Anyone got the 20mm F2.8 on D800?

[tashley]

I saw that Jack has this and his seemed good. I got one today and mine looks like a terrible copy. I only had time to fire off about ten handheld and AF frames at F2.8 and 5.6 to compare them and they are really disastrous: not very sharp at all on centre and even at f5.6, smeary and nasty at edges and corners with, get this, ORANGE fringing where you'd normally expect purple.

I'm going to run it through some tests tomorrow possibly on the D800 as well as the E just in case there's a difference (seems very unlikely) and using Live View to focus but so far, though I like the FOV and though I can imagine some interesting creative uses for the smeariness, it seems that this one is a pup.

But Jack knows his glass... so I assume I just have a bad copy or it needs fine tuning.

Anyone else got one?

Tim

 

[D&A]

Tim, This is not going to really add much to your question and observations, but I have used various copies on and off for last decade. Some were borrowed copies and I had a couple of my own. On various DSLR's, it was a one of those lenses that at times was just "OK" , to something a bit more. None of the copies I shot with were "dogs", but neither did any blow my socks off. Simply compentent is the best was I can describe what I observed. I know two pros that always have one in the bag and really like it, and some other shooters that have found it "meh". So I can't say much about your particular copy, but getting a hold of at least one more, will confirm if there are issues with yours. I'm sure others can chime in on their experiences.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Jack]

"Competent" is a great description of my 20. For right now I like it because there's nothing better in AF at that size. Plus it's a decent performer -- excellent centrally but corners on the D800 never get what you'd call "crisp." Fortunately for my uses, the corners in really wide shots are not all that important. Another aspect I like about it is its resistance to flare.

Tim, it sounds like you got a real dog. I'd return it and try another one.

 

[kuau]

I rented the 20/2.8 AF-d from lens rental, it was not to bad, but I shot it at F8
I may purchase one, still not sure yet, though for my use I would only use it when shooting vertical and for sure use the 5:4 crop mode because I don't like 3:2 for vertical images and would crop of the marginal corners.
Curious on why the older AIS version is more expensive and what I have read is that the af-d version is the same optical formula.

Steven

 

[henningw]

I've had various copies of all of Nikon's 20's. The best, one copy of the 52mm f/3.5 was only 'OK'. The 2.8's, both mf and af, didn't quite reach that. During that time, I've always had Leica 21's and the difference has always been huge.

Henning

 

[tashley]

Thanks everyone, very useful to hear the feedback. I have tested mine more extensively today and as a walk around it seems fine: it has pretty accurate AF and is nicely sharp on centre, acceptable, especially at 50% zoom, on the left hand edge and oddly, sometimes acceptable on the right but most often soft until F11, which is less than ideal.

Some frames, however, with more or less planar subjects, have acceptable right hand edges. I think this is an interaction between a spherical issue, DOF and a mild decentering which, taken together, make it behave apparently inconsistently. It's going back but if I can get a replacement that behaves more evenly, I'll keep it because it is so light and because I quite like its sleazy edges and sharp centre wide open. Quite dreamy-like.

 

[sergio lovisolo]

Tested one years ago, but sent it back for the reason you exposed. (could not
afford being dreamy, on the plane..)
Elmarit 19 type II ? Waiting the d800 for conclusion, but seems to be a strong
personality. (visible distortion corrected in ACR with Zeiss 18 profile)
Sergio

 

[tashley]

Trouble is, I have some manual focus lenses for the 800s and I really want something AF which is wide, fast and small and doesn't render like the bottom of a coke bottle!

 

[Thorkil]

Hi there
No I just got it on yesterday on my just unpacked D800E.
20/2.8 D iso 200, 1/200, f. 5.6. Opened with and tried to do it in C1.
Just an amateur, sorry.
Best
Thorkil

 

[Thorkil]

100% crop
Thorkil

 

[Jack]

Tim,

THis is a flare test shot I did with the 20 when I first got it. It isn't the greatest test image for resolution, but if you look at the grasses in the foreground, I think it gives you a basic idea of how it performs -- it does exhibit curvature toward the corners which IMHO is a benefit with wide angles. Note that corners do go notably soft at 100%, but not enough they detract from a typical print. I would say net/net, it is pretty comparable to my 24-120 at 24 if that helps.

 

[tashley]

Thanks Jack,

I did like the flare resistance of my copy but I'm afraid that though I could live with it being very very fuzzy at the edges wide open (could even have used it creatively, it looks quite nice) the edges did not sharpen up by f5.6 and the right was softer than the left. I would LOVE a good copy of this lens if a good copy is sharp to the edges at mid apertures.

What do you think of this: full sized copy here. Shot at F5.6 and focus on the door handles in LV. I applied lens corrections but not CA corrections, so as to show the very odd orange fringing around the pipework left. I also applied standard D800E sharpening in LR4 of 80/0.7/60/20

and this one shows how at F5.6 it was pretty useless for landscapes at the edges...

http://tashley1.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v46/p148599425.jpg

So I guess I'm asking, does a good copy do a lot better than this?

 

[Jack]

Tim,

My copy looks just about identical to your copy on the right edge, but my left edge equals the right where yours goes pretty bad/sucky. You definitely need a different copy, that one is decentered.

Hope that helps,

 

[kuau]

not sure if this plays into this thread, but I was reading over at at Stephen Gandy Cameraquest website and he says that actually the nikon AI lenses and not the AI-S lenses are preferred. AI lens were manufactured better.
Trying to find a good copy of a Nikon 20 can be quite a task.

 

[sergio lovisolo]

Orror, Tim.
Disclaimer: I have no interests in, and no connection with Wetzlar...:grin:

Elmarit r 19 examples at 5,6 (but 2,8 is just slightly worst on corners). Exterior and interior taken with D700, but the lens generates lots of moire on selected repetitive pattern particulars also on the 54 MP equivalent nex 7. (full size jpg
on Flickr)


DSC_6253 by sergio lovisolo, on Flickr


DSC_6212 by sergio lovisolo, on Flickr

In my very limited experience, even the 17-35 2,8 was much better than the 20, and i seem to remember that Hogan confirmed my impression.

The lens has a few quirks (must be slightly modified to clear the mirror on Nikons)but I think
that the words that you used to describe the rendering of the summicron would be adeguated in this case also.

Ciao.
Sergio

 

[tashley]

Thanks everyone!
@Jack, that copy has gone back... And I'm going to try the 28 1.8 as my fast light wide... But if I ever see a copy of the 20 2.8 second hand in a shop I'll try it for size because I loved th FOV.

@ Sergio, that does look really nice but I need an AF lens for this use... :-(

 

[D&A]

In my very limited experience, even the 17-35 2,8 was much better than the 20, and i seem to remember that Hogan confirmed my impression.

Ciao.
Sergio

Agreed...good samples of the 17-35 f2.8 often outperformed the 20mm f2.8 Af-D at 20mm. Both wide open, the edges/corners were somewhat better with the 17-35, but upon stopping down to f5.6, the zoom was generally superior. Yet the 17-35 is really no substitute for the 20mm as a small take along lens...just look at the size difference

I too have been curious about the new 28mm f1.8. So far I've heard mixed things about the look of the images from this lens. Guess time will tell.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Jack]

Re the 28/1.8, just got notified my local dealer has one on hold for me. I am going to go look at it today. I am on the fence because I already have the 35/1.4 and like it. The 28/1.8 is relatively inexpensive though at $699 retail.

 

[tashley]

Look out for that slightly fuzzy zone on the thirds that I have noticed from to different sets of samples I've seen posted. I have one on order anyway but would love to hear how you feel about it...

 

[Thorkil]

Orror, Tim.
Disclaimer: I have no interests in, and no connection with Wetzlar...:grin:

Elmarit r 19 examples at 5,6 (but 2,8 is just slightly worst on corners). Exterior and interior taken with D700, but the lens generates lots of moire on selected repetitive pattern particulars also on the 54 MP equivalent nex 7.

DSC_6212 by sergio lovisolo, on Flickr

Ciao.
Sergio

Hi Sergio
I'm afraid, but on a D800/E it would be impossible to take such a pictures and achieve an acceptable DOF. Then one should use f.11 or 16 and diffractions will spoil it....hmm..and in that area the 700 would turn out to be a better choise.
But apart from that, do you know who will do such machinering at the buttom of a R 19mm? If one should come acros one. Did you buy it that way?
Must say, it just look splendid.
Best
Thorkil