The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 35mm f1.8G and the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF is the longer of the two lenses at 111mm. The Nikon 35mm f1.8G with a length of 53mm, is 58mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Nikon 35mm f1.8G's 70mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Nikon 35mm f1.8G weighs 200g, which means it is 555g (73%) lighter than the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF which has a weight of 755g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 35mm f1.8G has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 35mm f1.8G:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 35mm f1.8G and the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has the same Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Nikon 35mm f1.8G is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 35mm f1.8G is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
52.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has a focal range of 17-55mm and 3.2X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 25.5-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.