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Nikon Wide Angle Lens - Any Ideas?

N

notnormal1969

Guest
I would like to purchase a Wide angle lens for my D200, which ones do any of you guys recommend? I would prefer to stay with a Nikon VR Lens, so any views or opinions would be much appreciated.........

Kr

Richard
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Does a crop sensor mean you are looking for very wide?
What sort of field of view are you seeking?
VR is not common at the wide end of things as camera shake has a bit less of an effect.
The Nikon 14-24 2.8 is a well regarded lens.
-bob
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Hi Richard

The 14-24 which Bob mentions is the ultimate Nikon high quality wide angle zoom. It's fast (f:2.8) and extremely good. But it's also expensive. And heavy.

If you haven't made up your mind about how wide it needs to be - depending on what you are going to use it for - it might indicate that you are perhaps a bit new to the wide angle area of photography ?

If that is the case I suggest you simply start with e.g. the Nikon 18-70mm zoom. It's dirt cheap, surprisingly good, not so fast, but with a very versatile zoom range (equivalent to the angle of view of a 27-105mm lens on full frame). It's a DX lens, so it fits your D200 cropped sensor (but won't work on a full frame sensor camera).

When you have used that for a year or so, you'll most likely know if you need an even wider lens than that.
And in that case I suggest you go with either the expensive Nikon 14-24/f:2.8 Bob mentions (it's future proof ~ works on full frame) - or the new and not so fast but also cheaper Nikon 10-24/f:3.5-4.5 (which is a DX lens).

Here's a landscape shot with the 18-70 at 18mm (equivalent to 27mm on film), I actually rarely need anything wider than that.



Nikon D50 • Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm at 18mm • 1/250 sec. at f/11 ISO 200




Here's a 'space-n-lines' shot with an ultra wide lens. I bought it used, for one single assignment where I needed the ultra wide angle of view. It's the Sigma 10-20mmD f/4-5.6 here at 10mm. This lens is great fun but also rather extreme and I don't use it very often. It's a DX lens (equivalent to the angle of view of a 15-30mm lens on film/full frame).



Nikon D300 • Sigma 10-20mmD f/4-5.6 at 10mm • 1/3 sec. at f/5.6 ISO 200


If you tell us a bit more about what you want to use the lens for and how wide a lens you have in mind it will be easier for us to suggest something for the purpose.
 
T

tetsrfun

Guest
If that is the case I suggest you simply start with e.g. the Nikon 18-70mm zoom. It's dirt cheap, surprisingly good, not so fast, but with a very versatile zoom range
*******
That is an excellent suggestion...I have both the 18-70 and the 14-24...The 14-24 is not a great walk around lens.

Steve
 
P

plupcoutrielo

Guest
Nikon Wide Angle Lens Any Ideas

I currently have a D70s with a Nikon 24-120mm VR lens.

Back then When I got this lens with my camera, I had read up on lots of reviews and people opinions and well it was a great lens back then and peoples examples were great. This was the lens to get to use as a walk around.

After using for many situations it is a great lens but the wide angle is just not wide enough for my liking. Trying to get a group shot with 24-120 is hard but not impossible.

I wanna replace this lens with something more how should I say practical.

What are people opinions on this. As for wide angles I think im learning towards the Sigma 10-20mm, but have heard and seem many shots from this lens thats its also a great walk around lens. All are of similiar price besides the 18-70.


whats peoples opinions on these lens. Its hard for me as I cant really try them out.
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Hi plupcoutrielo, welcome aboard.

As a walkaround lens for a D70s I would (again) recommend the 18-70 (it used to be the kit lens for the D70s).
It's a bit slow, but it's dirt cheap, surprisingly good and has a very versatile zoom range.

Compared to the Sigma 10-20 I would say the Nikkor 18-70 has better sharpness, better contrast and better colors.

The strength of the 10-20 is simply that it is wide. Very wide !
It certainly is great fun but far too wide to work as a walkaround lens, in my opinion.

Here are some examples with the Nikkor 18-70 at 18mm (on a D50) just to illustrate its widest angle of view.











 

Corlan F.

Subscriber Member
These are nice images Steen. The first one is spectacular.
Sounds like a real good DX lens alright.
 

Lars

Active member
Nikon's 12-24 is a great wide zoom for DX format. Considering the very wide angle, VR is less important. The 12-24 is constant f/4 aperture and focuses and zooms inside the barrel so it's reasonably sturdy (compared to the newer 10-24).
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Thank you, Corlan :thumbup:

And Lars, great suggestion (though not exactly cheap). I guess it all depends on several factors.

plupcoutrielo, I think the most important thing is to consider your needs and your strategy, also for the future.

Are you simply looking for a wider replacement for your 24-120mm to use on your present D70s, here and now ?

Or is it your plan to upgrade to a better quality (and more expensive) walkaround lens to use also on your next higher level camera body - and do you think this will be a DX or an FX (full frame) sensor based camera ?

Or do you want to keep your present walkaround lens and then buy an ultra wide lens as a supplement ?

And, again, do you want such an ultra wide supplement to be a DX (cropped image circle) lens, or a more future proof but also more expensive FX (full image circle) lens ?

As usual there are so many considerations when thinking about purchasing a new lens, especially if you want it to be a bit future proof (which is not necessarily and always the most economical thing to do). It ain't easy ... :)

But in short:
- wider replacement, or ultra wide supplement ?
- what focal length, approximately, do you have in mind ?
- quality and price level
- here-and-now needs, or also more future proof ?
- DX or FX lens ?


By the way, here are some examples with the Sigma 10-20mmD f/4-5.6 lens on D300, all at 10mm to illustrate its widest angle of view.
Because in any case you need to make a decision on how wide you want to go.






















 

woodyspedden

New member
Don't forget the miniscule CV 20mm. I find it does a very credible job re: IQ and the size and weight are compelling.

I love the 14-24 but the little 20 is on the camera more often.

Woody
 

woodyspedden

New member
Also might want to look at the Zeiss ZF 18mm. I have it and find it very good indeed. Much much lighter in weight than the Nikon 14-24 and has that lovely Zeiss color rendition. And it is about 2/3 the price of the 14-24 IIRC. Both the Zeiss 18 and the Voightlander are F3,5 and the Voightlander retails for about $550 and the 18 Zeiss for about $1250. The Nikon 14-24 is $1779 but it has the advantage of being an F 2.8 optic

Woody
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at its widest end 10 mm (15mm equivalent on FX)


click for larger size


Nikon D300 • Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM • 2 sec. at f/11 ISO 200 • Capture NX
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

Thanks, Osman.
The lens is quite good for the money.
I bought it used at 250 EUR, which at the moment equals ~ 325 USD.
New it is 495 EUR at ac-foto, 479 USD at B&H.

But I need to point out that so far I'm not quite happy with its colors for nature photography, though actually I only tried it for nature at one journey in rather cloudy weather.
At least under those conditions the colors didn't look natural and pleasing.
I'll have to give it another try for nature photography, just to give it a more fair judgement.
In low light I sometimes have problems when focusing with one of the outer focus points in the frame. The lens simply starts hunting, or it doesn't autofocus at all.
Besides it does show some distortion, but that's only to be expected and can be corrected in post, if needed.
I bought the lens specificly for a real estate assignment and corrected the distortions in RawTherapee. For that purpose the lens worked just fine.

At the price it is great fun, so far my only ultrawide lens.
I think it is about time we see a new slow (i.e. affordable) ultrawide AF-S Nikon prime though :angel: ... I would buy that in a heartbeat.
These shots from the university library are not distortion corrected.


click for larger size (3 Mb)

Nikon D300 • Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM • 1 sec. at f/11 ISO 200 • Capture NX



click for larger size (3.3 Mb)

Nikon D300 • Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM • 2.5 sec. at f/11 ISO 200 • Capture NX
 

otumay

New member
Steen, thank you for the info and the shots. The lack of distortion is surprisingly good. I used the older Sigma 12-24mm and was unhappy with it for multiple reasons. That's why I invested a small fortune in Nikkor 14-24mm when it became available.
Lack of natural colors, on the other hand, is no small problem, I agree.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Beautiful, Steen. Looks like a library. Which one?

Interesting to see how well the Sigma performs. I did a city view of Pattaya today, and had to realise that the corners of my Tamron aren't sharp at 17mm. Not even close, and that was at 17mm.
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Nikon's 12-24 is a great wide zoom for DX format. Considering the very wide angle, VR is less important. The 12-24 is constant f/4 aperture and focuses and zooms inside the barrel so it's reasonably sturdy (compared to the newer 10-24).
I have one of these lenses too and have to agree that it's a nice fit on DX sized cameras. Unfortunately, I don't use it often enough to provide samples (I really should sell it). But friends of mine who shoot weddings love this lens.
 
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