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Wide Angle Lens

lens wide angle

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21 replies to this topic

#1
Steve M

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I do a lot of landscape photos. Thinking about getting a wide angle lens with my bonus money.

What is everyone using. I did a search and it seems 24mm is the largest made? Has this worked for everyone.

#2
nbanjogal

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I'm not sure what you mean by largest made? Do you mean the widest angle? If so, you can get much wider than 24mm.

 

What is your budget? Are you looking for a prime, or would a zoom be better? The Nikkor 14-24mm is outstanding, though pricey (if I had unlimited budget, it is probably the landscape lens I would buy next. So far I've only borrowed it).

 

If you're interested in something less pricey, a number of us have used brands other than Nikon--I use a 14mm Rokinon (also sold under Bowen and Samyang names) for nightscapes with the Milky Way. It's a far less expensive option and gives great results (Rokinon also sells a 24mm for a bit more money--it's not as fast, but the optics are good). The Rokinon lenses are manual focus, but for landscape (especially at night), that hardly matters. Others here like Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma as well. It really depends on what you think you need in a landscape lens.



#3
Merco_61

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B&H have quite a few wide angles that work on your D7200 in different price ranges.

 

Zooms

 

Primes

 

Avoid the fisheyes, they are fun to use, but their distorted view isn't what you want for a first wide angle.



#4
dcbear78

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Full frame or crop sensor?

 

I have owned the Nikon 14-24 and it is a really good lens. Maybe I skipped the Nikkor lens Kool-aid delivery but I never saw the magic in it? It is really good still and in my opinion only worth about half it's asking price. So I sold it and bought the Tamron 15-30mm which gives equal results in almost every way. Better in some ways (starburts) but slightly behind in others (slight amount of distortion). And at a realistic price.

 

But saying that, I am really not a fan of ultra wide angle landscapes. And I am thinking of offloading the Tamron. But I know soon as I do I will come across a really cool wide angle portrait idea and want it. I have contemplated selling it and getting the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm Nicole mentioned. I am sure it would be more than suitable for me. I am more than happy using manual focus for landscapes/milky way shoots. But if want to do a wide angle portrait I could be in trouble with that lens.



#5
Jerry_

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What is the widest lens that you currently have?

Some of the Nikon kit lenses sold together with the D7200 start at 18mm (f.i. 18-55, 18-105, 18-140). While the result of kit lenses can't be compared to f.i. the Nikkor 14-24/2.8 or Tamron 15-30/2.8 or wide angle primes, they might be a budget option.

On my camera with a DX sensor (like the D7200) I had lots of fun with the ultra wide Sigma 10-20/3.5 for landscape captures, but never used it as the only lens I would take along. I would usually have some other lens (starting) in the 20-28mm range.

Both, the kit lenses and the Sigma mentioned above, are DX lenses, so won't give you the full frame view if you ever change to a camera with an FX sensor (but can be used on). On the other hand they are not as heavy and cost only a fraction of a full frame lens.

#6
leighgion

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First, be sure that a wide angle is actually what you want. A lot of people think, landscape = wide angle, but that's not necessarily true. In many respects, wide angle landscapes are some of the most challenging type of landscapes because it's trickier to get a good composition every time.

 

That said, if you're using a DX sensor camera, I had fantastic experiences with the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8



#7
dcbear78

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Ohhh... DX. I agree with Jerry on that Sigma 10-20mm. I had this on my Pentax and had some good results with it. The newer f3.5 version was surprisingly good at flare resistance shooting straight into the sun. Not hugely expensive either and probably fairly plentiful second hand.

 

I've read good things about that Tokina too. But not used it myself. 



#8
nbanjogal

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 But if want to do a wide angle portrait I could be in trouble with that lens.

 

Yeah, I don't think I would ever use that lens for portraits unless I was making a joke. For environmental portraits I tend to choose my 24-70 (and need to get a 35mm, heh...more GAS).

 

 

First, be sure that a wide angle is actually what you want. A lot of people think, landscape = wide angle, but that's not necessarily true. 

 

 

This^^^ absolutely. I use the 14mm for nightscapes because I can get more of the sky and the Milky Way, but I almost never use it for daytime landscapes because it pushes everything so far away and makes things look so small and spread out. When I was first learning, I thought the wider the better but quickly learned that wasn't what I wanted at all.



#9
Merco_61

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Really wide landscapes are very difficult to do well. Rob (iNYONi), has shot several that I really like, but it is a rare talent to find an interesting foreground, some leading lines and a nice background and combine all those elements in a photo.

 

It is quite possible that a good moderate wide to normal zoom on DX like the 16-35/4 would serve you better than an ultra-wide-angle lens for landscapes. This has the advantage of being nearly  an UWA on FX and as it is an FX lens, it won't need replacing if you end up with an FX body one day.



#10
nsomnac

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This^^^ absolutely. I use the 14mm for nightscapes because I can get more of the sky and the Milky Way, but I almost never use it for daytime landscapes because it pushes everything so far away and makes things look so small and spread out. When I was first learning, I thought the wider the better but quickly learned that wasn't what I wanted at all.


I just had this same discussion with my daughter. She was wanting a wider angle lens - and I asked her for what purpose. You should be asking yourself - what are you missing by not having the wide angle? She was thinking she would be able to get more in the frame of mid-range landscape. So we took out my collection of primes and zooms for a test. I have a 14mm Sigma, 17-50 Sigma, 18-55 Nikon kit, 18-150 Nikon kit. At the end of the experiment she learned a few things - 1) not all focal lengths are equal, the FOV varies between lenses, despite being set to the same focal length.
2) a wide angle lens didn't add as much to the frame as she thought.
3) she decided that she instead wants a longer telephoto instead.



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#11
Merco_61

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As a matter of fact, a 50 on DX is a very nice tool for panoramic views.

 

Here's a link to a blog I posted some years ago. The angle of view in the example image isn't that large, in fact it is doable with a 16 mm on DX but if you want to print it larger than about 22" wide from a 24 MP sensor, you will start seeing printing artifacts. The print I did for the landowner as a thank you for access is 45" wide and 16" high without artifacts from a 12 MP sensor. The nice thing about stitching panoramas is that you can't compose for a lot of sky and foreground that diminishes the impact of the  things you want at the horizon. An UWA-landscape needs something in the foreground that gives perspective. Both techniques have their place, the problem is choosing which way to go.

 

You can shoot multi-row panoramas as well. This one is made from 144 shots with a 105/2 lens on FX. It could easily be made with a 24 on FX or a 16 on DX, but the depth of field would be much greater changing the look.

gallery_1251_413_52524.jpg



#12
Brian

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There are wide-angle lenses, and a class of wide-angle lenses that include perspective control: i wonder if that is where the 24mm number came in.

 

As per a google search, Nikon just announced a 19mm Tilt/Shift wide-angle lens, I think 24mm was the widest tilt/shift lens up until then. Tilt/Shift lenses allow perspective control, which is used for architectural and landscape photography. Although- these days, much of this can be done on the computer.



#13
nsomnac

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There are wide-angle lenses, and a class of wide-angle lenses that include perspective control: i wonder if that is where the 24mm number came in.

As per a google search, Nikon just announced a 19mm Tilt/Shift wide-angle lens, I think 24mm was the widest tilt/shift lens up until then. Tilt/Shift lenses allow perspective control, which is used for architectural and landscape photography. Although- these days, much of this can be done on the computer.



Right. And the PC lenses are intended for FF bodies - 24mm is a decent wide angle on a full frame body.

I wonder if the 19mm is supposed to be a PC solution for crop sensors?




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#14
Merco_61

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The 19 is more of an answer to the demand for a TS lens with a wider FOV for pros employed by estate agents and magazines to shoot interiors of houses and apartments. I know some who use a D810 as their main body with the 14-24 and a Canon 5DS R with the TS-E 17/4 L when they need a TS. They certainly won't miss the cost and hassle of using two systems.

 

The Tilt-Shift lenses are very specialized equipment and quite difficult to use well as our focusing screens are far from ideal to judge the effects of tilt even if Liveview can help.



#15
Ron

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The problems with wide angle lenses, especially ultra wide angles, are perspective control and foreground interest. A ultra wide angle shot of distant mountains is about as boring a photograph as you can make. Add some foreground interest... a bush, person or other object and suddenly the image becomes much more interesting. Likewise, using ultra wide angle lenses in the city or around buildings can be very problematic due to perspective errors and general lens distortion... unless, of course, that's what you're going for.

 

As I've said before, it's very difficult to use wide angle lenses intelligently. Even more so for ultra wide angles. I think that the best way to get into wide angle photography is to start out modestly. Perhaps shoot all day at the widest setting on your kit lens. Or, perhaps purchase a modest wide angle of between 24 and 28mm and shoot with that for awhile before going wider.

 

It's easy to become seduced by the expansive look of ultra wide angle lenses but it takes discipline to master them.  

 

--Ron 



#16
ScottinPollock

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our focusing screens are far from ideal


Ever since my first DSLR I have wondered about this. Is it a just a cost saving issue because they figure we don't need it anymore with autofocus? Or is there a technical reason?

I really miss the razor sharp cross screens my old Minoltas had.

#17
Merco_61

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They are brighter to let us see something with an f/5.6 or slower lens. This makes for far less contrast and the snap into focus the acute-matt screens of Minolta and Hasselblad fame had. Another reason for the brighter screens is that the mirror is only partially silvered as some light has to go thru the mirror for the AF to work.



#18
Steve M

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Thank you everyone for all of your input.   I apologize for not getting back  here until today.  With the Holidays I guess I didn't have time.  But it looks like I have lots to read here.  Way lots.

 

 

I will get to it toady.  First day back at work. 



#19
Steve M

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I'm not sure what you mean by largest made? Do you mean the widest angle? If so, you can get much wider than 24mm.
 
What is your budget? Are you looking for a prime, or would a zoom be better? The Nikkor 14-24mm is outstanding, though pricey (if I had unlimited budget, it is probably the landscape lens I would buy next. So far I've only borrowed it).
 
If you're interested in something less pricey, a number of us have used brands other than Nikon--I use a 14mm Rokinon (also sold under Bowen and Samyang names) for nightscapes with the Milky Way. It's a far less expensive option and gives great results (Rokinon also sells a 24mm for a bit more money--it's not as fast, but the optics are good). The Rokinon lenses are manual focus, but for landscape (especially at night), that hardly matters. Others here like Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma as well. It really depends on what you think you need in a landscape lens.




I guess I was looking at the mm the lens would pull landscape in. Can I pull something in from a long distance away.. If the wide angle lens are rated by width then I understand. I hope I am saying that right?

I really don't have a budget yet just want to look around first. Thank you for your option suggestions.

B&H have quite a few wide angles that work on your D7200 in different price ranges.
 
Zooms
 
Primes
 
Avoid the fisheyes, they are fun to use, but their distorted view isn't what you want for a first wide angle.




Thank you on the fisheyes. I saw them and thought pretty cheap. But not worth it. I will wait

#20
Red83152

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We recently travelled to Hawaii.  Here are some shots I got with the Nikkor 14-24mm lens.  I have to warn you that it's a very pricey lens, not to mention HEAVY!  I think I got some great shots with it.  I also took the Nikkor 24-70mm and it was on my D750 90% of the time we were in Hawaii....equally as fantastic photos and more versatile in the long run than the 14-24.

 

https://goo.gl/photo...xKpGn85DzkhL7A 







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