a lens between psychodelic & perfection

[Frank F.]

Here is my praise for the Ai-S 35mm/f=1.4 that is still sold new, possibly even still manufactured.

My current version was made in 2006. They started to sell this design in December 1975, see: Nikon Lenses

Let's start with some more psychodelic stuff @f=1.4:

also neat as a background for a portrait:

yet the bokeh gets silky smooth @f=4:

That is what I mean when I say: I bought this lens for its "faults".

A friend of mine said: "Character is the collection of faults I chose to acquire in my life. I got a lot of character."

 

[JonA_CT]

Probably not to everyone's taste, but I love that picture of the daffodils!

 

[Frank F.]

Now a more "scientific" way to show it. First image @1.4 second image @5.6:

 

[Frank F.]

more to come, much more. But I got other business to attend to NOW...

 

[Braineack]

Yuk I hate it. The bokeh as shown from that lens is horrid in every shot.

I'd stick with a 35/2 AF-D

 

[Frank F.]

See I hate the 2/35D ... matter of taste ... cannot discuss.

 

[Frank F.]

another example @1.4 vs. @5.6:

 

[Frank F.]

I use it to create portraits @1.4 with the D600. Nailing the focus there is a real challenge, because the ground glass of the D600 is not really up to the task.

I feel much of what people talk about and call "analogue look" is NOT caused by film but is really caused by the lens!

 

[Braineack]

Nailing the focus there is a real challenge, because the ground glass of the D600 is not really up to the task.

???

Nailing the focus at F/1.4 is hard for almost any camera, it's especially hard on a manual focus lens, on a camera designed for AF.


The bokeh in all the above shots is distracting and poor.


what's the point of the landscape shots? almost everything should be in focus... even at 1.4. All this is demonstrating is how incredibly soft the lens is wide open.

 

[Frank F.]

The ground glass of the D500 is much better. I get reliable response in most cases even with the 1.4/35 @1.4

If I want High Fidelity I take my Sinar and Schneider APO Digitar, but I do not always want that.

The rendering of the 35 Ai-S appeals to my emotion.

On the Nikon I have a choice of lenses, the 1.4/24G comes to mind.

 

[Braineack]

I totally get that, I bought my 58mm for the same reason. I'm just turned off by what im seeing from the above personally -- this is exactly why this sort of stuff is subjective.

 

[SquarePeg]

Have to agree with Braineack, I do not like the way this bokeh looks at all. I'm usually a fan of the swirly bubble bokeh. I really like the way the Helios lens is used by this woman that I follow on Flickr: Franci Van der vyver I think that creates much more pleasant backgrounds with a similar effect as what you are showing in the first group of shots. That lens is on my wish list.

 

[JohnnyWrench]

Ground glass???

 

[Frank F.]

I totally get that, I bought my 58mm for the same reason. I'm just turned off by what im seeing from the above personally -- this is exactly why this sort of stuff is subjective.

The 58 neo noct is on my list. Yet I am waiting for an opportunity. Used one for 900 Euros is my benchmark.

 

[Frank F.]

Ground glass???

Ground glass - Wikipedia

Mattscheibe in German.

Example. Sinar P2 ground glass.