Building on the earlier suggestion, the skepticism about this being a non-S lens is totally justified if you care about long-term gear survival. In my experience, when Nikon skips the S branding, they're usually cutting corners on the weather sealing gaskets and the internal barrel materials. I've tried many of these budget fast primes over the years, and while the f/1.4 bokeh looks great on day one, the mechanical reliability often lets you down after a year of heavy use. Stumbled upon this discussion and figured I'd chime in since reliability is my main thing. If you're a spec nerd like me and want something that actually delivers on technical performance, look at the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO-LANTHAR. It's manual focus, which isnt for everyone, but the apochromatic design is basically perfect for eliminating fringing. For those who need AF but want a lens built like a tank, I still think the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art on an FTZ adapter is a better bet for long-term reliability. I've dropped mine on concrete twice and it still hits focus perfectly every time. These new lightweight plastics just wont handle that kind of abuse... honestly, you get what you pay for when it comes to the chassis.

^ This. Also, if its not an S-line, you really gotta be careful about the corner sharpness and flare. I learned my lesson with the Nikon Z 40mm f/2... loved the price, but the ghosting was a pain in harsh lighting. If youre watching your budget, this new 35mm might look tempting compared to the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S, but I’d wait for the technical reviews first. I usually prefer picking up used S-line glass over brand new consumer-grade stuff because the build quality and sealing just last longer. Adding my two cents here, but save your cash until we see if the autofocus can actually keep up with the professional bodies. Tbh, cheaper primes often cut corners on the motor speed too. Make sure to check if it has the physical buttons you need because those non-S lenses are usually pretty bare bones.

RalphZen is spot on about the coatings! It is wild how much difference Nano Crystal or Arneo Coat makes when youre shooting into the sun. Without those, youre basically asking for flare and ghosting issues. I love the technical trade-offs Nikon is making to keep the price down, but you gotta know what youre losing in terms of internal optics... If you want that fast glass look without the massive S-line price tag, you should seriously look at these native Z alternatives:

• The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Z is an absolute beast for the money. It actually includes ED elements and two highly refractive index lenses which helps a ton with that spherical aberration people worry about.
• If you want something even cheaper that still hits hard, the Yongnuo YN 35mm f/2 DF DSM Z is shockingly good. Its got a custom function button and the AF motor is actually pretty snappy for a third party lens! Basically, the big difference is gonna be the MTF charts at the corners. Those non-S lenses usually fall off pretty hard compared to the clinical perfection of the high-end stuff. But honestly, for street photography or casual portraits, that character can actually look kinda cool tho. Plus, saving like 400 bucks is a massive win!

Been following this thread for a few hours and honestly, the confusion around the S-line designation is pretty typical for Nikon lately. Before I dive into the specs, what are you actually planning to shoot with this? Like, are we talking professional event work where you need that fast aperture for low light, or just casual street stuff where you want the character? In my experience over the years, there is a massive gap in how these different manufacturers handle focus breathing and chromatic aberration. If you dont mind the extra bulk, you should basically just look at the stuff coming out from Sigma. They usually nail the optics even if the weight is a bit much. But if you want that specific Nikon look and perfect autofocus integration, just stick with any of the native Nikon glass. They might skip the fancy coatings on the non-S stuff, but the rendering is usually more consistent than the third-party alternatives.

Unfortunately, its quite disappointing to see Nikon skipping the S-line designation here. I had issues with their newer consumer-grade lenses where the build quality just wasnt as good as expected, which is a big deal if you shoot in tough conditions. If youre on a budget, it might be worth taking a more methodical approach and looking at adapted F-mount options that offer better optics for less money. Heres a few ways to get better value:

• Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art used with an adapter
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED for a lightweight alternative
• Checking technical data on sites like Optical Limits or Photons to Photos before buying I personally think the DIY route of adapting older professional glass using the Nikon FTZ II Mount Adapter is the way to go right now. It takes a bit more effort to handle the extra size, but the image quality is often superior to these new budget-friendly Z primes. Definitely worth the trade-off if you want to save some cash tho.

It turns out not the S line lens.