With the popularity of zooms, particularly of constant aperture f2.8 types amongst the press, not to mention DSLRs with variable ISOs and ultra-high sensitivities, the fast prime has been overlooked in recent times. But that’s changing. After the surprise AF-S 50mm f1.4 revamp, Nikon’s latest pro-level prime is a 24mm, again, with a maximum aperture of f1.4, to rival Canon’s offering. It’s unequivocally aimed at photojournalists and ideally suited for low-light photography where flash would be conspicuous. However it’s a big bulky affair when compared with the likes of the Nikon AF-D 24mm /2.8 and weighing in at 620g is no lightweight either.

Like the AF-S 50mm f1.4, the new 24mm adopts the whisper quiet Silent Wave Motor, but unlike the fifty, focusing is very fast. Indeed, it’s so fast and quiet that you barely notice its operation; a fact aided by the inner focus mechanism and, as a result, lack of barrel extension. While not instantaneous, it’s not likely to disappoint. The most impressive thing about this lens, though, is its optical performance. While not stretching itself on the 12-megapixel Nikon D700 we had in for the testing, the 24mm has excellent definition wide-open, with even the edges not too far behind the centre.

What is noticeable at the maximum aperture, though, is quite distinct barrel distortion at closer distances and vignetting, a trade-off for the high resolving power that results in a rather gentle curve in our chart. Best overall performance is at f5.6 with the edges only a fraction behind the centre, but this isn’t a lens you’ll buy to use at f5.6 very often. Indeed you’ll likely want to invest in a decent set of ND filters, or one of the novel vari-ND filters perhaps, if you want that soft beautiful bokeh at wider apertures in daylight. You might also want to invest in a split-image focusing screen, as the depth of field at f1.4 provides no margin for mistakes at close distances even with a fine-tuned AF system.

As for the vignetting, well, the new Nikon bodies offer the option of in-camera correction along with automatic chromatic-aberration removal, at least with JPEGs. All the same, despite the use of ED glass and aspheric surfaces there’s a hint of fringing at the maximum aperture on high contrast edges. Like other recent offerings from Nikon the 24mm features at least one glass surface with the Nano crystal coat and as expected the lens copes very well with flare and ghosting with the Sun in the frame, but not nearly so well when stray light hits the large convex front element at a higher incidence. Then veiling flare is particularly problematic. A slightly skimpy bayonet-type hood is provided and is well worth keeping it handy just in case.

The new 24mm AF-S Nikkor is phenomenally sharp, and not just stopped down a little but from f1.4, but there are a couple of shortcomings. The first is the price. If you’re not going to be using it at f1.4, then there are perfectly good - and cheaper - alternatives in Nikon’s range. Second, the G-series lenses don’t have manual aperture control rings, limiting compatibility with certain older film cameras and other makes for video work. But apart from that the AF-S 24 is about as good as it currently gets.

Final Verdict There’s no doubting the Nikkor AF-S 24mm f/1.4 G ED is a pricey option, but it’s performance is stunning not only stopped down but wide-open, where it really counts. OVERALL

Claire started studying photography over six years ago where she was intrigued by the act of image making. Claire has a great passion for traditional photographic methods however she’s found the change to the digital medium to be a fascinating advancement.