Nikon af NIkkor 35mm f/2D

Another day, another lens. My, my am I going nuts! Thankfully, I'd learned how to buy a lens already, so I was more confident in getting the af Nikkor 35mm f/2D.

35mm Lenses

• Depending on the crop factor of the camera, you may not be shooting a true 35mm
• The crop factor will determine the true focal length of the lens
• On my camera, the Nikon D7200, that has a crop factor of 1.5x, a 35mm shoots as a 50mm
• Very versatile
• Good for landscapes
• Not so great for close-ups without a close-up filter

Story

I was out shopping with my boyfriend in Ikebukuro. We had just finished buying Magic cards from a game store and were late in meeting with our friend to play. I'd mentioned earlier that I wanted to check out the Bic Camera Outlet for used camera lenses, so he asked, "Do you want to be naughty? We can go to the camera store." With twinkling eyes, I texted our friend to tell him that we would be pretty late.

My boyfriend and I made our way to the 4th floor where cases of lenses glimmered in the fluorescent lights. We found the Nikon lenses and I balked internally at the prices. I mean, I know how expensive lenses can be, but I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing such high numbers following a currency symbol.

Thankfully, there were some lenses in my price range, well under $200. Two in particular drew my focus (pun possibly intended). There was a 105mm f/2.8 and a 35mm f/2D. I took a photo of each and sent them to my photographer friend, Omi. After reading several excited texts in full upper case, I figured out that the 35mm would be better for my purposes: the 35mm f/2D. The 105mm f/2.8 was great for macro, which isn't something in which I'm interested at the moment. 

Because a 35mm lens has a wider field of view, it's better suited to landscape/cityscape/skyscape photography, which is perhaps my favorite genre of all time. I don't have anything close to a wide-angle lens, and this is very close to a wide-angle without being specifically a wide-angle lens. So there's some versatility to it.

We hustled out of the store and through the station to catch our train to meet our friend. After coffee and three hours of playing Magic (I lost miserably but had a lot of fun nonetheless), we all went to a nearby game store to look at more cards. I got a few cards to replace the disappointing ones in my deck, and we headed back to the station. We parted ways, each taking a different train to our respective domiciles.

Before going back to the hostel, I stopped in Ikebukuro again and hit the Bic Camera Outlet. Again. I called an attendant over to remove the af Nikkor 35mm f/2D from the case for inspection. I whipped out the notebook in which I wrote my notes on how to check a lens for purchase. I went down the list, finding the lens in immaculate condition.

Now that my credit card was used to buying lenses, it felt less horrible purchasing the 35mm for $180. I walked out of the camera shop tired from the long day, but also more confident in my knowledge of evaluating and purchasing camera lenses by myself.