First Impressions: AF NIKKOR 35mm f/2.0 D

I’ve been weighing in on the AF NIKKOR 35mm f/2.0 D for nearly as long as the 50mm f/1.8 D. It’s only a tiny bit longer than the 50, but it’s built is a little more robustly. It has more in common with the other D lenses, except that it lacks a bayonet hood mount. Thus I bought it with the Vello equivalent of the Nikon HN-3.

I was surprised to see it shipping with the latest version of the rear lens cap, and no US prefix in the serial number despite its being an official US warranty model. So, this truly is the most up-to-date iteration of this long-lived lens. 

In the hand it feels solid, and the manual focus is like silk. No play (and no viscous damping) in the direct coupled focus ring, unlike the geared G lenses which are difficult to focus manually due to gear lash. Sure, their clutched coupling allows you to adjust focus while you still have the shutter button depressed halfway. But by the time you rock the focus ring back and forth, you’ve missed the shot. G lenses are great, but more evolutionary than revolutionary, and not necessarily a replacement for their ancestors.

The hood is great, comparable to the real HN-3 in terms of quality. But ironically, the narrower Kalt 52mm metal hood I purchased for the AF 50/1.8 works fine too, even with a filter. 

Having followed the great reviews and coming to fully appreciate the versatility of an autofocus 35mm lens that’s so small, light and fast has made this purchase a no-brainer. Especially now that I’m shooting full frame.

I’m fairly sure this will be my new Go-to AF lens.