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Best Nikkor wide angle lens 18-24mm
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:12 pm    Post subject: Best Nikkor wide angle lens 18-24mm Reply with quote
I am looking for best Nikkor wide angle lens with AIS mount for my Nikon FA. What is your opinion ?


PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm sorry, Attilka, I'm nikon's ignorant


PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Best Nikkor wide angle lens 18-24mm Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
I am looking for best Nikkor wide angle lens with AIS mount for my Nikon FA. What is your opinion ?


That's a tough one. At least in my opinion, this is exactly where the Nikkor line-up is weakest - let's see what is offered:

18/4 really weak according to e.g. David Ruether
18/3.5 not much better, rated 3.5 by Bjorn Rorslett
20/4 quite okay, soft in the corners, small
20/3.5 same as 20/4
20/2.8 good samples are said to be sharp in the corners from f5.6
24/2 bad contrast, needs to be stopped down
24/2.8 quite okay

So to put it simple - just pick Zeiss Distagon 21/2.8 ZF - coming soon! Cool


PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hahaha I definetly love Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AIS and Nikkor UD 20mm f3.5.

I think about 20/4 or 2.8

ZF series really out of my budget. If I have that sum I will take old Contax lenses.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I personally like the 20/4 - it is a very even lens with only slight falloff in the corners even wide open (but that's not too wide). Everything else has the nikon characteristics - colour, contrast and some small amount of CA. I don't have anything wider because no-one recommended anything Embarassed Embarassed

patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
20/2.8 AIS for landscapes and 20/3.5 AIS if you also want to use it for close-ups. 24/2.8 to be considered as well.

28/2 is a little too narrow for you but it's awesome.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just love my 2.8/24 (but it's a pre-AI version).


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
2.8/24 AIS was always my favourite, not that i compared it with a lot other 24s but still had been my personal favourite.

Have just bought a 2.8/20 AIS amidst a lot of varied opinions on the net. Not tested it yet (since I shoot only slide film- its inevitably a long process), but i think i am going to enjoy it. Someone I knew had both the 2.8 and the 3.5 version and he used to swear by the 3.5 version in terms of overall IQ (which is a surprise considering the general opinion).

Will post test images as soon as I can finish the roll and get it processed.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you guys!


PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
24 2.8 is the one I would choose. Very Happy

I have the non-AI version. I like it quite well.







PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 24mm f2.8 AIS is my pick. Its highly rated with good reason. The 24mm was, I think, the first lens to have CRC so is sharp up close too. I cannot speak with authroity on the wider lenses but there are several sites on the internet where there are reviews of Nikkors. I suggest trying some such links which generally give a pretty good indication especially if several reviewers are in agreement.

Bear in mind that if you go too wide you then have the constant struggle of trying to fill the foreground. This is one reason why I have not gone wider than 24mm. I find that my technique is still not fabulious for ultra wides and it takes a lot of work to get right. But if you take photos inside buildings of course this is a different matter

This site is very good and generally I trust his judgment. So you may wish to try here. There are other sites of this sort - I am not referring to user reviews in forums etc which although they have their place often do not give enough info.
http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bjorn is well known for his down to earth reviews based on actual, in-the-field usage. Yes he does rate this 24/2.8 highly. It is certainly one of my favourites when looking for wide.


patrickh


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you !


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:13 am    Post subject: Re: Best Nikkor wide angle lens 18-24mm Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
I am looking for best Nikkor wide angle lens with AIS mount for my Nikon FA. What is your opinion ?


I used to have the 2.8/24 pre-AI (sold to Carsten), the 2/28 pre-AI (sold), the 2/35 pre-AI (sold to Carsten too), the 2.8/35 pre-AI (sold) and I still have the series E 2.8/28 and the 3.5/20 which is pre-AI

All of these lenses are above average in my opinion, except for the 2.8/35 which was really a bad lens.

The 3.5/20 that I have kept (but I am trying to sell it to raise some money) is a fantastic performer in the close up range. This might not seem ideal for a wide angle but there is a lot of applications for wide angle that can benefit from this, e.g. the interiors shots of room, stairs, or those monument and statues shots when you want to get close to the object while still having a readable background.

The 2/28 pre-AI that I have sold was not the sharpest lens on earth, but it was the Nikkor lens with the most "3D" effect that I have experienced. I somehow regretted to sell it because for the price (around 100-120 Euros) it is a great lens for traveling when you don't want to risk big budget lenses. If I didn't need the money I would have kept it.

The 2.8/24 and 2/35 pre-AI are both very solid performers, that I would recommend to any Nikon user on a budget. There probably are more advanced Nikkors in the same focal lenghts but I think these are good bargains for price/quality ratio. The 2/35 was great stopped down to f/4 and more, but eventually I kept the MIR-24N (also 2/35) because of the better colours and wide open bokeh.

That is as far as my not extensive experience with Nikkor wides go.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
peterm1 wrote:
The 24mm f2.8 AIS is my pick. Its highly rated with good reason. The 24mm was, I think, the first lens to have CRC so is sharp up close too.


Yes, it was the first Nikkor to have close range correction.

Here is a recent close-shot with the Nikkor-N 24mm (at f/8). I was sitting at this small table and taking pictures during the meal. (Picture links to larger size).


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just put a comparison of the Nikkors 20mm and 24mm up in the Oversized Gallery, where you can also find comparable pictures taken with the 15mm/3.5.
I would support the other contributors here and avise to buy a 24mm 2.8.
Especially the N and NC versions can be had pretty cheaply and are often converted to AI.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChrisLilley wrote:
peterm1 wrote:
The 24mm f2.8 AIS is my pick. Its highly rated with good reason. The 24mm was, I think, the first lens to have CRC so is sharp up close too.


Yes, it was the first Nikkor to have close range correction.

Here is a recent close-shot with the Nikkor-N 24mm (at f/Cool. I was sitting at this small table and taking pictures during the meal. (Picture links to larger size).


Hi Chris,
Thats an intersting photo. Very Happy
I like it quite a bit.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
spiralcity wrote:

Hi Chris,
Thats an intersting photo. Very Happy
I like it quite a bit.


Thanks! What in particular do you like about it?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I would recommend the 20mm F4. It is some kind of secret because Roerslett didn´t like his copy. But in fact, it´s the only lens where I´m totally opposed to his rating.

It is very sharp, contrasty, very little CA, it is pretty flare-resistant and small. It´s got something crispy, something textured... I don´t know how to explain it well. Let me put it that way: You can almost feel rough surfaces when looking at pictures taken with the 20mm F4, so it has probably got a good micro-contrast.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChrisLilley wrote:
spiralcity wrote:

Hi Chris,
Thats an intersting photo. Very Happy
I like it quite a bit.


Thanks! What in particular do you like about it?


I can't answer for spiralcity but you might remember a long thread on the "three-dimensional appearance" of certain pictures. I think that this picture is a great candidate.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChrisLilley wrote:
spiralcity wrote:

Hi Chris,
Thats an intersting photo. Very Happy
I like it quite a bit.


Thanks! What in particular do you like about it?


Hi Chris,
The photo struck me as a pure ad type composition.

I wasnt struck by any 3D effect or any other technical terms we like to toss out there, I was more impressed with the pure asthetics of the photo.

It made me want to buy a bottle of wine. Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
BenediktW wrote:
I would recommend the 20mm F4. It is some kind of secret because Roerslett didn´t like his copy. But in fact, it´s the only lens where I´m totally opposed to his rating.

It is very sharp, contrasty, very little CA, it is pretty flare-resistant and small. It´s got something crispy, something textured... I don´t know how to explain it well. Let me put it that way: You can almost feel rough surfaces when looking at pictures taken with the 20mm F4, so it has probably got a good micro-contrast.


Many, many thanks ! I did look forward this information Smile something good from 20/4 or 2.8.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chris, what an excellent image quality in your photo! Great clarity and definition.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Chris, what an excellent image quality in your photo! Great clarity and definition.

yes, send us more of this kind


PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
Orio wrote:
Chris, what an excellent image quality in your photo! Great clarity and definition.

yes, send us more of this kind


And don't forget to send me some of this nice 3-D looking rosé wine Wink

Cheers!

Abbazz
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