Shots fired: Nikon's 35mm f/1.4 lens is AU$1,500 cheaper than Canon's

Nikon has announced a 35mm f/1.4 mirrorless lens, just weeks after Canon launched one of its own. And while the lenses have their differences, the biggest one is the price: Nikon's lens is about a grand and a half cheaper than Canon's. 

The Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 is the company's long-awaited wide-angle Z system lens, ideal for street photography, reportage and documentary work, carrying a retail price of AU$1,099.

That compares to the similarly long-awaited Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM with its $2,599.95 price tag. That's a AU$1,500 difference, which is 137% more expensive. 

Again, they're very different lenses that do very different things; Canon's is a premium L-series lens, and one of its new generation of hybrid photo-video optics. Nikon's, meanwhile, is not even a member of its premium S-series family.

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Still, if you're one of the many people for whom a 35mm f/1.4 lens is an essential part of your kit bag, on paper this is a helluva win for Nikon. 

This full-frame lens features 9 groups featuring 11 elements, including a pair of aspherical elements, with a 9-diaphragm aperture design. Measuring 88.5mm in length, with a 74.5mm diameter, it has a 62mm filter thread with a minimum focus distance of 0.27m and a maximum magnification of 0.18x.

Notably, it's also Nikon's first Z lens to feature an f/1.4 aperture. (Equally of note, Canon's 35mm is also its first RF lens with an f/1.4 aperture.) Rumors persist that this will be followed by a 50mm f/1.4, and a premium 35mm f/1.2 S lens is officially on Nikon's roadmap.

The Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is set to go on sale in July. 

Take a look more of the best lenses for street photography. You might also be interested in the best Nikon Z lenses, designed for the best mirrorless cameras from Nikon.