Hi, i'm into astrophotography and i own a Nikon 35/2 MF version.
Even stopped at f/2.8 this lens has a lot of coma on the corners.
Just won a Nikon 28/2 MF. Hope it will be nice at corners at f/2.8....
Now i would try one of these too, both on auction:
Zeiss Distagon 35/1.4 MF + adapter, just on auction last evening, i worry price will go very high, over my budget which is up to 250euros
and
Sigma 28/1.8 DG Asph, brand new, buy it now option 230euros
Dunno which is the best at f/2-f/2.8 between the other two.
Or should i wait to raise moneys and get the Nikon 35/1.4 MF (every auction i follow ended over 300euros... )
The C/Y Zeiss 35 1.4 will go higher than that unfortunately. I got mine cheaply at 550 USD with scratches on the front glass. I would expect about USD 900 for a mint copy. As Alf Beharie says, the Nikon 35/1.4 AIS is a very good option at about 400 USD used. Do however not get the pre-ai as it has far fewer blades, and after having it for 6 months I found it to generally be a soft, uninteresting lens and sold it.
The obvious choice is the Canon 35 f1.4 L. It is sharper in the corners at wide aperture than the Zeiss. I prefer the Zeiss for other reasons, but for astro I would think the L is the one.
When I research this the answer I found was the Nikons mentioned about. I wanted the answer to be the new Zeiss. Since this is an important FL for landscape, I'm not sure what our German friends were thinking with their new 35.
)