Any opinions on the Nikon 35mm f1.8 lens?

[bad wolf]

I've found it online for just under £170 new, and as I love my 50mm f1.8 so much I'd like a second fast prime, but a wider angle.
I can't find many reviews of this lens, I was wondering if anyone on here has used it or knew of any reviews?
Thanks!

[dcclark]

I have not used it, but I've heard many good things. Here is a summary: The lens is supposed to be light, sharp, fast, and solid. Suffers from some chromatic abberation (color fringing) on the edges, but your D90 will at least partly correct for that. Maybe a little soft in the corners at wide apertures (this is very common). Some distortion, not great bokeh.

One review is at Ken Rockwell, who does great equipment reviews.

Another at Digital Camera Review which seems to agree.

[kirbinster]

What are you going to do with this lens that you can't do with your 50mm or with your 18-105mm? Not to say it is a good or bad lens, but what will you do with it? If you have money burning a hole in your pocket then get it, but given the equipment you have I just don't see what need it really fills for you.

[Shokinen]

Originally Posted by bad wolf

I've found it online for just under £170 new, and as I love my 50mm f1.8 so much I'd like a second fast prime, but a wider angle.
I can't find many reviews of this lens, I was wondering if anyone on here has used it or knew of any reviews?
Thanks!

Hi there,

You have 2 links from dcclark and there is also these 2:

DP Review

Nikon DSLR


I have the lens since September 2009 and I love it. I wanted a prime wider than the 50mm so that's why I bought it. dcclark nailed the pros and cons but I never had any chromatic abbration issue. You just have to be carefull.

You can see some example I posted in a previous post about this lens:
What lens should I buy next?


Hope this help

[Ray Dockrey]

I also have both. I bought the 35 as there were times I needed a wider prime lens. I have not had any issues with chromatic aberration and the lens is sharp. I would recommend it to anybody.

[DSJohnson]

I just bought this lens a couple of weeks ago... am really satisfied with it. The lens is very sharp and produces fantastic colors. My only complaint is the quality of the bokeh at the wide end... the transition from blur to sharp gets kinda abrupt... but it's a great lens and I haven't taken it off yet.

[bad wolf]

Originally Posted by kirbinster

What are you going to do with this lens that you can't do with your 50mm or with your 18-105mm? Not to say it is a good or bad lens, but what will you do with it? If you have money burning a hole in your pocket then get it, but given the equipment you have I just don't see what need it really fills for you.

I'm selling my 55-200mm so shouldn't have a huge amount of money to make up the difference.
I want a wider angle lens which is still as fast as an f1.8, as recently I've been doing studio work which requires a fast shutter speed, and also some gig photography, and I've found the 50mm to be too zoomed in sometimes.

Thank you for all the review links, think I'm convinced!