AIS 35mm F2 - low light focussing?

[RaymondC]

<p>I have a AF version 50 and 85. Should I go for a 35mm it might be manual focus. Is there difficulty to focus with this lens with a AF body with its AF confirmation? Or is the viewfinder bright enough? Situations where I would be using a fast lens is maybe around a dinner table in a cafe / restaurant etc. Equally are they ok to focus outside like at a night market? </p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Why manual focus - Nikon has an excellent FX AF-S 35/1.8 lens? Personally, I find manual focusing any lens on a standard DSLR focusing screen rather difficult and I don't want to rely on the AF confirmation dot - which on my DX bodies was next to useless but seems to work quite reliably on my D700.</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>I shoot film still and one of the body is a FM2n. </p>

[Two23]

<p>I have the 28mm f2 and it is a bit difficult to focus on my F3/T. The reason is it's hard to see when the lines I'm focusing on are lining up because they are so small in the viewfinder. An AiS should be easier to manually focus than an AF-D lens.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Thanks. The difficulty I find is that if I had to focus quicker b/c there are people around and find things in the VF to do it correctly. If I was outside after twilight, I could set it up slowly take my time and ensure the building is really focused. Take 3 or 4 tries I required but then again I am shooting at F11 mostly myself. I just don't want to get a manual lens for when I do my own photography small and light and maybe with a AF body and a MF body other times and when need to get a AF 35mm for other occasions involving people. Or simply convert from MF to AF film bodies.</p>

[jose_angel]

<p>I have just attached the 35/2AiS to my F6 and don`t see any issues at all. The electronic rangefinder aid works, the screen is plenty bright (even brighter than in the FM2n). I don`t have my D700 here but I think it should be the same.<br /> In bright light I can eye-focus, in dimmer conditions I definitely need the electronic RF aid.<br /> What I have not tested is the accuracy of the electronic rangefinder aid. At f11, I`d say it is not an of an issue.</p>

[Rick Helmke]

<p>With a little practice you'll likely find it gets easier to focus manually with any lens. <br /><br />Rick H.</p>

[scott_murphy5]

<p>The way I got around this when I got my D700 was to get a microprism/split image focusing screen from focusingscreen.com. All of my lenses are AI/AIS so for me it was the logical choice. But I don't see why it would not work equally well with AF lenses.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<blockquote>

<p>Or simply convert from MF to AF film bodies.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Easiest solution.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>The AI 35/2.0 was my first, and for some time, only Nikon lens for my FM. It is still my favorite non-zoom.</p>

<p>For one, the FM has the split-image screen, which seems to be rare on newer cameras. Sometimes I can focus with the microprism, other times not. </p>

<p>In the film days, I often used Ektachrome 64, and then mostly flash, with a Vivitar 283, for inside.</p>

<p>I have used the 35/2.0 on a D200, but not enough to really answer the question. But with the higher ISO of modern DSLRs, it shouldn't be so hard to stop down enough to get reasonable DOF. </p>

[pete_s.]

<p>While using the AF dot works, it is very suboptimal as you are forced to look at the dot and away from the subject. Fine for static subjects but crap for anything moving.</p>

<p>Using an AF lens in manual focus also works but it's suboptimal too. Focus throw is too short, you don't have distance markings on the lens and no hard stop for infinity. The distance markings is what the old pros used when it's was to friggin dark to focus through the viewfinder.</p>

<p>I learned a lot of tricks from old timers how to focus manually in difficult situations and doing it fast. Focusing manually in low light and moving subjects has a lot to do with skill actually. I only have AF capable bodies but I have split image screens in them all so I can operate the manual focus lenses in the most optimal way.</p>

 

[robert_bouknight1]

<p>I enjoy using and often go out in the evening with an FX camera and only the 35/f2 manual focus. On a D810, it is easy to get the focus pretty close with the ground glass or dot rangefinder, but it is hard to get it perfect when looking at the plane of focus at 100% view.</p>

<p>The new 35/1.8 AF lens probably would be better (don't have one). My 28-70/2.8 is as sharp and hits AF accurately, but it is large/heavy. I do prefer the 35/2 manual focus lenses (especially the OC version) to the 35/2 AF version at around f/2.8.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The 35mm f/2 Ai-S Nikkor shows its age on a modern high pixel-count DSLR. I liked it fine on B&W film, but nowadays on a D800 or similar - Nah! You can do much better. Coma and general softness at wider apertures are its major flaws. I have 2 samples BTW, and an earlier pre-Ai lens passed through my hands, so I think it's a fair assessment. The optical design wasn't changed from the old Nikkor-O of the early 1960s, except for the replacement of single coatings with NIC.</p>

<p>Samyang's f/1.4 35mm lens simply blows away the old MF Nikkor in every parameter of image quality. Its size and weight are the only downside.</p>