Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Review

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s is a wide-angle lens for FX, and DX cameras Nikon F. This model was produced from 1981 through 1989.

Before it was produced, Ai version of this lens from 1979 through 1981. Optically they are no different, small differences in the cosmetic design.

On DX cameras, we get an equivalent focal length of 52 mm; that framing equates it with 50mm on full-frame.

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Specs

Focal length: 35mm

Aperture: f/ 2.8 — f/ 22

Weight (gr): 240

Length (mm): 46

Filter Ø (mm.): 52

Aperture blades: 7

Min. focus distance (m.): 0.3

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Handling and Mechanics

The lens is solidly made. Metal barrel. Appearance on the camera lens like an 18-55 kit lens.

Numbers showing the aperture value are colored figures specific to the design Nikkor Ai / s lenses.

Focusing

Focusing is convenient. The rubberized focus ring rotates 90 degrees. The front of the lens extends into 6mm. The front element is not rotating. MFD is 0.3 m. It is good.

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Example Photos

I took all of the examples on a Nikon D3100 camera. RAW export without postprocessing.

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Sharpness

Sharpness is good already from aperture f/ 2.8. Well corrected for spherical and chromatic aberrations.

f / 2.8 Example sharpness at infinity

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f / 2.8 example at close focusing

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When the aperture close to one-stop (f/ 4), the sharpness is enough for most scenes.

f/ 4 MFD

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The aperture is closed only for whole stops 2.8-4-5.6-8-11-16-22 without half-stops. It is not always convenient. For example, closing the aperture to f / 3.5 will not work.  

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Character and Bokeh

The lens gives a nice character.

f/ 4

Boke, for wide-angle lens good. You may notice a pleasant blur of the background.

f/ 2.8

A nice feature that the lens has 7 aperture blades; it allows you to draw a star with 14 rays from the point light sources.

f/ 2.8

Distortion

A characteristic feature of the lens is low distortion. At infinity, it is equal to 0.5%, and at a distance of 2 m from the facility, only 0.1% even though the norm for the lens is considered to be ± 2.5%. This is an excellent performance.

f / 2.8 lens distortion example. Wall distance of about 3m

You can shoot portraits at a distance of 1m and not be afraid that the person will be distorted. It is also good for shooting architecture.

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 Ai/s Contrast and Color

The lens has good contrast. The Backlit perfectly holds and sidelight. No worse than modern lenses.

f/ 5.6

f/ 4

Some large deviations in color rendition, which I did not notice. The only thing that catches the eye, it addressive failure in the shadows. Maybe this particular survey, but the issue still requires verification. Need more examples to reach a verdict.

f/ 5.6

Overcast spring weather did not allow us to carry out the test fully. I hope to fix it at the earliest opportunity.

Summary

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1: 2.8 Ai / s has good sharpness and contrast. Interesting, primarily low distortion is smaller than the newer, more expensive Nikkor models, Nikkor 35 mm 1: 2.

f/ 4

Also, it is theoretically possible to assume that because it has a maximum aperture of f / 2.8, more covert apertures diffraction will advance later on the values of f / 11-16 for a large depth of field, it will be sharper by wide-angle lenses with aperture 1: 2 and more.

f/ 2.8

If you need to shoot the architecture or painting, this lens is what you need. I bought it especially for this purpose, as recently confronted with the fact that it is necessary to shoot large products in confined spaces.