Gotta say I really like the way the W-Nikkor 1.8/35mm renders unsharpness in the background, and the separation from sharp to unsharp gives the images a real 3D-feel that I have only seen in the modern-day Zeiss Biogon 2.8/35mm.
Going to give my 1.8/35mm W-Nikkor one more try, with the recently-acquired Polypan F and Rodinal 1:100 stand dev.
If that don't warm me up to it, I might trade it towards another 35mm or 25mm lens in LTM... Or maybe simply a Hexar AF and cash. Too expensive for me to hang on to if IQ isn't all that special to my eye.
I'll post here if I get anything worthwhile to show.
I know Johan, the 35/1.8 W-Nikkor didn't work out for you …
I post these old shots as a reminder to use mine more often (the UC-Hex took its place for me, as a more practical lens with W-Nikkor properties) - all on M Mono:
… and here are two shots with the equally wonderful 35/3.5 LTM W-Nikkor (I used a short silver chrome Leitz lens hood from a 35mm Elmar LTM for these two, one on the M9 and the other on the M Mono on the same day in similar light):
What impresses me about both the 35/1.8 and the 35/3.5 W-Nikkor is their blistering sharp detail even from wide open apertures on.
Modern digital cameras like the Mono really reveal this characteristic.
Sadly this cannot possibly be seen in these tiny web JPGs (in the shot of the ball player above every single thread (!) of his clothing is finely detailed, although the 35/3.5 was shot wide open).
The out of focus rendering of these must be an acquired taste (personally I like the trigonal egg shaped bokeh of the 35/1.8 design wide open (clearly still visible in the UC-Hexanon btw, although a lot smoother and less intruding) but it doesn't fit all images.
I love the tiny size of these lenses and their sharp detail - impressive lenses considering their time.
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