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by Alex Cooke 9 Comments
Wondering if you should spend extra on the 35mm f/1.8 S prime lens over the new 35mm f/1.4? This helpful video breaks down their features and performance to see if the upgrade is worth it.
Coming to you from Alex Barrera, this thorough video compares the Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4and NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 Slenses. The new 35mm f/1.4 is entirely plastic, including the focusing ring, and features a control ring, which is new for Nikon lenses. It's weather-resistant, but not fully weather-sealed, only protecting against light splashes and dust. On the other hand, the 35mm f/1.8 S combines metal and plastic, includes a metal focusing ring, and offers full weather-sealing. The f/1.8 S feels more premium, justifying its higher price tag, but the f/1.4 doesn’t feel cheap despite its plastic construction.
Barrera examines image quality by comparing edited and raw files in Lightroom. The f/1.8 lens produces higher contrast and sharper images right out of the gate. You don't even need to zoom in to see the difference. The f/1.4 lens, however, has a cooler tone and a glow when shot wide open, reminiscent of vintage lenses. This glow is flattering for skin tones, creating a softer look. When zooming in, the f/1.8 is clearly sharper and more detailed, with less chromatic aberration. The f/1.4 lens does show more green fringing, especially around high-contrast edges, but offers a pleasing background blur and character.
When stopped down to f/1.8, the f/1.4 lens improves in sharpness and contrast but still doesn't match the f/1.8 lens. However, the background blur remains more appealing on the f/1.4, maintaining a soft, circular bokeh. The f/1.8 lens is slightly wider, capturing more of the scene, but both lenses perform well in different lighting situations. The f/1.4’s vintage-like rendering might appeal to those seeking a unique look, while the f/1.8’s precision and clarity cater to those who prefer sharp, clean images.
Barrera highlights that the f/1.4 lens has unique qualities, making it stand out despite the f/1.8’s superior technical performance. The f/1.4's character, with its soap bubble bokeh and slight glow, can inspire creativity and add a distinct touch to your photos. This lens provides a refreshing break from the perfection sought by many modern lenses, which often leads to a clinical, uninspiring look. If you desire a lens with personality and are willing to embrace its imperfections, the f/1.4 is an excellent choice.
Conversely, if you need reliable, sharp, and contrasty images, the f/1.8 lens is the go-to option. It performs exceptionally well across various conditions, making it suitable for professional use where consistency and precision are paramount. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Barrera.
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Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.
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9 Comments
Hans J. Nielsen
I do hope this will be the first in a new line of "vintage" lenses from Nikon.
Would kill off most of the voices yelling for the lag of 3rd party lens support and be a nice addition to the lineup.
Larry Chism
For a studio or indoor lens the 35 f1.4 would be great ( I like the rendering), but for a landscape lens, not weather sealed is a nonstarter. I am looking for a weather sealed 28mm f1.4 or f1.8.
Troy Phillips
I think it’s great Nikon is adding the control ring ! Great move !!! Hope it has more resistance than on the other lenses. Second I love character in lenses and use old Nikkor glass and adapt other brands of lenses. There is also a place for super sharp glass .
I am hoping for a 28mm f/1.2 with character from f/1.2 to f/2 at f/2.8 and on give it sharpness and precision .
Am I asking for too much ? Voigtlander and some old Nikkor glass has these traits . Get er done Nikon please.
Ryan Cooper Troy Phillips
Laowa makes a 28 1.2 with tons of character, you just don't get autofocus. Might be a decent option for you, not sure how much it improves stopped down tho.
The Bassman
How come the SS and ISO were the same for both lenses for many of the 1.4 vs 1.8 comparisons?
Ryan Cooper The Bassman
He probably just pushed the exposure slider by 2/3 in LR to compensate for the slight differences in exposure.
Christian Fiore The Bassman
Aperture isn't always 100% in line with the actual light passing through the lens (aka transmission). It's just the physical measurement of the opening of the iris.
Ryan Cooper
Nikon has always been willing to put out lenses that don't have the perfect clinical look and I'm glad they are still willing to do so. There is a reason the 58mm F/1.4G still spends so much time on my camera. This lens is really pretty for what it is and I'm super happy that it exists.
That said, I think it may struggle to find a niche because Photographers who want that sharp clinical look will get the 1.8 while those of us who find the more vintage look really appealing will either just use a vintage lens or we will look to something like Laowa's super fast prime's which have similar beautiful rendering but open up to 1.2 or 0.95. Especially now that Laowa has started putting out autofocus lenses.
I'd also like to further see how bad that fringing gets in backlit situations because while I love vintage rendering certain Nikon lenses in the past have had such bad fringing that they become unusable in certain situations (50 1.8G, 50 1.4G, and 85 1.8G I'm looking at you! ;) ) I hope this lens isn't that severe.
Christian Fiore
You get what you pay for.
