I've heard that some photographers are using the 35mm f1.8 on FX and are pretty happy with it but I haven't been able to find any decent photographs taken with it. Most are just snapshots. I'd like to see something more impressive with it.
the only thing I'm worried about is having soft corners and lots of vignette. I don't mind a little bit of vignette or a softness just not a lot. Its either this lens or the 35 f2. I like the bokeh and sharpness much better on the 35mm f1.8. BTW I wont be using this lens in crop mode. FX only!
Overall, I like what this lens offers on the D700 for under $200. I wouldn't pay much more than that for use on FX. I had both the 35 f/2 and the 35 f/1.8 and chose this one. It is FAR sharper dead center and to about 3/4 of the frame out. Past that, the lens isn't built for and it drops off significantly. Heavy vignetting and soft corners. The bokeh is so so in my opinion and downright dizzying in some situations (see below). However, don't let that steer you away, I love the vignetting and what I mainly use it for (people) it doesn't bother me at all. Images really pop with this lens. If you want to use it for landscapes, forget about it. I wouldn't dare touch this lens.
Anyways....here are some recent on a D700, all either wide open or close to
OO7MIKE wrote:
the only thing I'm worried about is having soft corners and lots of vignette.
The pattern of vignetting depends on the f-stop. Shot wide open and using RAW, a significant part of vignetting can be corrected (with noise increase in the corners). Correction does not help, when stopped down.
Focus distance plays a part in how it vignettes iirc. Frankly for fx i would use a f/2 because there are a few instances where the 1.8 just vignettes too much even for me. Im not sure how sharp the f/2 is, though so if primary concern is tack sharp, the 1.8 is a strong argument.
Typically, those who show great results are using them for night/event photography where the falloff doesn't negatively effect the shots. I'd just get a 35/2 AF-D or 35/2 AI-S.
I think the images of his daughter look great - maybe because I'm used to the light fall-off of my 50/1.2 wide open. I've always been interested in using a 35/1.8G on my D700 for close up candid shots and these look pretty good - Alan's 28/2 AI is also a great lens for that too, but it won't vignette quite as much at any focal distance .
DennisC wrote:
For people pics, about how far away from your subject can you be before things start falling apart?
Nice samples!
It depends on distance and aperture used. The closer you are and the wider aperture you use the less vignetting you see. If you get really close up you won't see any at all. As discussed, even wide open at about 10m out you will see vignetting on FX. Stopped down to lets say f/5.6 you will see vignetting close up and severe at distance. It all depends. See my shots above - about 7-10m out for most and you see slight vignetting which for the most part can be cleaned up in post if I wanted. I don't want to though, I like the look
