Nikon's Ai fast wide — the manual-focus 35mm f/2 for the F mount, versatile reportage prime.
The Ai Nikkor 35mm f/2 is the Automatic Indexing version of Nikon's fast wide-standard prime, released in 1977 when the whole Nikkor line adopted the Ai metering coupling. It continued the popular fast 35mm line for reportage and general use, now with open-aperture metering on Ai bodies.
This is a manual-focus Nikon F lens with a maximum aperture of f/2 and a fixed 35mm focal length, carrying the Ai aperture-indexing ridge for open-aperture metering. It is a retrofocus wide-standard design operating with normal reflex viewing. Only verified figures are stated; element counts, filter thread and weight are omitted to stay accurate.
The rendering gives a natural moderate-wide field with the subject separation that an f/2 aperture allows, sharpening notably as it is stopped down. It suits street, documentary, travel and everyday shooting where a compact fast wide is useful. It is versatile enough to serve as a walk-around lens.
On the used market the Ai 35mm f/2 is common and affordable, popular with film shooters and mirrorless adapters alike. Check the elements for haze and fungus, inspect coatings for cleaning marks, confirm the aperture blades are dry and snappy, and verify the Ai coupling is intact. It adapts cleanly to mirrorless and is an easy, practical manual wide.