Best Wide Prime(s) for Nikon

[bmm]

<p>Hi all</p>

<p>I'm looking to augment my lineup of primes with something wider than my current 35mm f/2.0 which is the widest I go in good primes.</p>

<p>To be really clear I adore the smallish size and weight of primes, so while I fully understand that lenses like the 14-24 and 17-35 zooms may be 'obvious' responses to some in relation to this query, please know that they are not what I am looking for.</p>

<p>What I am looking for however is something 24mm or wider, not fisheye, f/2.8 or faster, and FX (I will use it in the first instance on my current D80, but am looking to a D700 purchase within the next 6 months so the aim is very clearly an FX setup).</p>

<p>This is to complement a prime lineup that currently goes 35/2, 50/1.4, 85/1.4 and 180/2.8 and to which the 135/2 DC will also be added.</p>

<p>I am also aware that some reviews of the Nikkor wide prime offerings (20mm, 24mm and 28mm) are not stellar but I am looking for some real-world usage feedback on these, and also for suggestions of any alternatives I might consider.</p>

<p>Many thanks!</p>

[User_2000406]

<p>http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html. Click on "lenses" to the left. Enjoy!</p>

[mark_punch]

<p>Nikkor 28 2.8 AIS (last version) is killer, 24 2.8 AIS is very good, and 20 2.8 AIS is great also. These are manual focus of course, don't know about the AF versions.</p>

[james_symington1]

<p>Recently bought the Zeiss 25mm ZF which I find fantastic - very little distortion, stunning centre performance but the corners are a bit mushy until you get to f8 when they are good and by f11 everything (on FX) is outstanding.<br /> Even better is the 24mm PC-E but it is big and expensive but it can do things few others can manage. Depends on what and how you photograph I suppose.</p>

[james_symington1]

<p>Here's a quick jpeg I did of the PC-E using a bit of tilt - even on this small jpeg you can see everything from inches away to infinity is crisp (at f8!).</p>

<div></div>

[james_symington1]

<p>On the ZF at f16 - focus was on the central rock and so bottom right twig which was much closer is very slightly but not seriously soft - top right branches at infinity are perfect.</p><div></div>

[james_symington1]

<p>Bottom right</p>

[james_symington1]

<p>Top right</p>

[gy]

<p>hi Bernard,</p>

<p>I have the 20mm f/2.8 D lens and I am happy for my needs.. I hesitated very much when getting as of the reviews. Wide open this lens does has some blurry corners but gets better each stop and after 5.6 it is much better then my Nikon 12-24mm f/4 lens on all respects. Center sharpness is very good from 2.8.. <br>

I use this lens for my walkaround lens and for street type photography it handles very well. it becomes 30mm on DX and perfect aperture for me. Wide open I dont need corners to be sharp anyway and if I shoot landscapes I stop down to f8 or f11 on tripod and the lens performs very good.. </p>

<p> </p>

[james_symington1]

<p>All that said I used the 17-35mm a lot too on that expedition and it is really top notch though I appreciate you don't wish to dirty your hands with a zoom :-)<br>

Another amazing property of the 25mm ZF is that it is so close focussing you can get a subject 7 centimetres away from the front element in focus. Plenty of new possibilities that opens up.</p>

[ilkka_nissila]

<p>There is a new 20mm f/3.5 Voigtländer which is worth considering. Very compact, but it's so new that no proper reviews are out yet, I'm afraid. It is manual focus but not as expensive as the Zeiss.</p>

<p>I use the 18mm ZF, the 24mm PC-E, the 25mm ZF, and the 28/2 Ai-S Nikkor as my wide primes (<35mm) on FX. They're all keepers. I think the 24mm PC-E is capable of the most outstanding imagery (stopped down to f/5.6-f/11; the f/3.5 is for viewing only), but for people shots in available light, the 28/2 Ai-S is a nice, compact lens.</p>

[Two23]

<p>The only single focal lens I'm interested is the new 24mm f2.8 PCE tilt/shift. It's one of the few that has the quality to compete with Nikon's latest zooms, and the tilt function is very useful. A D700 and 24mm PCE seems like a natural match. <br>

Kent in SD </p>

[carl_becker2]

<p>I use the 20mm f2.8, 24mm f2.8, 28mm f2 and 35mm f2 all AIS with my D700. I do get soft corners with the 20mm at low f-stops but I don't use the lens wide open either. I considered the Nikkor 20mm f3.5 for its flair resistance but did not like its distortion. We will have to see how the Voigtlander does when its available. I am interested in a PC-E lens but the cost, size and weight is a lot. I might rent one to see how valuable they are for me.</p>

[rob_wall]

<p>The 20 2.8 AIS is a wonderful lens, super compact (62mm filter size) with buttery smooth focusing. The AF-D one seems like a cheap piece fo junk by comparison, though it takes equally superb photos.</p>

[jeffrey_prokopowicz]

<p>If you're on a budget take a look at the Tamron 17/3.5 SP. I haven't used it yet with digital but it's been darn good with film, so I'm assuming it'll hold up with my D700, plus you don't really need autofocus with a lens that wide. It's a true sleeper lens if you get a good one.</p>

[g-man1]

<p>I like my 20/3.5 Ais on D700.</p>

[georg_s1]

<p>Bernard,<br>

the MF 24/2.8 Nikkor is nice on my D700. It's sharp and contrasty (? - please excuse my english) and can be found for little money. I also own and use the 20/3.5 and the 24/2.0 but both of them have special characteristics - the 20/3.5 vignettes heavily and corner performance is mediocre wide open. The 24/2.0 is rather soft until I stop it down to f4 or 5.6 and is much more prone to flare then it's 2.8-sibling. I've used the AF 20/2.8 (and a lot of other lenses from Sigma and other brands) and wasn't impressed. The 14-24 is absolutely stunning, but big and bulky and heavy and not exactly cheap.<br>

If I was in your shoes I would look at the MF-Nikkor 24/2.8 or the Zeiss ZF Distagon 25/2.8 or the new Voigtlander 20/3.5 (I don't tried the last two).<br>

If you decide to buy a MF-Nikkor think about choosing the AI-variant instead of the newer AIS-model. I prefer the built-quality of the older AI-Nikkors over the in my opinion inferior AIS-variants.<br>

Hope this helps and please excuse my english, georg.</p>

[peter]

<p>The Nikkor 28 f3.5 manual focus, is rated as being an excellent performer on both film and digital although often overlooked because of its slow speed. I am looking at getting an old pre Ai one I own converted for this reason as I have heards such good things about it.<br>

I also own the 24mm f2.8 AIS but having bought it recently am yet to try it on my D200. Some report that it does not perform as well as expected on digital cameras although others say its fine. I am yet to decide.<br>

The 28mm f2.8 AF D is reportedly the best of the AF versions of Nikkors 28mm lenses (earlier AF versions being based on the optical design of the cheaper E series manual lens and are not up to standard.)<br>

Speaking personally, while I would not say the AF D version of this lens is by any means a "dud" I would have to add that its not one of Nikon's best designs either. In particular, it flares horribly when the sun is almost anywhere in front of the camera. I don't think I have seen a lens that is so flare prone.<br>

The only other wide prime I have is the 35mm f2.0 MF lens and can say its a jim dandy lens! Even tho' mine is an old AI converted one it shoots lovely images although I fancy it has poorer coating than more up to date versions.<br>

I cannot comment on the wider or faster wide angles I am afraid.</p>

[bmm]

<p>Peter - I think you've hit on one of the issues underlying my post.</p>

<p>My 35/2 AF-D is such a good lens in terms of size, sharpness, contrast etc and I'm so pleased with it that I feel like I'm setting myself up for a let-down if I just go to one of the wider current AF-D primes and expect the same from it...</p>

[peter]

<p>Bernard in terms of image I think you may struggle to do better than the 35mm f2 its that good. But I understand if you want something wider. As you said in your originl post, some of Nikons wides are not stellar in their performance and this has been my ( limited ) experience too. I have not tried them all of course but have researched them widely (as a committed suffer of GAS syndrome) and one I neglected to mention but someone else has, is the 28mm f2.8 AIS which seems to be universally regarded as excellent and indeed better than any of the AF 28s - including the D one I mentioned.</p>

[bmm]

<p>This issue has fixed itself nicely as s friend who has been posted overseas has agreed to let go of his 24/2.8D for a small price (AUD$180 = US$100). So I have the focal length that I want, and a Nikkor at that, but any disappointment with quality will be greatly tempered by the fact that I paid very little for it.<br>

Anyway its coming with me on a work trip to Jordan where I will have the chance to go to Petra!</p>