Nikon 24mm f/1.4G vs Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G
How does the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G compare to the legendary Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G? Let’s take a look at both at 24mm:
At f/2.8, the 24mm f/1.4G is significantly sharper than the 14-24mm @ 24mm, especially in the corners. At f/5.6 though, the 14-24mm f/2.8G shows remarkable center and corner performance, but its mid-frame performance still lacks a bit in comparison. It is also important to note that the 14-24mm f/2.8G suffers heavily from focus shift and field curvature issues, whereas the 24mm f/1.4G is much better at both. The 14-24mm f/2.8G is obviously a very versatile tool with its ability to go much wider all the way to 14mm, so if you need a landscape lens and you are going to be stopping down to f/5.6 and smaller, it will be a better choice overall (minus the ability to mount regular filters, of course). The 24mm f/1.4G is aimed at those who want to be able to shoot at wider apertures, so if you find yourself shooting in low-light conditions, or you want to be able to isolate subjects better at close distances, then the 24mm f/1.4G is a superb choice.
Nikon 24mm f/1.4G vs Nikon 24mm f/1.8G
What about the newer and lighter Nikon 24mm f/1.8G? Let’s take a look:
Nikon has clearly done an excellent job with the 24mm f/1.8G – it shows superb center resolution and impressive wide-open performance. When stopped down to f/2.8, the 24mm f/1.8G outperforms its bigger brother in the center and the mid-frame. Both lenses reach their maximum potential between f/4 and f/5.6, but it is clear that the f/1.4G just can’t resolve as much detail in comparison.
Nikon 24mm f/1.4G vs Samyang 24mm f/1.4
Next, let’s not forget about the inexpensive, but excellent Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens:
At roughly $500, the Samyang is the least expensive of the lenses in this comparison. However, as you can see from the above tests, it is also somewhat weak in terms of its overall performance. Wide-open, it is soft quite a bit. However, once stopped down to f/1.8 and smaller, it gets much sharper. By f/2, both lenses perform similarly in the center and the corners. The Samyang 24mm f/1.4 reaches its peak performance at f/5.6 and demonstrates impressive mid-frame and corner performance, so if you need a lens that does very well for landscape photography at smaller apertures, the Samyang 24mm f/1.4 can certainly compete with its Nikon counterpart.
Nikon 24mm f/1.4G vs Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art
Lastly, let’s take a look at how the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G performs when compared to the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art:
Without a doubt, Sigma has done a remarkable job with its Art series lenses and the 24mm f/1.4 is not an exception. As you can see from the above test results, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art is absolutely stunning wide open at f/1.4 in the center frame, something the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G cannot even reach at f/2.8! However, its superb center sharpness comes at the expense of mid-frame and corner performance. As you can see, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art only gets strong at f/5.6 and even then, it cannot quite get as good as the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G does in the mid-frame and the corners.
Still, for someone looking for a solid third-party alternative, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art shows a remarkable potential. At less than half the price, it is the lens I would not hesitate to recommend to any Nikon shooter who is looking for a fast f/1.4 lens…
