D800 lens questions

[alastair_anderson]

<p>I lost two lenses when my D3 was stolen: the 70-300 AF-S VR and an old F3.5 pc Nikkor. I will be buying a D800 and would like to replace the two lenses. I've read threads about the 24 tilt/shift lens and am quite keen to get one of those although it's still not entirely clear to me whether the amount that it can be shifted is limited by the D800 flash housing. So that's my first question.</p>

<p>The second is: does anyone know how the 70-300 stands up to the increased resolution of the D800. I was very happy with the performance of this lens on the D3.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

[steve_bingham]

<p>1- TS lenses require a TON of setting up - just like a 4x5 view camera. Are you patient enough?<br>

2- The resolution of the 70-300 will increase using the D800. However, using a 70-200 would increase it even more.</p>

[abib_b]

<p>Hi Alistair,<br>

Look also at http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/03/d800-lens-selection and do take note of the caveats. In particular, it has something to say about your PC-E.</p>

 

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Photozone.de has some of the best, balanced reviews around.</p>

<p>They like the 70-300VR on FX. <br>

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/620-nikon70300f4556vrfx</p>

<p>I think they like the Tamron better.<br>

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/619-tamron70300f456fx</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Steve - T/S lenses aren't as scary as their reputation. Alastair already has shift experience, and that's easy enough to use so long as you're happy clamping your camera to a tripod. As for tilt, I like tilting the lens to roughly the right angle, then moving the camera to put the focal plane where I want it - obviously I'm assuming that I have some flexibility in the composition, but it's not that hard to do, and something that's (more or less) out of the question with a view camera. I still wish Nikon had taken my suggestion of a quartered live view so you could see (multiple points on) the focal plane at full zoom, though. For more conventional use, live view helps a lot.<br />

<br />

Abib: interesting link - especially that there's criticism of the 14-24, although I admitt that its stellar reputation is about how good it is <i>for a 14mm lens</i> rather than in an absolute sense. I'm assuming the zoom tests are at their best apertures (the 14-24 is much weaker at the long end). Well, I'm back to lusting after a Zeiss 21mm...<br />

<br />

While I loved my 70-300 Canon lens on a 6MP crop sensor, I'd be very nervous about them at the 300mm end on a D800; I'd look at the 300 f/4 if possible (assuming the f/2.8 is out), but that obviously won't help much if you really need a zoom. Bear in mind that photozone currently "only" uses a D3x. Then again, I've not used Nikon's zoom on my D700, so I can't corroborate how happy you might have been with it on a D3. It will, of course, not be <i>worse</i> on a D800, it just probably won't make the best of the sensor.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>Look also at <a href="http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/03/d800-lens-selection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/03/d800-lens-selection</a> and do take note of the caveats. In particular, it has something to say about your PC-E.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>First of all, <a href="http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/author/roger" rel="author">Roger Cicala</a> from Lens Reltals deals with a lot of lenses on a daily basis, and he tends to have experience with multiple samples (sometimes many samples) of the same lens model. Therefore, IMO his opinions should be respected. However, his experience with the 24mm/f3.5 PC-E on the D800 is quite different from mine. Mine works great on the D800, but I have only one sample of that lens and I have used only one D800.</p>

[alastair_anderson]

<p>Thanks for all your help, everyone.</p>

<p>I have the D800 and I also bought a 70-200 VRII and a 1.4TC. I haven't made my mind up about the PC lens yet. While I appreciate the advantages of Sheimfplug etc. I really only need the shift so that I can get the tops of buildings in the frame and avoid converging verticals so I may save some money and get one of the non tilt lenses.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>What the heck is scary about using a shift lens? You just shift it until the building is all in the frame (or more likely run out of permissible shift). You don't even absolutely NEED a tripod if you switch the alignment grid and/or artificial horizon on in the camera. No theodolite, plumbline or spirit-level necessary!</p>

[alastair_anderson]

<p>Joe, there's nothing scary about using a shift lens. If you want to take advantage of tilt, you require some knowledge, time and patience. For certain pictures there's no other way to do it without using a view camera.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Alastair - Pfft. I've been able to use my tilt lens with very little knowledge, time or patience. :-) (Tilting roughly and then waving the camera around helps. To be honest, I suspect a view camera is more intuitive with movements once you get around the metering.)</p>