I was really considering a techart until I started reading reviews. It seems really fiddly to get exif data correct or changing settings so that your IBIS works as intended for the correct focal length.
I tried the ttartisan 6 bit adapter and didn't like how easily the FL wheel got bumped over to incorrect settings.
ichiboy wrote:
I've been trying to decide whether it would be silly to get a Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 with a Techart adapter, or if I should just go for a 35mm S1.8. I do feel the size of the Voightlander fits my discreet street photography better, so I'm leaning towards it. I do feel strange about buying a lens for the sake of adapting.
I also don’t prefer the front-heavy haptics of almost any adapted lens and find Nikon is doing a great job overall balancing their Z mount glass and designing great image stabilization making for a superior hand-holding experience. So there has to be a special use case or outcome-centered reason to adapt.
I do own several adapted lenses that I typically shoot on tripod, including two 35mm primes. One is the Tamron 1.4 I’ve been touting on FTZ. I do shoot that handheld a lot, but mostly am hitting astro or landscape on tripod. Astro is its main differentiator for me - nice small clean stars without much coma or astigmatism in the corners. And it is a great general use 35mm from wide open to the point of diffraction stopped down.
The other is the latest generation (D FA) medium format Pentax 645 35mm/3.5 that I use with a tilt shift adapter to reliably and precisely compose and capture really clean stitched panos. It is quite filmic and when used to obtain large stitched files produces images reminiscent of an old XPan camera.
When I need 35mm in an autofocus handheld mode in Z mount, I’m usually carrying the incredibly versatile kick-around 24-120/4 Z. If I need more light or feel like just using a 35mm prime I suck it up and handhold the Tamron. It’s really not that hard to use once you get going with it (kind of like jumping into 72 degree water for a swim, little bit of initial shock and then it becomes comfortable as you start swimming), and it is snappy enough as an autofocus lens.
ISO1600 wrote:
There is an excellent back catalog of f glass, but most of those options are, to be blunt, of zero interest to me. The only "big" lenses I like are telephotos, of which Nikon has made a billion fantastic examples, but even when you start sticking the smaller f-mount glass onto the FTZ, it's no longer a small lens...
I just haven't enjoyed the ergos of any SLR lenses adapted to mirrorless.
newyork wrote:
The Viltrox and the 1.4 interest me. The Sony could be very cool if adapting.
There is also the Sirui Aurora 35mm f1.4. Vaguely remember reading something about AF not being great, but there was also a firmware update, so not sure if there are still any issues.
Viltrox will eventually also release a 35mm f1.4 from their PRO series. Size-wise it'll probably be a bit bigger than the Sony GM, but significantly smaller than the LAB. Unclear when it will drop though, and it'll likely be FE mount first..
Why adapt other brands when there is the amazing Nikon's own 35/1.4g with the FTZ. It is such a great lens with character. The 28/1.4, 35/1.4, 58/1.4 and 105/1.4 are enough reasons to shoot Nikon. The only Z lens I have is the 40/2. The f mount nikons have amazing character that I find the superior in specs z glass to lack.
Never did grab a 35 prime. Still only have the 40/2 and the 35 apo.
I’ve decided to stay native.
Thinking either 1.4 or 1.8 S
I have a concert and a comedy show coming up and I need one soon. Considering one of these to pair with my 85 1.8 and 24-120.
For concerts events and portraits ….whats the better choice for paid work?
If possible I may also add a wide prime like a 20 but likely not at this point. Not adapting or going 1.2 at this time.
newyork wrote:
Never did grab a 35 prime. Still only have the 40/2 and the 35 apo.
I’ve decided to stay native.
Thinking either 1.4 or 1.8 S
I have a concert and a comedy show coming up and I need one soon. Considering one of these to pair with my 85 1.8 and 24-120.
For concerts events and portraits ….whats the better choice for paid work?
If possible I may also add a wide prime like a 20 but likely not at this point. Not adapting or going 1.2 at this time.
I would try the 35 f/1.4 or perhaps just use your 40 f/2 as I’m not sure it is worth spending the extra money on the 35mm f/1.8 S over your existing 40, which is fairly capable. At least the f/1.4 buys you an extra stop of light during dark venues.
newyork wrote:
Never did grab a 35 prime. Still only have the 40/2 and the 35 apo.
I’ve decided to stay native.
Thinking either 1.4 or 1.8 S
I have a concert and a comedy show coming up and I need one soon. Considering one of these to pair with my 85 1.8 and 24-120.
For concerts events and portraits ….whats the better choice for paid work?
If possible I may also add a wide prime like a 20 but likely not at this point. Not adapting or going 1.2 at this time.
24-70/2.8!
35/1.4 if you insist on carrying a dead weight. I shot dozens of dance shows and related events and never needed to use a single focus lens during show because I constantly switched between zoom in and wide shots. Your event or way of shooting could be different though. You already have a clinically sharp 35apo. 35/1.8 will not add anything to it. 35/1.4 has its own character and allows to shoot meaningfully different images than f/2.
I have the 24-120 f4 and like it quite a bit. I would love to own the new 24-70 but can’t afford it. I can swing $800 at the moment.
Maybe I bring a couple primes and the 24-120 with cranked iso if it needs it. There’s usually good light at this venue and I’ve used it there before.
Other venues not so much. Both these events are in this same well lit place.
olegkin wrote:
24-70/2.8!
35/1.4 if you insist on carrying a dead weight. I shot dozens of dance shows and related events and never needed to use a single focus lens during show because I constantly switched between zoom in and wide shots. Your event or way of shooting could be different though. You already have a clinically sharp 35apo. 35/1.8 will not add anything to it. 35/1.4 has its own character and allows to shoot meaningfully different images than f/2.
The 35 G rendering can’t be beat but the AF is straight dookie and LOUD. The lens never stops chattering.
Picture This! wrote:
Why adapt other brands when there is the amazing Nikon's own 35/1.4g with the FTZ. It is such a great lens with character. The 28/1.4, 35/1.4, 58/1.4 and 105/1.4 are enough reasons to shoot Nikon. The only Z lens I have is the 40/2. The f mount nikons have amazing character that I find the superior in specs z glass to lack.
newyork wrote:
I have the 24-120 f4 and like it quite a bit. I would love to own the new 24-70 but can’t afford it. I can swing $800 at the moment.
Maybe I bring a couple primes and the 24-120 with cranked iso if it needs it. There’s usually good light at this venue and I’ve used it there before.
Other venues not so much. Both these events are in this same well lit place.
Honestly, you could probably just use the 40mm f/2. I used that lens on my Z8 to take photos of a local winery's grand opening on the Z8 during the entire event in a fairly dark setting at f/2 using only natural ambient lighting and the images turned out great! Nice thing was I didn't stand out too much and got a lot of natural expressions from people rather than posed images.
This would mean no money spent unless I got something wide or something longer than 85.
Maybe I’ll just take 24-120, 40 and 85, zf and z8
jrscls wrote:
Honestly, you could probably just use the 40mm f/2. I used that lens on my Z8 to take photos of a local winery's grand opening on the Z8 during the entire event in a fairly dark setting at f/2 using only natural ambient lighting and the images turned out great! Nice thing was I didn't stand out too much and got a lot of natural expressions from people rather than posed images.
Maybe not pertinent to the exact topic being discussed here, but I would really really like a high-quality Nikon 35mm/2 somewhat compact lens that is native to the system. I have the 40 but don’t particularly enjoy it and it’s longer than I want.
I’ve recently adapted the Sony/Zeiss 35/2.8 and I’m really enjoying the size and rendering of it but would love it to be a stop faster (and native).
fjablo wrote:
There is also the Sirui Aurora 35mm f1.4. Vaguely remember reading something about AF not being great, but there was also a firmware update, so not sure if there are still any issues.
I've been super curious about this lens after seeing more shots from it since this thread started. The metal build and aperture ring are far more enticing than the plain jane Nikon Z 1.4 to me, but it does sound like AF is behind the Z quite a bit.
2:21 for AF examples, that reminds of the slowest GFX lenses
Probably great for personal pics but not paid work then I’d assume …unless AF isn’t a concern for you.
RoamingScott wrote:
I've been super curious about this lens after seeing more shots from it since this thread started. The metal build and aperture ring are far more enticing than the plain jane Nikon Z 1.4 to me, but it does sound like AF is behind the Z quite a bit.
2:21 for AF examples, that reminds of the slowest GFX lenses
weezintrumpete wrote:
Maybe not pertinent to the exact topic being discussed here, but I would really really like a high-quality Nikon 35mm/2 somewhat compact lens that is native to the system. I have the 40 but don’t particularly enjoy it and it’s longer than I want.
I’ve recently adapted the Sony/Zeiss 35/2.8 and I’m really enjoying the size and rendering of it but would love it to be a stop faster (and native).
I love the Zony 35/2.8 for walking around, so light and small and the images have nice pop. I’ll be trying mine out on Z8 and Z6II in the coming days at various favorite areas around Orlando such as Disney Springs. Mounted on the Z8, the Zony transforms the cam into something that feels lighter than the specs, feels like I could carry it in hand ready to spontaneously make image for hours. But wide open at f/2.8 its sharpness is not in the same league as what I discus below.
@newyork others have already mentioned the Sony 35/1.4GM, I’ll be trying that also on the Nikons with Megadap. My copy is already bitingly sharp at 1.4 literally corner to corner, and the weight/size I find very reasonable for a fast lens. I think I paid around $750 on our B&S board in mint condition. It was wide open for the recent image shown below.
Ross Martin wrote:
I love the Zony 35/2.8 for walking around, so light and small and the images have nice pop. I’ll be trying mine out on Z8 and Z6II in the coming days at various favorite areas around Orlando such as Disney Springs. Mounted on the Z8, the Zony transforms the cam into something that feels lighter than the specs, feels like I could carry it in hand ready to spontaneously make image for hours. But wide open at f/2.8 its sharpness is not in the same league as what I discus below.
@newyork@ others have already mentioned the Sony 35/1.4GM, I’ll be trying that also on the Nikons with Megadap. My copy is already bitingly sharp at 1.4 literally corner to corner, and the weight/size I find very reasonable for a fast lens. I think I paid around $750 on our B&S board in mint condition. It was wide open for the recent image shown below....Show more →
