Nikon buck price trend with £199 35mm f/1.8

Nikon fans may be surprised that a 35mm f/1.8 has been launched at just £199, when prices are spiralling upwards in the UK. What a perfect lens for the D3, D700 or D3X! But wait – read the small print! Or, read the press release very carefully indeed.

This is a DX Nikkor, which means that it only covers the DX (APS-C) small sensor format. The lens in flesh makes that very clear:

It’s an interesting move, and price, but basically it’s a ‘standard lens’ for DX and not the impossible dream of a perfectly priced, perfectly specified 35mm semi-wide angle for full frame…
Nikon press information follows.
RRP: £199.99 / €243.00
Sales start date: 6th March 2009
Nikon UK is pleased to announce a brand new wide aperture DX NIKKOR lens, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G. The lens has a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8 for a bright viewfinder experience, and beautiful background blur with shallow depth of field. It also incorporates NIKKOR’s ultra-compact ring type Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for quiet accurate focus operation even with cameras without built-in motors such as the Nikon D40 and Nikon D60.
“This lens is an excellent creative option in addition to the kit lenses many customers purchase with their cameras,” says Ludovic Drean, Product Manager at Nikon Europe. He adds: “We expect that many customers, particularly photography students, will find this lens an affordable choice for expanding their photographic system”.
AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
With a compact, lightweight design, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G provides the high reproduction capability and picture quality for which NIKKOR lenses are renowned, at an affordable price. The ring type SWM offers quiet AF operation. Although all lens groups shift during focusing, the front element and filter mount do not rotate and the barrel length does not change, which is useful when using filter mounted SB-R200 Wireless Remote Speedlight units.
The AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G optical design allows a different look and feel to images taken with zoom lenses, and its dimensions are ideal for discrete snapshots and landscape shooting with a picture angle that approximates that of the human eye. With its rounded seven-blade diaphragm opening, out-of-focus elements appear more natural. When mounted on a DX-format SLR, the picture angle is the 35mm equivalent focal length of 50mm.
The AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G has two focus modes, M/A (manual override autofocus) and M (manual focus). The M/A mode enables instant manual switching during AF operation. The lens also features a rubber seal to minimise moisture ingression around the mount and can focus down to 0.3 meters (0.98 ft).