nikon 35mm 1.8g or 2d ?

[fwellers]

I think I narrowed my desires for a wide angle prime lens down to the two nikons. The soon to arrive f/1.8G AF, or the already known f2d.

I would like to tap some experience here. In trying to decide between these two, I am making some assumptions that may or may not be correct.

1) the 1.8G will be a lot like my 50mm 1.8G as far as build quality, and image quality. It being the lastest from Nikon etc.. ( I think the iq on my 50mm is excellent.

2) The 2D means it has the old aperture ring. Not sure if this is a plus or a minus. I've heard it's an old fashioned thing that just gets in the way and is not really needed or used anymore.

3) The 2D is tried and an known quantity, very well liked, haven't heard anything bad about it. It is just more expensive and a bit older technology.

4) I have to pre-order and or wait for the 1.8g.

Are these the correct assumptions and decision elements I should be using, or should I be thinking along other lines to decide?

Sorry to be a pain about this, it involves 2 things. I'm a bit impatient, and also I don't have money to waste on bad decisions ( although probably neither would be a bad decision ).


Thanks !!
Floyd

 

[dcclark]

Just a quick note: I see you're shooting on a D90. The 35mm lenses won't really be very wide -- in fact, 35mm is normal on a D90 with its 1.5x crop factor.

You absolutely do not need an aperture ring on a D90. In fact, all you will ever do with it on that camera is put it at the farthest setting and leave it there -- or else it won't work! You literally CANNOT use the lens's ring to adjust the aperture on your camera -- only the camera itself will set that.

Just a couple of useful points.

 

[fwellers]

Thanks for the info. Yea I want the 35mm because I am thinking for a walkaround prime it would be most useful to have a lense that approximates what the eye sees. They say that's 50mm on FF which is 33mm on my D90. I've been trying to decide if 35mm or 30mm is better, but that is almost a moot point because I am only aware of one 30mm lens. The dirty 30 which has some properties that makes it less attractive to me.
I may also consider 28mm if that's not too wide though.

 

[blash]

the D version will be more expensive purely because the G version is a DX lens. Get the G version if you plan to stick with cropped bodies (D90, D300), get the D version otherwise (film or D700 or better). Personally I'd still get the D version even if I didn't have my film body, just because glass is forever if you treat it well and eventually, at some very far-off point I will be getting a FX digital body and that will save me a few hundred dollars in the future. You will, in all likelihood, be hard-pressed to find image quality differences between the G and the D versions.

Also - don't worry about aperture rings. This only matters if you plan on getting an all-manual film camera since all other cameras (film or otherwise) will just set the aperture electronically, and you wouldn't use a DX lens on a film camera anyways.

 

[shivaswrath]

i heard that there will be differences in sharpness between the 1.8G and the 2.0D. . .i'd wait before the 1.8G comes out and then decide, because I'm already seeing a drop in the price of the 2.0. . .

 

[bhop]

I'm not sure what the 'dirty 30' is, but Sigma makes a 30mm f/1.4 with internal focus motor that's supposedly pretty good.

 

[fwellers]

I just went to the store and tried the 'dirty thirty' and compared it to the Nikkor 35 f/2. I thought the 35 was sharper and seemed easier to focus ( even at f2 and above ).
I bought it.
Probably should have waited for the 1.8, but at least I know this lense will work on a Full Frame if I ever get one.
I'm gonna be happy. ))

 

[Mike_E]

You most likely did the right thing. Unless you drop one or put it up wet you are unlikely to ever wear out a Nikon lens (pro usage aside) and the FF aspect will likely help to hold up the resale value and general desirability in the future.

 

[fwellers]

Hey. That's one of the reasons for this forum right ? To have you make me feel good for spending my money. )))

Thanks !

 

[JerryPH]

Sigma 30mm F/1.4... its a DX lens, incredibly sharp and faster than your F/1.8.



At F/1.4, its still very sharp. Click on the pic for a bigger size photo.

 

[fwellers]

There's a real long thread on NikonCafe that's a shootout between the dirty thirty and the Nikon f/2. Lots of good pics from both. I think any optical differences are minimal for all but the most demanding applications, and it boils down to subjective choices.

Nice shot btw.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Hey. That's one of the reasons for this forum right ? To have you make me feel good for spending my money. ))) Thanks !

I thought that everyone here was trying to talk me into spending more of my money on new gear.

 

[AlexColeman]

What about the 50G?

 

[fwellers]

What about the 50G?

If you're responding to me, ( not sure if you are ), I got the 'nifty' little thing last month. I LOVE the quality of it's shots, big time, but thought I needed a little shorter wider lens for keeping on the body.