Leica user-Nikon newbie - lens recommendation(s) for D90

[stric]

Hello everyone,

I am a long term Leica M-system user and for years I only shot Leica M (film) with its incredible M-system prime

lenses.

Recently I received a D90 body as present and I would like to build a decent system that will best utilize the DX

sensor and the capabilities of this camera.

I am used to some great Leica wide-angle lenses and I like to shoot with them (I guess you can easily call me

wide-angle junkie too). Now with the digital challenge from Nikon, I need to find a good set up that will satisfy

both my wide-angle and some zoom needs. Remember I come from the world of prime-lenses and I know that Nikon

makes some great primes as well but I'd hate to use them on D90 due to cropping issues with DX sensor. I need

something with decent decent medium wide angle and nice low light performance. 16-85mm comes to my mind but then

I see 18-105mm and wonder if the later one is really not that great compared to 16-85mm.

What about non-Nikon made lenses. What other good lenses exist for Nikon digital DX format cameras that are good

quality?

Thanks

[shuo_zhao]

Emir, did you got your D90 with any lens?

 

the 35 f/2, 50 f/1.8, 85 f/1.8 and f/1.4, 60 and 105 Micro, 180 f/2.8 are some of the highly rated nikkor primes. Nikon's current lineup of wide

angle primes are ok, but are somewhat outdated mechanically. These lenses such as the 14 f/2.8, 20 f/2.8, 24 f/2.8, and 28 f/2.8 would

have rather awkward angles of view on a DX camera (21, 30, 36, 42). if you want to shoot wide on DX, zooms could be the better bets.

 

Bytheway, how wide is wide enough for you?

[stric]

For the time being I am using an old Nikkor 35-80mm f4/5.6 lens that I have not used over 10 years... it works but it the wide-angle disappears due to cropping and the low light performance is pretty poor...

[stric]

Well 35mm for me is normal - so everything below that length I consider wide angle...

[ShunCheung]

With a D90, you are (1) no longer using a rangefinder and (2) no longer shooting film.

I would suggest that you also forget about fixed-focal-length lenses and try either (1) the 12-24mm/f4 DX Nikkor, (2) the 12-24mm Tokina, (3) the 11-16mm/f2.8 Tokina, or (4) the 10-20mm Sigma.

Zooms work a lot better since you are no longer restricted by that rangefinder, and Nikon doesn't have a whole lot of fixed wides for the DX sensor except for the highly specialized 10.5mm DX fisheye.

[diane_madura]

Hi, Emir. Here is a pretty extensive list of Nikon and third party lenses that have been reviewed.

 

http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests

 

And Bjorn Rorslett has some very interesting comments to make on Nikon lenses. Move towards the bottom to get to the links of different lenses.

 

http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html

[ronald_moravec1]

Wide zooms and Nikon wide primes are full of distortion you did not see with your Leica. PtLens.com will repair. The only one without serious distortion is the 28 2.8 AiS, buy it has a little. Same as 40 mm on film

 

How wide do you want to go ? My Nikkor 12/24 is the same as 18/35 with a Leica.

 

Check out Photozone tests. They are accurate

[Peter_in_PA]

An 11-16 f2.8 (tokina) and a 16-85 VR (nikon) would be pretty sweet with that camera. If you later decide to go with

something faster or longer or more pro or whatever, you will be able to sell those lenses for pretty near what you pay for

them.

[carl_becker2]

IMHO decent low light would mean an f-stop of at least 2.8 and faster being better. I use the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8, Nikkor 20mm f2.8 and 28mm f2 (manual focus). There is also the 35mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4. I suggest you look at the Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 as a good all round fast zoom. I like the feel of the older manual focus lenses as they remind me of Leitz and Mamiya 7 lenses.

 

www.bythom.com is another refference that may be of use to you.

[leicaglow]

As a fellow Leica and Nikon shooter, I'd start with a 50mm f/1.8 (A little lighter on the pocket book than a good 'cron<g>). You could also do the 17-55mm zoom. Phenominal. I don't have any experience yet with the 16-85mm yet, but I'd stay away from the 18-105mm. You won't be happy with it. If I could have just two lenses, they would be the 17-55mm and 70-200mm Nikkor.

 

You could also look at the Zeiss ZF series. I've only worked with the 50mm f/1.4, and they are very "German" looking. The Leica is somewhere between the color the Nikkor and the critical sharpness and cool colors of the Zeiss. If doing B&W, I might lean toward the Zeiss, but for color, a good Nikkor is hard to beat.

[lester_hawksby1]

I'm a big fan of the 45mm f/2.8 AI-P pancake Nikkor. It makes the camera much more portable than a big zoom, is well made with smooth manual focusing, and has very pleasant optical qualities. It's no substitute for the latest zooms with all the technological features (AF-S and VR are definitely good things!), but a good complement for them. It's a little long on the cropped sensor (like a 67mm on film), but I find it wide enough to be useful, and you can always do stitched panoramas when you want to get more in.

 

If you want an equivalent to a fast 50mm, Sigma's 30mm f/1.4 is a good fast normal for low light and has good AF too. Nikon's 16-85 appears to be good stuff as far as general purpose zooms go. Others have already mentioned the wide-angle zooms which will be the only way you'll get really wide on an APS-C dSLR - but you only need one to cover all the wide angle lengths.

[ilkka_nissila]

I have chased primes for DX for many years, with success from 28mm upwards; whereas nothing but disappointment from 24mm down (though the 24 PC-E is excellent, I never really used it on DX except that I tested that it does work on the D200).

 

If manual focus is ok, the best 28mm primes from Nikon are the 28/2 and 28/2.8 Ai-S. Avoid the series E and the AF pre-D 28/2.8, they are relatively mushy as far as Nikon primes go. The newer 28/2.8 AF-D is a good lens from f/5.6 to f/8. It has some CA at wider apertures, but it's a small, cheap lens. But the Ai-S manual focus 28/2 is better than the AF-D. There is also a Zeiss 28mm f/2 which you may consider if you can afford it.

 

For 35mm, the 35mm AF-D is a good lens with some CA at f/2 but it's quite sharp on DX from f/2.8 to f/5.6 already. I sold mine to get the better manual focusability and corner performance of the 35mm f/2 Zeiss, which is an excellent lens. You may also consider the 35mm f/1.4 Ai-S manual focus Nikkor, which has a good reputation and would make a nice fast normal lens on DX.

 

50mm and longer - all lenses are pretty much very good to excellent. I like the 50/1.4 ZF, 50/1.8D AF Nikkor, 85/1.4D AF Nikkor, and the 180/2.8D AF, all of which work great on both DX and FX. The 105 and 135 DC Nikkors are really FX/35mm lenses and they give a bit soft images on DX at wide apertures. From f/3.5 on to smaller apertures, the results are very good to excellent.

 

Getting back to the problem area, wide angle primes shorter than 28mm. Zeiss has a 18/3.5, 21/2.8 (upcoming), and 25/2.8 for the Nikon mount. If you really need a regular prime lens for wide angle work, I would consider these. They are full-frame lenses so you can use them on an FX body later on.

 

Or you could go for a wide angle zoom such as the 12-24/4 Nikkor or the 11-16/2.8 Tokina. I would recommend this path for a DX format wide angle. The longer focal lengths can be prime or zoom, depending on your needs and taste.

[robbie_robertson]

Remember, the D90 has internal CA correction (non-user adjustable), and it works pretty well. At 100% crop you can see slight artifacts, but overall it does a good job. I wouldn't worry as much about CA prone lenses- I'm using the Sigma 30 mm f1.4 with more confidence wide open on the D90 nowadays.