No photo available for this lens
Production
1970
Country
Japan
Optical
9 elements in 7 groups
Updated
Feb 15, 2026
Nikon 35mm f/1.4 AI-S
Nikon F (AI-S)
Overview
The Nikon 35mm f/1.4 AI-S is the low-light beast — Nikon's fastest 35mm manual focus lens. Where the f/2 was for working photojournalists, the f/1.4 was for those who pushed into darker territory. Concert photographers, nightlife documentarians, and available-light obsessives paid the premium for that extra stop.
Verdict: For 35mm lovers who need speed. The f/1.4 aperture opens creative possibilities the f/2 can't match. Expensive, but if you shoot wide in low light, it's worth it.
Optical Character
Bokeh
Creamy and pleasant for a 35mm lens
Color
Nikon neutral, clean and accurate skin tones
Sharpness wide open
Sharp wide open, excellent by f/4
Flare resistance
Well-controlled
Contrast
Good contrast throughout, punchy images
Vignetting
Mild, gone by f/4
Community Insights
What people love
- f/1.4 at 35mm — extreme low light capability
- Beautiful bokeh for a wide lens
- The glow at f/1.4 is lovely
- Nikon build quality
- Great for environmental portraits
What people dislike
- Expensive ($400-700)
- Large for a 35mm
- Heavy (400g)
- f/1.4 is hard to nail focus
- Some prefer the f/2 for sharpness
Pro Tips
- f/2-2.8 is the sweet spot for sharp + character
- Great for indoor events, concerts
- Use focus peaking on mirrorless
Sources (3)
unknown-
https://www.momentcorp.com/review/nikon_35mm_f1.4_ai-s.html
unknown-
https://pixelarge.com/nikkor-nikon-35-mm-f1-4-ai-s-review/
Lens Heritage 2nd JSONsecondary
The Nikon 35mm f/1.4 AI-S is the low-light beast — Nikon's fastest 35mm manual focus lens. Where the f/2 was for working photojournalists, the f/1.4 was for those who pushed into darker territory. Concert photographers, nightlife documentarians, and available-light obsessives paid the premium for that extra stop.