Back in 2017, I reviewed the Nikon 28mm f1.4 E G lens for Nikon F mount cameras. Every now and again, I look up prices on that lens only to realize that it’s still very expensive. Why? Well, honestly; it’s one of the few lenses I would’ve considered going back to DSLRs for. Something overall better about the image quality and how easy it is to fall in love with it has never really been replicated. I even own the Leica 28mm f2 SL APO lens, and even that hasn’t excited me like the older Nikon lens.
In that review, I wrote that it was on par with a Zeiss lens — but that it had autofocus. Believe it or not, that’s not that surprising. Zeiss would often do something really unique and wonderful only for the Japanese to catch up a few years later. Granted, the Nikon lacks character — which the Zeiss 35mm f1.4 Milvus has and I adored.
The Nikon 28mm f1.4 was great for street, portraits, and so much more. Nikon hasn’t made anything like that yet for Z mount, and I hope that they do soon. Looking at the photos, it’s hard to not like what they lens was capable of doing.
Now let me be clear here, I’ve never usually been a big fan of Nikon’s colors. But something about this lens converted me. And if I were got buy this lens today and mount it on a Z mount camera, I’m pretty sure that I’d be in love. The reason is that a camera like the Nikon Zf lets me load various profiles onto it using Nikon Picture Control. There’s also the NikonPC website that’s great for that too.
Oh yeah, the bokeh from this lens is gorgeous and I rarely ever want to say things like that because these days, it’s not hard to make nice bokeh.
While Sigma also made a very good 28mm f1.4, it still couldn’t hold up to the Nikon.