Conclusion

Compared to the much more expensive f/1.4 version, the new Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G is the sensible choice for full-frame Nikon DSLR shooters, offering most of the optical performance without breaking the bank. It's not as sharp wide open as its big brother, especially at the edges, and it does suffer more from chromatic aberrations and vignetting, but then it's also less than half the price. Bokeh is still soft and creamy, with the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture making it very easy to separate the subject from the background.

Auto-focusing with the AF-S 35mm f/1.8G was fast and quiet on the D610 body that we tested it with. Build quality is great for a modern lens, and you even get a lens hood and soft bag included in the box. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens is a great choice for users of Nikon FX digital and film SLRs, and the focal length also makes sense on a DX body too (where the angle of view shrinks from 63° to 44°, which is very close to that of a “normal” prime).

In summary, if you either can't stomach the sky-high price of the f/1.4 version, or you don't need near-perfect image quality, then we can highly recommend the new Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	4
Value for money	4.5