AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED

This is definitely my most favorite lens! I love the wide angle, with minimal distortions. The extreme speeds on the 1.4 make this incredibly versatile in low light needs. Wonderful lens!

This lens is definitely for low light environment. It has some problem with AF in wide open aperture. On some test shots, it causes the camera sporadically pickup wrong focus, beyond the intended focus spot in well lit area.
I have to turn to manual focus and it works well.
The image I took over the New Year Festival night shooting at 1/15s - F/1.4 ISO 500. It was a completely dark surrounding.

There are many rave review of this lens out there, and when it does hit its target, the image is beautiful. However, the focus mechanism is somewhat faulty. I´m getting a success rate of about 30-40%. The rest of the images are all out of focus. I tried my copy on 3 D700´s and still had the focusing problem. I even locked down my camera on a tripod, thinking that maybe it was user error or shaky hands, but no...the focusing does have problem, images come out of focus. Somehow it feels like the little motor inside the lens isn´t reaching it destination. I tried adjusting the AF fine tuning, but it doesn´t seem to help much. Make sure you check out a copy at a brick and mortar store before you purchase this lens.

This lens has taken my low light photography to a new level. From the first night I used it to every night after that I´ve gotten great images. its also one of the sexiest things you can put on your camera.

The lens produces beautiful, sharp photos when the autofocus hits. The problem seems correctable by stopping down the lens, but then what is the point, just use your 14-24 or 24-70.

My lust for this lens began last spring, when I tested it at Nikon´s Ginza showroom in Japan. I promised myself I would own this beauty in the not too distant future. Fast forward five months and I finally got the lens in hand. Honestly, I did run into some focus issues. After determining it was not my technique, I fine tuned the autofocus on my D3 body, and the focus problem was gone completely. Its image quality is unbelievable! At f/1.4 it matches what I usually get from my 17-35 at f/5.6, it´s that sharp! And its bokeh is incredible. People don´t usually associate a wide angle with beautiful bokeh, but this 24mm possesses this virtue. The Nano Coat helps this lens retain contrast against back lit subjects, and greatly minimizes flare. The autofocus is quieter than a whisper, but it´s not as fast as my f/2.8 zooms´. That´s not to say it´s slow, just that the f/2.8 zooms are lighting fast already. What the AF may lack in speed, it makes up in accuracy. The lens is nice and light, but well built to tight tolerances.

In the past ten years, Nikon has re-invented itself...they make the best cameras, both in low light (D3s) and Hi res (D3x). Some of their new zoom lens designs were so good Canon users were buying adapters just to use them manually (14-24mm f/2.8)...BUT... the Nikon primes were generally long in the tooth, and while good...they were not as good as these new Nikon zooms.

Now the laws of physics have not changed over this time, a prime made with similar and contemporary design considerations as a zoom will be superior optically simply because the design does not have to compromise for changing focal length. Problem was, Nikon had not made any new technology seriously pro primes UNTIL NOW.

This 24mm f/1.4 is the best Nikon lens made to date, probably the best lens I have ever seen or owned in 35 years, and that includes Leica, Zeiss units costing triple or more the price of this beast...also including the Nikon 28mm 1.4 discontinued a few years back.

It is super sharp at all apertures, has color saturation and micro contrast you have to see to believe. The bokeh is amazing from a 24mm lens, very smooth...but the most impressive part is how the design of this lens allows you to separate your subject from the background with authority...it just pops like 3D.

I am convinced that clients will observe this dramatic difference, basically because this allows you to produce results that they have not seen before. It looks like Nikon is on a march to update its primes to the new standard it set with its pro zooms. Personally, I have always preferred to zoom with my feet and have the best glass on the camera.

As of this writing it looks like Nikon is releasing a new 85mm 1.4 next week, with a similar price point, and I assume similar stunning results...place my order now, and keep those pro primes coming, Nikon!

You have to use this lens to really appreciate what it can do. Shooting wide open allows for effects that are just stunning. It is actually an excellent performer across the board in that I would not hesitate to use it at higher focal lengths. Add to that an excellent build, balanced feel, quiet and fast AF, and it all adds up to a lens that, if you have a use for it, you will not be disappointed with.

This lens WON´T AUTOFOCUS BEYOND 30 feet--This DISASTROUS AUTOFOCUS FAILURE happens in all types of lighting and with all types of targets.

Whenever I try to autofocus on targets over 30 feet away, my D700 focuses the 24mm f/1.4 at 15(!) feet and gives a solid ´´focus-locked-on´´ green light indication.

There are many reliable internet reports of similar autofocus-failures with this lens on many different Nikon bodies.

There is an especially thorough 24mmm f/1.4 autofocus evaluation in the DigLloyd blog of May 8, 2010

Some samples are reported to autofocus well on one body, but to fail on another body.

Buy this lens ONLY from a seller who guarantees a 100% refund in case of autofocus failure.
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If you can get it to focus, the optical quality is absolutely superb--BEST OF CLASS.