So I purchased a used Nikon 35mm 1.4g 2 weeks ago and I wanted to give an update on my impressions. Before I share my opinion, I want to note that I’m not a professional photographer… it’s just a hobby that I enjoy.
So for starters, I noticed that the 35mm 1.4g is pretty soft when shot wide open (at F1.4). There’s also a fair bit of vignetting, but I actually kind of like the effect.
However, when you shoot wide open, its ability to isolate a subject is phenomenal. The strength of the 35mm is its versatility. There is certainly some compromise, but the convenience of having one single lens on the body is what makes it brilliant.
And having the extra low light ability just makes things so much more interesting for night time. Things look incredible with available lighting, and the best part is that you can do it hand held. The difference between f1.4 and f2.0 is a full stop (2x more light), and the difference between f1.4 and f2.8 is (4x more light). That’s a tremendous delta.
The most important thing I find myself doing is shooting more pictures of people. That’s the difference I’ve been looking for versus my 24mm.
The 35mm is great for journalism style photos. I love how it shows some of the environment to give you a hint of what’s happening around a subject.
The 35mm can also be used for some landscapes/cityscapes. This was stitched from 5 photos shot vertically to create a similar focal length to a ultra wide angle lens. There is a little distortion, but most people probably won’t see it. (Now that I’ve pointed it out, I’m sure you’ll notice it. Heh)
And the bokeh is incredible. If you look really carefully, there’s a slight bit of onioning when you zoom in 100%, but you really have to pixel peep to notice.
So after using the 35mm 1.4g for a week, I think I’m going to keep it. I got it for a great deal, so I’m feeling pretty lucky right now.
What do you guys think of the the 35mm?