Nikon 28mm 1.4E Review (2024 Update for z6ii)
If there is one lens I can’t live without, it’s the Nikon 28 1.4. While I’m sure most people coming to my website are looking for photos of families and cute babies, I have to take a moment to sing the praises of this lens!
Link Nikon 28mm 1.4E current pricing (Amazon affiliate link).
I’ve been a Nikon shooter since I picked up my first DSLR. I bought it on the recommendation of a friend, and haven’t looked back. I love Nikon colors, how well it does with dark and shadowy, and have been happy with the lens selection. When I first started shooting wedding in 2016, I shot mostly on my 85mm and 35mm, but then had to pull out my 16-35mm for receptions and landscapes. It wasn’t the world’s biggest inconvenience, but I also wasn’t completely in love with the results.
Enter the 28mm 1.4E. In 2018, I went to Mystic Seminars in Portland, OR. There was a small trade show happening along with the seminars, and Nikon was represented. I had been considering purchasing the 28mm, but was still on the fence. I will always be a engineer at heart, and am both…budget aware (aka cheap) and reading ALL the reviews (aka obsessive). I went to see if I could borrow one for a bit, and they had all been loaned out. But one of the Nikon reps went WAY above and beyond, and loaned me his personal copy.
The following images are shot using my Nikon D750.
One lunch hour worth of photos in downtown Portland and I was sold.
While trying research the lens, I struggled to find real life reviews. There is absolutely nothing wrong with knowing weight, dimensions, exact distortion specs, etc. But I wanted to know what the colors were like, if it would work for storytelling-type imagery, and if I could use it in multiple situations.
I tend to almost always shoot at 2.2 aperture or below, so it’s been really fun to move to a lens with a 1.4 minimum aperture. I know it’s not for everyone, but I love having hardly anything in focus – one leaf, one eye. It’s also a huge help when I’m in low light situations like clients’ homes during early morning.
The colors on this lens are fantastic. It isn’t as warm SOOC as my 85mm 1.4G SOOC, but it has a beautiful range and does really well outside. If I get the sun in the right spot, I’m rewarded with rainbows and soft, fuzzy flare.
The biggest selling point for me has been the extra room I have to shoot with though. I love, love, LOVE telling stories with my photos. Close-up, wide, tiny details, big details. While I appreciated the 35mm, I found myself having to back up, or irritated that I couldn’t fit the whole scene in. But at 28mm, this lens can capture it all.
These next two photos show its versatility – I can go from tiny details (a beer and a drake) to a wide open view of the Tetons and the Snake River (note: vignetting in that photo was added in post).
And it’s worked out great for receptions, too!
I’ll admit it was expensive, but the Nikon 28 1.4 lens has been worth every penny I paid for it. It never leaves my camera body, in any situation. If Nikon would only make an E version of the 85mm, my kit would be set!
2022 Update – Using Nikon D780 with Nikon 28mm 1.4E
I still really, really love this lens. Since writing the original post, I’ve gone through two Nikon D780s, then switched to two Nikon z6ii bodies.
This lens is still on one of my cameras almost every session and wedding. I have moved away from using it during newborn sessions though, because the distortion on the edges can be a bit much in tight spaces. Your subject does need to be pretty close to the middle of the frame for a flattering perspective, at least when photographed up close!
The following images are from the last two years, using a Nikon D780 body:
2024 Update – Using Nikon z6ii with Nikon 28mm 1.4E
I spent all of 2023 and so far all of 2024 using this lens on a Nikon z6ii and I’m still incredibly impressed. It’s not as fast at focusing as my Nikon 35mm Z-series lens, but it has so much more life and color and depth. As mentioned above, I have stopped using it for newborn sessions, only because of the distortion on the edges. But it’s my go-to wide lens for weddings and family sessions.
I was having some focusing issues with it on the adapter, but after cleaning the contacts (on both my camera and lens), we’re all good to go! I managed to drop this lens out of a car in August 2023, and the only issue I’ve had are some scuff marks on the lens hood.
The following images are taken with a Nikon 28mm 1.4E and a Nikon z6ii:
All these photos were shot on a Nikon D750, Nikon D780, or Nikon z6ii with a Nikon 28mm 1.4E lens. More questions? Feel free to shoot me an email!
More Gear Reviews
Nikon Z 85mm 1.2 Lens (compared to the Nikon Z 85mm 1.8 lens)
Liz, I am so glad I found this review (especially the 2024 revisit for Z6ii) today. After loving this same lens for wedding after-party / reception work using natural light and in the evening with an SB-5000 flash bounced off the walls & ceiling I was on the verge of selling it along with other G & E Nikkors as I now have a Z f and another system. Luckily I decided to give the DSLR Nikkors a reprieve while having another look on the internet, as like you I previously haven’t found much comment from experience or with photo examples written about the 28/1.4E. After reading your thoughts and seeing your pictures I’m keeping the lens and might have to keep my D-800 series body / bodies to get the best experience and balance for the lens. Thank you for rescuing me from a rash decision. The 58/1.4G can stay as well as the two work very nicely together. The one thing I’m undecided about is handling on a Z f with the necessary adapter, which is why I will most likely keep the DSLR bodies too.
Yay!! I’m so glad this was helpful! I haven’t gotten the chance to use the Zf system yet (although I’ve heard great things), but I have been extremely happy with how the 28mm works on the Z system with the FTZ adapter. Sure, it’s not as quick to focus as the Z lenses, but it’s not what I would call sluggish by any means. I’ve been eyeing the 58mm/1.4G for a couple years for the same reason – just something a little different. I’m actually in the process of writing a post about my experience with the 85mm 1.2 Z lens, and one of the things I miss in the new lenses is the fun character – vignetting, distortion, flare, etc. There’s just something about the 28mm that I keep coming back to!
Liz, thank you for your fast response. Couldn’t agree more with your comments. I am not totally won over by the Z-glass (I still shoot film too so atmosphere is everything to me). FYI the 58mm AF lens is fantastic for what I’d call ‘long normal’ portraits, which I love, and the rendering is very beautiful; sharp where it matters but the opposite of clinical. I shot a presentation dinner evening with just that lens doing small groups, individuals and couples formally and informally and the results drew very flattering comments from those photographed, which helped my confidence. I love it and it pairs very well with the fast 28mm, which is wide enough and brilliant for wedding discos – getting right in the middle of the dancers. Typically I shoot the 58mm at f/2 for individuals and maybe a bit more stopped down for small groups, sometimes with bounce flash on white ceilings and walls and the reflector card just on an SB-5000 on camera for the eyes and that works surprisingly well for my kind of work, though of course not for everything. Looking forward to seeing your results and post about the 85mm f/1.2. Your family and newborn shots are really natural and relaxed.
Hey Liz
So glad I just found this post. As you say, there is very little online or even on YT, regarding this lens. It seems to be a hidden secret. I shoot events/paid gigs/portraits/bands, here in Perth, Western Australia. I have 6 of the Z lenses with my two Z6ii’s. However, though they are very clinical and perfectly sharp, there is something lacking and sterile with most of those lenses. My workhorse is the Z 24-70, 2.8s lens. I also shoot a lot with the 35mm 1.8s. I’m kind of 90% happy, but know there is something lacking, in the images.
The 35mm is a tiny bit tight for me and I love the 28mm focal length. I have the plastic Z28mm but the 2.8 aperture is a killer. There is a used 28mm E on ‘fleabay’ at the moment I have been eyeing. It’s very expensive at 1400 AUD (then another 350 for the adapter). Perhaps I could ask you a couple of questions, as you use the same camera as me. How much slower is the AFC on the Z6ii with the adapter and the f mount lens? A lot of photographers complain about the AFC on the Z6ii. I shoot a lot of events with people dancing and moving fast. I find the focus good enough with the Z35 and Z24-70. I need fast focus to capture the action. Is the focus with the E lens noticeably slower,? Do you think it can capture fast action? Does it balance at all well, having it poke out further with the adapter on board? Finally, are you still happy with the Z6ii or are you updating to the Z6iii like most photographers. I am not, because I love the Z6ii, the images are beautiful, the focus fast enough, and the flip around screen on the Z6iii is a real deal-breaker for me. Sorry for all the questions.
Cheers
Philip
Hi, Philip!
I’m more than happy to answer your questions! I love getting to chat with other photographers, especially about gear.
I’ve been perfectly happy with the focus on the 28mm, but I use single point AF (no eye detect, etc). I’ve used it quite a bit for wedding receptions with a speedlight on camera, and suspect any issues I have (struggling to find focus, etc) are more due to the z6ii than the 28mm. I haven’t compared it to my 35mm 1.8z in these situations, but my second body typically has a 85z lens on it, and if there’s a difference, it’s not noticeable. When working in situations with plenty of light, like during the day, there are zero issues with the AF (again at least with single point). I photography kids quite a bit, and have no issues with them running, dancing, being generally crazy, as long as it’s on AF-C mode.
I use the Nikon 105mm 1.4E on my z6ii, and that lens does take longer to focus, so I do feel like if the 28mm were having similar issues, I would have noticed!
The images out of this lens are definitely somewhat softer compared to the z lenses, of course. But I love the flare and rainbows, and the fact you can shoot at 1.4. I’m also a massive sucker for natural vingetting – I feel like this lens really pops and shines when you turn “lens correction – OFF” in Lightroom.
Balance is totally fine, at least compared to the lenses I normally shoot with. It’s very similar in size and shape to the Nikon 50mm 1.2 – long and skinny. I need to update my post with some photos of the lens on the camera body!
I’ve been incredibly happy with the z6ii, and don’t have any plans to update at the moment. They do everything I need, and have worked beautifully, despite 3-4 years of tons of use (and the occasional tumble). I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the electronic viewfinder, but I kind of love it!
Thank you for your comment! I appreciate you reaching out!
Liz