4 sample shots with the new AF-S 24mm/f1.4

<p>Hi,<br /> (If there was already commented on this, I apologise.)<br /> You can find some samples of the new 24mm/f1.4 with D3s here (dpreview.com):<br /> <em><strong>PMA 2010:</strong> Samples images from Nikon's 24mm F1.4 AF-S wide-angle prime lens. We're not sure if these are the world's first indepent sample shots with this lens but, given how hard it was to wrestle it away from the guys on the Nikon stand at the PMA Sneak Peek event, there can't be many others.</em> <br /> http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/nikon-af-s-24mm-f1-4-g-preview-samples/slideshow</p>

<p>In the future, I would be interested in knowing how it compares to the good old<em> AiS 35mm/f1.4, </em> especially when stopped down. Wide open, the <em>24mm F1.4 AF-S </em> seems to have more contrast/less flare.<br>

<br /> Best,<br /> MS Keil</p>

<p>Looks like they either took it down or there is too much traffic. I could not see the images getting error message.</p>

<p>Strange, while I have seen those images on DPReview several days ago, I just checked them again and had no problem viewing them, including those full-size 5M downloads.</p>

<p>Worked for me.<br>

Nice shots.Looks like a sweet lens</p>

<p>I was able to downlaod the pic and watch them in full size also.<br>

There could be an issue with my PC's Adobe player maybe ? Sorry for the false alert.</p>

<p>Nice shots indeed.</p>

Perfect link..., no problems... Also, nothing extraordinary..., I fail to see the emperor's new clothes.

<p>Those are more casual snapshots, but the out-of-focus areas look fine, and even at f1.4, the lines on distant buildings look sharp enough. I would imagine that by f4 or so, sharpness should be excellent.</p>

<p>A real test would be on the D3X.</p>

<p>Although perhaps preliminary, can anyone comment on how these sparse samples compare to wide open results from the AF 28mm/f1.4?</p>

<p>I wonder if this lens will take the wind out of the sails of the crazy prices for the 28mm f/1.4D.</p>

That's for sure !

<p>As a lens for photography, I am sure the new 24mm/f1.4 AF-S supersedes the old 28mm/f1.4 AF-D. However, if the unusual high value for the 28mm is manly due to collector interest, the price might not drop a whole lot. Collector interest is primarily determined by how rare an item is; it is not something I understand much. I suppose we'll find out one way or another soon.</p>

<p>For the record, when it was still available new back in 2005, the 28mm/f1.4 was about $1700 new. Recently, the used price is around $3000 although it varies quite a bit.</p>

<p>I just saw a German store offering it for 2.149,00 EUROS. The old 28mm/f1.4will likely drop in value if the new is significantly better optically, because previously there just has not been any alternative for it. Now, with an optically better (likely...) lens soon available, many people will buy the newer one, leaving the older only interesting for a reduced group of collectors. And less demand equals smaller prices.</p>

I cannot wiev the pics, problem with me i guess, whatever, too much money

<p>I actually would prefer a fast 28mm to the 24 but I suspect many people to hold the opposite opinion. If the price of the 28/1.4 is reduced to a reasonable (<=1300 EUR) level I might buy that in preference to the 24 because the latter is too wide for my taste for available light people shots.</p>

<p>I doubt the ridiculous price of the 28/1.4 has anything at all to do with collectors; it just happened that at the time Nikon introduced the ultimate low-light camera (then the D3) they didn't have any fast wide angles in production. That's like providing the ultimate dinner but nothing to drink with it. Canon had 24/1.4, 28/1.8, and 35/1.4 all with USM. Several well known wedding photographers have stayed with Canon for this reason. Hence the discontinued 28/1.4 became very desirable and because so few exist, prices went up through the roof.</p>

<p>It may be however that the price of the 28/1.4 may not fall quickly simply because people are not willing to accept that they have to take a big loss if they purchased it while the price was very high even if they want switch to the 24/1.4. Personally, I would buy the 28/1.4 for wedding photography, not to be kept in a glass cabinet. The 24/1.4 I would find acceptable for this but I prefer 28 so I'm unlikely to purchase the 24/1.4 any time soon. It's not quite what I want yet the price is very high. A new 35/1.4 AF-S or 28 AF-S (either f/2 or f/1.4) I would however purchase without hesitation.</p>

<p>Not a pretty model but sweet images, lovely lens indeed!</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I doubt the ridiculous price of the 28/1.4 has anything at all to do with collectors; it just happened that at the time Nikon introduced the ultimate low-light camera (then the D3) they didn't have any fast wide angles in production. That's like providing the ultimate dinner but nothing to drink with it. Canon had 24/1.4, 28/1.8, and 35/1.4 all with USM. Several well known wedding photographers have stayed with Canon for this reason. Hence the discontinued 28/1.4 became very desirable and because so few exist, prices went up through the roof.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Nice theory, Ilkka, but the facts do not support it.</p>

<p>The 28mm/f1.4 was discontinued in late 2005/early 2006. As remaining supply was exhausted, the price in the used market soon went through the roof. For example, in this thread from August 16, 2007, people were talking about prices from $2500 to $3499: <a href="../nikon-camera-forum/00MFh1">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00MFh1</a><br />The D3 wouldn't be announced for another week after that thread and wouldn't be available for another 3+ months. To top it off, Bjorn Rorslett even reported in that thread that the 28mm/f1.4 is not that great a lens in the first place.</p>

<p>In other words, as a fast wide angle, the new 24mm/f1.4 AF-S does not exactly a tough act to follow, at least among Nikkor lenses.</p>

<p>I have not tested the 28mm/1.4AFD but I have a strange feeling that at f/1.4 and in high contrast situations, CA will be an issue in today's sensors, let alone the D3X sensor.</p>

<p>The 24mm/1.4G AF-S, on the other hand, has some ED elements to help out in that department.</p>

<p>It's bokeh, so far, is pleasing to my eyes and I have no complaints whatsoever. I am sure you guys know me by now when it comes to bokeh.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I can't see any distortion. Impressive.</p>

<p>I got my 28/1.4 just before it was discontinued. I had initially found it to be quite soft, then I did some more in depth testing and found it to be out of alignment. After a warranty repair to get it into spec, it's served me quite well. But apparently Nikon had some real QA issues with these lenses, and I'm told that a surprising number of them had the same problem as mine, coming out of the factory mis-aligned. That could explain some of the mixed reviews.</p>

<p>CA fringing is not a showstopper issue with the 28/1.4 even on the D3x, although there is certainly a touch in high-contrast subjects.</p>

<p>I use my 28/1.4 now mostly in low-light with the D3s, where it lets me shoot in lower light than I'd ever thought possible.</p>

<p>That said, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more shots with the 24/1.4.</p>

<p> </p>

<p><em>Nice theory, Ilkka, but the facts do not support it.</em></p>

<p>You really have a nasty way of saying whatever you say. Have you carried out an interview with a statistically significant portion of 28/1.4 owners to ask if they bought it as a collector's item or to shoot with? I doubt it. So you don't have much to go on with as far as "facts" are concerned. Why not just say nothing then?</p>

<p>Matt,</p>

<p>I hear you ... Misalignment issue with really fast lenses is a common problem which lens makers fail to admit. The faster the lens, the more likely we will see the effects of any small misalignment between the lens mount and the camera body.</p>

<p>I have used and owned the Leica Noctilux (f/1.0). Like always, a real misalignment requires the lens and the most commonly used body to be sent to the test lab for re-alignment.</p>

<p>It is good thing these days that Nikon bodies allow you to do some minor tuning to the AF to correct that yourself, if you have the time to spend with your lens, camera and lens chart. This is something which I feel Nikon can spearhead with a small piece of firmware to do auto-alignment with the help of lens charts. So far, I have not seen anyone in the industry doing this yet but I believe it can be done.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Are people reading the page? These aren't wide open. <br mce_bogus="1"></p>

<blockquote>

<p>Are people reading the page? These aren't wide open.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Brett, not sure exactly what you meant. I have gone to that link 5, 6 times in the last week, and I have never had any problems.</p>

<p>DPReview has 4 image samples. The 2nd one from the left was captured at f8. The other 3 were captured at f1.4; that is why they were using like 1/8000 sec under daylight.</p>

<p>Three samples at 1.4 ("wide open"), here the direct links to the originals:<br>

http://s3.amazonaws.com/masters.galleries.dpreview.com/151464.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2&Expires=1270217165&Signature=pEzt0a0ugh%2b7i2zHVrkrRzspskY%3d<br>

http://s3.amazonaws.com/masters.galleries.dpreview.com/151466.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2&Expires=1270217165&Signature=ZbecCQwjLBb5dd2qgXrhUv%2fgNDA%3d<br>

http://s3.amazonaws.com/masters.galleries.dpreview.com/151467.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2&Expires=1270217165&Signature=pV8X%2b8oKvEvzufqFbEkBS5RgmZI%3d<br>

and one sample at f8:<br>

http://s3.amazonaws.com/masters.galleries.dpreview.com/151465.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2&Expires=1270217165&Signature=i9xr%2bZWgIXTAP%2fzQzJBvL6ZPyDg%3d<br>

(this for all people which have difficulties with the originally posted link)<br>

(shooting data are according to dpreview.com, I haven't checked the EXIF)</p>

<p>I see significant improved sharpness from 1.4 to the second with f8. Referring to=(<a href="../photodb/user?user_id=410495">MS Keil</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"></a>, Mar 03, 2010; 10:11 a.m.) I would except better sharpness on the palm tree leaves at full open, then I can see in the large image in MS Keil attachments. For a lens almost around C$3000.00, when you walk out from the camera store. The 17-35/2.8 or the 24-70/2.8 as sharp or sharper. (?) The only advantage is, the 24/1.4 for low light, but as a 24mm WA lens, hardly can usable for people or such, indoor photography, having an advantage of a fast 1.4 lens. It is to wide. For landscape it is a fantastic lens. And I considering to buy it, because my 24-70/2.8 I mostly using at 24mm and many time the 70mm range is not enough for picking detail in landscape, ( never mind it is a big, big clumsy lens) and so, I mostly grab the D300 with a 105/1.8 AI-S or the 135/2 AI-S on it. I would be more happy having the 24/1.4 on the D700 and a 105 or 135 fast on the D300 or in the future a second D700 body. But, at the moment, the 24/1.4 is to expensive for me.</p>