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Fun with Nikon Images

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Thorkil

Well-known member
Well, had to try to give the 18/2.8D another try....
Jack, I promised to give the 18 another chance. But I really dont know if I wont to keep it, not satiesfied, its not just the edges that are extremely soft and blurry (thats how its born in that age), but against the light and so...(but on the other hand, around the center there is something nice rendering...)
Perhaps my example is a bit bad.
I'm just thinking of the 20/1.8 and the 24/1.8 instead (well I promise to look at the sigma 24/1.4 too, but some says the nikkor is sharper) and the 17-35 in reserve for wider things





Nikon Df with nikkor 18/2.8D at iso250 1/250 f4 through C1pro10win





Nikon Df with nikkor 18/2.8D at iso750 1/250 f4 through C1pro10win




Thorkil
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
@ Thorkil....

The 18 and other UWA's of that era were not designed as architectural taking lenses, they were designed for close-quarters reportage/street glass. As such, before you abandon, try a few images where your main subject is really close and the UWA fills in the perimeter. Let's see if I can find an example...

Here we go, at least close enough for instruction on what I mean. This family was playing dominoes outside their home, I ask if I may take a picture, the father nods and I swoop in close and make it appear I'm taking a picture of the board itself. The front of my lens is nary a foot away from the mother's and son's shoulders, and I wait for the daughter to make her move and click at the "decisive moment" of her play. If you look closely at their postures, you can see the young man on my right is leaning back a little to "stay out of my way", the dad is slightly too -- it's a natural reflex. Point is, it appears to them I'm taking a picture of their hands and the game-pieces and not them at all! Which of course with a 50 is exactly what I'd be doing ;) This is how the UW angle of view takes in the surrounds of a close view to complete an image:




Now with all of that out of the way, if you want a good take it all in lens, then something newer and on the order of a 20 or 24 will be the better option. But finding one that delivers "the look" will be tougher -- in fact, let me know when you find it ;) It's one of the reason I was selling my Sigma ART 24 -- it is laser sharp corner to corner, focuses instantly and according to many reviewers depending on aperture chosen is better than the Nikkor 24/1.4 which is over 2X the cost. I've decided to keep it as my main landscape lens, and have opted for the 24-70 as my all-around lens. IIRC, you already own the 17-35, and while largish, it is a stellar performer save for the extreme corners, which is not usually any big issue for most general imaging.

Going to a 20 opens up the door somewhat, though I don't know of a good "character" 20 right now either. The older Nikkor certainly isn't it -- similar performance to the 18 without much character :rolleyes: The newer Nikkor G may be worth trying as maybe is the Sigma ART 20 -- and even though both are reportedly excellent and roughly the same cost, and even though the Sigma is faster by ½ stop, I'd opt for the Nikkor as it's significantly smaller. I had the ZF2 18 and 21 for a while, both sharp, did I not like the severe mustache distortions and they showed in my images, so I sold them. Other folks with them are happy and I have seen some exceptional images from them, so they might be worth consideration if you can handle manual focus. Oh, I have a Samyang 14 I've used a few times in tight interiors -- it is a remarkable performer for its very low cost, though manual focus of course.
 
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Thorkil

Well-known member
Thank you Jack, thats a good take you did! But I still think mine is rather bad on the edges, ok, but I will keep it for the time being. I guess your aperture was around 8, or just 5.6? And doing B&W might also be more foregiven (have to try B&W soon) with this lens. But perhaps just a tiny 24/1.8 then, for casual street:angel:. But yes the wide can fool people in the good way, while they are thinking themselves out of focus, they aint. When I used the 14-24 I almost solely used it on 14, but they became funny wide faces at the edges.
best Thorkil
PS I actually like the drama it create in the last picture, the two boxes at the right.
 

JohnBrew

Active member
Nice capture, John. Went this spring but only for half a day. Waiting for my Italian friend and we will go in November, but will take tech-cam instead of Nikon. BTW, I heard they have finally re-opened Botany Bay after all the storm cleanup. One of my favorite spots.
 

sc_john

Active member
Nice capture, John. Went this spring but only for half a day. Waiting for my Italian friend and we will go in November, but will take tech-cam instead of Nikon. BTW, I heard they have finally re-opened Botany Bay after all the storm cleanup. One of my favorite spots.
Thank you, John. My trip to Bulls Island was a scouting trip in prep for sunrise trip in November or December. The ferry leaves the dock 2 hrs before sunrise and gets you to The Boneyard 1 hr before sunrise. Should be interesting. I am trying to get to Botany Bay, but they are closed for hunting most days this time of the year.

John
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Another D810 shot, fall on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas. Taken with the 14-24, around 18mm. Great place to visit, however again this year fall is not looking to promising.

For now I have given up on trying to get my blues to show correctly, so sorry in advance. Trust me on the original, the blue is not this saturated, but no matter what I try Flickr will add more saturation especially to the blues.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Z1wegy]Fall afteroon at Roark Bluff by paul caldwell, on Flickr[/URL]

Paul Caldwell
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
when life is emerging itself for a few seconds
Caprino Veronese Italy





Nikon Df with Nikkor 28/1.4D at iso 4000 1/125 f5.6 through C1pro10win zonefocused





Nikon Df with Nikkor 28/1.4D at iso 5000 1/125 f8.0 through C1pro10win zonefocused





Nikon Df with Nikkor 28/1.4D at iso 5000 1/125 f8.0 through C1pro10win zonefocused





Nikon Df with Nikkor 28/1.4D at iso 8000 1/250 f8.0 through C1pro10win zonefocused




Thorkil
 
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