Author Topic: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount  (Read 18498 times)

Tristin

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35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« on: September 26, 2019, 23:23:12 »
Low distortion
Flat field
Good corners stopped down
Good focus mechanics.  No fly by wire.
No or minimized fanned rays on light stars.
Good flare control

AF is irrelevant.

More concerned with landscape/street performance than bokeh.

Will be used on a Z6, adapter use is fine. Recommendations?
-Tristin

Roland Vink

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2019, 00:41:35 »
For landscape/infinity focus or medium/close range?

For example, the Sigma Art 35/1.4 is sharper than the Nikkor AFS 35/1.4 so might be better where you need corner to corner sharpness. But it has harsh background bokeh (in the shots I have seen). The Nikkor is not as sharp (but probably fine stopped down) but it has much smoother bokeh. Bokeh is mostly relevant if you shoot at medium/close range, not so much at infinity. No direct experience with either, but I know they have different characteristics so one may suit you better depending on what you are shooting.

It would also help to know your budget, there are some option which meet your criteria that are very expensive.


Airy

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2019, 02:02:35 »
Zeiss 35/2.
Excellent flare control. As for light stars, I have to check but cannot remember any.
Distortion is ok.  Not sure about flatness of field. Excellent focusing (manual only).
This lens has become one of my favorites. I still have to re-sell the sigma, which by the way does not render night scenes as efficiently (more flare)
Airy Magnien

Tristin

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2019, 02:06:54 »
$1k USD max, used is fine. 
-Tristin

pluton

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2019, 04:54:31 »
Zeiss 35/2.
Excellent flare control. As for light stars, I have to check but cannot remember any.
Distortion is ok.  Not sure about flatness of field. Excellent focusing (manual only).
This lens has become one of my favorites. I still have to re-sell the sigma, which by the way does not render night scenes as efficiently (more flare)
I can second this suggestion. The current Milvus 35/2 is said to be the same optics as the older ZF and ZF.2 35/2. I've owned my copy (ZF) since 2008.  The distortion is sometimes noticeable when photographing straight-line objects, but is of the even, barrel type and comports with all other retrofocus 35mm lenses I've seen over the years, including the Nikon AF-S 35/1.4.  I owned this and the Nikon AF-S 35/1.4 concurrently for about a year or two. 
Side note: There is also the old Nikon K/Ai 35/2.8 (6-element edition) which is inexpensive used, low distortion, and has a nice focusing scale for zone focusing, but...it has it's quirks and wouldn't meet your corner performance goals at infinity.  It is, strangely, very flat field in the 1m to 2m range.
Keith B., Santa Monica, CA, USA

Tristin

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2019, 05:36:16 »
I assume Distagon meant?  Anyone have experience with the Biogons for M?  The 35/2.8 is very small and has nearly half the flange distance of the F mounts.
-Tristin

Airy

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2019, 06:40:16 »
Yes, distagon. Indeed a very long retrofocus design.
Airy Magnien

John Geerts

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2019, 06:49:16 »
I can second this suggestion. The current Milvus 35/2 is said to be the same optics as the older ZF and ZF.2 35/2. I've owned my copy (ZF) since 2008.  The distortion is sometimes noticeable when photographing straight-line objects, but is of the even, barrel type and comports with all other retrofocus 35mm lenses I've seen over the years, including the Nikon AF-S 35/1.4.  I owned this and the Nikon AF-S 35/1.4 concurrently for about a year or two. 
Side note: There is also the old Nikon K/Ai 35/2.8 (6-element edition) which is inexpensive used, low distortion, and has a nice focusing scale for zone focusing, but...it has it's quirks and wouldn't meet your corner performance goals at infinity.  It is, strangely, very flat field in the 1m to 2m range.
Agree with both.  Advantage with the Z6, the Zeiss 35/2 is a lot easier to focus.  But a relative large and heavy lens, also pretty expensive.

Advantage Nikon K/Ai  35/2.8   Small, cheaper, lean, good bokeh. Match the Z6 very good.  Not expensive and with some luck very cheap. 

Fons Baerken

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2019, 07:39:40 »
Nikkors 35/2ais, afd35/2, 35/1.4ais havenot been mentioned ;)either 35mm f/1.8g or s.

John Geerts

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2019, 07:45:00 »
Nikkors 35/2ais, afd35/2, 35/1.4ais havenot been mentioned ;)either 35mm f/1.8g or s.
Because they have significant distortion.?   At least the 35/2 and 35/1.4 have distortion.

Erik Lund

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2019, 08:27:06 »
Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FLE The King of 35mm
Simply ticks all your boxes except maybe price,,,
Not sure what else to write, it's a perfect lens in all aspects - Sharp all the way to the corner even at f/1.4
Zeiss made similar Leica M Distagon lens that is very close I heard, never used it
Erik Lund

Frank Fremerey

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #11 on: September 27, 2019, 08:35:49 »
Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FLE The King of 35mm
Simply ticks all your boxes except maybe price,,,
Not sure what else to write, it's a perfect lens in all aspects - Sharp all the way to the corner even at f/1.4
Zeiss made similar Leica M Distagon lens that is very close I heard, never used it

my thoughts exactly, Thx Erik
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JJChan

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2019, 08:43:48 »
The Leica Summilux 35mm FLE is truly amazing but very expensive. High field curvature as well as is the Zeiss 35mm distagon 1.4 ZM.

I think the Summarit 35mm f2.5 for about US$1000 is really excellent. Very balanced in good sharpness, low distortion, flat field, high (but not extreme) micro and macrocontrast. Just a very high quality tiny lens that paints in a very attractive way. I've left a few shots from M240 here: https://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=8423.msg137799#msg137799 but can say that it works really nicely on the Z7 as well.

I use the Yeenon close focus adaptor which is equivalent to the Shoten one but a little cheaper.


Erik Lund

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2019, 08:55:02 »
The Leica Summilux 35mm FLE is truly amazing but very expensive. High field curvature as well as....
...
Sorry, I have never see field curvature in real use, I have seen this mentioned but not in practical use! not even shooting test images up close, so I will say that this is something not relevant for photography, maybe in a lab situation,,,,
Erik Lund

Airy

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Re: 35mm Lens Recommendation - ANY Mount
« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2019, 10:48:48 »
Nikkors 35/2ais, afd35/2, 35/1.4ais havenot been mentioned ;)either 35mm f/1.8g or s.

I only mention lenses that I have tried extensively. That does not mean others don’t qualify. The 35/1.4 AIS has been on my wishlist, probably inspired by your shots.
Airy Magnien