Sirui Aurora 35mm f/1.4 Review

The Sirui Aurora 35mm f/1.4 is a fast, full-frame prime lens for Nikon Z cameras. It's built for photographers who want that classic, wide-angle look with a super bright aperture.

Right out of the box, it feels solid. You get a dedicated AFL button and an AF/MF switch, which is nice for quick control. But at 503g, it's not exactly a lightweight travel companion.

This lens is all about the image quality. The bokeh is in the 97th percentile, which means your background blur will be creamy and smooth. Sharpness is also top-tier, landing in the 90th percentile. The f/1.4 aperture is fantastic in low light. The autofocus is just okay, sitting in the 47th percentile, so it's not the fastest for action. And there's no stabilization, so you'll need steady hands or a gimbal for video.

At $549, it's priced right in the middle of the third-party lens market. You're paying for that exceptional bokeh and sharpness. If those are your top priorities, it's a solid deal. But if you need lightning-fast autofocus or built-in stabilization, you might feel like you're missing something for the price.

Compared to the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7, the Sirui has a brighter aperture and likely better bokeh, but the Viltrox is cheaper. The Meike 35mm f/1.8 is lighter and has STM motors, which might mean smoother video AF, but you lose that f/1.4 light gathering. Against a first-party Nikon 35mm, you save a lot of money with the Sirui, but you give up weather sealing and potentially better AF performance. It's a trade-off.

Buy this lens if you're a portrait or low-light shooter who values beautiful background blur and sharpness above all else. It's a specialist, not a generalist. Skip it if you shoot a lot of fast-moving subjects, need stabilization for handheld video, or want a lightweight walk-around lens.