Prime 35mm under $1000?

[Changman201]

Hey looking at the sigma 35 1.4 art or a Voightlander 35 1.2. Any other choices worth the money out there? Which would you guys prefer? Don't mind if its manual focus, modern or legacy. Have looked at the sony/zeiss options but they're way out of my price range and a bit on the bulky side.

[tarkane]

If you don't need very fast glass, then Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 may fit the bill. Since, it's relatively compact and under $1.000.

[seb]

Tamron SP 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD for Nikon or Canon. What I've seen so far, this lens is great, and not that expensive in the states. In Europe it's sadly 1.5x the price:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183045-REG/tamron_aff012c700_sp_35mm_f_1_8_di.html

[ivansinger]

Hey looking at the sigma 35 1.4 art or a Voightlander 35 1.2. Any other choices worth the money out there? Which would you guys prefer? Don't mind if its manual focus, modern or legacy. Have looked at the sony/zeiss options but they're way out of my price range and a bit on the bulky side.

I use the Rokinon 35/1.4 manual focus lens (I own almost all of the Rokinons available for Sony Alpha mount, 8,16,35, 50cine, 85cine, 135cine) and it is very sharp, but paper thin DOF wide open until about F4, where it becomes like most other lenses. I have not used any of them on FF body yet, but all reports are that they are similar characteristics.

[jookeer]

Canon FD 35/2 is according to tests as good as the Sony ZEISS Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA

 

http://erphotoreview.com/wordpress/?p=4114

http://erphotoreview.com/wordpress/?p=4125

[goo0h]

I have the Voightlander 35 1.2, and while I have loved that lens on my Zeiss Ikon using black-and-white film, I'm not so sure I like it on the A7* (now have the A7rII.)  It's not a very sharp lens to be sure, and the OOF area somehow seems too busy on the A7* cameras than it does in b/w film.  I guess I ought to try it again, but since the 55/1.8 is new to me, I've having too much fun playing with that wonderful lens.  Eventually, though, will have to figure out my 35mm lens of choice since I have tended to like that field of view.

[JimmyD]

I like Tarkane's suggestion of the Sony/Zeiss 35mm 2.8 (I have this lens) as a very compact and sharp walk about lens for people / street photography; I use it all the time for this purpose.  It is, however, a bit "clinical" as they say.  If manual focus works for your intended use, I urge you to exceed your limit by a couple hundred $ and get the Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2.  It's also relatively compact, a stop faster, and colors and rendering are much more pleasing to my eye. 

[addicted2light]

I'd suggest you to look for a Minolta 35/1.8 Rokkor MC. It is beautifully made and pretty sharp even wide open on the A7r.

 

It does have quite a bit of CA at f/1.8, but nothing that Lightroom cannot take care of.

 

Here a couple of images (with just my usual import sharpening in LR), both shot at f/1.8, with inset a 100% crop (EDIT: I had to divide them in two posts, given the forum limitations in terms of file sizes).

 

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[addicted2light]

These are the worst possible conditions in terms of bokeh, btw, given the extremely busy background I had in those woods. In a normal setting, interiors etc., bokeh is silky smooth and reminds me of the Voigtlander 25mm f/1.2

 

I almost forgot! The lens sells usually for around 150€

 

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[Golem]

`

 

Been using the same AI Nikkor 35/2.0 for about

40 years. Here's that lens applied to an A7II:

 

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A 35/2.0 AI Nikkor used to cost real money but

now they just about give them away, such that

even with a premium quality adapter, you would

still have most of your $1000 left over. You only

need one adapter, so you can get another lens

and STILL have some $$ left over !

 

`

[addicted2light]

`

 

Been using the same AI Nikkor 35/2.0 for about

40 years. Here's that lens applied to an A7II:

 

VinYd_DSC0204.jpg

 

SagHarbor_DSC0151.jpg

 

A 35/2.0 AI Nikkor used to cost real money but

now they just about give them away, such that

even with a premium quality adapter, you would

still have most of your $1000 left over. You only

need one adapter, so you can get another lens

and STILL have some $$ left over !

 

`

 

Golem is right, it is an excellent lens.

 

There is also the Nikkor-O version of this one, i.e. the same optical scheme (maybe older coating?) but in a non-Ai mount that sells for even less. I think I paid mine something like 65€, because Nikon shooters cannot use it on many of the digital cameras without upgrading the lens mount to Ai. On a Sony, or any other camera that you use the lens on via an adapter, you don't have to worry.

 

I was very fond of my copy. I sold it only because I prefer Contax and Minolta glass, and Nikon (and Pentax) focus the "wrong" way.