Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras, 2183, Black
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Availability:
Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Arrives
Monday, Jul 13
Color: Black
Features
- F mount lens/DX format. Picture angle with Nikon DX format 44 degree
- 52.5 millimeter (35-millimeter equivalent). Rear focusing; Manual focus override
- Aperture range: F/1.8 to 22; Dimensions(approx.) 70 x 52.5 millimeter
- Silent wave motor AF system. Accepts filter type is screw on. Lens construction: 8 elements in 6 groups
- Compatible formats is dx and fx in dx crop mode. Maximum reproduction ratio: 0.16x
- Lens not zoomable
Description
The AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G optical design allows a different look and feel to images taken with zoom lenses, and its dimensions are ideal for discrete snapshots and landscape shooting with a picture angle that approximates that of the human eye. With its rounded seven-blade diaphragm opening, out-of-focus elements appear more natural. When mounted on a DX-format SLR, the picture angle is the 35mm equivalent focal length of 50mm.what's in the box: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX Lens, HB-46 Bayonet Lens Hood for AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G, 52mm Snap-On Lens Cap, LF-1 Rear Lens Cap for F Mount Lenses, CL-0913 Soft Lens Case and 5-Year Warranty (1-Year International + 4-Year USA Extension). From the Manufacturer With a compact, lightweight design, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G provides the high reproduction capability and picture quality for which Nikkor lenses are renowned at an affordable price. The ring type SWM offers quiet AF operation. Although all lens groups shift during focusing, the front element and filter mount do not rotate and the barrel length does not change, which is useful when using filter mounted SB-R200 Wireless Remote Speedlight units. The AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G optical design allows a different look and feel to images taken with zoom lenses, and its dimensions are ideal for discrete snapshots and landscape shooting with a picture angle that approximates that of the human eye. With its rounded seven-blade diaphragm opening, out-of-focus elements appear more natural. When mounted on a DX-format SLR, the picture angle is the 35mm equivalent focal length of 50mm. The AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G has two focus modes, M/A (manual override autofocus) and M (manual focus). The M/A mode enables instant manual switching during AF operation. The lens also features a rubber seal to minimize moisture ingression around the mount and can focus down to 0.3 meters (0.98 ft). AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G Lens HighlightsFast, f/1.8 prime lens is perfect for low-light conditions, travel, environmental portrait and general photography Engineered for Nikon DX-format D-SLRS, the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens renders a picture angle approximating the classic normal angle of view of a 50mm lens on a Nikon FXformat digital SLR or 35mm film camera Aspherical lens element minimizes coma and other types of lens aberrations, further improving image integrity Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC) enhances light transmission efficiency and offers color consistency and reduced flare Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM) enables fast, accurate and quiet autofocus Close focusing to 1 foot for creative perspectives and versatility Rounded 7-blade diaphragm opening makes out-of-focus elements appear more natural Accepts 52mm filter attachments
Brand: Nikon
Focal Length Description: 35
Lens Type: Standard
Compatible Mountings: Nikon F (DX)
Camera Lens Description: Nikon F
Focal Length Description: 35
Lens: Standard
Compatible Camera Mount: Nikon F (DX)
Maximum Focal Length: 35 Millimeters
Minimum Focal Length: 35 Millimeters
Lens Design: Prime
Focus Type: Ring-type ultrasonic
Lens Fixed Focal Length: 35 Millimeters
Lens Coating Description: Standard
Image stabilization: Optical
Real Angle Of View: 44 Degrees
Maximum Aperture: 1.8 Millimeters
Minimum Aperture: 22
Number of Diaphragm Blades: 7
Photo Filter Size: 52 Millimeters
Lens Mount: Nikon F
Has Self-Timer: No
Compatible Devices: Nikon Cameras, Nikon Digital SLRs
Maximum Shutter Speed: 1/4000 seconde
Exposure Control Type: Automatic
Water Resistance Level: Water Resistant
Media Type: ProductImage
Color: Black
Brand: Nikon
Camera Lens: Nikon F
Model Name: 2183
UPC: 018208021833
Manufacturer Part Number: 2183
Global Trade Identification Number: 33
Unit Count: 1.0 Count
Model Number: 2183
Item Part Number: JAA132DA, JAA132DAPL
Item Weight: 0.44 Pounds
Manufacturer: Nikon
Built-In Media: AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Fixed Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras, CL-0913 Soft Case, HB-46 Bayonet Lens Hood, LC-52 Snap-on Front Lens Cap, LF-4 Rear Lens Cap
Warranty Description: 1 year coverage for labor, 1 year coverage for parts, This warranty doesn't apply to the batteries and software driver that accompany this product
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Monday, Jul 13
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
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Top Amazon Reviews
Color: Black
What a great price for a fast, prime lens that you'll use every day. I'm a nube to photography (good photography) and have caught the bug. I've got a Nikon D5200 and primarily take pictures of family and kids sporting events. The big zoom goes to the soccer games with us, but for almost everything else I use this little gem. With a max aperture of 1.8 you'll rarely need a flash for most of life's events indoors or out. The sharpness of the pictures I've taken with this is so good that you can really crop something down if you want to "zoom" in using Photoshop or Aperture with no graininess or degredation. At the risk of embarrassing myself to the more savvy photo enthusiasts I will try and explain why this and not the 18-55mm kit lens that you got with your camera. No it doesn't zoom (that's the prime lens part), but you'll find yourself in the 35mm range on that 18-55mm lens most times anyway. They say a 35mm lens is most representative of what the eye sees anyway. What it does do is let in a lot of light, a lot more than the kit lens does. This gives you a couple benefits first of which is speed (the fast lens or fast glass part) which means less blur on things moving and stationary. It also means that you can dial down your ISO settings. Higher ISO settings tend to add noise to the picture which gives you that pixelated look when you zoom in and crop a picture. Thirdly is something us point-and-shooters have never gotten to appreciate called depth of field. This lens will let you take those great looking photos where your subject is in perfect focus and the background is pleasantly blurred drawing your attention to what you intended the view to see. You can adjust your aperture setting to have a deep depth of field where everything is in focus, but you'll need a fast lens like the 1.8 to get a really striking shallow depth of field photo like the pros. For under $200 (maybe under $100 if you get a good price for your kit lens on Ebay), this is the single best thing you can buy to take great photos. You can pay more money for better cameras with larger sensors and more bells and whistles, but so far it appears to me that you're better off taking pictures with a great lens on a good camera, than a good lens on a great camera.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2015 by Peffinger
Color: Black
I've had this lens for just about a month and I couldn't be happier with it! The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G gives you a lot of quality for a little bit of money. I'm shooting with a Nikon D3500 DSLR and I have to say this lens is quite a step up from the kit lenses that came with my camera. The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Len has great clarity and the auto focus works very well. It's relatively fast to focus and shoot with. The manual focus works well and the focus ring moves smoothly. It's versatile close-up and far away, but remember, this is a prime lens so there is no zoom. You have to do any zooming with your feet by moving to position your framing and your shot. This lens works well in low-light situations with the ability to open the aperture up to F1.8G. It's easy to control the depth of field and creates a nice bokeh (blurred) background for professional looking photos. An example of blurred colored lights is attached. This lens is great for portrait or product photography and it's very good for landscapes too. The other attached photos examples have only a minimum of post-processing, mostly to adjust exposure and highlights, but they are a good example of the quality this lens offers for its price point. The lens is small and light and it's become my "go-to" whenever I'm shooting pictures. It won't weigh you down carrying it for a day of shooting. Remember, depending on your camera, this lens may not shoot as a true 35mm - on my camera's cropped sensor, it shoots the equivalent of 50.2mm. This works well for me for the various types of shooting I like to do. I really can't give a list of pros and cons since I have no experience with another similar lens (it's my 1st prime lens), but I will say that so far, all I've seen are "pros". As an amateur photographer, it's a nice step up from kit lenses. I don't hesitate to suggest this lens and I would purchase another. Thanks for reading my review and I hope it help you to decide on the lens that you really think will work for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2019 Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2019 by Timothy P Buckley
Color: Black
OK, just what is a "normal" lens? There are many definitions and points of view on this topic, and they go back years, but for argument's sake, let's just say that this Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens delivers a picture angle approximating the classic normal angle of view of a 50mm lens on a 35mm film camera or on Nikon FX-format DSLR or a 35mm film camera. That being said, this normal DX-format lens delivers surprisingly good results in a very affordable package. My very first Nikon SLR was a used Nikkormat FTn, bought when I was a college student. It came with a Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 lens, and I started immediately adding new Nikkor lenses, such as the classic 105mm f/2.5 lens, a 35mm f/2.0, a 24mm f/2.8 and others, but it took a couple of years for me to pick up a "normal" lens, a used Nikkor-S 50mm, f/1.4 lens. This was purchased at a Saturday yard sale, and from the first moment that I saw the results, I wondered why it had taken me so long. It was sharp when stopped down to about F/2.0, and it was perfect for lower light situations. I am a proponent of normal lenses, even though Nikon and others have been pushing the concept of using basic zooms as "kit lenses" for the last few years. I have no complaints about the overall versatility of my 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens, which came standard with one of my cameras. But this new 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Nikkor lens really shines when it comes to sharpness and low-light capabilities... enough so that it's the one that stays on my camera most of the time. Pros: * Extremely affordable Nikkor prime lens for Nikon AF-S cameras * Perfect for low-light conditions, travel, & general photography * Uses familiar 52mm filters that Nikon has used for so many lenses * HB-46 bayonet lens hood comes standard * Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness * Very good bokeh for selective focus * Great color Cons: * Some color fringing and chromatic aberration when wide open at f/1.8 * A bit of barrel distortion First Impressions: Made some notes when I first received this lens some month back. It came boxed in typical Nikon fashion, and when opened one finds that the lens has a lightweight but solid feel. The construction is largely plastic, but has a metal mount. It's also nicely balanced to the rear, to the lens mount itself. The lens focuses internally by moving only the rear elements, and the filter mount and front elements don't move at all. It comes packaged with the following: * HB-46 Bayonet Lens Hood * LC-52 Snap-On Front Lens Cap * LF-1 Rear Lens Cap * CL-0913 Soft Case In Use: One of the first things that I noticed was just how well balanced this lens felt. It's lightweight, but with the bulk of its weight toward the lens mount, the feel was quite good. The focus switch on the lens barrel has two choices: M/A (manual/automatic) or M (manual). Found that if left in the M/A position it worked just fine either way. The HB-46 lens hood goes on easily in bayonet fashion, and can be reversed easily when it's time to put the camera away. Fortunately this lens uses the `standardized' Nikon s 52mm filters, helpful if you already have an investment in them. The filter ring is stationary; it doesn't rotate, and there was no vignetting problem with two filters stacked, such as the UV and a polarizer. The low-light performance of this lens is good, though at f/1.8 there is a bit of softness, which is to be expected. At f/2.0 there's not much difference, but at f/2.8 the image is obviously improved, with increased sharpness and contrast, and the details are more defined in the corners. At f/4.0 there is more sharpness, and at f/5.6, there is a slight lessening of contrast, but the corner details are slightly better. At f/8.0, the quality is still quite good, and the depth of field is excellent, but there's a decline into some diffraction, with a bit of lower contrast and somewhat reduced sharpness and contrast. Have learned that when shooting in aperture priority mode, it's best to leave it at a default between f/4 and f/5.6, and go from there. This Nikkor lens does produce beautiful colors and contrast, and it focuses extremely fast even under low light conditions. Its 7-blade rounded diaphragm helps to produces a nice bokeh effect. And the close focusing goes down to about twelve inches, so you can get very creative without having to fiddle around. Additional Thoughts: Just because this lens is so reasonably priced is no reason to put a cheap and possibly inferior filter on it. I fortunately have a small supply of the older Nikon 52mm L37C UV haze filters that have been in use for years, but the Nikon 52mm Screw-on NC Filter is its multi-coated replacement. It's a protective filter that also reduces glare for outdoor shooting. If you explore here, you'll find others, such as some from Hoya, Sigma and others. It's a subjective choice, but be sure to get a good one. If you're looking for a specialized portrait lens, forget this one. The 50mm f/1.8G AF-S Nikkor Lens lens has a field of view of a 75mm on DX-series bodies, and it has a fast maximum aperture. It's excellent in low lighting situations and great for producing images with beautiful bokeh. The 85mm f/1.8G AF-S Nikkor Lens is more costly, but when mounted on a DX-format DSLR, it has an effective field of view of 127mm. Summary: If you own a DX-format Nikon DSLR this lens is a great choice. It's compact, very lightweight, balances beautifully on your body, and is a true joy to use. It's an excellent complement to any zoom, and one that most will find being used in preference for general shooting, along with being a perfect choice for low-light situations. It doesn't take long to appreciate the way you can handle your camera in comparison with heavier, longer zooms. This Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens is quite affordable and a surprisingly good value, and is highly recommended as a 5-star choice. 5/16/2012
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2012 Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2012 by John Williamson
Color: Black
I imagine for most people, this will be either the 2nd or 3rd lens they buy (counting the kit lens, if you got one). For me, this was my 3rd lens. The first were the kit 18-55mm Nikon VR lens and the 55-200mm telephoto Nikon non-VR lens. Both of those lenses are very good, and very versatile, but in terms of image quality they can't even remotely touch this one. First things first, it's a prime lens, meaning no zoom. Kind of obvious, but should at least be mentioned for those newer to the hobby. However, that doesn't mean that it can't take pictures from far away, on the contrary, it can take some stunning pictures from a distance, it will just be that you can't zoom in closer on things at a distance. It's actually very good at landscapes, especially late evening sunsets and night time skylines, for instance.Additionally, this lens is so sharp, that you can crop a LOT. Meaning that you can effectively get zoom after the fact by cropping your picture in photo editing software, and the image will still look very good, as long as you nailed your focus in the original picture (obviously the more you crop, the more you notice things being out of focus). Secondly, it doesn't have vibration reduction. However, this is a fast lens, which negates most of the need for VR in the first place. What photo nerds mean by a 'fast lens' that is that it lets in a lot of light, meaning that the shutter can open and close very quickly and still properly expose the image, meaning that blur, both from camera shake and moving subjects are DRASTICALLY minimized. It also thus better at 'freezing' moving objects, that would blur in a slower lens. The only time where VR would be a welcome addition is possibly extremely low light photography, but even then you should be fine without it. To be honest, I'm almost glad it's not on there, because I often forget to turn VR off when I don't need it, and VR does run your battery down faster. Now that those two caveats are out of the way, on to the strengths: This will enable photos that you just can't take with the kit lens. Especially if you're interested in concert photography (or any other form of photography that involves low light, but also movement). In most instances, this lens just takes better looking pictures than the kit lens. But in low light concert photography it will actually take pictures that a slower lens just can't take without extreme blur (or using the flash, which both kills the atmosphere and often times isn't allowed). For instance, a lead singer who moves his head back and forth some on a dimly lit stage. With the kit lens his head will just be a blur, which is sometimes a cool effect, but sometimes it just looks blurry. With this lens, you can get a nice crisp image if you want, or adjust your aperture, or your shutter speed and get the motion blur as well, if you want it. It's nice to have both options. The bokeh. Bokeh is a photography term that essentially just means 'blurry background'. This is what really makes portraits 'pop' as the subject's face can really be set apart from the background. It's also good when you have a busy background that would otherwise be distracting, even if you're not shooting portraits. Just go into aperture priority mode and set this baby to f1.8, get relatively close (a few feet) to your subject and fire away. Your portraits will take on that dreamy professional look. The closer you are to your subject, the more extreme the bokeh effect is (which is why this lens can effectively take landscape shots, because the effect is diminished greatly when you're shooting from a large distance). More control over your depth of field. This is basically the same strength as the previous point, but just more widely considered. With the kit lens, at any given focal length, your f/stop options are going to be pretty limited. Meaning you're basically stuck with the depth of field you have. However, with this lens, you basically always have from f1.8 to f22. This gives you extreme control over how deep your field is (essentially how large the range of 'in focus' is, and how gradually images fade from in focus to out of focus). You can create that nice blurred background we talked about above, or you can have an identifiable background as well. This is especially useful when shooting dogs, for instance, because sometimes (like when they're in profile) you want a very shallow depth of field, to give good bokeh and sharpness, while others you want a little more depth of field (like if they're looking straight forward at you and you want to keep the tip of their nose all the way to their ears in focus. Being able to control your depth of field is really the first step (of many) into going from a snapshot shooter with a nice camera to an actual photographer. Light weight, short length. doesn't seem like a big deal into you lug a heavy 15-300 zoom lens around on your neck all day long. It's also short, which is surprisingly helpful in a crowded environment, like a concert. While this lens is obviously not quite as versatile as a kit or telephoto lens, the images you get will blow you away. Yes, you will have to move around more to get the shot you want and/or crop more. But that's not much of a price to pay for drastically improved image quality. Since I've bought this lens, the 18-55 mm lens rarely comes out of the bag. I still use other lenses, but this is the default go to lens. The one that stays attached when the camera is in my bag, so that if I need to pull it out and snap off a shot in a hurry, this is the one that will be taking it.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2011 by Franklin J. Rabon
Color: Black
Edit: After using this lens on a few more shoots, I've come to the conclusion that it's maybe a 4 star lens. The reason why is uncontrolled achromatism or CA in the form of purple fringing. It's most prevalent at f1.8 and can be somewhat tamed stopping down. This lens is sharp wide open, so it's a shame to get hefty amounts of CA under certain lighting conditions and contrasty situations. My D7000 does not automatically correct for axial CA that plagues this lens, and it can also be rather hard to fix in post, if at all. I would recommend shooting at 1.8 only when needed in (very) low light/contrast situations...not daylight of course. The original review below still applies, except I may now be a bit hesitant to recommend this lens. Original review: This is a great lens, sharp, inexpensive, light, easy to carry, and perfect for "snapshots". It can be a no-brainer purchase as so many others have said. However, in my opinion, it's a 200 dollar "snapshot" lens. That's not a bad thing either. It's an easy lens to tote around for crystal clear "general" pics. The problem I have is not necessarily a fault with the lens, but rather it's ability to make me less creative. Therefore, I don't consider it a "no-brainer" purchase. I'm not rich and have to think about what else I could use my 200 dollars towards. I have a 16-85vr for general picture taking. My other two lenses, 10-24 and 70-300vr, are the two most creative lenses I own and I find I run to those before mounting the 35. That's just me and maybe it's something for you to think about too. Is this lens going to give you generally clear "snapshot" pics or is is going to offer you unique ultra-wide or telephoto views? If you want no-worries clear pics, then I'd say go for it. Distortion: The first portrait I took with the 35 surprised me as my subject's nose was larger than life. It wasn't "huge", but noticeable. I was maybe about 3 feet away, which I thought to be an okay standoff distance from a person. True, the lens has barrel distortion to be aware of. Allowing for more distance from the lens to subject will minimize barrel distortion when taking portraits. The distortion caught me off guard, but I'm aware of it now and able to easily compensate for it. The 50 f/1.8D doesn't have distortion, so it may be worth considering for a DX portrait lens as well. Light: Here's what's great about the 35: It's 35mm and DOF is less restrictive shooting a f/1.8 as opposed to say shooting the 50/85 at f/1.8. At 50/85mm f/1.8, the DOF is very shallow and it's possible to focus on a persons eyes and have their ears and nose out of focus. Shooting wider at 35mm f/1.8 broadens your DOF and you're more assured of getting your subjects entire face/head in focus. This is one reason I'd keep the 35mm, or even shoot with a 24mm f/2.8. You can routinely shoot at f/1.8 in low light and at slightly slower shutter speeds than the (telephoto) 50/85. To me, this is the most important benefit of shooting fast, wide-angle lenses. Alternatives to the 35: I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the 50 as well, whether the 50 1.8D or 50 1.8G. The 50 1.8D is a cheaper lens alternative with no distortion and longer reach for portraits. The 50 1.8G has minor distortion as well, though similar build and look of the 35. Do forget the more expensive 35 f/2D, which you'd be able to use on an FX camera when you upgrade. Regarding the 50mm focal length, I've never had a problem shooting all sorts of indoors portraits with my 50. In the end, I can recommend the 35 without hesitation. However, if you have other lenses to buy, such as a wide angle or super telephoto, you might consider saving the 200 dollars towards one of those. I'd also ask myself if shooting a 35mm prime will have me snapping stagnate images or creative & unique photos. Good luck with and enjoy the 35!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2011 by Webtrance
Color: Black
amateur hardware geek's practical opinion: Though the experts rave about it for the price, I'm not going to talk about minuscule degrees of sharpness, minor hard to measure distortions, or CA you can't see unless you zoom in crazy close. Optically, this lens is fine for us, and it offers some great other advantages over typical kit lenses. Hand-held shots wide open at dusk outside without flash gives no blur, and results in better image quality than using the flash and auto mode, or the 18-55 vr with any settings we tried. Back to back tests each using the same (poor, but typical of a night-time birthday party, etc) lighting conditions indoors: 35 mm f1.8, ISO 400 hand-held. No camera shake or subject motion blur over numerous shots (subject was a dog who was incited to perk up her ears etc beside a motionless clothes basket to test for subject vs camera shake blur). (18-55 set to 35 mm equivalent with max aperture) 35 mm f4.5, ISO 800 hand-held, no VR. No camera shake for most shots, but significant subject motion blur, and poorer image quality even in the regions with no subject motion. Cheating down to f3.5, and otherwise the same conditions, trying ISO 400 and 800, the f1.8 35 mm still won. The above shows just how much advantage The f1.8 lens has for low light moving subject conditions compared to a typical kit zoom. Auto-focus is very fast in bright light, and pointlessly slow for moving subjects in the dark. Manual focus is as quick and easy as auto in bright light. Another huge The really cool thing about this lens compared to other low end Nikon lenses is that you can leave it in auto-focus mode when the auto-focus speed is questionable or variable. If it isn't auto-focusing fast enough on our D90 because there is just a hair less light than it needs, it will often go rapidly slightly out of focus both ways, then settle in on very close to the correct focus, and hunt around there. If it does this, right when it starts to hunt, we can just hold the shutter button down, and spin the manual focus ring the correct direction. As soon as you touch the focus ring, the 4.5 fps start firing off. Running it in the correct direction for focus from what the auto focus system deemed wasn't close enough often results in one of the first 2-4 shots being in good focus, and being a shot of the critical moment you wanted to capture, instead of what auto-focus alone would have given (perfectly in focus, too late). If it is so dark that it switches to contrast based auto-focus, this trick doesn't work. Note this is all with the auto-focus assist light off. With it on, the auto-focus is fast down to much dimmer light, and the aperture is still fast enough to give better images without a flash than with. We just don't like to intrude on the scene with the auto-focus light. this is an awesome lens. I hate to admit it, but Ken Rockwell called this one right.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2010 by Roc
Color: Black
This is a very very sharp prime lens with autofocus. It takes pictures so clear and pleasing that the kit lens generally can't come close to this quality. This lens is good for low lights as well. It is NOT A ZOOM lens...for people who are looking to get this as their main lens. This is perhaps the sharpest nikkor lense you can get for general purpose indoor use. Get an external flash and the results will be even better. IS THIS FOR PORTRAITS? Yes and no. Good for full or half body portraits but not good for head shots on DX cameras. This is good for general purpose photography. I have tried portraits with this lens and while there is no problem that people notice at first, anybody can see the difference when shown a portrait or a head shot taken with a 105 or 135 mm. See, the thing is that in portrait pictures, you do not want too much depth. If you want to take a head shot with this lens, you have to stand so close to the subject that the tip of the nose and ears both can't be in focus at the same time. There is also a subtle distortion of facial feature when you are so close to the subject. Of course you can stand a bit further and crop your picture later but it is not ideal. On the other hand, if you want to take a portrait snap of half or full body, this is a good lens for that. My tests show that for portraits, you need a combination of focal lengths ranging from 70 mm to 105mm(DX format cameras such as nikon d5100). If you have a full format camera, you will shoot best portraits using lenses ranging from 85 to 135mm or so. No professional photographer will use this as their main portrait lens. So, if you want to shoot portraits, get a different lens as well. The best general purpose travel or outdoors lens is 18-200 mm f3.5 nikkor but that is at least $900 new. The bokeh on this lens is very very good as well and this is what makes things stand out. I showed a picture of my daughter taken at f1.8 in bright light outdoors to her and he reaction was that "it looks like a photo from a movie". That is what excellent bokeh means to people who just look at pictures but don't know what bokeh is. Even to them, bokeh makes portraits pleasing. Your kit lens will generally not provide this kind of bokeh, in fact it won't even come close. Auto focus is fast. The lens is quite small and will be no problem to carry around. videos with this are also very good. On my Nikon d 5100, the videos are affected badly due to the auto focus noise and speed if the subject is moving or you pan the camera. The auto focus is fast but not fast enough for videos. If you are a serious photographer, then you should have at least one prime lense suitable for your main purpose. I am not a professional but I still have this and a Rokinon 85 mm 1.4f. I will eventually get the 18-200 zoom but for now, I am happy with my prime lenses. People are stunned at the quality of pictures that this lens can take. For people who have mostly used point and shoot cameras, this will blow their mind. I also use an external flash and it makes things look even better. For hobbyists looking to setup a home studio, a strobe light setup will help immensely. For those looking to shoot models, this is not the best lens. Get a longer and fast telephoto for that. If you are just trying a DSLR for the time, and will mostly shoot in good light, get the kit lens or another zoom of your choice and you will be happy. Sometimes, knowing less about photo equipment is a blessing as it is very easy to know so much that you will find it hard to afford the expensive gear you read about. Great photos can still be taken with kit lenses. Limit equipment research to a reasonable level and focus more on the pictures. It is much more fun to take pictures than to worry about that 400 mm f1.8 that most can't afford and quite frankly don't need.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2011 by Amazon Customer
Color: Black
I was looking at getting either this lens or the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens. The 50mm lens was only $135, but doesn't autofocus on the D40 which is my camera. I know I am looking to upgrade to the D90 soon, so that wasn't as much of an issue, but something to consider as I purchased a prime lens. Of course this 35mm lens does autofocus on the D40, so that was one point in it's favor. Truly my main reason for purchasing this lens was to use in low light, indoors, typically at home during family functions. The photos are sharp! I even had all the lights turned off in the basement and took photos of my son, and WOW,it gave nice, natural tones to his skin and his eyes are amazing in the photos. I have to get closer to my subject(s) than with the 50mm, but when you are in a room that is crowded and you are trying to get a photo with everyone in it, you don't have to back up very far. With the 50mm, you need much more room to backup to get the same shot including all the subjects. My sisters kitchen is small. My little neice was about to blow out the candles, and I got not only her, but mom and dad in the photo as well. I would not have enough room to backup and get the same shot with the 50mm lens. Being able to take photos in low light (indoors) without a flash is very handy, and paticuallary when you are in a situation where flashes aren't allowed. (I have been at several museums, historical homes during a tour, and even a 50th anniversary ceremony at a church were photos were ok, but no flash allowed). The last wedding I was at, everyone was taking photos and the photographer said that was ok while she was shooting, but no flashes please because it intereferred with her shots. Everyone had to stop taking photos, because they needed their flashes to get a decent shot. How nice to be the one able to continue to shoot photos and not have to put my camera away. I didn't need a flash. I also had to consider price. I got this lens for $199 with free shipping. I ordered this and waited a little over 4 weeks to recieve it. If you are looking at this lens, and order DIRECTLY from Amazon, the price is $199. It will say "not in, stock order now and we will deliver as soon as available". I didn't really want to wait, especially knowing I could order the 50mm that day, and get it in a week, but I knew if I was to choose between the 2 lenses, I wanted this one. I don't think it is justified paying the $300+ price just to get the one in stock. My opinion, order the one listed at $199, and be willing to wait, like I said, mine arrived about 4 weeks after ordering it. Pros: Absolutely sharp photos in low light. Price, if you are willing to wait, totally worth every penny. Fast and light lens. You can shoot indoors with low light without a flash. Cons: Only one I can think of is waiting a full month to recieve. But I would do it again in a heartbeat for a fantastic lens.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2009 by Minnesota