Incredibly versatile despite being a prime lens, the Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G Lens is a general wide-angle lens well-suited for everyday shooting. Its fast f/1.4 maximum aperture is ideal for working in low-light conditions and also offers increased control over depth of field for isolating subject matter.

The lens's optical design incorporates one aspherical elements, which helps to suppress spherical aberrations and distortion in order to achieve greater sharpness and more accurate rendering. A Nano Crystal Coat has also been applied to control flare and ghosting for greater contrast and accurate color response. Additionally, benefitting the optical assets, a Silent Wave Motor affords fast and precise autofocus performance, along with full-time manual focus override, to benefit both stills and video applications.