 Sachin D. Das |
Which wide angle lens to buy I've been thinking about buying a wide angle lens for my Nikon D200. I already have 18 - 200, 70 - 300 and 105 macro lenses. I want to shoot panaromic scenes especially at night e.g. lighted buildings on the shores of Hong kong. Your advise please. Sachin
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doug Nelson |
The wide end of long spectrum zooms is notoriously bad for barrel distortion. Your's may be OK, but you'd have to try it with architectural subjects. You know you have this problem when straight lines near the edge of the frame bow outward. Get a Nikon or one of the aftermarket Tokina-Tamron-Sigma variants of prime (single focal length) wide angle lens. Take into consideration your digital cropping factor, as a 20mm may end up being about a 30. All makers are addressing this wide-angle crop factor problem by making lenses especially designed to deal with it. Consider also, then, a short-range wide angle zoom by Nikon or other maker. A short-range zoom with an f2.8 max aperture is more likely to have less distortion, as pros won't put up with it.
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William Schuette |
Hi Sachin, if money is no object go with the Nikon 12-24mm. If you want to save about half the price, go with the Tokina 12-24mm, it is very good optically and well built. Bill
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Sachin D. Das |
Hi Doug and Bill, Thanks for your tips. I have been looking at these lenses on the internet but I'm stuck at making a decision between 12 - 24mm, 14mm or 10.5mm. Sachin
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William Schuette |
I really have not used Tamron or Sigma but have seen good reviews on some of their lenses. Search them on google and you will probably find sites where purchasers are reviewing the lenses. I find these pretty helpful but don't let an isolated negative review scare you off. Another thing is to be very careful about the lens being reviewed. Tokina, Tamron and Sigma have pro designated lenses which generally have a much better build quality. I have the 10.5mm. It is an extreme fisheye and I do not think it is nearly as useful as the 12-24mm. Bill
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Cliff Powell |
Sachin, I'm in the same boat as you with the wide angle. I've read many reviews about the Tokina 12-24 and they are all quite good. Some say it is just as good as Nikon's 12-24 but half the price. I'm one to usually buy all Nikon but at half the price I'm leaning more towards the Tokina. They did a comparison with Tamron, Sigma, Tokina, Nikon, etc. in the Practical Photography magazine not long ago and if I remember correctly Nikon's 12-24 came in first and then Tokina's 12-24 next. Cliff
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doug Nelson |
If architectural is your thing, read reviews with barrel distortion in mind. You don't want to see much; most short lenses have a little bit, at least.
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