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I've had this lens now for a couple of months, and have had ample time to get used to its characteristics, its strengths, and (unfortunately) its weaknesses. Here are some main points from my ownership experience, which has been largely positive:
-Chromatic aberrations are very pronounced with this lens (purple and green fringing along high-contrast edges). Nikon has for one reason or another decided not to put ED (extra-low dispersion) glass in the 35/1.4G to correct for CAs, though they saw fit to put this exotic glass in the comparably-priced and superiorly-performing 24/1.4G. The View NX2 software that Nikon provides with its camera bodies is rather good at removing this kind of CA, but two things spring to mind regarding this issue:
a) If i spend $1800USD on a lens of new design, I shouldn't have to correct for CAs this extreme. My Canon 35/1.4L, introduced in 1998 and costing some $600USD less than the Nikon 35/1.4G, did not exhibit such extreme CAs (though in fairness it did exhibit some CAs, as all wide fast primes will).
b) I (and a great many others) don't normally use Nikon proprietary software for our RAW conversions (e.g., Lightroom, Photoshop, etc.), and these programs (especially LR3) have proven themselves to be less than effective at removing much of the purple/green fringing that this lens (and others) produce. Thus, to remove it, we have to introduce an extra, and potentially time consuming, step to our processing methods.
-Focusing with this lens can be a noisy and erratic process. ((UPDATE 6/18/11: A few months into using this lens, I have found that keeping my D700 in AI servo AF mode has dramatically increased my keeper rate. I must admit that a significant amount of user error contributed to the lens' focusing initially seeming 'erratic'. The AF is still noisy, but it's much more accurate now that I have it in servo mode.)) Before I shot with Nikon, I owned Canon full-frame DSLRs, and used (as mentioned) the Canon 35/1.4L primarily (the lens that most likely forced Nikon's hand in releasing its own autofocusing 35/1.4). That lens was nearly silent in operation, very quick to focus, and dead-on accurate. The 35/1.4G, in comparison, makes this 'zoink-sshhhhhh' sound when focusing (which is apparently normal for this lens), and often does not lock exactly onto the plane of focus that I thought I had chosen. (To be fair, the expensive Canon 50/1.2L also has focusing issues inherent to its design, and nonetheless enjoys a loyal following.) Trials using a tripod have even yielded shots where the plane of focus was significantly in front of or behind the intended one. Focusing is also rather slow with this lens, so please take that into account if your intended use is close-range toddler chasing. (The 35L was much faster to acquire focus.) After talking with other owners, I am of the opinion that my 35/1.4G is indeed functioning as designed it's just not the most pro-feeling lens in execution. A reminder that this lens is $1800USD at the time of this writing.
-The optics are superb when the lens acquires proper focus (and the photographer does his/her job correctly). Focusing aside, optically, this lens does not disappoint. Distortion is mild and easily correctable with software. The lens is contrasty and records vivid colors.
-The weather sealing that this lens has mates well with a weather sealed body, and the combo is quite reassuring in inclement weather.
-Due to nano-coatings on some elements, lens flare is kept to a minimum.
-Finally, a 35mm 1.4 Nikkor that can autofocus! Yay!
In concluding this mini-review, I would add that I don't see the price-performance ratio of this lens to be very good... poor for the great majority of Nikon shooters, actually. What to me artificially tweaks this lens' value is the fact that there is no other alternative whatsoever if you want a 35mm f1.4 autofocusing lens in Nikon mount. (DX shooters can skip this lens altogether and get the excellent 35/1.8G for one-sixth the price.) Until the rumors of a Sigma 35/1.4 come true (and they very well might within the next 18 months or so), if you want all of these characteristics in one lens (35mm, f1.4, F mount, full-frame compatible, autofocus, great optics), you're going to be shelling out nearly $2000USD for this and a B+W filter to protect the front element. That aside, photography is very much a matter of the heart, and not the head, so for those of us who love the look of files from a sharp (and this lens is most decidedly sharp) 35/1.4 on a full frame sensor, the 35/1.4G was a welcome addition to the lineup at (nearly) any price.
Despite its shortcomings, I will certainly be keeping mine.
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