New Nikon Lenses

When available, I will buy both to augment or replace my only F-mount lens (the none-too-light 17-55/2.8 DX). While I prefer an uncropped 135 frame, the Nikon D300 is a sweet machine, and the DX format continues to be well supported. My prime selection will then be 20/35/60 or the cropped equivalent of approx 28/50/90: my favorite numbers!
 
The more time passes, the happier I am at the idea of the new Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX. It's not full frame and it has a plastic lens mount so it's aimed square at the D40 crowd, but at a list price of $199, this is a good thing.

These aren't for sale yet until March, but it's likely I'll end up with one.
 
I'm getting the 35 for sure. I'm a D300 user. Great camera I think. So I'll have the 12-24 nikkor and 35/1.8. Sounds good!
 
I'm very interested in the 20/3.5 CV SLII. I think it combined with the 58/1.4 and a 180/2.8 will be my kit for a D60 or D300. The 35/1.8 seems rather Series E to me, not that this is a bad thing, but not my style. I have a feeling we will see some other primes around that price point from Nikon. I bet they realize there is not a lot more they can do with Zooms in this economy.

Now if we can just get Pres K to come out with a manual focus 180/2.8 internal focus.......

B2 (;->
 
AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G

AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G

Rico said:
When available, I will buy both to augment or replace my only F-mount lens (the none-too-light 17-55/2.8 DX).
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Yes none-too-light but the-most-useful. :) I'm keeping mine at least for the time being. I use a Fuji S5 Pro. I'm very excited about the new 35/1.8 and I've pre-ordered it from Adorama with free shipping. Plastic construction but a metal mounting plate. According to Bjørn Rørslett, the optical quality is good. Below are links to the Nikon product page with sample image, some discussion and other sample images, mostly from European web sites. I can't wait to get this lens next month!

AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G product page

Nikon DX 35mm F1.8 G sample photos

Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G summary & samples (translated from Polish)

Images from the lens Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX (translated from Czech)
 
35DX looks like a winner to me! It's nice to see that Nikon has not abandoned it's DX camera users. I have no need to pay for lens I am not going to use.
 
Two reports indicate this lens does not perform well with regard to CA. Nikon says just shoot jpg (where CA is fixed in camera) or shoot RAW and pay us $$$ to eliminate CA in NX.

I won't be buying this lens.
 
I'm financially immune to the effect of these news, thank you.

But I kinda liked the new Leica SF-58 flash about which I received news in an e-mail this morning. I'm looking for corroboration on this.

EDIT: HERE is a link. This new flash has a tilt head and works with the M and R systems.

Sorry... didn't intend to hijack this thread. In any event, thanks for posting the news about the CV lens!
 
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I only hope that the new 35 for DX has a faster focus speed than the 50/1.4 G lens I tried. The focus speed on that was not very impressive.

Bob
 
willie_901 said:
Two reports indicate this lens does not perform well with regard to CA. Nikon says just shoot jpg (where CA is fixed in camera) or shoot RAW and pay us $$$ to eliminate CA in NX.

I won't be buying this lens.
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You're correct it is not a star with respect to CA. But this isn't an issue for me as I use a Fuji S5 Pro which has the best OOC JPEGs you can get. No need for RAW with this cam! :D
Nikon Bob said:
I only hope that the new 35 for DX has a faster focus speed than the 50/1.4 G lens I tried. The focus speed on that was not very impressive.
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Bob it is fast (and quiet) according to reports. Here's some background on Nikon's thinking:

35mm F1.8 for DX? What is Nikon up to?
 
willie_901 said:
Two reports indicate this lens does not perform well with regard to CA. Nikon says just shoot jpg (where CA is fixed in camera) or shoot RAW and pay us $$$ to eliminate CA in NX.
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I already paid for NX2, so that's not really a barrier to adoption for me. It's a piggish program in many ways, but I really like being able to change my picture controls in post and there's no contest for straight up RAW conversion quality in all the testing I did vs other software.

I only hope that the new 35 for DX has a faster focus speed than the 50/1.4 G lens I tried. The focus speed on that was not very impressive.
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You know, I hear this as a complaint about the 50mm f1.4G a lot and I grant, it's not lightning fast, but I've just not felt it to be a problem in real-world use.
 
I meant that the 50/1.4 G lens focus speed was not as impressive as the 24-70/2.8 AFS that I tried at the same time. It was just unbelievable that a big honking zoom focused noticeably faster than a much smaller prime that was also AFS. Matter in the real world? Most likely not. Just seemed the reverse should be true.

Bob
 
peter_n said:
35mm F1.8 for DX? What is Nikon up to?
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Well here's my take on what they are up to......

With two exceptions all Nikon zooms are in the $600 and up range. We are in a global down turn. While there are lots of DSLR folks out there to market stuff to. The number of folks with lots of cash in their pocket for a $1000 lens is shrinking by minute. If they come out with great zooms in the $300 price range the will cannibalize the medium priced market. They need to create a lower cost solution that is still Nikon for all these new users. They did this well with the Series E. The glass was fine, bodies not as much.

They are kind of doing the same thing that Leica did with the Summarit line, but more focused on the rest of us.

Nikon is keeping the doors open, their name and products in front of potential customers and factories busy. I hope we will see a set of lenses brought out to expand folks view into the power of primes.

A great move IMHO for Nikon.

B2 (;->
 
I think it's a great move too. The market is seen as the lower end - the D40 and up, but the midrange guys with D200 & D300 bodies will definitely go for it especially now that Bjørn Rørslett didn't slam it. I think Nikon will sell a stack of these. I'm also very glad that Nikon is continuing to support the DX format. I read somewhere that 80-90% of their sales are DX so I expect a couple more interesting-looking primes like this one. :)
 
BillBingham2 said:
They are kind of doing the same thing that Leica did with the Summarit line, but more focused on the rest of us.
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Agreed. When I worked at a camera shop a couple of years back, the majority of DSLR users would laugh when I told them the price of lenses. I used to own a 50/1.8D and it was probably the best Nikon lens I ever used for the price I paid (~C$140).

I don't think most consumers are terribly interested in non-zoom lenses--they see it as a step back in terms of usability and convenience. I'm interested to see how the lens sells and how it performs.
 
calexg said:
... I don't think most consumers are terribly interested in non-zoom lenses--they see it as a step back in terms of usability and convenience. I'm interested to see how the lens sells and how it performs.
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I agree with this. If one wants to take photos that look just like everyone else's then a good (variable max aperture preferable) zoom lens is indispensable.
 
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