boulderjoe Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Ok, I need to spend my xmas bonus... I have a Nikon FA with 35-135mm, 50mm f1.4, 55mm f2.8 micro. I reallyenjoy taking available light photos of people. When I do landscape Iusually take my digital. Where am I lacking? I really am interested in the 35mm f1.4, I thinkit would be cool for street photo, available light stuff. Or would a28 be better? Rock on,-Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 <<I really am interested in the 35mm f1.4>> I wanted one of those for many years before finally saying "what the heck" and buying one. Do yourself a favor. Don't wait many years. Just get one. You will love it. The 28? Well, the AIS version of the 28/2.8 has many friends here. And the f/2 version also is much loved. So you wouldn't go wrong with either of those. The f/2 version is just that little bit more "available" when shooting in available light. You initial question was "Which 2 lenses..." so I would suggest both the 35/1.4 and the 28/2 for use on your FA. Be well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 The 35mm/f1.4 would be an excellent choice for available-light work, usually people indoors. For landscape, IMO it is not wide enough, but you use digital for that anyway. I bought my 35mm/f1.4 AI-S back in 1987. Currently, that is the only AI-S I own, but I don't use it much any more in favor of AF-S lenses in these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_smith Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 I am a user of the 35mm f/1.4 lens as my standard, low-light lens. The one point that might be important to you however is where it would fall into your existing system. As a long time user of prime lenses, my process has been to increase the gaps between lenses over time. If I want to swap lenses, I need to get more than a few degrees of change. I never have my 35mm and 50mm lenses with me while out shooting, preferring to jump to 85mm or 105mm for the effort of swapping lenses. As a stand alone lens, the 35mm f/1.4 lens is pretty hard to beat. If you want to integrate a lens into your existing outfit, then something like a 28mm f/2.0 could be better. A 28mm and 55mm could be a good two-lens kit while out on a photo shoot with minimal gear.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulderjoe Posted December 21, 2004 Author Share Posted December 21, 2004 Thanks for the info, and justifying my want of the 35... Is there any difference between the AI and AIS version of the 35mm f1.4? Rock on, -Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris haake Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 I don't know what your budget is, but you might consider the 28 1.4. Since you already have the 50, the 28 might be a better option. It's also supposed to be an outstanding lens, optically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_smith Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 <I>Is there any difference between the AI and AIS version of the 35mm f1.4?</I><P> I saw on some web-site that there was a difference at one point in the number of aperture blades. I have the latest version which has 9 blades, and at some point there was a lens with only 7. The number of blades could effect the out-of-focus rendition, especially if there are highlights in the blurred area.<P> Maybe someone will come up with the web-site that has the break down of variations on this model. Sorry, I can't recall it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Isn't the FA one of the cameras that makes maximum use of the AIS lens specification? Optically, I do not think a brand-new 35/1.4 off the assembly line differs noticeably from the first one they made. Cosmetic and aesthetic changes, yes... and there may also be some difference in the multicoating applied but I am not sure about that one way or the other. The glass inside is vintage early 1970s lens design. Thanks, Nikon, for not messing with it. Be well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 As far as I know, there is no optical difference between the AI and AI-S versions of the 35mm/f1.4. As far as focal length difference goes, the 28mm/f2 may give you a better gap from your 50mm. However, I prefer the 35mm's angle of view for indoor work, and having f1.4 is a big advantage. But these are personal preferences; your mileage may vary. The 28mm/f1.4 AF-D is, of course, in its own (very high) price category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil_parker Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 ' Is there any difference between the AI and AIS version of the 35mm f1.4?' Optically the same, both well built. IIRC, with your FA, the AIS will allow program mode or shutter priority, the AI won't. -if that is important. A fine lens, my most used, with the 105 f1.8 in second place. If you are getting 2 lenses, a 24 might give you a little wider spread from the 35 than a 28 would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant_. Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 it really depends on what, and how you want to shoot..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis triguez Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 If you real�y need the 35 1.4 go ahead. But if you want a cheaper solution go for a 24 2.8. Becouse I like candid pictures of people my "standar" lens is the 24 mm. and a 105 or 135 for long. With the 24, you can approach as much as you like and nobody can see is been hunted. See this picture "into the action" at one meter from police asking papers somebody.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis triguez Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 ... and this pone with a 24 also and available light open 2.8<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis triguez Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 no this pone but this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_stockdale2 Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Albert might have been referring to the stupendously complete list of Nikon lenses by Roland Vink at: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael R Freeman Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 <i>"IIRC, with your FA, the AIS will allow program mode or shutter priority, the AI won't. -if that is important..."</i><p> AI lenses DO allow the use of program and shutter priority modes with the FA. The only thing you lose with AI lenses is high speed program for lenses 135mm and longer, and in program mode the shutter speed indicated in the finder may not be the actual speed used for exposure.<p> The AI version of the 35/1.4 has a 7 bladed aperture, and the AIS version has 9 blades. Otherwise they are identical.<br> <a href="http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/specs.html#35">http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/specs.html#35</A> <P> Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_dorsett2 Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 85 1.8 (The manual focus version). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred_mueggelhopper Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Here is what works for me . Nikkor 105/1.8AIS, Nikkor 85/1.4AIS, and Nikkor 35/ 1.4AIS. They are very nice lenses. AIS lets you use all of the FA's capabilities. I would sell the 50/1.4 and the zoom. You will not miss them after you add these 3 lenses to your system! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_chow Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 The 35 f1.4 is superb. IMVHO, much better than the 28 f2. So two lenses would be (1) 35 f1.4 and (2) 24 F2.8 or 85 f1.4 AF/AIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasma181 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I have a 35-105mm 3.5-4.5 manual focus zoom for my FM3a. It?s the only lens I have that can go ?wide? angle. When I was younger, I used to hate it when I?d look through a viewfinder at something 5 feet away, and it would look like it was in the next county. Therefore, I refuse to own a dedicated wide angle lens. But my zoom works well when I need wide angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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