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waltny
03-26-2008, 11:10 AM
I pose a question to my fellow nikionians...

Which lens(fixed, nikon or 3rd party lens) has the widest field of view with the least distortion? I have a nikon 10.5mm 2.8 fish eye and was looking at the 16 or 20 as my other wide angle view? Also on that note anyone use the varible zoom tonkia, tamron, sigma 17-50(in that range at 2.8) lens?

CarpeyBiggs
03-26-2008, 11:15 AM
The 14-24. And I hear it's cheap, too... :roflol:

rooster32
03-26-2008, 03:31 PM
Take a look at the Tokina 12-24. I have one and it's a great lens for a lot less money then the new Nikon. Check out nikoncafe.com, nikonians.com or dpreview for comments on it...many like it's performance and cost savings.

I had a Tamron 17-50 that I recently sold. It was another good lens at a decent price. Have read comments that copies vary greatly in regards to quality. Again, hit the sites mentioned about and you will have lots to read.

I replaced the Tamron with the new Nikon 24-70 2.8, which I am very happy with. Hasn't been off the camera much since it arrived.

waltny
03-26-2008, 04:39 PM
How did I know you would chime in with something ridiculous and out of my price range carpy? I like you, but your crazy man... :lol8:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwTCNJOsDNk&feature=related

Rooster, I guess what Im looking for is something decent in the 17ish mm to ??? zoom (or possibily fixed 16,18 or 20 if it is a better option)at 2.8 that is going to run around 500ish right now as I am on the cheap. I got the fixed 10.5 and 50 that I almost exclusive use and IM looking for another wide angle for panos and landscape for the spring/summer. The 10.5 is going to be a blast at the skate parks and bmx dirt tracks.

rooster32
03-26-2008, 05:10 PM
Check out the Tokina 12-24.....

CarpeyBiggs
03-26-2008, 05:12 PM
Yep. I've used the Tokina on my crop sensors for canon. It's a bargain.

waltny
03-26-2008, 05:45 PM
Thanks gentlemen. I will give that lens some serious consideration and it hits those sweetspots I like on the wide side. Ill also check out those websites you mentioned Rooster.

Dan is your crop sensors at 1.6X? I noticed that Nikons get about ~17 degrees(at 10.5) more out of certain 3rd party lens down on the wide side.

CarpeyBiggs
03-26-2008, 07:31 PM
Yeah, you will get a little wider look out of it then I did. I did use it on my 1DmkII a few times though, and I think it casts a pretty nice image circle, though it vignettes on a 1.3x. I liked it well enough.

rwpontius
03-27-2008, 06:47 AM
I have been debating the same question on wide angle lenses. Of course the 14-24 is in a class by itself especially for the FX sensor. The research I have done indicates that the Nikon 12-24 is overall the best of the options but maybe not enough better to justify the increased cost over the Tokina. Reports suggest that the Tokina has a better build quality. Thom Hogan went fort theSigma 10-20 for the extra 2mm at the wide end. I have pretty much decided on the Nikon 12-24 for my needs.
RP

R
03-27-2008, 07:15 AM
http://richardbarron.net/equipment/lenses/

waltny
03-27-2008, 06:32 PM
Wow thats quite the bag to pull from. Ive got some questions on some of them, we can take it to pm or email if you like or we can do it here on the board so everyone can get some knowledge. Let me know.

R
03-27-2008, 06:38 PM
Wow thats quite the bag to pull from. Ive got some questions on some of them, we can take it to pm or email if you like or we can do it here on the board so everyone can get some knowledge. Let me know.

Please go ahead and ask me anything right here - I think it would be fun and helpful if everyone were in on it. -R :nod:

waltny
05-07-2008, 06:27 PM
Take a look at the Tokina 12-24. I have one and it's a great lens for a lot less money then the new Nikon. Check out nikoncafe.com, nikonians.com or dpreview for comments on it...many like it's performance and cost savings.

I had a Tamron 17-50 that I recently sold. It was another good lens at a decent price. Have read comments that copies vary greatly in regards to quality. Again, hit the sites mentioned about and you will have lots to read.

I replaced the Tamron with the new Nikon 24-70 2.8, which I am very happy with. Hasn't been off the camera much since it arrived.

Well, I snapped up a tokina 12-24 f/4 for $375 to include all fees and shipping off nikoncafe! I cant wait to get my hands on it and do some serious shooting. I think I will probally pick up the 28/1.8 sigma(added marco is nice and at 250ish new is a steal) down the road and still debating on a 85/1.8 nikon or 90/2.8 tamron(added marco is nice).

Question for Richard or anyone else with first hand knowledge.
If the 85/1.4 is THEE portiat lens, who is second in command(and more affordable than $1000ish)?

Another question, is the gain of 2/3 of a stop on the 50/1.4 worth the extra 150 over the 50/1.8? I have the 1.8 and really love it and am completely happy with it. Will the performance of the 1.4 justify the upgrade cost?

R
05-07-2008, 09:06 PM
Question for Richard or anyone else with first hand knowledge.
If the 85/1.4 is THEE portiat lens, who is second in command(and more affordable than $1000ish)?

Another question, is the gain of 2/3 of a stop on the 50/1.4 worth the extra 150 over the 50/1.8? I have the 1.8 and really love it and am completely happy with it. Will the performance of the 1.4 justify the upgrade cost?

I don't have the 85/1.4, but I have heard it is the cheese for portraits. I have the 85/1.8, which retails for some $625 less than the 1.4, and is a terrific lens.

I have owned several non-AF 50/1.4 Nikkors, and while they were excellent lenses, I don't believe they trump the 1.8 in any important category.

In the end, of course, the creative photographer with a 50

waltny
05-07-2008, 09:35 PM
[quote=waltny]

Question for Richard or anyone else with first hand knowledge.
If the 85/1.4 is THEE portiat lens, who is second in command(and more affordable than $1000ish)?

Another question, is the gain of 2/3 of a stop on the 50/1.4 worth the extra 150 over the 50/1.8? I have the 1.8 and really love it and am completely happy with it. Will the performance of the 1.4 justify the upgrade cost?

I don't have the 85/1.4, but I have heard it is the cheese for portraits. I have the 85/1.8, which retails for some $625 less than the 1.4, and is a terrific lens.

I have owned several non-AF 50/1.4 Nikkors, and while they were excellent lenses, I don't believe they trump the 1.8 in any important category.

In the end, of course, the creative photographer with a 50

R
05-08-2008, 08:17 AM
All those parameters lead to the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF. Retail about $700, but you might could find one used on Ebay.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533556-REG/Sigma_579_306_70_200mm_f_2_8_II_EX.html

Beware that Sigma has some quality control issues, so test it early and make sure you got a good one.

waltny
05-08-2008, 01:57 PM
All those parameters lead to the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF. Retail about $700, but you might could find one used on Ebay.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533556-REG/Sigma_579_306_70_200mm_f_2_8_II_EX.html

Beware that Sigma has some quality control issues, so test it early and make sure you got a good one.

Thanks for the response once again.
I think I might have confused you a bit in my last post. The 200-500 that I was talking about was money, not focal lenght, I should have specified. The mid range zooms I was talking about were in the 20ish to 90ish focal length(at 2.8). There are a slew of them and Im also torn by a few primes in this range(the only reason IMHO for primes in this region should be faster AF and Fstops) but would like to get something with macro too. I think the 24 or 28 sigma 1.8 is in my future(over the 35/2 nikon and sigma 30/1.4), along with the 85 1.8(or the tamron 90/2.8 with macro). So I guess if I could get a decent midrange zoom in this range it would make the descion on the 85 1.8 simpler... Once again thanks for you down to earth take on photography, the hair spliting on sample copies is driving me nuts on the cafe.

R
05-08-2008, 03:57 PM
Okay, let me put it another way. If I were setting up a new news photographer today I would get him this:

-Nikon D300 with MB-D10 x 2
-Nikkor 17-55/2.8
-Nikkor 70-200/2.8
-Nikkor 300/2.8
-Nikon TC-14E
-SB-800

New bag for nature photographer:

-Nikon D3
-Nikkor 14-24mm/2.8
-Nikkor 80-400mm/4.5-5.6
-SB-600

New bag for canyoneer or backpacker:

-Nikon D300
-Nikkor 18-200mm/3.5-5.6

New bag for nature shooter or backpacker on a budget:

-Nikon D60
-Nikkor 18-200mm/3.5-5.6