in the film days. 
The 35/2 Nikkor-O has been recently discussed here at Nikon gear.  I'd expect it to have what Bjørn R. calls the 'rounded quality' of image forming, common in the manual focus-era Nikon lenses. 
Maybe someone with a Df cam and the old Nikon 35/2 can give an opinion.
The Zeiss ZF 35/2 has been with me since 2008.  I've used it on the D3, and now the D800.  I like it and consider it to be my "good" 35. I had, and unloaded, good copies of the Nikon 35/1.4 AiS and the Nikon AF-S 35/1.4 and I kept the ZF 35/2. That was my preference.

[null]

Nikkor-O 35/2, 1/30th sec, wide-open, ISO 12,800 on the Nikon Df. Factory Ai converted a long time ago.

Luray Caverns by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

DSC_1102 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Easy to focus on the Df, long throw on the focus ring.

[John Harkus]

I bought a 35mm f/1.4 Ai (or AiS, I forget which) after reading one of the threads here and looking at some superb images taken with them. I love it! Great dreamy images wide open, stop it down a bit and it's as sharp as anything out there. Light, easy to focus, built like the proverbial tank. Worth every penny

John

[Jacques Pochoy]

A detail with the 35mm f/2 O.C Ai'sed...



Bokeh with the O.C is much nicer then with the 35mm f/2 AFD, even if the latter is a very useful little lens !

[richardHaw]

with AF:
SIGMA 35/1.4 ART

manual lens:
Nikkor 35/2 Ai