Recommend me a wide angle lens please?
Discussion
So now I've gone full frame my trusty 12-24 F4 DX will only work if I go to the DX setting, somewhat nullifying the point of changing the camera.
Now the ultimate replacement is of course the 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S. But it's £1,500!
There's the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED at about £600 which seems to have amazing reviews on Amazon, 15 five star, not a single reviewer rating it lower.
Or should I be looking at Tokina? I seem to recall that their 11-16 is raved over but it's a DX lens and I can't seem to find an FX version.
How about Sigma? Their 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM seems highly rated and is a bargain at £360!
Usage is interior shots where I need minimal distortion and absolutely as sharp as can be, plus landscape stuff. Quality is more important than price, but that certainly doesn't mean price is irrelevant.
My preference is to stick with Nikon, all the kit I have so far is Nikon, so the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is current favourite, but I'm open to advice or suggestions if anyone has any to offer?
Edit: Dammit, just noticed that the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is another DX lens!
Now the ultimate replacement is of course the 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S. But it's £1,500!
There's the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED at about £600 which seems to have amazing reviews on Amazon, 15 five star, not a single reviewer rating it lower.
Or should I be looking at Tokina? I seem to recall that their 11-16 is raved over but it's a DX lens and I can't seem to find an FX version.
How about Sigma? Their 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM seems highly rated and is a bargain at £360!
Usage is interior shots where I need minimal distortion and absolutely as sharp as can be, plus landscape stuff. Quality is more important than price, but that certainly doesn't mean price is irrelevant.
My preference is to stick with Nikon, all the kit I have so far is Nikon, so the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is current favourite, but I'm open to advice or suggestions if anyone has any to offer?
Edit: Dammit, just noticed that the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is another DX lens!
Bit of a left field option but how about a Samyang 14mm f2.8 prime ? I'm a Canon man but they come in Nikon fitting also I think - I have one on order. They are full manual but at 14mm autofocus is not really that important and the overall sharpness is superb according to the reviews. Oh and they're cheap 
It needs to be wider than the 12mm on the DX Nikon. I guess that makes that a 16 so I I'd say at least 14 but if it goes wider then so much the better.
Needs to be auto focus really. Call me lazy but it's just quicker and easier most of the time.
I can't believe how little choice there is out there in FX.
Needs to be auto focus really. Call me lazy but it's just quicker and easier most of the time.
I can't believe how little choice there is out there in FX.
itsnotarace said:
Sigma 10-20mm is DX only if I recall. I had the Sigma 12-24 many years ago, that was full frame compatible. It was a great lens and I regret selling it
That's actually looking like the best option so far I think.Grays have offered me £250 for my DX 12-24 F4 against a 14-24 F2.8 but that still makes it over £1,000 to change...
I just re-read your post and noticed the bit about interior shots without distortion. You have to remember that the Sigma 12-24 has a 122 degree angle of view so it's going to require post processing to remove it, when you get down below about 18mm on the zoom.
If this is for commercial use, you could look at the tilt shift lenses
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-24mm-f3-5...
If this is for commercial use, you could look at the tilt shift lenses
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-24mm-f3-5...
If you stick with Nikon lenses then any distortion will be removed in camera when shooting JPEG.
I have the 10-24mm, great lens but as you say it is still for DX only.
Your best option south of the 14-24mm is probably the 16-35mm.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-NIKKOR-16-35mm-...
Just noticed that Grays have it new for £829. I would have though you will easily get more than £250 for your 12-24mm privately.
I have the 10-24mm, great lens but as you say it is still for DX only.
Your best option south of the 14-24mm is probably the 16-35mm.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-NIKKOR-16-35mm-...
Just noticed that Grays have it new for £829. I would have though you will easily get more than £250 for your 12-24mm privately.
Edited by The Jolly Todger on Tuesday 23 April 13:23
Ari said:
It needs to be wider than the 12mm on the DX Nikon. I guess that makes that a 16 so I I'd say at least 14 but if it goes wider then so much the better.
Needs to be auto focus really. Call me lazy but it's just quicker and easier most of the time.
I can't believe how little choice there is out there in FX.
12mm equivalent is about 18mm. There are several Nikkors - including autofocus - which will be about the top quality you'll find out around 18mm and FX.Needs to be auto focus really. Call me lazy but it's just quicker and easier most of the time.
I can't believe how little choice there is out there in FX.
If you've discounted the 14-24mm, a secondhand 14mm might suit your needs. I currently own one of these - good lens, although needs care - streets ahead of the Sigma equivalent I tried about 5-6 years back. You'll probably want to miss out the fish-eyes, though (13mm (completely unaffordable!) 15mm, 16mm)
My preferred lens is a 17-35mm Nikkor - very good lens, well built and has taken plenty of knocking about ( have had to glue up the hood a couple of times and then get a replacement, it gets so much use and abuse! (Was a secondhand bargain at Grays one day about five years ago when they had a glut in stock c £700))
For a wide angle lens, I'm not so sure about the importance of AF- but this depends upon what you're using it for: I like to have time and control focus or set it and shoot "reportage-style". You would have a lot more choice if you considered the manual offerings like the bargain Samyangchangchong which is apparently pretty good as mentioned.
I've previously owned a 20mm Nikkor AFD - but to be honest the 17-35mm is better for quality on demanding dSLRs - very acceptable for size, weight, quick to AF even if screw-driven and quite controlled on the distortions front. Would be equivalent of about 14mm DX so not quite as wide a field of view, maybe.
Edited by K12beano on Tuesday 23 April 13:29
If this is a work tool the 14-24 is surely worth a look second hand? It's the ultimate lens....probably the best zoom Nikon make at any length. I've seen 14-24's go for around £900 in excellent nick on forum's like Talkphotography. They don't come up that often but they often struggle to sell as they are nowhere near as popular as the 24-70 which always attract attention and sell for the same money second hand.
K12beano said:
Useful stuff
That's great advice, thank you. 18mm FX equivalent to 12mm DX, of course it is! I need to learn to count! That 17-35 sounds interesting, but looks like it's up past £1,000 new so with the 14-24 at £1,310 I'd be tempted to stretch to that for the difference and gain the extra wide angle-ness (there must be a technical term for that!
) Plus I have a 24-70 F2.8 and a 70-300 f4.5-5.6 (and hope to get a 70-200 F2.8 at some stage) so the 14-24 fits in with what I have and hope to get perfectly.Sounds like there's going to be some saving and bullet biting to be done (and a hunt for a second-hand 14-24).
Anyone want to hazard a guess at what my 12-24 F4 DX might be worth secondhand? Mint and boxed.
Edited by Ari on Tuesday 23 April 13:45
Cheib said:
If this is a work tool the 14-24 is surely worth a look second hand? It's the ultimate lens....probably the best zoom Nikon make at any length. I've seen 14-24's go for around £900 in excellent nick on forum's like Talkphotography. They don't come up that often but they often struggle to sell as they are nowhere near as popular as the 24-70 which always attract attention and sell for the same money second hand.
Yep, that's looking like the way forward. I'll have a look on Talkphotography (do I need to be a member to buy?) Any other good places to hunt one down?
Ari said:
The Jolly Todger said:
If you stick with Nikon lenses then any distortion will be removed in camera when shooting JPEG.
I didn't realise that but I had noticed that my Nikon 12-24 is excellent for avoiding distortion so maybe that's why. Got to be a Nikon lens then. Monitor Ebay for practical secondhand prices, both buying and selling, Plus if you're considering good secondhand sources (like Grays or MBP) you should consider negotiating a PX (and you'll get some warranty peace of mind)
Ari said:
Anyone want to hazard a guess at what my 12-24 F4 DX might be worth secondhand? Mint and boxed.
I would say £500ish. They're best part of £800 new and if it really is mint the only thing you're not getting by buying second hand is the one year warranty and the feeling of wellbeing. So for £500 someone would have to value that warranty at close to £300 to make it worth buying the new one.Did you look at the 16-35mm?
Fixation seem to have quite a few used 12-24 http://fixationuk.com/Fixation/Sales%20-%20SecondH...
The Jolly Todger said:
I would say £500ish. They're best part of £800 new and if it really is mint the only thing you're not getting by buying second hand is the one year warranty and the feeling of wellbeing. So for £500 someone would have to value that warranty at close to £300 to make it worth buying the new one.
Did you look at the 16-35mm?
They're £409 secondhand on MPB. If I could get £400 toward the next lens for it that would be useful.Did you look at the 16-35mm?
No, sorry, I didn't look at the 16-35mm. I have now and it looks a really good suggestion, comes in at under £1,000 and will give me very slightly better range than my 12-24 on a crop sensor. Seems to review well too (I know you can't rely on reviews but it's a starting point).
Excellent suggestion, thank you.
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