Wide angle prime lens recommendation for D7200

Hi guys.

 

So as of my recent trip to Hong Kong I believe I've caught a bit of a street photography bug lol. I've long shied away from street photography because I didn't feel my skills were up to the task. But I decided to dabbled in some on my trip and surprised myself with the quality of some of the images I managed to capture (see my portfolio here). This is something I wish to explore more. I've realized though that the lens I have now, while very good, is perhaps not the best for this kind of shot; frankly neither is my camera since it's large and bulky, but it's fantastic otherwise and not changing lol. I would perhaps be better served with a fast wide angle prime. As well, looking through my photos through the years I realized that a lot of my best shots could easily have been shot with a wide prime as well. Thirdly after doing some reading up recently on technique it's occurred to me that if I want to get better at this hobby, which I have a lot of passion for, a telephoto is actually hindering me. I have a good eye for composition and lighting but my technical skill is lacking and a telephoto simply offers too many variables. Often when learning constraining yourself is key, it also often helps greatly with the creative process as well. With a fixed angle a lot of the other variables for getting better shots become fixed as well. As in the title I am shooting with a D7200. The current lens I'm using is the Nikon 16-80mm f/2.8-4E a lens I love and will continue to keep with me of course.

 

I'm looking for something nice and wide, preferably very fast. Also APSC because again I'd prefer not to have to worry about the crop factor at this point in learning. What would you recommend? :P

my

12-28mm Tokina SD IF AT-X DX PRO

is excellent, but f/4 and nowhere as good as what you have now at 16+mm

12 is a lot wider of course

 

as good at 24mm as my Sigma 24/f2.8 prime

 

used the Tokina wide zoom a lot on my D7100

but I'm now burned out on "wide" but need to play with it some more and get back into it.

Which focal length on your zoom did you find you used the most in the street shooting? Whatever it is, you should try to get a prime similar in focal length to that.

An APS-C DSLR is at a serious disadvantage for wide angle lenses. Prime lenses with a focal length shorter than 20 mm tend to be large, heavy, and expensive. Your current 16-80 mm lens gives you the short end equivalent of 24 mm, which I find ideal for street photography. You could leave it set at the short end and pretend it's a fixed lens. You would need a 14 mm lens to duplicate the effect of a 20 mm lens in an FX camera, which is wider than necessary for most applications.

 

You would have more flexibility if you purchased an FX camera, which would have the same footprint as its DX equivalent. Then a 24 mm would act like a 24 mm, and be a relatively compact and inexpensive addition. A 20 mm lens would have a 90 degree FOV, what most would consider "super wide", but still small and relatively inexpensive. If you decide to stick with a DX body, then short lenses will all be zoom lenses, but down to 10 or 12 mm.

16mm is already pretty wide on DX. You won't get a much faster and wider lens for that format.

 

As for wide and fast primes - don't hold your breath trying to find one!

 

I was impressed with my 11-20mm f/2.8 AT-X Tokina. It actually exceeded my expectations, which not many lenses do, and I can heartily recommend it.

 

As I found out when I was starting out; learning to 'see' like the lens you have attached to your camera is a vital skill, and a prime makes this easier. However, times have moved on, and some of the best wide-angles you can get are zooms. So all I can suggest is to find a focal length you like and resist the temptation to twiddle the zoom ring. You can always gaffer tape it in place!

 

The big advantage of a zoom is that when you get used to, or tired of one focal length, you can move on to another without spending any more money. And you're less likely to miss a great picture while swapping lenses.

 

"A 20 mm lens would have a 90 degree FOV..."

 

- Only if you tip the camera diagonally, and not many people do that. You need a 17mm (on full-frame, 11mm on DX) to get a real 90 degree horizontal FOV, which is quite useful for backing into the corner of a room and 'getting it all in'. Sometimes vital for architecture or real estate work, but probably far too wide for street photography.

 

Personally, I think a wideangle isn't the best bet for candid shots. You really need to get in a person's face to fill the frame with anything wider than about 28mm (on full-frame), and that doesn't lend itself to a natural 'onlooker' scenario. I've got some of my best street shots with a 75mm lens.

Edited September 13, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

I remember I found my D200 and 12-24/4.0 much too bulky for African 'street photography' in 2008 in Mali. Then, still recently coming from F3 + 24/2.8.

I was so uncomfortable with that combination that I actually DID use the F3 instead (the slides are still lying around somewhere, never used, the digital 'work flow' had taken over already...).

So: I'm also much in favour of a compact set. Something like D3400 + 20/1.8 perhaps. Or a D610 with 24/2.8 ? (although the latter doesn't perform that well on digital sensor).

 

Regarding 'candid shots':

For me 'street photography' is either candid shots with say, a 70-200.. But you have to wonder whether people like to be photographed that way. I don't.

Or.. Close up, with a normal or wide angle lens. I much prefer non-candid! Talk to people, interact! Then perhaps make that photo, if people allow you.

Just because someone should say it, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 is purportedly very good. And big. And expensive. Because it's really a full-frame lens.

 

The 20mm f/1.8 is more practical if you don't mind being a bit less wide. Or the 18-35 f/1.8 Sigma.

Lonleylight, I do not know of any dedicated rectilinear dx prime lenses with autofocus ability in the ultra wide category. I know there are a number of Samyang type manual focus lenses but I can't speak about them. I own a Nikor 10.5 dx fisheye with autofocus and Sigma makes an even wider dx fish eye. Perhaps because of the dx price point all manufactures have stayed for the most part with zooms. The three dx zooms I have owned and have shot regularly are the Nikon 12-24 f4 that some feel is way over priced due to its fixed aperture, the Nikor 16-85 variable aperture and the Tokna 10-17 fisheye that has had iconic status in the dive community. The newer Nikon 10-24 is considered a sharper lens than the 12-24. The third party zooms are considered to be quite good at least by the dive community. The dx sensor on the D7200 is really the best of the best of the best with honors. Your current lens is considered a good one so unless you have special needs I might stick with it. Good hunting.

The term "street photography" takes in a lot of territory. Candid and documentary photos are one aspect, but I prefer to apply it to walking about, documenting people at work and play, streets and buildings. The common thread is something relatively small, light, and non-intimidating. A 70-200 is definitely outside that window, even though it is useful. If I carried one lens, it would be a 24 mm, up to 50 mm lens, not a 70-200.

 

A Nikon 24/2.8 is not good for digital because it is not very good for anything, at least wider than f/8. With digital, you can see the blurry corners which are concealed by the ambiguities of film, or forgiven because there was nothing better as long as DSLRs prevailed. That has changed with lenses for mirrorless cameras, which build on a long tradition of sharp, wide-angle, rangefinder lenses, but without the need for special finders.

It depends on your style. There's the "sniping" shots from a distance approach, which ensures candids and reduces the chance you'll be seen by the subject, but necessarily imparts a degree of people thinking you're spying on them because they're behaving unawares; I've been accused of taking inappropriate photos even when I was shooting squirrels. (For some reason there seems to be a philosophical difference between random members of the public looking at you on the street, and an image of you being captured for private viewing.)

 

Or there's the wider approach, which you can either use to capture an environment (in which subjects are necessarily small and less likely to feel the photo is "about them") or you can get right in someone's face, which these days is likely to get you thumped if you don't talk to them before or after. A smaller camera makes it less obvious that you're shooting at all, or that you're shooting one person specifically. I've tried some candids from waist level with a dSLR, but it's very hard to frame, and it's hard not to look shifty. I found a Coolpix A to be more convenient, not least for the silent shutter (if you set the Fn button to AF-On so the shutter is instant) - they're much more affordable used, I'd never have paid full price. Plus the smallest case I could find for it was leather, which makes people think I have a Leica and am therefore an artiste. There's also one of the RX100 series if that's your thing.

 

That said, I'm not really comfortable shooting strangers, so I probably look surreptitious even when I'm trying not to be. I'm working on it, but I'm no expert.

 

I suspect any big, fast, wide lens is going to be counterproductive. And also expensive if someone lashes out at it. Are you after a fast lens for shutter speed (in which case, bear in mind you can live with a slower wide lens because shake is less visible) or subject separation (in which case, a wide lens is going to struggle anyway - a 14mm f/1.8 has a smaller physical aperture and therefore background separation than a 50mm f/5.6)?

I like the 20mm f/1.8G AF-S Nikkor a lot.

I own this and it is a fantastic lens. It's sharp and will work on your 7200. I shoot it with my 7000s and 7100s. It's not as fast as the new Sigma 14f1.8 but that one is $1300.

 

Sigma 14mm F/3.5 (N90 & Later) (RECT) 5-Pin Autofocus Lens For Nikon {Gel}:{creative}|nw:o|rnd:{random}|dvc:c|adp:{adposition}&msclkid=2096291ce13d119cbda2728694e07bd4&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA%20-%20Lenses%20%5BModel%5D&utm_term=4585032209404256&utm_content=SLR%20Lenses

Lonleylight, if you ignore dx designation on the longer end of

the wide angle range consider used sigma 20mm or 28mm f1.8 versions you can buy at auction or used from Adorama or B&H. They are sharp and affordable and the 20mm f1.8 is smaller than the more recent Sigma 20mm f1.4 that I have been pining for. The older Nikkor 20mm f2.8 that I own is a good sharp lens but less of a bargain used. The Nikkor is smaller than the more current f1.8 version. Once you get below 20mm in autofocus rectilinear lenses there is a used 18mm Nikkor f2.8 and a used 17mm Tokina f2.8 that you can find at auction or from time to time used at the ussual retailers. The only true dx wide angle that I have handled is the Tokina 35mm f2.8. It's a sharp lens. All of these lenses should work in autofocus on your D7200. Best of luck. Stay frosty.

If you read all the reports this is not a great lens and it is not fast but for years I have really enjoyed using a Nikon 10-24 on my D7000.

Sorry, I forgot to say I have a Tokina 10-17 fisheye which takes really interesting scenes of city views, it makes me smile.Again on an old D

I nearly mentioned a fish eye as a way to get really wide. Since their depth of field is so great, you can often get away with a manual focus one - I have the AF Sigma 8mm now, but I used a manual Peleng 8mm when I shot Canon, and it was cheap. Worth considering. And people really don't realise they're in the shot, if that helps.

As others have pointed out, DSLRs with APS-C sensors are not optimal if the goal is street photography with compact, fast, prime wide angle lenses (because there simply aren't any made for the format). The market for DSLR APS-C (DX) lenses only supports zooms, few of which are going to be significantly better, faster or smaller than your existing 16-80 f/2.8-4. You might save some size and weight with a fixed focal length wide like the Nikkor 20mm AFD or 18mm AFD, but these are not really all that wide on APS-C (and no faster than your zoom). The newer Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 AFS is certainly fast, but again not that wide on a D7200, and not very compact either. The various 14mm or 16mm third-party lenses available would be suitably wide, but all the ones in Nikon mount were designed for full-frame cameras, making them needlessly bulbous and/or slow on a D7200.

 

The only APS-C system truly optimized for street photography is Fuji X. The bodies are small, and there's a nice selection of small, sharp, fast wide lenses. 14mm f/2.8, 16mm f/1.4, a tiny pancake 18mm f/2.0, 23mm f/1.4 and 23mm f/2.0. You might want to drop by a dealer to see if a Fuji could work for you as a companion to your D7200. People either love or hate the Fuji X cameras: depends how you get on with their electronic viewfinders and the pros/cons of sensor-driven AF. They've gained an enthusiastic following of street and travel photographers.

Edited September 14, 2018 by orsetto

Maybe if your chosen future is wide Obi Wan, a used D600 with a Nikon 20mm 1.8 the way to go is.

 

The 600 series isn't much bigger than the D7200.

 

DX and fast/wide have never been happy bed-fellows.

 

Equally FX is best ISO performance.

Your 16mm at f/2.8 will be hard to beat on APS-C, unless you really, really want to spend money for, at best, marginal changes in perofrmance. I like my Tokina 11-16mm/2.8 as an ultra-wide on my D7100. I don't use it much for images with people since it has such a strong impact on human features. I mostly use the ultra-side to get really close-up on my (non-human) subjects, unless I don't mind the elongating effects of the UWA for artistic reasons.

It depends . . .

How wide do you want?

 

A Nikon 35/1.8 DX lens is a nice lens, and not expensive, but it is a "normal" lens on a DX camera, not a wide.

I use it as my low light lens, on my D7200.

 

Wider than 35, and I think these are the Nikon options, all are FX lenses:

- 24/2.8 D (screwdriver AF mechanism)

- 24/1.8 G AF-S

- 20/1.8 G AF-S

 

But first try an old trick, set the zoom ring and then tape the zoom ring, so you are forced to use just the ONE focal length that you have the zoom ring set to.

Also APSC because again I'd prefer not to have to worry about the crop factor at this point in learning.

 

Just to be sure: the marking in focal length for a APS-C lens is identical to a FX lens. So 35mm is 35mm - the resulting angle of view is different between full frame and APS-C, but if you get a full frame 35mm lens it will look and work like a 35mm APS-C lens would.

So, no need to discount full frame lenses, since they don't need to make you worry about crop factor at all.

 

For the wide and ultra wide lenses, you should stick to APS-C lenses (full frame lenses with the same focal lengths will be very expensive), but if you'd be after something like 24mm, the full frame primes could be perfectly fine candidates.

I'm going to give you a recommendation that I personally use on the Nikon d7200 and you're not going to beat it even with primes.

 

I don't know how why do you want to go I would purchase the Sigma 18 to 35 mm F 1.8 art lens phenomenal lens on the d7200 gives you about 24 mm 25 mm2 about 52 mm tack sharp wide open at F 1.8 corner to corner auto focus is fantastic you can pick up one for $500 on eBay can't recommend it more.

My 18-35mm 1.8 looks far nearer to a 28mm prime at the wide end. But it sure is a sharp lens. I love mine and wouldn't part with it.

 

Sometimes i wonder about the Tamron 15-30mm, but it's a big lens for DX.

Depending on your POV, full frame lenses from 24mm to 50mm (16mm to 35mm APS-C) are considered to be prime focal lenses for street photography. For my preference for that would 35 or 40mm, which means 24 to 28mm for an APS-C. To make it worth while from your 16-80, each would have to be at least f1.8. and that is if your street photography includes street lit nights or indoor available light. Outdoor daylight, your 16-80 will do. If you want a 50mm FF equivalent, the above mentioned 35mm f1.8 DX is very good value. I also have that lens.