Low Profile
Fast
Light Weight

f/2 while fast, but in really low light such as a concert you may have some problems

So you want a "normal" lens for your dSLR. the 35mm 1:2D is the lens for you! This low profile lens grants the user a 52mm view on the 1.5x DX format Nikon dSLRs with a fast lens for it's size at a good price.

Ever since I started photography my favourite lens has been the 50mm, but when I upgraded from the 135 system to the DX format, I lost my 50mm (my 50 suddenly became a 75mm lens, which isn't bad...but, I no longer had a normal).

So I was looking through Henry's one day and talking with one of the sales people and they said they had fixed the problem by getting the 35mm.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 24mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

Sharp images, accurate focus with the D200, compact, and nicely made.

A little expensive for what it is, although it is reasonable considering it's quality.

Since purchasing a Nikon D200 several months ago, I've been researching and considering a "normal" prime lens. I purchased a 28mm f/2.8D but was not impressed by it. I considered the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 but have read mixed reviews - and I felt that it was expensive, large and heavy. Although I like my "normal" lenses a bit wider, at about 50 degrees of coverage, it's not as important because I'm moving around a lot when taking photos with a prime lens anyway. I'd read a lot of positive reviews of the 35mm f/2 D so I started looking for one. Let me say this: I'm very impressed with the sharpness, the color rendition and the lack of distortion. It is very compact and seems to be very well made. It feels like something in your hand, rather than the super-light weight plastic lenses out there. It's not quite up to the standards of the 17-55 f/2.8 DX but it's certainly better than most 3rd party lenses. Focus is accurate, and having f/2 is nice in lower-light situations.

Customer Service

Not needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D, Contax 45mm f/2, Contax 35mm f/2, Zuiko 50mm f/1.4.

small, light and unobtrusive.
excellent for available light photography - especially for BnW film. i love to use this on my FM2.
works just as well on my DSLR - giving a 'normal' view of a 50mm lens (after 1.5x crop factor).
lovely colour reproduction and contrast.

not the legendary AIS 35/1.4 (can nikon pls update this lens?)
older versions plagued by 'oily' aperture blades, so be careful when buying off ebay.
acceptably sharp at f2, IMO, tho others might disagree.

sold my nikon 50mm/f1.4 for this. enough said. :)

Customer Service

none needed.

Sharp f2.8 and up. Mechanically well built. Fast AF

Extremely soft wide open...has a dreamy glow look. Noisy AF (but normal for a screw drive)

Mechanically, this lens is superbly constructed. No wiggles anywhere, and the automatic as well as manual focus is smooth for this type of screw drive lens. From 2.8 on it's tack sharp from corner to corner. Relatively distortion free compared to my 18-200VR. But wide open, the sharpness falls off dramatically into a dreamy glow. I bought this lens as a low light lens and I was aware that it was not as sharp wide open (as with most lenses) when I bought the lens, but I was shocked at the dramatic fall off with just one stop...far more than any other lens I own. So if you intend to shoot at f2.8 or smaller aperature...you'll like this lens. If you intend to primarily use it as a low light lens, you may well be dissapointed. I returned the lens and ordered the Sigma 30mm f1.4 instead..I'll keep my fingers crossed that I get a good copy.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 50mm f1.4 D AF
Nikon 60mm f2.8 Micro
Nikon 18-200VR
Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX
Tokina 12-24 f4

Versatile focal length for a variety of shooting styles

Fast aperature allows for handheld shooting in limited light

Small and compact - great for traveling

Snappy AF speed on my D70s

Great image quality when stopped down to at least f2.8

Handles CA and flare well

Quite soft at f/2

Not as fast as the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (but a lot lighter)

I wanted a compact, light weight walk around lens for my D70s, and the 35mm fit the bill perfectly. This focal length is effectively the new 'standard' lens for APS-C sized sensors currently found on all Nikon digital bodies, and is well suited for the task in my opinion. Of my current collection of lenses, this is the lens that spends the most time on my camera - I enjoy its versatility and image quality, as well as the creative possibilities that a fast prime lens can provide.

The lens is able to focus as close as 10" (25 cm), and can be used as a close-up lens in a pinch with good results. http://thefreunds.smugmug.com/gallery/1296520/1/66400882

I will admit to being somewhat disappointed with the lenses performance wide-open. You really need to stop down to f/2.8 or greater to get usable prints.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 50mm f/1.4

Very Small
Very Light
Not too expensive but the faster 50mm is about $100 less (considering it is a Nikon)
52mm = cheaper filters

Very poor optical quality on my D2X (not sure if this is specific or general)
Plastic threads... be careful
Not incredibly sharp
Should have performed better for a Nikon
Not that you really need it, but does not ship with a lens hood - $15 extra
Focusing seems a bit off as well (?)

Surprisingly poor for a Nikon lens. I might have received a bad unit, but the glass and inner blades were perfect. On my D2X it did not perform as well as expected. In the gym where I shoot it was not very sharp at all below f/4. Other lenses from Nikon usually do well at even the largest apertures... this is not the case here. The lens also produced ghosting and even aberations around light fixtures. The whites where incredibly skewed. Every white tone looked like a reflective road sign... very bright and very, very soft. I adjusted shutter speed, ISO, and white balance without any correction. My other lenses do not do this. Again, it could be a bad unit or at least it cannot perform at fast speeds under certain lighting conditions. As a portrait, sports, and wedding photographer I cannot have this lens in my bag if I am uncertain of how it will perform. This lens may work well outdoors, but that is too limiting for me.

Customer Service

Not needed... I'm sending it back to B&H.

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No primes used at this focal length. Sigma offers a 30mm f/1.4 HSM. Everything else is slower.

Sharps, really sharp.
Small, really small. One of the smallest Nikon lenses.
Cheap, so many people who do not know, are avoiding it.. They cannot believe a good lense does not cost megabucks. Price given is in eaurs. (ph.review's formular does not accept letters by the price figures).
Good for candid street photography because it packs a lot of things into the image and does not scare people away, because its so small.

Some distortions with portraits. But that is probably unavoidable, because this is still a wide lense.

One classic Nikon lense with a cult following among Nikon photographers. Stange that it was not reviewed so far. Very sharp, small, highly useful and sympathetic. Produces images of very likeable proportions. Certainly better than its price.
35mm is 52,5 mm on a digital camera, practically a classic focusing lenght.Yes, you do need to revert to classics sometimes. Bokeh is pretty good, though not 85/1.4 quality. Focusing distance is short, 30 centimetres (1 foot), so someone called this the "food-lense".
Provides contrasty images with saturated colour.
However, you need to be careful with portraits. This is a wide lense and has its unavoidable distortions. A 50/1.4 lense is better, though still not ideal for portraits. Ideal focusing distance with Nikon probably starts with 60mm and gos above that...

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

50/1.4 AFD,
20/2.8 AFD
12-24/4 G AFS
24-85 G AFS
85/1.4 AFD
100/2.8E
70-300 ED AFD

this was the sequence of thoughts in my mind when i purchased this lens:

1. prime lens or zoom
the prime lens quality is really superior to a zoom, tried and tested. never going to buy a zoom again

2. 35 mm or 50 mm on a nikon d70s
Fast lens - good for pictures in the dark. Very sharp. It is light weight, the camera looks good as well.
I had a hard time debating between this one and the 50 mm lens. Gave a try with the 50mm but it did not feel right on a D70s. but the 50 mm is a great lens as well. it is i believe a personal choice.

3. the idea of this lens was to complement a portrait like prime lens in the future.
.... and i am pleased to say now i have the money have have gone for it. My next lens 'still in the post' is a 85 mm 1.8d/f - a portrait which should really complement the 35 mm.


i am v pleased !!"!

None- the oil on diaphragm problem seems to be fixed in the new lenses. Mine is made in Japan.

A 52mm on a D70s, very sharp, this is my main lens.

Customer Service

Never required

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 28-100 zoom - this is a really inferior lens, when compared to the 35 mm.

King of available light. Sharp, no flare. Compact.Nice color. What else is there?

None at all.

Fantastic prime lens. A staple in the wedding photographers bag.I never worry about this lens for sharpness on my F100. No flare when used with the aux shade.On the D70 it is like a 50mm.So you see how versatile it really is.I carry this and the 50mm F1.4 on wedding assignments as staple items even though I also use the 24mm-85mm zoom.I trust the 35mm and the 50mm at all times and that includes dancing in the dark reception halls and group posing at the alter.Window light, it is great,like the 50mmF1.4.I have the 35mmF1.4 version,non AF but this lens seems sharper with less (no) flare.

Customer Service

None and I hope to keep it that way.

Similar Products Used:

50mm F1.4,105mmF2.8 Micro.

sharp, contast,light,cheap,good flear control and etc, you can describe a lens.

can not find

look at the review before, can find that recently reviews gave this lens a high appraisement,and the review formerly said it not good for oil leaky. Now I can say it a outstanding lens. an all-purpose lens.if you want to take only a lens, it must be him.Compact,cheap and Light. Although I have about lens, but I like this best. Outstanding sharpness and contrast even wide open. color is very saturation. Free from ghost and Flare when used with or without the Lens Shade-HN3 very solid, I always go out and this lens had falled form my hand and hit the rock,about 1.5m, but when i pick it up, i found only a mark on the body and worked on problem.

Customer Service

not need

Similar Products Used:

nikkor 24/2.8,28~100G, 18~35D.