Though it was announced days ago, the Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 hasn’t yet started shipping but will soon, and it’s ideal for the brand’s superb new Z6 III.
The new lens has been widely desired by Nikon users and is a sort of counterpart to Nikon’s slightly slower S-Line model the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S, but for the Z line.
It may not offer quite the optical and build quality of a Nikon S lens, but it’s expected to be a powerful performer. Crucially too, it will be a much more affordable lens than an S System version would be.
Nikon claims that the upcoming Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 will deliver “incredible sharpness” even with a stopped-down aperture and of course, superb speed.
Internally, the new glass will contain 11 lens elements across nine groups though we don’t yet know its specific internal optics beyond that. There will also be a nine-bladed diaphragm for “smooth, creamy out-of-focus backgrounds” according to Nikon.
What’s more, the upcoming lens will have a very nice close focus of 0.27 meters or 10.6 inches and a maximum magnification of 0.18x at that range.
Nikon has also claimed that the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 will strongly suppress focus breathing for the sake of smooth video recording uses.
Despite its fairly ample length of 8.65 cm or 3.4 inches, the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 will weigh only 415 grams or 14.6 ounces and includes a 62mm front filter thread. Another useful feature is its weather-resistant construction, making it reasonably impervious to dust and dripping water.
Unlike Nikon’s Z-Line lenses with similar specs, the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 won’t include a generally more robust build quality or certain premium Nikon technologies like Super Integrated Coatings and Nano Crystal.
Both of those promise even better image quality but the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 should be able to hold its own nicely at its extremely affordable price.
Nikon’s sample images for the new optic look great and it’s doubtful that real-world consumer users will be disappointed with the Nikkor Z 35mm’s performance.
The new Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is shipping to stores and online buyers as of mid-July though you can also pre-order it now at $599.95 to avoid any possible buying rush for this broadly in-demand lens type.
