Nikon 24mm 1.4G

So I recently bought one of my dream lenses. I have only shot a little with it so far but here are my initial impressions:

POSITIVES:
- Amazing IQ
- Ridiculously sharp (more on this later)
- Renders colours beautifully
- Minimal distortion
- Awesome bokeh for a wide angle
- Focuses quite close

NEGATIVES:
- Expensive
- AF hunts a LOT when subjects are very close. This is sort of to be expected given the paper thin DOF at 1.4. But it is still what anyone would consider slow.


I have also found that I am missing focus a bit. I am used to shooting at 1.4 with my 50mm, and tend to be quite accurate with that most of the time. I believe that the 50mm should have a shallower DOF given the same lens to subject distance, yet I seem to be having more problems with the 24. I am not sure if this is just me being new to the lens or if this is a regular occurrence?

The lens is so damn sharp that it is really obvious when you have missed focus (even slightly). Do other 24 1.4 owners feel bang on focus is a bit of a lottery sometimes? I wouldn't want to spend so much on a lens and not be comfortable shooting at 1.4.

Congratulations! That's my dream wide angle lens too. It sounds kind of like the issue I had with my 85 1.4 G missing the focus but then it somehow corrected itself. Find out if it is focussing ahead or behind the subject then see if you can compensate with the focus compensation (up to - or + 20). My only guess at the time was that the camera goes through a process of learning the lens but also test it at different apertures. Is it only happening at f1.4 or by f2.8 it is always perfect?

Looking forward to seeing some pics, even if just test shots. I'm still debating whether I need a 24 or just go with a 28 mm. I used to always shoot 28 and 24 seems a bit wide to me for some reason.

Sounds like a great lens. I just got the 35 1.4 and 28mm 1.8?. Since I have the 14mm-24mm zoom, I need to be a good boy, and wait a while. You don't happen to have that zoom (14-24) as well do you? Would be interested in some one comparison... Big diff or not.

JD

what focus mode are you on? use the smallest single point,, and use the back control to place exactly where you want the focus point, should be fine,, and or use manual mode in those situations.

Could always shoot a couple shots while fine-manual focusing to avoid missing that paper-thin field.

​Sounds like a cool lens otherwise.

1.4 lenses vs 1.8 lenses....two very different beasts in my opinion. My Sigma 50 1.4 gave me horrendous issues at first, but the more you use it, the more it rewards you. It's all about practice and knowing the lens inside and out with very very fast primes.

That remindes me. I got the 28mm f1.8 and 35mm f1.4 at the same time. I was thinking of returning the 28mm but quickly found I like it as a similar, but much lighter lens. Sometimes I just like to have a lighter lens attached and I choose it instead of the 35mm. So, as usual, both seemed better than or for me. JD