Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Nikon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
  

Archive 2013 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?

  
 
ocir
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I have a D800 and would love to get a 35mm lens. My wife gave me a $400 budget for Father's day so both Nikon's G and Sigma versions are out of the equation. I was thinking of the Samyang also but no AF. I have narrowed down my choice to Nikon 35F 2D but Photozone.de rates the optics only as "subpar" on F/X. I guess my main concern is I don't want to be disappointed since I have other lenses such as the 85 1.4G, 50 1.4G and 24 1.4G which Photozone.de rates them from "good" to "highly recommended." How does this old manufactured lens compared to the newer G lenses? I don't care much about built but rather more of color rendition, contrast, sharpness and bokeh. Any thoughts guys?


Jun 10, 2013 at 07:10 AM
jasoncallen
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


The color rendition, contrast, sharpness and bokeh are all good on a D700 - but expect a LOT of light falloff on the edges when shooting wide open on FX or film with the 35/2 AFD. That said, I love the vignetted look it provides, I really love its diminutive size and focus speed, and it's my walk-around lens on the D700.

I have not used it on a D800, so I don't know if the D800's sensor out-resolves the lens, but you can get it for $250ish used, and sell it for the same, so I'd recommend trying it as you have nothing to lose!



Jun 10, 2013 at 07:19 AM
eSchwab
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I've only used this lens on D700's and D3's. I doubt that it will be super sharp wide open on the D800 at the pixel level. The bokeh is OK, but it gets kinda nervous when shot wide open and the subject is more than 8 feet away. Sharpness and light falloff at the edges wide open.

All that being said it is one of my most used lenses. It is small, focuses fast, and in my opinion has very good overall image quality. Mine is very sharp wide open and this lens has very nice character to it. It's not nearly as contrasty as the 24-70, but I love the images from this. I actually prefer 28mm focal length, but I don't like the new 28mm 1.8G as much as this lens, even though the 28 is technically better at almost everything except focus speed.



Jun 10, 2013 at 07:40 AM
playerofwar
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I have this lens on my D800e, and it's no match for this camera. It looked fine on my D7000, but sharpness just isn't there. It has a lot of CA, flaring and vignetting. I was kinda disappointed in this lens...
Of course, at f/4 it's nice, but you buy primes for use wide open and it's not performing wide open.
I went to the Sigma 35 1.4, very very nice lens and certainly worth the difference. The Sigma 35 1.4 is even sharper at f/1.4 than the Nikon 35 2.0 is at f/4.0. And at f/2.8 I have never seen something as sharp as this!
If you got all the good G-stuf, don't bother with the 35 2.0... Put that 400$ on a bank account and wait for Father's day of next year.



Jun 10, 2013 at 08:01 AM
molson
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


If you're comfortable with manual focus, get a Nikkor 35mm f2 AIS. It's much better than the AF version.


Jun 10, 2013 at 08:09 AM
ytwong
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


It really is subpar: CA(Idon't worry too much about this since I shoot raw), fringing, ghosting, vignetting, not sharp (smearing in the border), I would only use it to take people/pet shots where the borders and corners are not in focus.

The AI version is a bit better, but not by much. I used the AI one instead of the AF version in my recent night hiking. Vignetting and ghosting are still big issue (for stary sky landscape shots).

Your D800 deserve better lens! I think that lens is soft even on my D700.






Jun 10, 2013 at 09:15 AM
gugs
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


As already said, the lens is not a very good performer on high resolution FX bodies. CA is terrible, among others. If you don't mind manual focusing, the Samyang/Rokinon is a good choice in that focal range, and you get 1.4. Only drawback: the lens is HUGE. Another good option with AF-S is the recent 28mm 1.8.

Guy



Jun 10, 2013 at 09:20 AM
jasoncallen
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


gugs wrote:
As already said, the lens is not a very good performer on high resolution FX bodies. CA is terrible, among others. If you don't mind manual focusing, the Samyang/Rokinon is a good choice in that focal range, and you get 1.4. Only drawback: the lens is HUGE. Another good option with AF-S is the recent 28mm 1.8.

Guy


The other drawback is that the 35/2 AFD is very fast to focus, whereas the 35/1.4 Rokinon (which I also own) is only as fast and as accurate as your Mark 1 Human Eyeball (manual focus).



Jun 10, 2013 at 09:33 AM
Berschwinger
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


This discussion is interesting for me to take in. I've owned the 35 2D for about 4 years now, used it on D50, D300s, and now D700. I have and still love the size and speed of the lens. I liked the 35 better on DX than FX, but I think that is more of a focal length issue. I always reach for my 50mm now on FX. I had been leaning towards the 28 1.8G to get a little more split between the 35 and 50, but I'm hearing above that some still prefer the 35 2D over the 28 1.8G despite the bad press. For me, it does what I need but seems to lack the real punch I get from my sigma 50.


Jun 10, 2013 at 11:49 AM
ocir
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I guess I will take a look at the 28G or Samyang/Rokinon 35. Thanks all!


Jun 11, 2013 at 06:29 AM
Eric_M_Klein
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


Look at the Sigma 35 1.4. I have Nikkor 35 G 1.4 and the Sigma is supposed to be better.


Jun 11, 2013 at 07:39 AM
umsl12
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I would ask her to get additional $100, and get a used 28mm 1.8 G then you will be happy forever.;-)
I has had my 28 G for a month and I love it on my D600... best walking about prime.
I also have 85 50 1.8G and optically, they are all excellent primes that Nikon recently made, sharp, contrasty, nice colors, fast AFS.



Jun 11, 2013 at 08:22 PM
Thorsten
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I like my 35/2 AF-D and kept it even though I now have the Sigma 35/1.4. No question the Sigma is better but that little 35/2 is plenty sharp enough even on my D800 and has a rendering which I sometimes like - harsh tones, harsh bokeh, neutral colors. Sometimes one just likes a hot dog with sour kraut even if better food is available.


Jun 11, 2013 at 09:50 PM
pw-pix
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I've got a 35/2 AF-D and the out of focus blur is unpleasant, that is my main dislike of the lens. It is just OK sharpness-wise. I use it on a D3s and a D800E, would not buy again. It's a shame as it's a nice compact little thing that is handy for walking around and putting in your bike handlebar bag for a ride.


Jun 12, 2013 at 05:17 AM
rohanpatrick
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


This thread makes me and my 35mm f/2D sad.


Jun 24, 2013 at 10:19 PM
MikeW
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


hmm, I was contemplating a 35 f2 af-d but might try the 28 1.8 again. I didn't care for the focal length when I got it, but I guess I can always crop the images. Besides, then I'll have the 1.8G trinity


Jun 24, 2013 at 10:33 PM
brett maxwell
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


it's a great lens.

very few lenses are sharp enough at f2 to pixel peep with a D800, but it doesn't prevent them from taking really great photos. do you make massive prints from wide open shots? if not, don't think twice, just get it. if you might want to print the occasional landscape huge, stop the thing down a little and it will do just fine on the D800.

35 f2D wide open on a D700 (full res):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1979411/web-photos/125833_001.jpg



Jun 25, 2013 at 02:29 PM
BenV
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I'd go with a used Nikon 28 for your budget


Jun 25, 2013 at 02:38 PM
ocir
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


@Brett, is it me or that the lens exhibit nervous bokeh? I.E tree behind the horse.




Jun 27, 2013 at 06:24 AM
Weasel_Loader
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Nikon 35 F2D....Optics?


I had the 28/1.8 and just sold it. A little too wide for me as a general purpose lens. It was a wonderful lens and very sharp. Wished it wasn't such a big lens. I love my 50/1.4G, but also thinking about a 35/2D so that I have two good walk arounds on my D700 and F6.


Jun 27, 2013 at 10:56 AM
1
       2       end




FM Forums | Nikon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.