Good price for 35/1.8

Based on what I have seen on Ebay in recent years, a mint copy of the lens would go for well over 1000 USD. User examples typically sell for 700 to 800 USD. Perhaps some of the Nikon fans like Nikon Kiu or Brian Sweeney will see your post and provide an opinion.

Selling or buying? Just curious.
 
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In My Book, Mint+ means---> Box,both caps,case and a warranty card! And I didn't even mention the shade!!
So is it mint+??



Kiu
 
Follow-on question:
I am interested in a 35mm Nikkor for my S2 but only to use and therefore in good usable condition but otherwise does not need to be in any special condition. Caps would be good but not a must and so on.... What would you experts say is the going price for an optically OK Nikkor 35 mm lens !?
Jon
 
I don't know what the current market is, but I bought mine, in good/user condition (clear, unscratched glass, visible wear on the focus & aperture rings, etc.), for what I believed was a good price back in 2001 ($800). Back then, I remember I had the hardest time finding 1 that was in user condition; everything on eBay tended to be in excellent to mint condition & was fetching (understandably) much higher prices.

loneranger said:
Hi, what do you think is a fair price for mint+ condition 35/1.8 (older version not 2005 version).
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By mint + I meant super clean glass, no haze , fungus or cleaning marks. Body also super clean with no marks. Includes caps but no case.
 
f2eyelevel, I was thinking more of a standrad 35 mm 3,5 or 2,5 - more what is an affordable, usable 35 mm lens just to test it out with my S2 - What could the going price be for such a lens !?

/jon
 
Thanks... so around 300 for a good one in uasble condition if it is the 2,5 then - slightly less if it is a 3,5 I guess and could be more of course if all the caps etc are there..... Good to know when I will be starting to look for something of that size.
/jon
 
I bought Mike's 35 and I would say it was in excellent condition and produces very good images. The only downside to using it for me is that the lens lock tab seems to get in the way when focusing, you can't/shouldn't use the focus wheel, and setting the aperture on the face of the lens is not the easiest. I knew the latter gong in so I can get used to it. Some 35/2.5's were made with the same aperture adjustment ring as on the 35/1.8 in a more normal position and would be easier to use. Just a few user comments and over all I am well satisfied with the lens in use. As a bonus Mike was very good to deal with.

Bob
 
I agree with the aperture setting hassle of the 35mmf2.5. my solution was to make a threaded hood (43mm thread) and screw that in to the front. Now all you have to do is turn the hood! After a while you start getting the hang of it and if you always set the lens at the same f-stop after a shot, you quickly figure out which direction to turn while shooting. All my cameras are set at f8 and 1/250 in "idle" postion and at infinity. When I grab a camera I can now quickly turn the focus and aperture to what I neeed without having to look at it.
If you dont want the expensive hood, use a 43 filter ring and drill a small hole in it and tap a small pin there. now you can shift the aperture ring without having to poke your finger into the lens barrel. I did that some years ago and actually put some white strip of tape along the outside of the barrell with the f-stops marked off. The tape did fall off after a while, but it did work.
 
you can't/shouldn't use the focus wheel,
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If the lens is correctly lubricated, the focus wheel should work just fine with it. Some old lenses do get stiff, but the wides are designed to work with the focus wheel.

EDIT: If you use a lens filter (43mm), the aperture ring is much easier to turn. If you don't like filters, you could also just remove the glass from a scratched filter and use the filter ring, which also will help protect the lens.
 
In my previous post I forgot to mention that I do use a 43mm screw in hood, which came with the lens, to set the aperture in the manner Tom A describes. Unfortunately I don't use it enough to remember which way to turn it to get the aperture I want by feel, I still have to look to be sure. As to whether or not to use the focus wheel with an external mount S lens, there is lots of conflicting advise on the net regarding this subject. With the 35 that I have the focusing ring turns quite smoothly but I still err on the side of caution and use the ring not the wheel to focus it. Feel free to weight the possible potential for damage and you can make up your own mind on that subject.

Bob
 
The distance between the 2.8 "click" and wide open is quite small. I have found it pretty easy to open it all the way up, then mentally count the click stops. The short distance between 2.5 and 2.8 compared to 2.8 and 4 confirms that you're open all the way, not closed all the way (where the click stops are all closer together).

If the lens turns smoothly, I don't see any reason not to use the focus wheel unless you just don't like it. Lots of conflicting advice just means lots of chatter. It's your camera, and you can tell if the focus wheel is under stress or not. The camera was designed to use the focus wheel for wides and normals.
 
Nikon Bob said:
....there is lots of conflicting advise on the net regarding this subject. With the 35 that I have the focusing ring turns quite smoothly but I still err on the side of caution and use the ring not the wheel to focus it. Feel free to weight the possible potential for damage and you can make up your own mind on that subject.

Bob
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Bob,
The 2.5cm doesn't even have a real focus ring,you HAVE to use the focus wheel!!
Don't believe all you read on the web,including here:D

Kiu
 
VinceC said:
If the lens turns smoothly, I don't see any reason not to use the focus wheel unless you just don't like it. Lots of conflicting advice just means lots of chatter. It's your camera, and you can tell if the focus wheel is under stress or not. The camera was designed to use the focus wheel for wides and normals.
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I emailed Mike about this very issue and was told that neither Zeiss or Nikon advise using the focus wheel with external mount lenses. I don't have the manuals for either Zeiss or Nikon or any official literature that states that but might think Mike would have it. It would be interesting to see it in print. Like I said I tend to err on the side of caution YMMV.

Bob
 
I was talking about the 2.5cm F4...Not the 3.5cm f2.5,trying to prove that external-mount lens is OK with focus wheel!

Sorry, I will clarify better next time.

Kiu
 
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