Questions re: Wide Angle Lenses and Nikon vs. Sigma

[sabrina_hendrix]

I have a Nikon D50 Digital SLR and would like to purchase a wide angle lense

for it, but I am not exactly sure what I am looking for. I was shopping on B&H

Photo's website and came across several different lenses.

 

1. I think I have narrowed my choices to a lense with an angle of view of 84

degrees, (Sigma model #432306 or Nikon model #1919) but am not sure if a 74

degree angle of view is more versitile or better suited to my needs. (I would

be using it for panarama landscape shots as well as large family/group shots.)

Am I correct in looking for a lense with an 84 degree angle of view?

 

2. I have never used a Sigma lense and am not familiar with their quality. My

initial reaction is to stick with Nikon, but only because I am ignorant of

Sigma. Is there a big difference? The price is about the same, so that

doesn't help sway my decision either way.

 

3. I would like to know how the magnification specifications impact my

choices. I don't understand how a magnification of 1:2.7 on the Sigma model

compares to a magnification of 1:8.9 on the Nikon model.

 

4. Also, the specifications category "Groups/Elements" has the Sigma lense at

9/10, as compared to the Nikon lense at 6/6. Can someone explain to me what

that means?

 

Thank you.

 

Sabrina

[peter_nelson1]

Are you sure that 84 degree FOV is with the D50? (keeping in mind the cropping factor)?

 

Anyway, how did you decide that's the FOV you want?

[peter_nelson1]

You should be reviewing test reports of the lenses you have in mind, looking especially at edge sharpness at your desired aperture. It doesn't matter if the lens has a 60 degree FOV or 100 degree FOV if the outer 10 or 20 degrees are soft or subject to excessive coma (a common problem with WA's). Also look at light falloff. Needless to say, you should stick to primes in this focal length range if edge IQ is paramount.

 

WRT shooting group portraits, I don't recommend WA's - - too much perspective distortion and edge fuzzies unless that's the effect you're going for. It's better to choose a less wide lens and shoot from farther away so everything stays rectilinear. People always forget that a group portrait is still a portrait and the same principles apply. You wouldn't use a WA in the studio for an individual portrait, would you?

[carl_becker2]

The Nikkor 24mm f2.8 will give about 62 degrees or so Field of View on your D50, not real wide but a lens I have and like. You will probably get a better response if you give details about the lens instead of item numbers that need to be looked up.

[Peter_in_PA]

What do you have now? Does it not go wide enough? Then get wider.

 

Macro ratios are not a great feature on which to assess a wide angle lens.

[Matthew Brennan]

Sabrina,

 

1) 24mm focal length is fairly classed as just 'wide' on any Nikon digital body. I'd say that all too often photographers go for too wide an angle which creates such a vastly broad plane of view that is very difficult to control all elements within such a wide field of view. I like 24mm on a digital body camera. For grouped shots of multiple people and landscape wide views 24mm is a good choice IMHO

 

2)I have a little experience with the current lline up of Sigma lenses. The ones I have used / tested out appear to work very well and have a similar plastic but durable build and 'feel' to them as their Nikkor equivalents. I note the Sigma lens you mention is a large aperture model at f/1.8 ompared to the f/2.8 of the Nikkor. The Sigma model will excel in very low natural light shooting a little more so than the Nikkor. I prefer Nikkor for they hold their value if kept in good condition. Either of these lenses will suit you for the types of photography you mention.

 

3)Unless you want to take ultra close up (macro) photos the magnification specifics of either lens is of very little significance for the types of photography you mention above.

 

4)Likewise, the elements groupings are a tech. specific. If the Sigma is a 9/10 then it has 10 glass elements inside it's case which are grouped into 9 clusters and likewise the Nikkor will have 6 glass elements which are individually grouped into - 6 groups. This is technical information which partially explains how the light is bent inside the lens body to produce a cast onto the camera's sensor - and is of little relevance to your question ans you want a lens to shoot gruop shots of people and wider landscapes.